Recent Posts in ‘Culture’
Why the World Needs More Spiritual Heroes
Here’s a published dialogue that I did with my friend Deepak Chopra in which we discuss the challenges of standing up for Spirit in a secular culture. Enjoy! __________________________________ ANDREW COHEN: What I wanted to speak with you about, Deepak, is what it really means to be a spiritual hero. This is kind of a
The Fire of Freedom: A Brief History of Women’s Spiritual Uprisings
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the following article by Elizabeth Debold, originally published in EnlightenNext magazine, offers a “brief (and slightly speculative) three-thousand-year history of women’s spiritual uprisings and their impact on Western culture.” Enjoy! ________________________________ ‘The Fire of Freedom’ by Elizabeth Debold In the hurtle of history from the ancient past to the present,
The Brighter Side of Globalization
I’m an amateur jazz drummer. Last night, as I was surfing my favorite drumming site, drummerworld.com, I came upon the most astounding video. Four very young Japanese women all dressed in punk-chic attire playing the most powerfully virtuosic and soulful jazz I’d heard in a long time: Seeing this video really got me thinking about
Carnism in the UK
I just got back from the UK where the big news story over the past week has been the public outrage about the fact that horse meat has been found masquerading as beef in a lot of their frozen foods, like lasagna, pizza, spaghetti sauce, etc. I find this to be a very ironic example
Zen and the Art of Conviction
There’s always something electric in the atmosphere when someone dares to assert spiritual convictions in a decidedly secular context. It’s almost like, “I can’t believe s/he had the courage to say that!” That’s why I was so interested when I heard that Jeff Bridges, aka “The Dude,” was going to be on The Daily Show
VIDEO: ‘Spirits in a Material World’ – Andrew on BookCase TV
Andrew was recently interviewed about his book, Evolutionary Enlightenment, on the NYC Life channel’s BookCase TV, a unique and entertaining program all about books and the people who write them. Far more engaging than one might suspect from a show dedicated to books, the genuine interest and sincere curiosity of host Frederic Colier adds fuel
Celebrating the Vision of MLK
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Andrew published a couple of blog posts last year that are every bit as inspiring and relevant in 2013 as they were then. Below you’ll find the full article “I Have Seen The Mountaintop: A Vision Of The Possible.” Also, make sure to check out this
When the New Year Doesn’t End
The first day of the new year always represents the potential for profound renewal—a new cycle in relationship to the passing of time, a precious moment in which many of us feel we are getting a chance to start over. And for most of us, that chance is usually connected to our highest aspirations, to
AUDIO: ‘Going Out of Your Mind’ with Ed and Deb Shapiro
Andrew recently spoke with irreverant spiritual teachers Ed and Deb Shapiro on their radio show ‘Going Out of Your Mind’ about a variety of interesting topics including: the evolution of the guru-disciple relationship within a postmodern context, Andrew’s recent trips to India, their own experiences with some of their respective past gurus, the significance of
Audio: Interview with Marilyn Hamilton of ‘Integral City’
During his recent trip to Vancouver, Andrew was interviewed by Dr. Marilyn Hamilton, founder of Integral City Meshworks Inc. and author of Integral City: Evolutionary Intelligences for the Human Hive. Some of the questions answered by Andrew include: When did evolution start to inform your views of enlightenment? Why is the speed of change impacting
2013, Or What to Do When the Apocalypse Doesn’t Arrive
I recently published a post titled, “The World is Getting Worse (And Other Lies)” in which I shared some inspiring data and anecdotes that have helped me to embrace what I consider to be “The Good News of Progress.” What does that mean? In short, the world is getting better—not worse, as many often suggest
The Return of Optimism
Since the world hasn’t ended yet, it seems like an appropriate time to talk about optimism. But given the many crises humanity is facing, is it actually reasonable or wise to promote an optimistic outlook for our collective future? In the following excerpt from his book Evolutionaries, former EnlightenNext Senior Editor Carter Phipps introduces what
The Dangerous Allure of Apocalypse
Are we secretly longing for the end of civilization? In this EnlightenNext magazine article, an environmentalist finds himself in a dramatic confrontation with the dangerous allure of apocalypse. Alex Steffen, who coined the term “bright green,” is the founder and executive editor of worldchanging.com, an international weblog and clearinghouse for cutting-edge environmental thought. Night,
The World is Getting Worse (and Other Lies)
Like millions of other Americans over Thanksgiving weekend, I went to see Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, Lincoln. I was mesmerized by Daniel Day-Lewis’s portrayal of the great statesman. I was also deeply moved by the thrilling depiction of the moral awakening at the film’s climax, in which the 13th Amendment for the abolition of slavery was
No Going Back: The Evolution of India
**Editor’s Note: The following is the final installment of a three-part series of articles written by Andrew Cohen during his recent trip to India. Read part one, ‘Overpopulation, Anxiety, and Enlightenment: The Changing Soul of Modern India,’ and part two, ‘The Spiritual Challenge for India’s Next Generation.’ Question: Some of India’s most popular spiritual
How a New World is Born
The ultimate spiritual revelation is that there is no other. There is only One. When any individual goes very deep into a meditative state, momentarily transcending the separate self-sense or narcissistic ego, this profound singularity at the level of consciousness itself is what he or she will find. There is an uncontainable thrill in those
Road to the Apocalypse: “A Time of Extraordinary Change”
In a world increasingly filled with greater degrees of complexity and interconnection, it may seem that trying to make any predictions about the future is a more of a fools game than it is a science. And while, on the whole, the future may be getting less and less predictable by the day, we would
Should Germany Save the World?
For those of us who are committed to creating a better world how do we respond to the evil and heinous acts of our violent past? I just got back from Germany where, being Jewish, I always find this question to be particularly relevant. I was born into a secular Jewish family fifty-seven years ago.
The Spiritual Challenge for India’s Next Generation
**Editor’s Note: The following is the second in a three-part series of articles written by Andrew Cohen during his recent trip to India about the significant spiritual and cultural changes that are occurring amidst India’s rapid modernization. Read part one—‘Overpopulation, Anxiety, and Enlightenment: The Changing Soul of Modern India’—here. Question: What do you feel
The Apocalypse May Already Be Here, or. . . “Something Is Rotten in the State of Denmark”
Many people are concerned about terrible fates that await us in the not-too-distant future. Some believe that in December 2012, the world will come to an end. Others point to the near and present dangers of climate change, overpopulation, environmental degradation, and nuclear war in the Middle East, to name just a few.
Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher, cultural visionary, founder of EnlightenNext, and the author of 
