Review of American Guru by Craig Jewell

“American Guru” is a surprisingly apropos title for William Yenner’s book. Initially a reference to the seemingly unique experience of an American Bodhisattva, (namely Andrew Cohen), Guru transforms quietly into a quintessentially American tale of the “benevolent patriarch.” “Guru” begins as an insider’s witness to the transformative and often painful experiences of being a student in the EnligthenNext community. By its end “Guru” strikes the chords of infinitely more universal experiences of seeking truth, prostrating oneself to another, or an ideal in the practice of subordinating self, of the pain and power of the guru/disciple relationship, and the rise and fall of ideological community.

A marketing whiz kid might try to sell you on “Guru” as the “Oops, I joined a cult, “tell all” book of 2009.” More accurately Guru is an intensely personal, purposeful look into William Yenner’s lifelong journey towards enlightenment, and the thirteen years that Cohen and Yenner were bonded by a guru/disciple relationship. Intense and painful at times, this is a story deserving to be told.

Yenner’s writing is powerfully purposeful. “Guru” simultaneously bears witness to difficult but necessary truths, while sensitively and evenhandedly acknowledging the complexity of the EnlightenNext Community. Yenner is five years out from his last contact with Cohen, and time, distance, effort, and strength have clearly increased his perspective on his event. Yet the emotional core of Yenner’s experience remains raw and strikingly real. While observation of such honest and formative emotional events is at times difficult, the rawness of Yenner’s emotions adds greatly to the reader connection to the text. “Guru” is unique in this balance. Yenner leads a life of action and great personal and impersonal work, and during the period of a five year gag order, he has personally reflected and spent great time in meditation on this experience. Yet owing to his silence during this period, elements of this story read like memoires written during periods of imprisonment.

To those who have shared the unique experiences of living within Cohen’s sphere of influence, I imagine the mere act of reading “Guru” will have incredible personal emotional resonance. It is itself a journey.

Yet, also contained within “Guru” is a message of affirmation to all those seeking enlightenment yet scorned by the inherent struggle within the guru/disciple relationship. Significant scholarly works on the topic of intentional communities outline the potential damage inherent to this power dynamic. Yet equally understood within many communities is the value of subjugating ego, of the pursuit of selflessness as a vehicle for growth. Yenner’s reflections and the reflections of other students on personal experiences of this relationship offer a deeply personal approach to understanding this dynamic.

For those readers less familiar with the practice of subjugating self to an enlightened one, to a higher power, or to a higher principal, the relationship of guru/disciple can still resonate in terms of family dynamic. Yenner’s story is a non-traditional love story of sorts. Yenner and the other students of Cohen are at times sons, daughters, partners, and scorned lovers.

Lastly, “Guru” is a compelling read. I consumed the text in one sitting. It starts a bit slow but really finds its paces in Yenner’s story.

It would be tempting to consider Guru a work of brutal honestly. However, unlike Cohen, Yenner’s triumph is his resistance to engage in any acts of brutality. “Guru” embodies a tenderness and evenhandedness throughout. If anything, Yenner’s only brutal moments seem turned inwards.

My path to “American Guru” was the stuff of Existential co-incidence. I have interacted with William Yenner as a legal assistant on the margins of his professional life. Thankfully that interaction has provided me with insights into the incredible energy he exudes, and the ethical manner in which he interacts with the world and his particular profession, and the generosity of spirit, mind and body he shares with others. Cocurrently a focus of the academic focus of my personal life has been highly attuned to the topic of what makes intentional communities work, and what sometimes makes them fail. This book came to me at a moment where the single greatest question going on in my head was “Is there any other model than ‘benevolent patriarchy’ available within our society for intentional communities to model themselves on.” I had begun to believe that the capacity for American subcommunities to deviate from the norms of American society were limited, and that perhaps the reason why “benevolent patriarchy” was the most prevalent model within intentional communities (and even within many ‘anarchist households’) was that it was as far as we can move from our current comfort within the system. “Guru” has inspired and reminded me of the danger of that model, and the inevitable harm and pain it causes.