Andrew Cohen, founder of EnlightenNext magazine, is a spiritual teacher widely recognized as a defining voice in the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. In this presentation recorded live in New York City, Cohen sets a bold course, declaring at the outset his intention to impart an experiential sense of what consciousness is and why its unique evolution is so vital for our future. Over the course of the talk that follows, he describes the history of the human predicament beginning with the dawn of creation (we were there; we decided to set this whole event in motion) and traveling across the sea of time (we are literally the product of 13.7 billion years of evolution) to the present day. Having established this deep-time context, and humanity's place at the leading edge of this tremendous developmental arc, Cohen asks the question: What are we prepared to do about it, individually and collectively? Are we ready to make a dramatic leap forward in order to advance the evolution of consciousness as ourselves, to become full participants not only in our own lives, but in the life of the universe itself? Join Cohen in this penultimate philosophical and spiritual quest to reveal—and to sincerely grapple with—the most important questions of our time.
BIO
Andrew Cohen, founder of EnlightenNext magazine, is a spiritual teacher and acclaimed author widely recognized as a defining voice in the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality. A life-changing awakening in 1986 brought Cohen to the end of his own search for liberation while simultaneously starting him on an exploration of the meaning and significance of enlightenment for our time. This has led him to a profound investigation of the human predicament and into dialogue with sages, saints, and spiritual luminaries from nearly every tradition and beyond.
In 1992, Cohen released the first issue of EnlightenNext (formerly What Is Enlightenment), expanding his own inquiry through the public forum of a magazine and pioneering an innovative form of spiritual journalism reminiscent of classical Socratic dialogue. Over the last decade on the pages of EnlightenNext, Cohen has brought together leading thinkers—mystics and materialists, philosophers and psychologists—to call for a higher and wholly contemporary synthesis of the spiritual truths found in the East and the empirical rigor of the West. Through the magazine and his writings, Cohen is creating a new context for understanding enlightenment as a human evolutionary imperative. Together with a growing network of integral visionaries, including Ken Wilber and Don Beck, he is helping to define a culture of thought that places spiritual transformation at the center of any vision of transforming the world.
