tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87750782009-11-11T09:24:26.145-08:00WHAT enlightenment??!an uncensored look at self-styled American guru Andrew Cohenthe Editorsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger119125This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use.tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-26586981547246224932009-07-20T23:43:00.000-07:002009-09-11T23:35:34.063-07:00Ungagged: Ex-student Breaks Five Year Enforced SilenceMy name is William Yenner, and I am the former student who was subjected to the “gag order” mentioned in the official responses given to journalist Yonatan Levy. While I know from personal experience that most of the replies given to Levy by Andrew Cohen’s representative are false and/or misleading, this particular question and the circumstances surrounding it have been, in particular, a big the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-4821480705295002462009-04-22T23:29:00.073-07:002009-09-11T23:38:55.776-07:00The Truth Will Set You FreeIntroductionIn June of last year, the editors of this blog were contacted by Yonatan Levy, a contributor to the Israeli online journal NRG-Ma’ariv, for an article he intended to produce on Andrew Cohen and Cohen’s organization, EnlightenNext. Levy had sought an interview with Cohen himself, specifically in order to seek a balanced perspective on the allegations against Cohen previously published the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-32245529625839178502007-04-16T21:58:00.000-07:002009-09-11T23:42:41.703-07:00A Farewell With Deep Gratitudeby Hal BlackerMore than two years ago I decided to write publicly about what I felt had gone seriously wrong with Andrew Z. Cohen's teaching methods and his community. I had received disturbing reports from other former students that eventually compelled me to speak out. I wrote then:…A few years ago I began to learn of things that caused me great concern. An old friend who I worked with on What the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-63612670198879124492007-04-14T10:23:00.000-07:002009-09-11T23:44:45.386-07:00Deja Vu All Over AgainBy AnonymousI came across this blog surfing on various spiritual topics. I recently met a creative (and quite successful) entertainer who told me he lives in Andrew's Community. I later recognized Cohen's name from the "What Is Enlightment?" magazine I'd see on the stands.I once belonged to a major meditation sect for nearly a decade, living and working in their largest US community for several the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-33555555329557448282007-03-05T19:39:00.000-08:002009-09-11T23:47:58.156-07:00Andrew's Ever-Changing FACE*We received this submission from an anonymous former student of Andrew Cohen, who, having recently left Andrew's tutelage, goes by the name of freeEvolutionary. He seems to have his finger on the pulse of current changes being made in Andrew Cohen's organization and public presentation:A large part of Andrew's appeal is that he is addressing some of the deepest concerns and yearnings of people the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1166723298450305212006-12-21T09:42:00.000-08:002007-01-09T16:03:06.390-08:00Andrew Cohen and Donations Under DuressBy Jane O’Neil[Editors' Note: This is Jane O'Neil's second feature article on the What Enlightenment??! blog. Her first article was "Andrew Cohen and the Corruption of Power."]Simeon Alev's article, "A Revolution in Finance," is a brilliant and articulate analysis of Andrew Cohen's financial wrongdoing, and a call to action that I sincerely hope Andrew and his students will take to heart. In the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1166648142015344692006-12-20T12:45:00.000-08:002006-12-23T08:29:12.253-08:00Our Readers Are the Bomb![Editors' Note: We just received this comment that we thought was so uplifting and fitting for the holiday season, that we thought we'd feature it. You folks are great and we want you to know you shine so bright that people everywhere can see it.]The collective dignity of Cohen's students is indeed the most impressive thing that emerges from these pages like sunlight breaking from dark the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1166196253070792862006-12-15T07:02:00.000-08:002006-12-20T11:58:33.530-08:00A Revolution in FinanceBy Simeon Alev[Editors' Introduction: The following piece is by a former Andrew Cohen student and editor of What Is Enlightenment? magazine. This is Simeon's third contribution to the What Enlightenment??! blog. His previous articles are "A Response to Andrew Cohen's 'Declaration of Integrity'", part 1 and part 2.] I was very moved by Jane O’Neil’s post, and would like to follow up with some the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1165464008756644822006-12-06T19:52:00.000-08:002007-01-03T05:25:22.273-08:00Andrew Cohen and the Corruption of PowerBy Jane O'Neil[Editor's