Is it just me?

April 13. 2023

Lately I’ve been feeling like there is a lot of noise out there.

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Seems like everywhere I turn someone’s offering a product, a service or expertise to solve a problem I frequently didn’t know I had.

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Maybe it’s just me?
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But did you know, approximately 15,000 self-help books are published in the United States, every year?

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There’s nearly 50,000 life coaches in Canada.

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And then there’s social media.

(Apparently if you wrap your celery in tin foil it will stay fresh for 2 weeks.)

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Of course, there are a lot of serious problems that need solving and a lot of really kind, creative people working to solve them.

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But something doesn’t seem right.

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I couldn’t figure out what was and then I came across this from Richard Wagamese in Embers: One Ojibways Meditations:

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“I am constantly surrounded by noise: TV, texts, the internet, music, meaningless small talk, my thinking. All of it blocks my consciousness, my ability to hear the ME that exists beneath the cacophony.”

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With all the advice, the fixing, the strategies and techniques for being better, getting better, and keeping your vegetables fresh floating around out there, it’s hard to hear yourself think.

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Maybe

Sometimes

it’s not about self-help

it’s not even about self-care.

Maybe what it’s about is

self-knowledge.

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That’s what the Inside Outside Retreat Centre is all about.

We’re not even trying to solve your problems.
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We’re just working to open some calm, gentle and inspiring space for folks to get in touch with their own best teacher: themselves.

If you’re looking to put the outside world on mute for a bit and listen to your own wisdom, your own heart, there are a couple of really lovely retreats coming up:

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​Reciprocity might be just the ticket if you want to step out of the fray for a short time. Note the new time and day for this micro:

Monday May 8 at 7:00 pm EDT.

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Together we’ll contemplate what it could mean to live in reciprocity with the earth and each other. You can learn more about this 75 minute online retreat here.​

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Even better is Wildness, Enchantment & Hope. This six-session, online weekly retreat begins May 17, and meets every Wednesday afternoon (except June 21) until June 28 1:00 – 3:00 pm EDT. This series will open to space to consider:

• How do we remain joyfully engaged with nature while living with the realities of the climate crisis?
• How do we take stock of our roles, and see our way forward, when the actions of one person seem so small against a global task? Learn more about it here.

Learn more about it and register here.
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For those of you longing for an in-person outdoor retreat – stay tuned! We’re working on dates and locations right now.

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