Our courses and webinar series are hosted by the wisest spiritual companions practicing today.
Lucy Abbott Tucker
Lucy Abbott Tucker has been a member of SDI since its inception. She began her ministry of spiritual direction at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Chicago. She worked there preparing women and men for the ministry for 32 years. Since 2015 she has been doing freelance work in spiritual direction and supervision. She believes spiritual direction has the power to help heal our world and values the opportunity to support spiritual directors in this work.
Selected Offerings Featuring Lucy
Mirabai Starr
Mirabai Starr has been a spiritual companion since before she was born and will continue her companioning long after her death. She is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her latest book, WILD MERCY: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019” by Spirituality & Practice. Mirabai is on the 2020 Watkins List of the “100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People of the World.” She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.
Selected Offerings Featuring Mirabai
Diane Millis
Diane Millis is an educator, author, and spiritual director. Her most recent book, Re-Creating a Life, invites readers to discern how to tell their most life-giving story. She currently teaches at United Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN (USA). She served as host and producer of Lives Explored for the Collegeville Institute, an educational video series that invited guests to share their stories of discernment and calling.
Selected Offerings Featuring Diane
Jamal Rahman
Imam Jamal Rahman is a popular speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, and interfaith relations. Along with his Interfaith Amigos, he has been featured in the New York Times, CBS News, BBC, and various NPR programs. Jamal is co-founder and Muslim Sufi minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary and adjunct faculty at Seattle University. He is a former co-host of Interfaith Talk Radio and travels nationally and internationally, presenting at retreats and workshops.
Jamal’s passion lies in interfaith community building. He remains rooted in his Islamic tradition and cultivates a “spaciousness” by being open to the beauty and wisdom of other faiths. By authentically and appreciatively understanding other paths, Jamal feels that he becomes a better Muslim. This spaciousness is not about conversion but about completion.
Selected Offerings Featuring Jamal
Larry J. Morris III
Larry (he/they) describes himself as “an apostle, digital marketer, scholar, and spiritual director based in Chicago, IL.” They will be helping organize our various community groups and administering our Public Square online platform.
Selected Offerings Featuring Larry
Rev. Jane Vennard
Reverend Jane Vennard has led peer supervision groups for over 20 years, and has recently facilitated SDI webinars including White Privilege in Spiritual Direction and Companionship, and Eldering in the Time of COVID-19. She was called to the ministry of teaching and spiritual direction and ordained in 1987 by the United Church of Christ. She is retired senior adjunct faculty at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, USA. Jane has presented workshops at SDI conferences and offered a Plenary Address at the 20th anniversary celebration in 2010. She has led programs for Spiritual Direction Colorado’s continuing education events including an afternoon on the topic of racism. A number of church groups have also sponsored programs on white privilege including UU, Catholic, Episcopal, and UCC. Jane has taught in spiritual direction formation programs at Garrett Theological Seminary, Columbia Theological Seminary and The Community of Christ spiritual formation program. She is a spiritual director in private practice and the author of eight books.
Selected Offerings Featuring Jane
Rabbi Amy Eilberg
Rabbi Amy Eilberg is the first woman ordained as a Conservative rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. She serves as a spiritual director, peace and justice educator, and teacher of Mussar (a classical Jewish system of spiritual development). She currently serves as Chair of the Racial Justice Subcommittee of the Conservative Movement’s Social Justice Commission and as Chair of Congregation Etz Chayim’s Anti-Racism Impact Team. Her book, From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom and the Pursuit of Peace, was published by Orbis Books in March 2014. She received her Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 2016. She is a loving wife, mother of three wonderful adult children (and their partners) and exuberant grandmother of three extraordinary grandchildren.
Selected Offerings Featuring Rabbi Amy
Pat McCabe
Pat McCabe (Weyakpa Najin Win, Woman Stands Shining) is a Diné (Navajo) mother, grandmother, activist, artist, writer, ceremonial leader, and international speaker. She is a voice for global peace, and her paintings are created as tools for individual, earth and global healing. She draws upon the Indigenous sciences of Thriving Life to reframe questions about sustainability and balance, and she is devoted to supporting the next generations, Women’s Nation and Men’s Nation, in being functional members of the “Hoop of Life” and upholding the honor of being human.
Her primary work at the moment is:
- The reconciliation between the masculine and feminine, Men’s Nation and Women’s Nation
- Remembering, recreating or creating anew a narrative for the Sacred Masculine
- Addressing the Archetypal Wounding that occurred in our misunderstanding and abuse of technology in prayer, ceremony and science
Selected Offerings Featuring Pat
Ravi Verma
Ravi Verma is a spiritual director and has worked professionally with churches and lay leaders for over twenty-five years. Ravi’s passion is to work with individuals and groups to build bridges between parts of ourselves, with others and the cosmos based on our connection to the Divine. Ravi, born in India, now teaches at Stillpoint, and works with corporations, retreat centers, and non-profits on issues of spiritual development. Ravi is a past Chair of the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International.
Selected Offerings Featuring Ravi
