In Defense of the Guru Principle [Paperback]

Andrew Cohen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1999

In this time of confusion and cynicism about spiritual authority, Andrew Cohen speaks with unusual candour and passion about his own experience as a spiritual mentor and the rare challenge that this role presents when lived without compromise.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Cohen is not just a spiritual teacherhe is an inspiring phenomenon. Since his awakening in 1986 he has only lived, breathed and spoken of one thing: the potential of total liberation from the bondage of ignorance, superstition and selfishness. Powerless to limit his unceasing investigation, he has looked at the jewel of enlightenment from every angle, and given birth to a teaching that is vast and subtle, yet incomparably direct and revolutionary in its impact. Through his public teachings, his books and his meetings with spiritual leaders of almost every tradition, he has tirelessly sought to convey his discovery that spiritual liberations true significance is its potential to completely transform not only the individual, but the entire way that human beings, as a race, live together. In sharp contrast to the cynicism which is so pervasive today, yet with full awareness of the difficult challenges that we face, he has dared to teach and to show that it is indeed possible to bring heaven to earth. This powerful message of unity, openness and love has inspired many who have heard it to join together to prove its reality with their own lives, igniting an ever expanding international revolution of tremendous vitality and significance. Andrew travels extensively every year giving public talks and intensive retreats. Communities dedicated to living his teachings have formed throughout the world, with a network of centers in the United States, Europe, India and Australia. He is also the founder of the magazine What Is Enlightenment?

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: What Is Enlighenment? Press (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188392927X
• ISBN-13: 978-1883929275
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,543,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #67 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Christian Living > Leadership

More About the Author

Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher, cultural visionary, and founder of the global nonprofit EnlightenNext and its award-winning publication EnlightenNext magazine. His original teaching of Evolutionary Enlightenment redefines spiritual awakening within the context of cosmic evolution and highlights a new understanding of God or Spirit as the creative impulse toward change in both self and culture. After a transformative meeting with the renowned Advaita Vedanta master H.W.L. Poonja in 1986, Cohen began teaching internationally and almost immediately started reshaping the larger cultural conversation about the purpose and significance of enlightenment in our time. He founded EnlightenNext magazine almost twenty years ago as a forum for serious spiritual and philosophical inquiry, and has since become known for his unique capacity to foster culture-changing dialogues among leading thinkers from a wide array of traditions and disciplines. 

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some reviewers here..., April 7, 2008

By 

God Lover (Los Angeles, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Defense of the Guru Principle (Paperback)

Are taking Mr. Cohen's message quite personally and are responding in a way that can only be described as venomous. It also shows that Mr. Cohen has succeeded in proving the whole point of the book, as well as providing proof that many of these reviewers haven't even READ the book and are trolls of the worst sort.That being said, I cannot possibly add anything to the positve reviews of this book except to say that Western minds may be permanantly impaired in their grasp of the guru concept, and can only equate this type of leadership with mindless cult worship. With that being the bottom line thinking of some individuals (who always claim they can't "fall under the spell") it is doubtful that an objective viewpoint is possible. Following a guru implies the humility to do so, which cannot be possible for some. If you find this humilty in yourself, you might be ready for the message shared in this book and gain a great deal of clarity in the process. A background and understanding in Eastern spiritual principles (such as Hindu and Buddhist philosophy) is highly recommended before sinking your teeth into this one.

12 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Legacies of guruism, February 2, 2003

By 

John C. Landon "nemonemini" (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Defense of the Guru Principle (Paperback)

I do not know anything about A. Cohen and, although I do not approve of the guru principle, will leave judgement in neutral, since I read the book, and do in fact find a book with this title provocative and interesting. Instead of the usual cavil of the alarmist deprogrammer circuit, I would simply point to the recent of history of gurus, and the remarkable wreckage, from Gurdjieff, to Rajneesh, Muktananda, Da Free John, and more. A unique series of failures. What's going on? Something is wrong. The Upanishads clearly warn of what can go wrong. Don't be on the wrong end of that.
I notice in all defenses of the principles of yoga, gurus and the New Age India phenomenon (which I don't reject out of hand)nothing is said about the history. Not surprising, but disingenuous. That history should be there. It is a truly frightening history for anyone about to surrender their will to a stranger. To excise that history is prima facie evidence the guru phenomenon is for the sake of the guru, not the disciple.

A 'guru' in this vein tends to be in the line of post-Buddhist neo_Brahmanistical line, after the savagery of internecine 'guru wars', the extermination of Buddhists, the restoration of Vedic and caste, etc... A work such as Prem Nath Bazaz _The Role of the Bhagavad Gita in Indian History_ gives one type of chilling account of the forever suppressed history, which includes the confusions built even into the Gita.
So what is what here?
Study the history. And keep in mind that the West was the last place on this planet, as of 1500, that had no guru domination principle. Sooner or later they will find you. Be prepared. Be informed, and not by those promoting these subjects. Study the history. Know the dangers, which in some cases are considerable. Whatever the guru principle is, it has no sancrosanct character whatever and threatens to complicate the realization of one's autonomy.
To try revive the tradition of the 'godmen' of this reactionary tradition in the modern age is the useless confusion. It is not sufficient to claim ignorance of this history.
Perhaps Mr. Cohen would care to comment on the 'spiritual alavery' theme of Mr. Lee Lozowick,or the dangerous tactics of Mr. E.J. Gold before he recommends gurus for us.

11 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars How to become a Cult Guru, June 6, 2006

By 

Daniel W. Shirley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Defense of the Guru Principle (Paperback)

or You too can Induce Mass Suicide

Becoming a cult leader is not as tough as you might think. All it takes is a little charisma and some insecure, feeble-minded followers. The reasons you might wanna become one are many -- it pays well (and all of it tax-exempt), you get lotsa nookie, you can get other people to do your laundry, etc. As a cult guru, it is kind of tough to get health insurance benefits, but that's really about the only downside to a career as a leader of men, women and bastard offspring.

To be a messiah you don't have to be big (Charles Manson was only 5'2"), you don't have to be smart (David Koresh had an IQ of 89), and you don't have to be good-looking ('though it doesn't hurt). All you have to be is confident, to the absolute.

Once you've established your basic set of core beliefs -- your schtick, as it were -- no matter how ridiculous they may be, entertain no doubts and brook no arguments. They are truth

Keep in mind that it doesn't really matter what tripe you feed your troupe, so long as you feed it to them with unswerving conviction. Rev. Thomas Lake Harris, who founded a colony in upstate New York in the 19th century believed that a race of tiny fairies inhabited women's breasts, with kings and queens in the left breast and priests and priestesses in the right." And people fell for it.

There's an audience of willing believers out there for almost any kind of manifesto. Take one that already exists, add a few elements from another, twist it into you own words and presto, you've got a dogma worthy of any small band of mayonaisse-eaters.

Try telling people you're the reincarnation of Mahatma Ghandi and you've been brought back to earth to preach the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Or that Albert Einstein comes to you every night to interpret the Quran.

Locating your marks is one of the easiest steps in building a cult of your own, because they practically grow on trees. A favored method is to figure out a particular personality that might be most prone to falling for your schtick, and go after that type exclusively.

To paraphrase Elvis, white trash is as white trash does, there's no in-between, you're either with it all the way or you've blown the scene. In other words, try the laundromat... or the student union...Go where the feebs go

The above is a joke but the real joke is that Cohen is SERIOUS.

UNBELIEVABLE