“Paths are the story of humans journeying on foot. They have a beginning, a middle and an end. They point forward toward the journey’s goal but also behind to all who have traveled this same path before us, including those who created the first track.” ~Torbjørn Ekelund   Last time, we talked about walking. This time? Paths.   Possibly one of the most overused metaphors ever. And with good reason:   As paths take us from one spot to another, they may prod us to think about direction and purpose.   Steep or winding paths might inspire thoughts about patience

Have you noticed the increasing interest in walking?   Articles, books, medical research.   Did you know 11 minutes of walking very well may decrease your risk of heart disease, many kinds of cancer and overall mortality. How about 150 minutes of walking a week? Even better. Cut that risk of premature death by 20%.   No kidding, you can read about it here. ​ Leslie and I love walking. In forests, neighbourhoods, parks, shorelines, even city streets. Put something that looks like a path in front of us and we’re off. We’ll even travel long distances to find a good

For months now, the Inside Outside Retreat Centre has been, well, inside. Lots of online retreats, some in-person and hybrid offerings, but outside? Not so much. ​ And so, we are very, very excited to invite you to: ​Paths through Time and Nature​ Sunday, June 4 10:00 am – 2:30 pm EDT in Toronto’s beautiful High Park ​This will be one lovely retreat. A chance to stop, refresh yourself and enjoy a little refuge without leaving the city.​ Paths take us forward but they also take us back into the past and into ourselves. ~ Geoff Nicholson You can find more information and register here. Pay What

April 27, 2023   We’re excited to offer: Wildness, Enchantment & Hope: Deepening Our Engagement with Nature. This six-session, online series begins May 17 and will be facilitated by Leslie and fellow Courage & Renewal® Facilitator Mardi Tindal. Listen to Leslie describing the inspiration for the retreat and her hopes for participants: Two things inspired this retreat. The first is the hopelessness I sometimes feel dealing with climate change and the fatigue that comes with that. That we are never able to do enough or get it right. In trying to find a way to deal with that anxiety, hopelessness and fatigue, I realized what

April 20, 2023 Living with Paradox If you’ve attended one of our retreats, you’ll know we almost always begin with a Land Acknowledgement. You’ll see it on our website, too. Leslie and I reside on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa and the Mississaugas of the Credit and the ongoing home to many First Nations, Métis and Inuit people from across Turtle Island.  We know Land Acknowledgements stir up some conflicting or ambiguous feelings when we make them or when we hear them. There’s deep differences of opinion about how useful they are. Are they just

April 13. 2023   Lately I’ve been feeling like there is a lot of noise out there. ​ 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. ​ Maybe it’s just me?​ But did you know, approximately 15,000 self-help books are published in the United States, every year? ​ There’s nearly 50,000 life coaches in Canada. ​ And then there’s social media. (Apparently if you wrap your celery in tin foil it will stay fresh for 2 weeks.) ​ Of course, there are a lot of serious problems