At Shine & Rise Wellness, our mission is to nurture your journey towards your most radiant self: mind, body, and spirit. We create peaceful, transformational retreat spaces, curate uplifting wellness events, and offer soulful natural products, all with the intention to inspire connection, growth, balance and joy.
Within the sacred spaces we create, you are invited to reconnect with your light, nurture your well being, and embrace the best version of yourself.
We believe that when you reconnect with your true essence, you can share your unique gifts with the world, and SHINE bright. This uplifts us all, lights the way for others, and creates a beautiful ripple effect, so that we can all Shine. And when everyone Shines in their own light, we can then all RISE together.
Together, we, Danie and Serge, are natural dreamers who, after years of journeying through life, now embrace its beauty in all its aspects, and every day remind each other to live fully from the heart.
In our earlier years, we were pursuing a life that seemed to be, at the time, a dream life. Dream car, dream house, dream this and that… And after achieving what we thought success looked like, we realized that these achievements were not what we thought they would be. We see this season of our lives as the climb of our first Mountain. The mountain filled with external accomplishments, and a life, that deep inside, we could not resonate with. We were not happy. We were not healthy. We were not living OUR dream. Maybe it was someone else’s dream, but it wasn’t ours. It was time to come down that mountain.
So we took another look at life. We asked ourselves deeper questions; Who am I? What is my dream life? What makes my heart sing? What do I love? What makes me truly happy? We also took some time for ourselves, and created a space for us to go within and answer these questions.
Within this time and space, we found out that true fulfillment wasn’t found in achieving more, it was found in slowing down, reconnecting with ourselves, reconnecting with nature, and living with greater intention; the intention to live a happy life, straight from the heart. To live a life that makes us Shine! And here came the second mountain. The mountain of freedom, joy, happiness, personal fulfilment, the mountain that makes us Shine from the inside out!
We love to chase the sun and experience life fully while being mindful of living aligned with our hearts and taking care of our beautiful planet. Experiencing different types of lifestyles brings us great joy! We journeyed in a motorhome across Canada, the United States and drove all the way to southern Mexico. We lived many seasons on our sailboat in the Bahamas, and we also lived in different tiny homes built by our own hands. Journeying on different intentional voyages to experience different wellness experiences is something that also makes our hearts so happy! Completing a Yoga teacher training in Bali and in India, or taking in the magic of Peru’s Sacred Valley are a few experiences we lived that brought pure joy to our lives. We also have a deep connection with Mexico. We now spend a great part of the year in that magnificent country, while always coming back to our roots in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada. Our two wonderful Labradors, Lexie and Bailey, are our pride and joy, and they do life with us everywhere the wind takes us! Within all our journeys, to the best of our ability, we always make sure that we live in alignment with our hearts, and that we do what feels right for us; what makes us Shine from the inside out!
While embracing and living this beautiful life rhythm for over 10 years, we became inspired to be part of a better tomorrow for everyone, and help others reach this dream that we were living. We truly felt the calling to help others reach the realization we did on our second mountain, to live a life that makes you fully happy, to live your dream life. We know that every dream is unique to each person, but our personal journey made us realize that when you can give yourself the gift of time and space to truly go within, you discover your true essence, and can see with greater ease what makes your heart sing; what makes you SHINE!
This is when the Shine and Rise Vision came in. This is also when we noticed that our second mountain was not the final destination. So we created a bridge to go to our third mountain. The mountain of living a life of service, all while keeping the balance with our Second Mountain, the mountain that makes us, Danie and Serge, SHINE.
Inspired by our awakening, we founded Shine & Rise Wellness with a heartfelt mission: to create spaces and experiences that help others create time and space for themselves to truly pause, reconnect with their inner light, and rediscover the truest and best version of themselves; to discover what makes them SHINE fully, so that each person can create a life that feels aligned from the inside out.
As you may have noticed, we don’t live a “typical” life, and that’s intentional. We believe life isn’t meant to be lived by default, but by design. We don’t believe there’s one “right” way to live; we believe the only right way is the one that feels right for you.
That’s why we chose the name Shine & Rise. More than a name, it’s a philosophy. We intentionally turned the familiar saying Rise & Shine around; not simply because the order matters, but because we believe life doesn’t have to follow the expected path. Sometimes, the most meaningful discoveries happen when you’re willing to see things differently, question what’s familiar, and create your own way. Shine & Rise is a reminder that life isn’t about fitting into a box; it’s about creating a life that sparks the light within you. We believe that when you create a life that makes you Shine, you can naturally Rise. And when more people are Shining, we all inspire each other and Rise together.
Hello beautiful souls! Danie here! Here’s a little about me personally. I like to think I wear many hats, but to name a few, I’m a wellness guide with a passion for meditation, breath work and sound healing. I’m also an interior designer, and I can let my creativity flow in all the spaces I design, from the spaces you get to experience with Shine and Rise Stays, to the space you’re scrolling through now, to the spaces created within my wellness sessions through Shine with Danie. I’m also one of the creative hearts behind Shine & Rise Wellness. I believe that the spaces we inhabit have the power to shape how we feel, and that thoughtful design can become a gentle pathway back to ourselves.
“I love it when a space feels like you’re walking into a hug”
Every retreat space, natural product, and wellness experience I create begins with the same intention: “Does this feel right?” And this feeling is found when the experience feels peaceful, rejuvenating and soothing for all the senses. From the textures you touch, to the design of the space, to the aromas that fill a room, to the sounds that surround you, to the best of my ability, I choose every detail intentionally to help calm the nervous system, encourage presence, and create a sense of home, not just in a space, but within yourself.
Inspired by nature and the beauty of the people and the places I discover while exploring and experiencing the world, I pour my heart into creating places where You can pause, breathe deeply, and remember the best version of You so that You can live from the heart and Shine fully!
Hello! I’m Serge!
I’m a visionary at heart and one of the creative souls of Shine & Rise Wellness. Ever since I was young, I’ve been driven by curiosity, entrepreneurship, and a simple question: “What if?” While some see limitations, I naturally see possibilities. Where others see obstacles, I see opportunities waiting to be created.
I love bringing big ideas to life. Whether it’s designing and building tiny homes with my own hands, creating meaningful retreat spaces, or imagining what can be created for people that cross my path to live their best lives, I’m always inspired by the idea that anything is possible when it’s created with heart, intention, and purpose.
“I believe we all have the freedom to choose the life that makes us truly happy”
Innovation, craftsmanship, and sustainability are at the heart of everything I do. Mother Earth inspires many of my decisions, and I’m passionate about creating spaces and experiences that are not only beautiful and functional, but also thoughtful, intentional, and in harmony with nature.
My vision for Shine and Rise Wellness extends far beyond the places we build, and experiences we create. It’s about helping create a world where people feel inspired to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and discover what truly makes them Shine. Because when each of us creates a life that lights us up from the inside out, we don’t just transform our own lives, we inspire one another to RISE together.
Every decision we make is guided by these principles, from the spaces we design to the experiences we create.
We nurture personal transformation and continuous evolution, creating environments that inspire you to step into your fullest potential.
We believe in the power of reconnecting with your true essence, with nature, and with community to create a ripple effect of light.
Every space, product, and experience is crafted with deep intention, designed to support your well-being and leave a lasting positive impact.
We are dedicated to mindful living, using eco-friendly practices and sustainable materials to ensure that our spaces and products honor the earth and leave it better for future generations.
