Andrew Cohen has been a teacher of enlightenment since 1986. He is the author of twelve books on the spiritual life, and founder of the award-winning magazine
What Is Enlightenment?
Born in New York City in 1955, Cohen discovered his passion for truth at the age of sixteen, when a spontaneous revelation of "cosmic consciousness" opened his eyes to the spiritual dimension of life. Some years later, as a result of that experience, he gave up aspirations to become a musician and dedicated himself wholeheartedly to its rediscovery. After several years of intensive spiritual pursuit in the U.S., including the study of martial arts, Kriya yoga, and Buddhist meditation, Cohen followed in the footsteps of a generation of Western seekers to India. It was in India that he met his last teacher, H.W.L. Poonja, in 1986, and experienced a life-changing awakening. Shortly afterwards, Cohen began to teach.
In his sixteen-year odyssey as a teacher, Cohen has forged an independent path in pursuit of truth. His own teaching has been lauded as one of the most original and complete contemporary expressions of awakened understanding. And perhaps most notably, he has captured the imagination of the modern spiritual world by igniting a dynamic international dialogue in the pages of his groundbreaking magazine
What Is Enlightenment? Ceaselessly questioning his own experience and observing the examples of others, Cohen has emerged as a defining voice in the quest to understand what it means to seek—and attain—enlightenment in the twenty-first century. He continually travels the world giving talks and extended retreats and meeting with spiritual leaders and visionaries from every tradition.
In addition to his work as a writer and public speaker, Cohen is spiritual mentor to hundreds of students around the world who have come together to form EnlightenNext. Inspired by Cohen's teachings, this network of communities is united in a commitment to living the spiritual life not for personal gain but for the purpose of discovering a different possibility for humanity. Centers dedicated to this vision can be found in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including an international retreat center in the Berkshire mountains in western Massachusetts where Cohen now has his home.
Cohen's latest book,
Living Enlightenment, (Spring 2002) has received accolades from many respected voices in the spiritual, academic, and philosophical worlds. His other works include the acclaimed
Embracing Heaven & Earth (2000),
Freedom Has No History,
An Unconditional Relationship to Life, and
Enlightenment Is a Secret.
