Jan Evans, MA.

Teacher

One of the major hinges in Jan Evans’ life was her first encounter with the following words of the Quaker mystic, Thomas Kelly:

“Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Centre, a speaking voice, to which we may continuously return.”

This was the point where she began to listen deeply within to discern this holy voice and follow Wisdom’s way. Subsequently, this led her to pursue training in spiritual direction, commit to following a contemplative path, and seek companions on the journey through partnership with Soulstream (a dispersed contemplative community) and core membership in Cascadia Living Wisdom.

Jan teaches spiritual formation and trains spiritual directors through the Ontario Jubilee Program and delights in offering spiritual companioning to others on the spiritual path. She holds a MA in Spiritual Formation from Carey Theological College with a focus on Ignatian Spirituality and Contemplative Prayer, and has a certificate in Ignatian Spirituality from Loyola House, Ignatian Spirituality Centre. Through extensive study and work with the enneagram (approached within the narrative tradition) and Inscapes Canada, Jan has come to deeply value integrating the wisdom of head, heart and body.

After 35 years working as a paediatric physiotherapist Jan is intimately acquainted with the body and has come to value the wonder and wisdom of her own body, as well as its importance for living a deeply embodied and active spirituality. Her life has been richly blessed through relationships with persons with disabilities and those who struggle with addictions and economic insecurity. She has enjoyed many travel adventures – including physiotherapy work terms in Zambia, Uganda and Ukraine.

Jan loves to walk in forests, paddle on rivers and lakes, traverse snow-covered fields on skis or snow shoes, and beach comb with her wise and wondrous dog Bella by her side.