Two February Offerings
An Invitation to Prayerful Creativity at St. Paul’s Monastery
In the Benedictine tradition, we believe that God speaks not only through words, but also through silence, symbol, and the gentle movements of the heart. One of the enduring invitations of monastic life is to listen deeply to God, to one another, and to the wisdom already dwelling within us. It has been several years since the Benedictine Center last offered SoulCollage®, and we are delighted to welcome this beloved practice back in February 2026 with two distinct offerings, each inviting attentive listening, creative expression, and spiritual renewal.
SoulCollage® is a prayerful, creative practice that supports this kind of listening. Through images and reflection, participants are invited to notice the inner voices that shape their lives and to receive them with compassion and attentiveness. Often described as “therapy for the soul,” SoulCollage® is less about artistic skill and more about making space for insight, meaning, and gentle transformation to emerge.
What Is SoulCollage®?
SoulCollage® is a simple, intuitive process of selecting images that resonate with you and assembling them onto 5×8-inch cards. Each card becomes a visual symbol—an entry point into reflection, prayer, and discernment. As the images come together, participants are often surprised by what they reveal: longings, strengths, questions, and invitations that may have been waiting quietly to be seen.
No prior experience or artistic ability is needed. The practice invites presence rather than performance, curiosity rather than critique. In a Benedictine context, SoulCollage® naturally complements traditions such as Lectio Divina, offering another way to listen for God’s voice moving gently within our lived experience.
Meet the Facilitator: Lisa Mer
Both February offerings will be guided by Lisa Mer (she/her), a certified SoulCollage® facilitator and spiritual guide with decades of experience in contemplative and creative practices. Lisa is also trained in Poetic Medicine’s Poetry as a Tool for Wellness, is a certified Veriditas labyrinth facilitator, and offers Sand & Symbol, a spiritual sand tray practice. Steeped in Parker Palmer’s Courage and Renewal work and a longtime educator, Lisa brings a grounded, hospitable presence that encourages trust in inner wisdom and gentle exploration of the heart.
Discovering SoulCollage®
An Introductory Evening
February 4, 2026 | 6:00–8:30 pm
St. Paul’s Monastery warmly invites you to Discovering SoulCollage®, an introductory evening designed especially for those who are new to the practice or curious to experience it in a Benedictine setting. Held within the prayerful rhythm of the Monastery, this gathering offers a welcoming space to slow down, reflect, and engage in creative spiritual practice.
All materials will be provided, and the evening is suitable for beginners. Come as you are, with an open heart, and join us in listening for the wisdom that God has already planted within you.
SoulCollage® of the Heart
An Overnight Retreat
February 13–14, 2026
This Valentine’s weekend, you are invited to give yourself a deeper gift: time and space to explore the movements of the heart. SoulCollage® of the Heart is an overnight retreat that invites playful creativity alongside meaningful reflection on themes of love, self-compassion, and relationship.
Guided by the words of the poet Rumi—“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”—this retreat offers an opportunity to attend to what draws your heart most deeply. Using images, scissors, and glue, participants will create SoulCollage® cards that reflect the many ways love lives in and around them. Through guided journaling and shared reflection, new insights often emerge, inviting a renewed relationship with one’s own heart and with God’s abiding presence.
A rich supply of images will be provided, where surprise and synchronicity await. No art experience is needed—only curiosity, openness, and a willingness to listen.
Details:
• Dates: February 13–14, 2026
• Location: Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery
• Cost: $160
• Contact: benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org | 651.777.7251
A Return After Several Years
SoulCollage® returns to St. Paul’s Monastery after an absence of several years, having last been offered here in 2020. You may have noticed this practice missing from our recent program offerings, or perhaps this is your first encounter with it. Either way, we are grateful to be able to offer SoulCollage® once again in February 2026.
Whether you choose to begin with the introductory evening or to immerse yourself more fully in the overnight retreat, these offerings invite a prayerful, creative way of listening—one that makes room for insight, compassion, and the wisdom of the heart. We welcome you to come and see—and to listen.
