Finding Balance: The Journey to Wholeness
A SoulCollage® Weekend at The Casa
March 20-22, 2026
Franciscan Renewal Center
Scottsdale, Arizona
This beloved sanctuary welcomes us for another soulful adventure!
"... remember that life's a great balancing act."
Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You'll Go!
Dr. Seuss, Oh the Places You'll Go!
Spring Equinox at The Casa is a perfect place and time to discover, embrace, and support life's balancing acts. In seeking balance, we nourish our authentic selves and the pursuit of our unique wholeness. When finding balance, we feel steady and more joyful.
With SoulCollage,® we can explore balance on many levels:
This special weekend offers an opportunity to broadly and deeply explore balance in our lives. We'll turn to our SoulCollage® decks to tap our own wisdom, consulting with cards old and new as we ponder and nurture balance. You'll enjoy Michele's "Playing with a Full Deck" activities as you deepen your relationship with yourself and your Neters. You're certain to come away with enthusiasm for your personal practice, and if you're a SoulCollage® Facilitator, for your own workshops. Expect plenty of free time for card making and enjoying the sanctuary spaces of the Center. The sessions begin at 3 pm Friday and conclude by 4 pm on Sunday.
This gathering will include learning, sharing, individual and group activities - imagine the perfect blend of a retreat, workshop, conclave of peers, and meeting of friends.
Come enjoy The Casa's hospitality and serenity in the beautiful desert springtime! The Center has a pool, hot tub, labyrinth, and lovely grounds. The facility is conveniently located within 20 minutes of the airport. It's an urban oasis with lovely mountain views. Private and shared rooms are available, all with private bath. Space for several commuters.
Just a few of the wonderful reasons to extend your stay to enjoy the area:
The Heard Museum
The Musical Instrument Museum
Desert Botanical Garden
With SoulCollage,® we can explore balance on many levels:
- Within each unique aspect of our personalities
- Between the many parts, roles, and traits we carry
- In our activities, endeavors, and interactions with people, places, and organizations
- Among the cast of archetypal energies that guide and influence us
- Between the natural and material worlds
- Find the "sweet spot" between two extremes
- Explore symmetry in triads and quadrants such as the four directions, medicine wheel
This special weekend offers an opportunity to broadly and deeply explore balance in our lives. We'll turn to our SoulCollage® decks to tap our own wisdom, consulting with cards old and new as we ponder and nurture balance. You'll enjoy Michele's "Playing with a Full Deck" activities as you deepen your relationship with yourself and your Neters. You're certain to come away with enthusiasm for your personal practice, and if you're a SoulCollage® Facilitator, for your own workshops. Expect plenty of free time for card making and enjoying the sanctuary spaces of the Center. The sessions begin at 3 pm Friday and conclude by 4 pm on Sunday.
This gathering will include learning, sharing, individual and group activities - imagine the perfect blend of a retreat, workshop, conclave of peers, and meeting of friends.
Come enjoy The Casa's hospitality and serenity in the beautiful desert springtime! The Center has a pool, hot tub, labyrinth, and lovely grounds. The facility is conveniently located within 20 minutes of the airport. It's an urban oasis with lovely mountain views. Private and shared rooms are available, all with private bath. Space for several commuters.
Just a few of the wonderful reasons to extend your stay to enjoy the area:
The Heard Museum
The Musical Instrument Museum
Desert Botanical Garden
Join us!