Introduction: The author of this piece, Jane O'Neil, is a former close student of Andrew Cohen. It was her devotion to him and her contribution of $2 Million that made possible the purchase of Foxhollow, Cohen's residence and the headquarters of EnlightenNext in Lenox, Massachusetts. After she left the group, Andrew Cohen betrayed his promise to her to keep her the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1162960428155158912006-11-07T20:29:00.000-08:002006-12-07T15:05:27.276-08:00Part 2 – A Response To Andrew Cohen's "Declaration of Integrity"Some Personal Recollections by Simeon Alev[Former What Is Enlightement? magazine editor Simeon Alev provides further reflections in response to Andrew Cohen's recent attempt on his blog to explain his conduct which has been the subject of widespread criticism.]I’d like to add a little personal background to my previous post so that readers can understand the kind of perplexity produced in sincerethe Editorsnoreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1161389458724559092006-10-20T16:46:00.000-07:002006-11-05T06:50:52.920-08:00A Response To Andrew Cohen’s “Declaration of Integrity”By Simeon Alev[Note from the Editors: Apparently attempting to finally give a public statement defending himself against the many allegations of his abuse of students documented previously here (and perhaps also in response to the current heated discussions on the Zaadz+WIE online forum), Andrew Cohen recently meticulously crafted and posted a " Declaration of Integrity", which in effect avoids the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1160391297972037442006-10-09T07:27:00.000-07:002006-10-18T19:26:44.380-07:00Congratulations to WHAT Enlightenment?!! on its second anniversary!This two year voyage beginning in October 2004 has been full of discovery, revelation, honest fact reporting, emperor with no clothes stories, sad testimonial, memory and recognition.Since I too was there in the Cohen event, and having left with no small amount of anger, confusion, disappointment, and also a raw determination to the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1156466855992785992006-08-24T17:46:00.000-07:002006-12-25T18:52:26.376-08:00Some Reflections on Abuse and Uncompleted or “Intermediate” Gurus“The Intermediate Zone, in Sri Aurobindo's philosophy, refers to a dangerous and misleading transitional spiritual and pseudo-spiritual region between the ordinary consciousness of the outer being and true spiritual realisation....the way that the Intermediate zone works is through a sort of psychological contagion. Thus not just the sadhak or yogi or pop guru themselves, but those around them, the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1151953904904740712006-07-03T12:02:00.000-07:002006-12-21T01:36:52.766-08:00Intersubjective Fictions--Some Cohen Video ReviewsHere are some anonymous reviews of Andrew Cohen's latest web infomercial Creating the Future culled from some emails we've seen and reproduced (completely without authorization). Many thanks to our astute readers!"it's like he's speaking anotherlanguage...they even transcibe every word, so we don'tmiss these gems of wisdom...but I still don't knowexactly what the hell he's saying...""I just the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1148265414451847802006-05-21T19:29:00.000-07:002006-07-01T13:55:46.883-07:00Cohen Collaborator Gafni Removed For Sexual MisconductCohen Collaborator Gafni Removed For Sexual MisconductAndrew Cohen’s close friend and collaborator, Rabbi Marc Gafni, was recently removed from his post as director of Bayit Chadash, the Jewish Renewal center in Israel that he led, after three female members of the center filed sworn statements and complaints of sexual misconduct against him with the police on May 9, 2006. According to an articleHalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06673589586433735208noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1145241217767338272006-04-16T19:31:00.000-07:002006-10-20T15:08:14.116-07:00The Principles of Enslavementby Dragan[The following reflections are excerpted from a comment previously submitted by former Andrew Cohen student Dragan]How does Andrew do what he does? How is it that no one can tell that the emperor has no clothes?There are several principles that Andrew has become a master of, the principles that have been known and are still known to the brainwashing rulers of the ages past and the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1143580924874698002006-03-28T13:10:00.000-08:002006-10-25T10:40:47.986-07:00Some Common Misunderstandings of 'Two Truths Doctrine' in Nondual Philosophies that May Impede Recognition and Discussion of Painful Situationsby Anonymous[Note from The Editors: The following remarkably lucid (and scholarly) article was originally posted as a comment to the article Vimala Thakar’s Concealed Criticism and Andrew Cohen’s Treatment of Women—The Investigation Continues. We