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Andrew CohenAndrew Cohen is an American guru, spiritual teacher, author, and social philosopher who contributed to the subject of what he calls "evolutionary spirituality". He sees himself as working to bring about "the next stage" of human cultural development. Cohen was born in New York City in 1955. Raised as an atheist Jew, his life was changed by an experience of "cosmic consciousness" at the age of sixteen. As a result, Cohen studied martial arts, then Kriya Yoga then Buddhism. In 1986, he met the Advaita Vedanta master H.W.L. Poonja. With the encouragement of Poonja (with whom Cohen later parted ways), Cohen began to teach. Ideas Cohens original spiritual teaching, Evolutionary Enlightenment, is said to be unique for placing the traditional realization of enlightenment in the context of cosmic evolution. By awakening to the timeless "Ground of Being," Cohen maintains, human beings can liberate themselves from selfish motives, or ego, and learn to manifest what he calls the "Authentic Self." This self beyond ego is said to represent humanity at its most wholesome: creative, compassionate, and motivated by an "evolutionary impulse" that is "one with the big bang itself." According to Cohen, when human beings choose to live as the Authentic Self, they can realize their inseparability from the universe and thereby discover a purpose for living that transcends egoismthat is, the "uniquely human" capacity to participate in the evolution of consciousness itself. The founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine What Is Enlightenment?, Cohen believes that "it is on our shoulders to create the future." He sees WIE as a popular forum for dialogue and inquiry regarding the meaning of spiritual life in the postmodern era. WIE has developed an international speakers series called Voices from the Edge, an online multimedia forum known as WIE Unbound, and a partnership with Graduate Institute (TGI) to offer a masters program in Conscious Evolution. In 1988, Cohen founded the Impersonal Enlightenment Fellowship (IEF), a nonprofit educational and spiritual network committed to creating a new global culture. In addition to small groups of students located in various parts of the world, IEF has public centers in New York, Boston, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, and Rishikesh, India. The main center for IEF is a 220-acre retreat venue in Western Massachusetts, where Cohen and his largest body of students currently reside. Criticism By some, including some ex-members and his mother, Cohen is viewed as a charismatic and manipulative cult leader. Several books including Dr. Andr van der Braak's Enlightenment Blues: My Years with an American Guru and articles have been published which post various allegations including demands for large cash sums and extreme devotion from his followers. Books by Cohen - My Master Is My Self (1989)
- Enlightenment Is a Secret (1991)
- Autobiography of An Awakening, Moksha Press (1991), ISBN 0962267848
- An Unconditional Relationship to Life (1995)
- In Defense of the Guru Principle Moksha Press (1999), ISBN 188392927X
- Freedom Has No History (1997)
- Embracing Heaven & Earth Moksha Press (2000), ISBN 1883929296
- Living Enlightenment: A Call for Evolution Beyond Ego, Moksha Press (2002), ISBN 188392930X
Books about Cohen - Tarlo, Luna The Mother of God SCB Distributors (1997) ISBN 1570270430
- Braak, Andr van der, Enlightenment Blues: My Years with an American Guru, Monkfish Book Publishing (2003), ISBN 0972635718
Articles - Braak, Andr van der, (Dutch language) Verlichting als evolutionair proces: Een studie van Andrew Cohen en zijn leefgemeenschap written as a guest when he was still a follower in the book series Religieuze bewegingen in Nederland/Religious movements in the Netherlands nr 29 Sekten, published by the Free University Amsterdam, (1994) ISBN 90-5382-341
External links Critical websites Cohen, Andrew
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