SDI Educational Events

Scroll down to view answers to frequently asked questions. Don’t find what you’re looking for? E-mail your question to membership@sdiworld.org or telephone 01-425-455-1565.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Who may attend the educational events? Do I need to be a member of Spiritual Directors International to register?

Everyone passionate about new understandings of wisdom and compassionate listening is encouraged to participate—you do not need to be a member. SDI members receive a discount on event registration, and everyone is welcome to become a member of SDI. Participants include:

• • Spiritual directors, companions, and guides
• • Seekers
• • Theology faculty and students
• • Pastoral and spiritual care providers
• • Chaplains
• • Hospice and health care providers (nurses, doctors,
     physician assistants, pharmacologists, etc.)
• • Holistic body-mind-spirit health care providers
• • Social workers
• • Lay and ordained clergy
• • Art therapists
• • Mental health providers
• • Life coaches and mindfulness trainers
• • Mindful lawyers, social justice workers, peacemakers, and more
• • Contemplatives in the first half of life
• • Contemplatives who work in academic settings
• • InterPlayers
• • Retreat center directors
• • Courage and Renewal facilitators
• • Work-life balance human resource personnel

When you are a member of SDI, you receive discounted educational event tuition and more! Become a member of SDI during the educational event registration process and immediately receive the member discount! Everyone is welcome to join the SDI global learning community.

2. Are continuing education units (CEUs) available?

Many organizations allow self-reporting of continuing education units (CEU) including

• • National Association of Catholic Chaplains
• • National Association of Jewish Chaplains
• • National, state, and local licensing boards

After you participate in Spiritual Directors International Educational Events you will be sent an evaluation that includes an opportunity for you to request a Certificate of Completion. The Certificate can be used for self-reporting CEUs. It includes the number of program hours attended and will be e-mailed to you to submit as proof of attendance.

3. How can I locate a roommate?

Visit the Connections, Networking, and Roommate page, add your request, and contact people who are also searching for a roommate. This page for the 2014 Emerging Wisdom events is not availabe at this time.

4. Are scholarships and bursary funds available for conference tuition?

Yes. SDI encourages everyone who needs financial assistance to please apply early for a scholarship or bursary, before you register for the conference. This year, funds are available through the event scholarship and bursary fund and through the New Contemplatives Initiative.

1.    To apply for financial assistance through the event scholarship and bursary fund, please e-mail events@sdiworld.org with the following:

• (1) Dollar amount requested
• (2) Statement describing how participating in this event will benefit your ministry and SDI in your geographic area

2.    To apply for a full scholarship and bursary through the New Contemplatives Initiative, download the application and return it via e-mail to programs@sdiworld.org by November 29, 2013. Applicants must be under the age of forty at the time of Emerging Wisdom (April 25–27, 2014).  

Please note: You must apply for financial assistance before you register for the conference.

Do not register until you have been notified of the status of your financial request. Financial assistance will be awarded through the event scholarship and bursary fund on a first come, first served basis for as long as funds are available. Scholarships and bursaries are not available for the institutes, pilgrimage, or contemplative retreat.

5. How can I contribute to the scholarship and bursary fund?

Please make donations to the scholarship and bursary fund. Make donations online or mail your cheque to:

SDI Educational Events Scholarship Fund
PO Box 3584
Bellevue, WA, 98009 USA

For many people, especially international participants, interns, and people on fixed incomes, participating in the educational events is not possible for financial reasons. Your generosity helps others in need. Thank you.

6. How do I register?

Registration for Emerging Wisdom will open in September, 2013.

There are two ways to register. You can (1) Register online or (2) print a registration form to mail or to fax. The fax number and mailing address are on the registration form and repeated here for your convenience.

Spiritual Directors International
PO Box 3584
Bellevue, WA 98009 USA
Fax: 01-425-455-1566
Download a registration form to mail from the registration page.

7. I only want to participate in one workshop or one day of the conference, may I register for just one day?

No. For more than twenty years, SDI has been offering educational programming. We take into consideration past evaluations, and they indicate that going deeper with one topic and one presenter works best for building community and best reflects the needs of the contemplative, global learning community. SDI’s design intentionally creates a three-day experience during which new friendships and collegial relationships may form and old ones may be nourished. Many past participants experience SDI as a reunion, even though it’s a first time experience.

8. Why does the same keynote presenter speak every day of the conference?

SDI invites the keynote presenter to speak every day of the conference so that the global learning community may reach a depth of understanding of one topic. A three-day keynote presentation provides rich repetition of valuable wisdom and contributes to the overall conference experience explained in the above response.  

9. Will worship services, such as Shabbat and Catholic Mass, be part of the educational events?

No. SDI is an increasingly diverse contemplative learning community. Individual participants may feel called to go offsite to local houses of worship. SDI provides local worship information; however, offsite worship is the responsibility of individual participants.

During the educational events, we share sacred time together and participate in contemplative practices specifically designed to celebrate our diverse learning community.

A peaceful onsite meditation space will be available twenty-four hours a day during the conference.

10. May I share brochures or business cards about my program or organization?

Yes. All participants are invited to bring brochures and program materials to share with everyone. Table space is provided, free of charge, for participants who want to share information. Table space is limited. If you desire additional engagement with participants, you would benefit from becoming an exhibitor.

11. How will I get to and from the airport?

There are many options for transportation from the airport to the hotel. More information on ground transportation can be found on the Location, Hotel, and Directions page.

12. How can I connect with others from my community?

During Emerging Wisdom, a networking board for your notes and messages will be onsite in a common area. You can also connect with other participants before the conference by visiting the Connections, Networking, and Roommate page.

13. What provisions are made for those with disabilities?

If you need special assistance, please contact the SDI program associate. E-mail events@sdiworld.org.

14. I have additional questions about Emerging Wisdom. Whom should I contact?

Click the “Contact Us” link on the bottom of all pages of the website to find the correct contact information. You can also contact us via e-mail, telephone, or fax:

E-mail: membership@sdiworld.org
Office: 01-425-455-1565
Fax: 01-425-455-1566