Top Rated

BEYOND the WALLS: Entering Creation’s Cathedral

Name: BEYOND the WALLS: Entering Creation’s Cathedral
Start: 2026-11-07
End: 2026-11-07
Location: St. Placid Priory
Rating: 4.86

4.86299 reviews

500 College St NE, Lacey, WA 98516, USA

November 7, 2026

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Kathy

Details of this retreat

BEYOND the WALLS: Entering Creation’s Cathedral

A Contemplative Retreat for Rest, Prayer, and Renewal

Nestled in the quiet beauty of nature at St. Placid Priory, Beyond the Walls: Entering Creation’s Cathedral invites you to step away from the noise of daily life and enter a space of stillness in nature. Surrounded by trees and open air, you’ll be gently guided into a restorative rhythm of rest, reflection, and renewal for body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in the Christian contemplative tradition, this retreat offers a sacred approach to holistic wellness: one that flows from experiencing quiet presence with God. The retreat creates space for prayer, contemplative listening, journaling, and a renewed awareness of rest and well-being in God’s presence.

This Saturday retreat will include time outdoors beneath the trees, as well as opportunities to find your own quiet space in nature for rest and reflection. Indoor space will also be available for personal quiet time, if you prefer. Please dress comfortably and consider bringing a cozy blanket if you like. You are welcome to bring your own chair or use the Priory benches located at various places along the trails and throughout the property. In case of challenging, inclement weather, the retreat will be held primarily indoors.

The afternoon will include a guided Forest Therapy walk here at St. Placid Priory. This experience will invite you to slow down, become more present and immersed in nature. Our time in nature can help deepen our awareness of God’s invisible qualities (His eternal power and divine nature), which can be ‘seen’ through what he has made. (Romans 1:20)

We look forward to welcoming you to this time of rest and renewal.

Getting Here

St. Placid Priory, 500 College St NE, Lacey, WA 98516, USA

Directions

Traveling north from Portland, on I-5:
Take Exit 109
Turn left onto Martin Way at end of exit
Stay in the far right lane
Turn right at second light onto
College Street NE
Turn right at St. Placid sign
(second possible right turn)

Traveling south from Seattle, on I-5:
Take Exit 109
Turn right onto Martin Way at end of exit
Stay in the far right lane
Turn right at the light onto
College Street NE
Turn right at St. Placid sign
(second possible right turn)

Accommodation

Program Price

Program and Lunch

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms

Free Wifi

Spa

Sauna

Pool

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Tour Assistance

Hot Tub

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Yoga Studio

Housekeeping

Bicycles For Rent

Private room with one or two beds

Customer Reviews

4.86 out of 5.0 average rating

Erica • Oct 05, 2026

5.0

Verified

Quiet Retreat

I had a lovely stay at the retreat center by myself. I was able to read and study from my own room looking through the large window into a beautiful wooded scene. I took walks, reflected in the multiple prayer rooms, and joined the services. It is an introvert haven away from the loud hustle. If you are seeking a place of quiet solitude, the personal retreat is a perfect solution.

Anonymous • Sep 01, 2026

5.0

Verified

Pax tecum

A wonderfully quiet and serene place to read, reflect and meditate. I especially enjoyed the stations of the cross amongst the forest.

Saima • Aug 31, 2026

5.0

Verified

Tangling with Sr Monica

This was a fun and challenging class with lots of creativity and clear guidance. I really enjoyed the time and learned some beautiful zen tangle principles.

Darcy • Aug 31, 2026

5.0

Verified

An Excellent Introduction to Zentangles

Sister Monika is a wonderful teacher. She is kind positive and respectful to everyone. I loved my first experience with learning the art and prayerful practice of meditative zentangling.

I would recommend this experience to anyone and everyone.

Janice • Aug 02, 2026

5.0

Verified

Hospitality

From being welcomed by Lorraine, to the excellent meals and the grounding of the rhythm of services, I found my time at St Placid Priory to be exceptional. I've had the privilege to attend a number of retreat centres over the years and I can say that at St. Placid's I was immediately comfortable with the Sisters. The Priory stands out as a treasured experience in my life. The accommodations are comfortable with everything one needs, the grounds are beautiful, the forest comforting and the wildlife inspiring. What a remarkable group of professed women who demonstrated the value of community and fidelity to it. My favourite memory - our Soul Circle brought our biographies for the rooms we were in (I was in Heloise) to our evening prayer and we shared and reflected on the lives of these faithful women on whose shoulders we stand. Being with a community of women, immersing ourselves in the stories of the faithful women of the past, attending communion service where for the first time in my life a woman stood at the altar to lead the prayer - it was all so healing and inspiring - for continuing my journey as a woman of faith in the Church community.

BEYOND the WALLS: Entering Creation’s Cathedral

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Kathy Holley, -PhD

Details of this retreat

Getting Here

Directions

Accommodation

Venue & Amenities

Quiet Retreat

Pax tecum

Tangling with Sr Monica

An Excellent Introduction to Zentangles

Hospitality

Have a question for your host?

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