A Journey of Right Action at the Right Time
O Nha Mae Coquina is a small business founded on the belief that everything is medicine in the right dose at the right time. Food, touch, movement, and relationships all serve us in our journey towards wholeness and healing. I have learned throughout my life to balance action towards a goal with trusting the grace of the Universe and my intuition.
Growing up on the coast of Rhode Island I developed an appreciation for knowing where my food came from. Fish came from the ocean, fruits and vegetables came from our garden, and eggs came from the chickens down the road. At the time, in the 90’s, it was still rare to understand that food didn’t originate from the grocery store!
When I moved to Vermont in 2001 to study Wellness and Alternative Medicine at Johnson State College, I had finally found like-minded people who understood that living in balance and harmony takes deliberate effort and education in our society of quick fixes and addictions. At this time in my life I wanted to find a way to reach as many people as possible. This strong desire to help others lead me into the field of early childhood education and the discovery of Montessori philosophy.
Over the past two decades, while primarily working in education, I have educated myself in many modalities of health and healing through exploration and experimentation. I have built relationships with powerful practitioners and learned to trust my own innate ability to participate in my own healing.
In 2013/2014 I began to struggle with painful inflammation throughout my body without any clear explanation as to why. It took until 2016 for my doctor to find the right diagnosis: Hydradenitis Supperativa. I was so motivated to not be in pain anymore that I changed my diet. I began by following the limited guidance from the research about my condition and then was able to follow the guidance of my own body.
I have always loved to cook, and I am not one to usually follow a recipe. I create meals and concoctions by using all of my senses. I have been lucky enough in my life to work with phenomenal chefs who have taught me the science of food, and provided the foundation for me to develop my own style of the art of cooking.
My calling to share what I have to offer with the world has come full circle and I am ready to share what I can with all of you. I cook from the heart with care and compassion for the emotional content and relationships that we all have with food. It is my hope to bring love and nourishment to the world through my culinary concoctions and the creative relationships that food bonds us with.
Mercy Sheehan, Owner
