Mapping the language of your sensing body
A Personal Universe Deck is a creative, intuitive card deck that you make yourself. It’s part art practice, part self-reflection tool, part poetry, part oracle. Instead of relying on a published deck with fixed meanings, you build a living deck from your own images, words, symbols, memories and inner knowing.
Your body has been paying attention your whole life. Before you had language, you had sensation. Light and shadow. Warmth and cold. The smell of rain. The sound of birdsong.
Every experience you’ve had has shaped how your nervous system meets the world. Over time, these sensory impressions form a kind of inner vocabulary — a personal lexicon made of sights, smells, textures, tastes and sounds.
In this workshop, we explore that lexicon through a creative and somatic practice known as the Personal Universe Deck.
We will slow down, listen to the intelligence of the sensing body and begin creating a handmade deck of cards that reflects how you experience the world.
This highly personal deck isn’t about predicting the future or interpreting symbols correctly. It’s about learning to recognize the subtle language your body already speaks.
Event Details
Date + Time:
Saturday, April 18th
9:00am - 1:00pm
Location:
Somatic Wisdom Institute
1324 Lake Drive, Suite 4
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Investment
$77
Through guided somatic inquiry, you’ll begin by choosing 16 words for each sense: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste and Sound. We’ll also select 10 words associated with movement, 3 words can be abstract and 7 wild card words.
These words become the foundation of your Personal Universe Deck — a living collection of sensory symbols that reflect your unique way of perceiving and responding to the world.
From there, we translate sensation into image through simple creative processes such as collage, mark-making and intuitive art. Each word becomes a card, and each card becomes a mirror you can return to again and again.
The Practice
Once created, your deck becomes a simple yet powerful somatic tool.
Instead of asking a card what it means, we ask:
Where do I feel this in my body?
Is this sensation familiar or surprising?
What does my nervous system need right now?
How does this inspire my creative process?
In this way, the deck becomes a bridge between sensation, symbol and self-awareness.
Working with Your Cards
This Workshop Is For You If You…
• enjoy creative or intuitive practices
• are curious about somatic awareness
• want a reflective ritual you can return to over time
• are drawn to art-making as a form of self-inquiry
• feel interested in mapping how your body experiences the world
No artistic experience is required. The focus is on listening, noticing and allowing the body’s intelligence to guide the process.
What You’ll Leave With…
• the beginnings of a Personal Universe Deck
• a sensory lexicon unique to your lived experience
• practices for using your deck as a somatic reflection tool
• a creative ritual you can continue developing at home
Workshop Facilitator
Meet Sarah Simon…
Sarah is a devoted heart-tender, creatrix, and a solid presence of welcome and deep belonging. Walking the path of long-term recovery, her life is a testament to healing—mending ancestral wounds, breaking generational cycles, and planting seeds of love and resilience for those yet to come. Art has been a deeply healing practice in Sarah’s own journey. Early in her recovery, words were hard to find, so she began making gratitude lists with gesso, collage and a variety of ink. This daily practice became a ritual of devotion and a way to give voice to her inner world.
A Note on Lineage:The Personal Universe Deck process was originally developed by Michael McClure and was adapted by my teacher, Tammi Salas. In this workshop, we will approach the practice a bit differently - through a somatic lens, exploring how sensory experience shapes our personal language of meaning and perception.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact support@somaticinst.com
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*Space is limited. If you need to cancel, please contact us as soon as possible, as there is often a waitlist. Cancellations will be refunded with a $50 processing fee, if you notify us in writing prior to 14 days before the event. Within 14 days of the event, refunds will not be given due to health reasons, weather, or winter road conditions, unless your space is able to be filled (minus $50 processing fee). Please plan accordingly.
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Pregnancy, severe asthma, severe heart disease, unmedicated high blood pressure, mental illness, epilepsy and/or history of seizures, acute physical injuries, severe or unregulated diabetes
*If you are unsure if breathwork is right for you, please reach out to us for a conversation. We offer many unique adaptations and modifications to meet your needs.