This group is a newly formed hub for the emerging field of evolutionary spirituality, in particular a new spiritual teaching called Evolutionary Enlightenment, recently synthesized into a book of the same name written by spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen. Our most basic goal is to host regular gatherings and events that convey the essential ideas of this new spiritual perspective. Towards this, the core of our meetup will focus on discussions using excerpts or chapters from the book as starting points for in-depth discussions. By combining the timeless wisdom of the mystical traditions with seminal discoveries in modern science, the book offers an ideal conversational platform that can potentially serve as a foundation for talking about nearly any field of human endeavor--art, social work, politics, ethics, physical health, education, technology, environment, aesthetics, nonduality, and of course, spirituality. My experience is that these conversations are as intellectually satisfying and rigorous as they are spiritually liberating and culturally relevant.

The long-term goal and driving force of this meetup echoes the ultimate purpose of Evolutionary Enlightenment itself--evolving consciousness and transforming culture. The core insight of this perspective is that the world and everything in it is part of a developmental process. With this as the context for our gatherings, it means that we have an opportunity to be expressions of that process through our actions and choices. In this way, our meetup isn't just about transmitting ideas, it's a call to manifest the potential inherent in the micro-culture created when we come together. That means the group itself could evolve over time and become a portal for the evolution of culture in Los Angeles and beyond. But whether we achieve that or not depends ultimately on the intention of everyone participating. Cultural revolutions don't happen on their own or in just one person. So, everyone isn’t just welcome, everyone is needed!

What is EnlightenNext?

"Founded by spiritual leader and cultural visionary Andrew Cohen in 1988, EnlightenNext is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Based in Lenox, Massachusetts, and with centers in New York, Boston, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen, EnlightenNext is a global organization with a network of members spanning twenty countries."

What is EnlightenNext's Mission?

"EnlightenNext is dedicated to catalyzing evolution in consciousness and culture. We strive to be leaders, examples, and pathfinders in the emerging field of integral and evolutionary spirituality, and to stand for the ultimate relevance of spiritual enlightenment in our time. Through our integrated annual cycle of programs and events and our award-winning publications, we are awakening, connecting, and cultivating a global movement of “evolutionaries”—individuals who feel personally responsible for creating the future."