thought it might be good at this juncture to quiet the dogs of war, take a deep breath and consider its clarifying wisdom on the relationship between the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1143395769301821472006-03-26T09:53:00.000-08:002006-07-20T15:16:17.070-07:00A Call To Action And A Letter To Bill O’ReillyP.O.’ed Old Man Leads The WayRecently, a new contributor to What Enlightenment??! has been leading a rousing call to action against the authoritarian abuse and exploitation of followers by self-styled "guru" Andrew Cohen. P.O.'ed Old Man explained that he is the grandfather of a victim of Cohen's manipulation and abuse. PO'ed felt most of us were making a mistake--we shouldn't just get mad, we Halhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06673589586433735208noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1142445166248116002006-03-15T09:45:00.000-08:002006-12-01T11:08:54.613-08:00A Remarkable Consistencyby Aaron(Blogger name gniz)I have read a great deal about the Cohen situation, whether it be the books that are available, WIE magazine itself, blogs on Cohen’s website, and the reports on this blog. There is REMARKABLE consistency in the stories that are recounted about the behavior of this group. If there were a trial, I believe there is simply overwhelming circumstantial evidence as to what the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1139950746151772622006-02-14T12:45:00.000-08:002006-11-13T11:17:02.426-08:00Vimala Thakar’s Concealed Criticism and Andrew Cohen’s Treatment of Women—The Investigation ContinuesRecently, a comment to an article posted on What Enlightenment??! revealed some very shocking news that few of us who are or were involved with Andrew Cohen knew—Andrew Cohen’s claims that female Indian sage Vimala Thakar supported his harsh treatment of the women in his community—in the name of breaking through “women’s conditioning”—were false. In fact, Vimala strongly criticized Andrew's Halhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06673589586433735208noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1138906350213750082006-02-02T10:38:00.000-08:002006-02-18T23:22:46.596-08:00A Travesty of “Enlightenment”—Wendyl’s StoryA Response to The Story of Caroline Franklyn By Wendyl[Wendyl was a formal student in Andrew Cohen’s community. In her words, “I was so blown apart by Mario’s story about Caroline, these words just flowed from me.” She sent this article by e-mail.]I lived as a formal student in the US community in California and Foxhollow from 1994 to 1998. My heart ached in reading Mario’s story of what happenedthe Editorsnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1137688406634042972006-01-19T08:19:00.000-08:002006-12-19T20:46:17.316-08:00Not Forgotten – The Story Of Caroline Franklynby Mario Puljiz[Mario Puljiz was a formal student of Andrew Cohen, in his European community, from 1995-2000. He was a friend of Caroline Franklyn.]Caroline Franklyn was in her late seventies at the time of her death and, having been of delicate health for some time, it seemed of little surprise that despite her remarkable spirit she passed away in London just before Christmas 1999. Caroline was the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1137045638365688292006-01-11T21:52:00.001-08:002009-01-10T13:14:29.114-08:00“Either I’m Crazy…or…”A Behind The Scenes Look At Andrew Cohen's Black Or White LogicBy Stas M.[Note: The following article is by a former long-term and close “senior” student of Andrew Cohen, who was known in Cohen’s community as “Ernest.” His previous contribution to this blog is Letter From A Senior Student.]“Here it comes”, I thought to myself. As a longtime student of Andrew Cohen I heard him utter these words the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1136306394098164382006-01-03T08:28:00.000-08:002006-04-22T07:32:35.790-07:00So Sad . . .I recently received the following email from a reader:Subject: So Sad . . .Hal,I am literally shaking after having read your articles. I am a Sai Baba survivor. In 2000, after having been a devotee for 25 years, I collapsed under the large number of credible allegations of sexual abuse against children. I must tell you that I thought Andrew was a beacon of light in a sea of slime. Oh, what are weHalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06673589586433735208noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8775078.post-1135716726323769392005-12-27T12:26:00.000-08:002006-01-01T15:14:29.096-08:00COHEN COLLABORATES WITH ROGUE RABBIIn another apparent betrayal of his purported stand for ethics and integrity, Andrew Cohen has chosen to collaborate with known and self-admitted sexual miscreant Rabbi Marc Gafni. Gafni was the subject of a somewhat apologetic expose last year by Gary Rosenblatt, the editor and publisher of The Jewish Week. Rosenblatt’s article, The Re-Invented Rabbi, while presenting both sides of the the Editorsnoreply@blogger.com6