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Cost - includes supplies, instruction, access to Center facilities, 2 nights lodging and 6 meals:
Single, with private bath - $670 Shared, with private bath - $560 Commuter (4 meals) - $440 Shared room guaranteed only when two register as designated roommates. Additional nights: $165, single; $110, shared REFUND AND PAYMENT POLICY: Balance of fees due January 1, 2026. You will receive an email about how to submit. Refunds available, minus a $75 administrative fee, through January 1, 2026. After January 1, no refunds are guaranteed; partial refunds possible if the space is filled by someone else. |
Upon submitting your deposit, please complete this registration form. |
Activities:
- Instructions and guidance from Michele, including examples from her own deck
- A series of guided explorations of your deck and consultations with your Neters
- Consider "linear" balance between two extremes, and explore the centerpoints of triads and fourfold constructs such as medicine wheels
- Creative writing (short form poetry and prose) forays
- Saturday Night "Open Mic" for sharing our discoveries, including creative writing
- Labyrinth ritual
- Additional Facilitators will lead short sessions related to our theme
- Dedicated time and inspirations for card making, with oodles of images to use
- Breaks to enjoy the sanctuary spaces of the Center
- Your presence is requested at opening and closing sessions - but, everything is optional. It's a retreat!
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SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE Your free time may include creating or working with your cards, visiting the sanctuary grounds and labyrinth, enjoying the pool or hot tub, communing with friends. FRIDAY 2 PM Sign in and settle in (no later than 2:45) 3:00 Opening Ritual and Introductions 5:00 Free time 6:00 Dinner 7:00 First session 8:30 Free time, collective notes, open studio SATURDAY MORNING 8 AM Breakfast 9:00 Session 11:15 Creative adventure (guest facilitator) 12 PM Lunch (available 12-1) and free time |
SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING 1:30 Session 3:30 Creative adventure (guest facilitator) 4:00 Open Studio and individual deck adventures 6:00 Dinner 7:00 Open Mic or similarly raucous event SUNDAY 8 AM Breakfast 9:00 Session 10:45 Guided Reading 12 PM Lunch 1:00 Bringing it Home Process and Sharing Circle 2:30 Closing Ritual 4:00 Depart (Dinner at 6 for those staying over) |
Since 2009, Michele has been creating and sharing meaningful ways to explore your SoulCollage® deck as a whole - honoring and integrating your ever-evolving aspects. These "Card Games" offer an understanding of the cards’ intricate relationships, and a chance to take inventory of your deck and yourself. Ideas for new cards come forth, as do new perspectives on old ones. A retreat is the perfect setting to learn new approaches, make new cards, and exchange ideas with others who practice or facilitate.
Comments from Michele's retreats:
“Michele is innovative, insightful, and an excellent retreat leader.”
"The planning and execution was top notch!"
"The Casa is a special place. I want to return here soon."
“Saw how important suits are.... game changer!"
"Already thinking about how to incorporate these activities into my own workshops."
"Every activity we did brought brand new awareness."
"I loved the activities that encouraged me to notice the relationships between cards."
"I developed a new appreciation of connecting with my cards ......I love them even more!"
"I can't believe how many cards I made. Plus a list of even more for later!"
"Everything was mapped out and organized so well for us."
“This is really like an advanced Facilitator Training, a graduate course in SoulCollage®.”
Comments from Michele's retreats:
“Michele is innovative, insightful, and an excellent retreat leader.”
"The planning and execution was top notch!"
"The Casa is a special place. I want to return here soon."
“Saw how important suits are.... game changer!"
"Already thinking about how to incorporate these activities into my own workshops."
"Every activity we did brought brand new awareness."
"I loved the activities that encouraged me to notice the relationships between cards."
"I developed a new appreciation of connecting with my cards ......I love them even more!"
"I can't believe how many cards I made. Plus a list of even more for later!"
"Everything was mapped out and organized so well for us."
“This is really like an advanced Facilitator Training, a graduate course in SoulCollage®.”
Dr. Michele Manos has over 50 years of experience as an instructor for groups ranging from elementary school children (creative drama) to medical residents (as a Professor) to new and seasoned SoulCollagers. She trained as a SoulCollage® Facilitator in 2008, with Seena Frost, and has been taking her workshops and retreats to new and deeper levels since then. She has created and co-created an array of SoulCollage® offerings, including the 2009 Facilitators' Retreat in Kenyon Ranch, Arizona and more than a dozen retreats. In response to pandemic isolation, she expanded her SoulCollage® virtual gatherings and has since created over 60 online workshops. Michele loves sharing her ideas with and learning from other enthusiastic SoulCollagers.
