In this conversation, I speak with Alex Howard, founder of www.conscious2.com and producer of the documentary on the spiritual teacher, Andrew Cohen: How I Created a Cult. This documentary is important for a number reasons. It is the first documentary that I know of to chronicle the story of a fallen spiritual teacher, their process of rehabilitation and return to teaching. The film explores the story from all angles, including current and former students, Tami Simon (of Sounds True) and Dr. Roger Walsh.
Anyone in any kind of ‘spiritual scene’ would do well to watch this documentary as it explores many of the dangerous dynamics that can arise between teachers and students. To view the movie, simply go to www.conscious2.com and open a free two-week trial account which will enable you to watch the documentary.
In my conversation with Alex we discuss:
- Alex’s documentary series How I Created a Cult
- …and its hero, spiritual leader Andrew Cohen
- How do smart people end up in cults?
- The power dynamics and psychological abuse
- Cohen’s downfall and re-emergence
- The “shadow” side of spiritual communities
And this is a short introduction to the organization, made by a former student of Andrew Cohen’s.
Originally published on March 1, 2017
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