Coming Attractions

Jul17

Mysticism: The Sacred Fire at the Heart of Religion

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San Diego Oasis at Rancho Bernardo, 17170 Bernardo Center Dr., Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128

In the vast world of religion and spirituality there is a nether region called mysticism far outside the mainstream, yet hidden in plain sight. By claiming an intimate and direct experience of God within, mystics often find themselves at odds with the mainstream of their own tradition, branded as blasphemers and heretics. Join us as we tell the stories of these brave men and women whose love for God burned like a flame illuminating new paths while threatening to burn down the hierarchical institutions that birthed them.

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Jul18

The Songs of John Denver

(PDT, UTC-07) (PDT, UTC-07)

Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8778 Cottonwood Avenue, Santee, CA 92071

Join us for this special Saturday evening concert presentation of the songs of John Denver. The life and music of John Denver left an indelible mark on pop music, culture, and our lives. Join singer-songwriter Peter Bolland as he weaves the songs of John Denver with tales of his life and impact. And you’re all invited to sing along—lyrics for some of the songs will be projected on the screen. Join us for this concert and retrospective of the world’s most beloved folk singer of all time.

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Jul20

Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) took it upon himself to repair the rift between rationalism and empiricism in startling ways, and we’ve been arguing about whether or not he pulled it off ever since. But he left behind a towering body of work upon which all modern philosophy is built. Particularly impactful is the way he grounded moral philosophy in metaphysics. Ethical determinations, he argued, are best anchored to logical calculations instead of being left to the vagaries of the heart. Morality, he claimed, was our birthright and our moral obligation. Join us in this inquiry to learn just how much of our modern worldview is rooted in the philosophy of Kant.

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Aug3

No two names are more associated with the influential ethical theory of Utilitarianism that Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and his protégé John Stuart Mill (1806–1873). Attempting to bring scientific rigor to the messy business of morality, Bentham and Mill left a lasting legacy in the way we govern and legislate our collective decisions and navigate our personal moral calculations. Learn how Utilitarianism made modern rights movements possible, including women’s rights, animal rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Whether you know it or not, you may already be a Utilitarian.

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Aug6

Adult Summer Break Camp--A Retreat on the Wisdom of Friendship

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Camp de Benneville Pines, 41750 Jenks Lake Road, West, Angelus Oaks, CA 92305-9789

Join us for a four-day retreat where I'll be the keynote facilitator, alongside others, offering a variety of opportunities to learn, rest, expand, and grow. This retreat will sell-out, so please click here for more details, as well as registration options: https://uucamp.org/camps-for-adults/2026-adult-summer-break-camp-singing-in-the-pines/

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Author of The Seven Stone Path-An Everyday Journey to Wisdom


My book The Seven Stone Path-An Everyday Journey to Wisdom is out now and available everywhere. 

BUY IT NOW!

And be sure to get the free Workbook HERE!

I am a professor of philosophy and humanities at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California where I have taught world religions, Asian philosophy, world mythology, and ethics for 34 years.

Off campus I speak, write, teach, and sing about a wide range of spiritual and philosophical things.

I have a YouTube channel called Peter Bolland TV where I post videos of some of my talks, songs, and the mini-lecture videos I produce for my students about the world's wisdom traditions. Check it out and subscribe!

I lead guided meditations online on the Insight Timer Meditation app. Come meditate with me for free!

I launched a newsletter called Finding a Way on the Substack app, all about my journey through the world's wisdom traditions. Part memoir, part spiritual exploration, and all heart, Finding a Way is my latest effort to finally make sense of it all. Check it out and subscribe!

For many years I wrote columns for both Unity Magazine and the San Diego Troubadour, and all of those columns are gathered on my blog Thinking Through.    

And I lecture all over town in a wide variety of venues. Check out the calendar page to see where I'll be next!

All of my work is about one thing: shaping the insights of the world's wisdom traditions into tools we can use to enrich our lives. 

I also sing, play guitar, write songs, make albums, and perform regularly throughout the San Diego area.


I've been playing music and writing songs my whole life. My first solo album was called Frame, released in 2002. It earned a Best Americana Album nomination at the San Diego Music Awards. Then I had a band called The Coyote Problem from 2002-2010. We won the Best Americana Album prize for both of our albums, Wire in 2005 and California in 2007 at the San Diego Music Awards. Quit while you're ahead, right? I fired myself from my own band so I could focus on all of my other projects, including my solo work. The result? My album Two Pines, available now.

Two Pines Album Cover

 


I am also a session musician playing a wide variety of instruments on other people's albums, things like acoustic and electric guitar, lap steel guitar, Dobro, mandolin, banjo, and harmonica.

dobro

 

But these days I spend most of my off-campus time speaking and leading workshops at a wide variety of venues, (The Chopra Center, The San Diego Vedanta Monastery, San Diego Oasis, The Osher Life Long Learning Institute, Vision: A Center for Spiritual Living, St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, First United Methodist Church, and many more) about all of the things I've learned through the years about the world's wisdom traditions. If you'd like to come experience one of my many multimedia lecture presentations or long-form classes about the life-changing transformational wisdom of world mythology, comparative religion, and practical philosophy, visit the Calendar page for a complete schedule of upcoming events.

 


     The Bolland Eightfold Path

 

1. Buy my book on Amazon and write a review.

2.  Join the Mailing List.

3. Check the Calendar page for coming attractions.

4. Listen and shop on the Music page.

5. Meditate with me right now for free on the Insight Timer Meditation app.

6. Follow the link to my Blog "Thinking Through."

7. Click the YouTube icon and subscribe to Peter Bolland TV.

8. Subscribe to my Substack newsletter Finding a Way