Oct 2025 - Aug 2026

Pathways is an exploration of Spirit, by studying classical and modern texts, and applying this teachings and practices to everyday life. This year we will be reading and studying two modern philosophers: Raimon Panikkar and Ken Wilber. We will be building a bridge between the Holy Bible and Ch’an Buddhism. Finally we will be studying four important woman of the last century: Hannah Arendt, Simone de Beauvoir, Ayn Rand and Simone Weil.

Books we will be reading this year:

• Rhythm of Being by Raimon Panikkar

• Finding Radical Wholeness, The Integral Path to Unity, Growth, and Delight by Ken Wilber

• The Way of Ch’an, Essential Texts of the Original Tradition by David Hinton

• The Visionaries, Arendt, Beauvoir, Rand, Weil, and the Power of Philosophy in Dark Times by Wolfram Eilenberger

• The Holy Bible (Any modern annotated edition)

Oct 2026 - Aug 2027

This year in Pathways, we will explore three massive traditions: 1) Greco-Roman, starting with Socrates; 2) Judaeo-Christian, opening and praying the Holy Bible; and 3) Hindu-Buddhist, studying the Genjokoan by Dogen. The goal of Pathways is personal transformation as one walks one’s own unique path. This transformation impacts society and culture.

Books will be studied this year:

• The Holy Bible, any modern annotated edition.

• Agnes Callard, Open Socrates, The Case for a Philosophical Life. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2025.

• Stephen Batchelor, Buddha, Socrates and Us, Ethical Living in Uncertain Times. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2025.

• Shinshu Roberts, Meeting the Myriad Things, A Zen Practioner’s Guide to Dogen’s Genjokoan. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala Publications, 2025.

About the Facilitator

Red Cheever retired from being an active Deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento in order to live a more contemplative life. He is still involved spiritual direction and retreat work. He holds a Master Degree from Graduate Theological Union & the Franciscan School of Theology. His educational work in Theology and Philosophy started in 1977, when he joined the faculty at Loretto High School, where he taught for 32 years.