The Inside Outside Retreat Centre logo, a trail marker blaze within a circle. Courage & Renewal ® Courage Retreats, Circle of Trust ®, Courage to Teach ® image.
Logotype for the Inside Outside Retreat Centre. Courage & Renewal ® Courage Retreats, Circle of Trust ®, Courage to Teach ® image.

Re Kindling Joy

December 10, 2024

We’ll be honest: in a world filled with so much heaviness, joy can feel like a tall order. But maybe that’s exactly why it matters so much. Listen to the artist René Magritte, after living through two world wars he wrote: “Experience of conflict and a load of suffering has taught me that what matters above all is to celebrate joy.”

Joy isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about finding those small moments—moments of lightness and simplicity—that remind us what it feels like to be truly alive. It’s not just a fleeting emotion; joy is an act of courage, a way to keep moving forward when life feels overwhelming.

The thing is, feeling joy is not frivolous or self-indulgent. Joy is a necessity for helping us move forward with hope, resilience, and purpose.

“Joy connects you to all that is good within yourself, and something that is good in the world.” ~Kathy Wagner

Contact Us

winifred@insideoutsideretreatcentre.com

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We are settlers on Treaty 13 Land, the traditional territories of many Indigenous Nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island. We are committed to honouring the history this land bears witness to, responding to the 94 Calls to Action of the  Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and walking lightly on the Earth. A portion of proceeds from all our offerings are sent to:  The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and The Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation.

The Inside Outside Retreat Centre, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), 720 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5S2R4