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Hey there!
I'm Andie, short for Andrea. I'm an Ontario born, Asian at heart, new Quebecer, who arrived here in the Eastern Townships in 2018, and am happily setting down my roots here in this beautiful place. I have a few passions in life which include travel (well...not really traveling, but immersing myself into new cultures), nature (don't we all, who are drawn here to this area?), and wellness! I was fortunate enough to reflect during the pandemic about what I loved to do most, and took the leap of faith, moving 100% into my own massage and yoga business. A challenge for me is to remember to take care of myself first, and I try to remind others to do the same...And that's how Mudra Metta Wellness was born! I am so blessed to spend my time doing exactly that.
What is Mudra Metta?
The short answer is, "taking care of yourself first, then taking care of others".
The word 'Mudra' in Saskrit comes from the root word 'mud'' which means 'delight' or 'pleasure', and 'dravay' which means 'to draw forth. So, 'mudra' literally means 'to draw forth delight or pleasure’. You might know of mudras from your yoga practice as hand or body gestures, which are meant to redirect your energy back towards yourself, rather than out into the world. Mudras are higher practices which can awaken the prana (energy), within the chakras (energy centres) and enrich and enliven our spirit bodies.
Metta is a Pali word, coming from the Buddhist tradition, which means 'loving kindness' or 'goodwill'. Metta is wishing well for others. It helps us to cultivate gentleness, and brings more care and attention to those around us.
I believe that many of us (especially women) focus too often on metta (taking care of other people), and leave themselves as a last priority. My goal is to encourage people to practice mudra first (sending loving energy to yourself), and then with a full and overflowing cup, send out that metta to everyone else...
My Story...
After graduating University in Ontario in 2007, I jumped abroad to South Korea to teach English for a year, but quickly caught the travel bug, and stayed away for 10 more years! I discovered Thai Massage on a holiday in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and it changed my life. I knew I had to keep learning this, as it felt like it was what I was always meant to do. My real training began in 2010, and I always returned to Chaing Mai for more courses throughout my years in Asia. Yoga was something I dabbled with since the start of my life in Asia, but I didn't realize how EVERYTHING IS YOGA until I took my first Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) Course in 2017 in Koh Phangan, Thailand. I was already based in Malaysia by then, and had started a yoga retreat centre which I ran and loved for two years. I got my second YTT in Trivandrum, India in 2018, then returned to Malaysia for a few more retreats. Something then drew me back to Canada, and I left that place and my "adopted" Malaysian family with a piece of my heart. Upon my return to Canada with no particular place in mind, I bought a little yellow Volkswagen Beetle in Victoria, BC, road tripped across the country to St. John's, NL, and then decided that Sutton was the place I would call my new home! This place has taught me so many things...how to speak French (still a work in progress), how to find beauty in winter, how to be in an equal and loving relationship... The story continues from here as I met my fiancé in 2020 and we'll be married next summer at our home in Glen Sutton!
Contact
I'm always so happy to hear from you. Feel free to reach out with any questions or just to say hi!
(450) 330-1859