The Gift of Insight

This past year we hosted several “A Shade More….” retreats at enso Retreat Centre. Why A Shade More…? A friend of mine asked me that other day, referring to the names of the retreats I host. The genesis of ‘A Shade More….’ emerged from an event that my mom and I attended a while back by the poet David Whyte. The event was titled Half A Shade Braver weaving in the themes of courage and vulnerability through his poetry. He shared his rationale for this title and emphasized that we are all on a journey of sorts. Workshops, events, retreats and other learning events create moments of insight that move the needle a bit further along the continuum of whatever quest we are seeking. In awe and transformed to some degree, we left his workshop ‘Half a Shade Braver’.

Quote 2 - A mind.... Oliver Wendell Holmes - FINAL .jpg

The title swirled in my head. I loved the way it sounded. I started playing with the title for my retreats and bounced the idea around of “Half a shade more.. “. I skyped my straight-shooter friend in Australia (who is always one for honest and frank feedback), and her first comment was:

”Dor, why half a shade. Go a full shade.”

That message of go big or go home resonated with me. Yes, a full shade. Of course, that‘s it.

I shared my inspiration for the retreat names with one of the retreat participants. An artist in her spare time, she validated the title by stating.

“In painting, there is no such thing as half a shade. Each time you mix paints, you always go a full shade”.

I marvelled at this revelation, feeling “A Shade More…elated! Each retreat is named according to the theme of the transformation. A FULL shade of more.. compassion, renewal, liberation, connectedness, lightness, enlightenment and more. Most journeys begin with the a-ha moment that brings awareness to ‘something needs to change’. That moment of insight:

Insight:

penetrating mental vision or discernment;

faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.

Participants arrive at the safe and tranquil enso Retreat Centre with an awareness and intention to shift something. They leave A Shade More… as well as feeling inspired, reflective, joyful, energized, focused, enriched, calmed, nurtured, restored, welcomed and cared for. They experience a shift in perspective while being pacified by the gentle waves of the ocean and embraced by the sweetness of the forest.

We go about our daily lives, following set routines, checking off our ‘to do’ lists, working, playing, having fun and do it all over again the next day. These unconscious acts are certainly a gift of our miraculous physical body and the intricate system that keeps us alive and breathing. While absolutely necessary, we often pine for more. Sometimes it is more stuff to fuel our ego or meet basic needs. And often it is more of something less tangible. We thirst for being more effective parents, daughters/sons, partners, siblings, employees, leaders, friends. We crave being more healthy, strong, alive, present, peaceful, calm and purposeful. Learning and the quest to a more conscious, more aware, more awakened soul happens in many ways starting with that moment of understanding more from within. The path that we choose towards a more present and conscious existence is unique and personal AND all require many moments of insight.

At enso, we believe that everyone deserves restorative experiences that wow and awe. This is the time of year where many of us are making a list and checking it twice. This year, make sure your name is on your list and join us for an enso experience. Or give the gift of insight and bring a friend. A Shade More…. is the perfect Christmas/Holiday gift idea. The treehouse and A Shade More… awaits you.

View our Spring and Summer schedule. Registration open for most of the experiences.