(Registering now for 2024-2026)
Wisdom’s Way Interfaith School is a two-year experience on Zoom dedicated to promoting the spiritual growth of individuals seeking wisdom for their journey and experiencing trusted companionship with the participants. We walk together as pilgrims believing love and peace to be gifts in all of us.
It encompasses many sacred practices including Buddhists, Hindu, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Native, Shamanic Traditions, Spiritual but not Religious, and Pagan. Classes include reflection on the intersection between action and spiritual reflection, life stages, personality/spiritual type. It also provides preparation for those who believe they are called to a vocation of spiritual direction or spiritual companionship. Wisdom’s Way Interfaith School is open to all who are curious about walking with others as a way of life. It is open to all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual identity.
Spiritual leaders from many disciplines and faith paths make up the faculty and share their insights, knowledge, wisdom, and experiences during the interactive Zoom-based classes. Participants will be actively involved in their own spiritual learning through dialogue, readings, and activities while engaging in sacred listening practices with their fellow classmates.
- Two-year commitment with classes held monthly from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
- Generally 2nd Saturday for ten (10) months, beginning in September and ending in June. The School meets via Zoom. The yearly fall/winter Retreat is held in Arizona.
- Yearly cost is $750 plus cost of annual in-person retreat. Payments may be made throughout the year. Limited scholarship help is available.
- To apply, just click on the Wisdom’s Way application, fill out the form and submit it electronically.
- $50.00 non-refundable application fee may be paid on this website via PayPal.
Once the application is submitted, you will be contacted by the Director of Wisdom’s Way Interfaith School to schedule an interview to finalize the process (via Zoom).
Overview of Wisdom’s Way Program/Topics for 2023-24
Ken Vorndran and Dave Wehner, 2024-2025 Co-directors
About Ken (he/him)…
Ken currently serves the Tacheria Center and Schools as Interim Chair of the Board of Directors. Over the course of forty years, he taught in three high schools, two community colleges, and one university. He retired from Pima Community College, where he spent the last fifteen years of his career as the honors coordinator for the college and teaching the honors research and honors writing courses. Ken represented Pima on the Arizona State Honors Council, for which he was also chair, as well as on the Western Regional Honors Council and the Arizona English Articulation Taskforce. While at Pima, he served as lead faculty and department chair, and he was also an active member of PCCEA, where he served as a campus rep and on the meet-and-confer team. Prior to running the honors program at Pima, Ken taught writing, creative writing, and literature. His essays, stories, and poems have been published in various newspapers, magazines, and literary magazines. He received his BA from the University of Delaware and his MA and Ph.D. from the University of Arizona. Ken completed the Tacheria Interfaith Spiritual Direction program in 2021.
About Dave (he/him) . . .
Dave’s passion: Seeing everyday life as holy by choosing love.
Through a journey filled with youthful struggles, addictions, seeking happiness “everywhere but within” Dave ended up what he calls “emotionally, spiritually, and financially bankrupt” and ended up in the 12-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. He then discovered that the key to happiness came from within. He says, “Not only did I lose my desire to escape my feelings and sense of self, but conversely, developed a passion for self discovery.” It’s been this journey to self awareness, that led him to the Institute for Emotional Healing with the desire to sit with and companion others on their journey through life on life’s terms. Dave has spent the last 26-plus years sponsoring and mentoring others in recovery while exploring and developing his own spirit-based core. He is a recent graduate of Tacheria Interfaith School of Spiritual Direction, based in Tucson. The life skills that Dave brings to his practice have shaped him into a wise and compassionate guide with a heart that is open and courageous. Dave and his partner, Tina, live in Chandler, AZ.
Wisdom’s Way School Spiritual Direction Practicum (Optional)
The Optional Practicum component of Wisdom’s Way Interfaith School provides students with an opportunity for learning and practice in the skills and accepted practices of Spiritual Direction with a cohort of peers. This practicum takes place concurrently with Wisdom’s Way School’s two-year program. The Practicum takes approximately one year to complete.
About Karen, Facilitator of the Practicum (she/her/ella) . . .
Karen’s passion: Fostering shared experiences of the Sacred.
Karen has been on a spiritually eclectic path most of her life with periods of immersion in recovery spirituality, the mystical teachings of Jesus, Buddha, and others. She is inspired by personal experiences, challenges, embodied practices, meditation, nature, the feminine, creativity, music, and energy practice. Karen finds healing and guidance when communing with the Earth. Connection with others, through spiritual companionship, has been a part of her journey for over thirty years. As she leads progressive Christian congregations as an active retired minister, she loves introducing people of all ages to spiritual practices and alternatives to traditional paths. Karen has focused more intently on interfaith spiritual companionship since 2014 (studying at The Chaplaincy Institute, Berkeley and Tacheria Interfaith School, Tucson). Karen says her purpose in life is to, “experience the sacred, give and receive soul support and to be a trustworthy companion for the journey.” Karen and her partner, John, reside in Oro Valley, AZ.
About Frannie, Co-Facilitator of the Practicum (she/her) . . .
Frannie’s Passion: Being inspired, creativity and learning.
Fran Walsh has a Masters in Holistic Health Counseling and Education. She completed spiritual direction training with Center for Spiritual Guidance, St. Paul, Minnesota, and is
a 2017 graduate of Wisdom’s Way Interfaith School, Phoenix. She has been a spiritual seeker all her adult life and has gathered knowledge on psychology, spirituality and holistic health. Frannie has training in Reiki and Yoga Nidra. She has done intensive training with Bentino Massaro’s work on empowerment and has interned in Integral Breathwork with Carol Lampman. She says, “for me, breathwork has been an integrating of my past gathered knowledge – moving me from knowledge into experience.” Frannie and her partner, Delos, live in Scottsdale, AZ.