The Light That Smelled

The Light That Smelled What is it about this Andrew Cohen guy? Ran into his Impersonal Enlightenment Fellowship earlier this year and was puzzled by my own reaction.

Cohen argues our fast-changing world desperately needs the guidance of enlightened people; conversely, where in past ages it was fine to retreat from a stable world to cultivate one’s soul, to do so in the face of impending ecological catastrophes is irresponsible. Today, enlightenment entails engagement.

I couldn’t and can’t fault this logic — except, aren’t we all too mean and stupid to do that? But is this not the kind of negative thinking that gives ancient philosophies like cynicism a bad name? Is this Christ’s “sin against the Holy Spirit”?

So I popped down to a public lecture Cohen gave near Regents Park. Despite setting out with ample time, I had unusual difficulty finding the hall, and slipped in well after the start. (Was a guardian angel running interference?) And got to hear Cohen speak in person. Again, the words sounded fine, and Cohen manifested a relaxed charisma, but ten minutes in a back row was enough. The air seemed stifled and stifling. Either I was so corrupted I could no longer bear to be around the dharma, or these guys were full of it. No use having an intuition if you don’t use it.

Now 5jt.com reader MarkM has left a comment pointing to active Cohen-knocking blog What Enlightenment? Harrowing reading. Sometimes you should trust your nose. You Have Been Warned.