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Rating: 
Summary: Ego and the Razor's Edge
Review: A book like this is so useful in the sense that it shows the real path of a spiritual seeker and new teacher, Andrew Cohen. Many books are inspiring in their goal oriented messages or methodologies. This book illustrates the difficulties and pitfalls. It also demonstrates the hurt (disillusionment) that can occur from expecting all teachers or gurus to be perfect. The book does show that teachers are necessary along the path, but ultimately the final guru is the eternal Self within each human. The book explains the reason for following a code of ethics (which all esoteric groups have) to take away the power of the ego so that one can see the permanent Truth within. This was demonstrated in such a practical, important way. It is so gratifying to see a teacher who will not sugar-coat the truth of the spiritual pathway. Andrew Cohen truly tries to awaken people rather than simply making them feel good. Spiritual evolution is his goal. It is critical to have teachers like this. He shows that the spiritual path is truly a "razor's edge".
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Summary: A powerful story and an important message.
Review: A powerful book! It had a very big affect on me and made me think deeper than I probably ever had about how important and also how delicate and dangerous it is to really walk on the spiritual path. Andrew Cohen describes his own enlightenment and his subsequent disillusionment with the integrity of his teacher. Truly, for anyone who has ever had to confront the question of a teacher or spiritual authority in whom their is unquestioned wisdom and spiritual power and yet also corruption and abuses of integrity, this book is a must read! It makes you realize how superficially this subject is generally treated. Andrew, a popular and powerful teacher in his own right, is forced to see that on one hand his teacher is without doubt a very awakened man AND a very corrupt individual AT THE SAME TIME. Yes, where have we all seen that before? Only constantly for the last 30 years. The most remarkable thing perhaps about this book is that Andrew fully addresses this subject with no cynicism! In fact, his whole message is that it is possible to live what you teach. Spiritual integrity is not only possible it should be what all of us demand from ourselves and our teachers. Thank God, amidst all of the fear and suspicion of spiritual teachers and groups these days, someone is bold enough to address these issues with intelligence, without a trace of cynicism and with what is clearly the utmost care, respect and appreciation for the sacredness and importance of spiritual life.
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Summary: sometimes brilliant, sometimes not
Review: Cohen is so very frustrating as a writer. The quality of his revelation is supreme, and he expressess it clearly and without compromise; the problem is that he seems to think that because he gained his final insight after a process of search and service to a guru, that the guru process is therefore necessary for everyone. To the contrary, his descriptions of his own guru (and several others) clearly indicate that we advance despite them, not because of them, and Cohen's love letters to his master are stomach-turning drivel of the sort Da Free John and others sometimes compose--every third Word is Capitalized to Impart the vast Importance of "Concepts" that are, in fact, too vague to be expressed in writing, or at least not in the simple abstractions like Love and Truth that poor writers such as Cohen are limited to. Perhaps he should stick to direct verbal teachings of his own zombielike followers, or better yet drop the guru game altogether and learn to write.
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