"Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing"

My most offbeat book group read yet

"Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing" is at least as odd as implied by its title. The book is structured as a fictional autobiography, irreverently describing guru Jed McKenna's time leading a Zen-inspired retreat in, wait for it, rural Iowa.

One of the book's central themes is that ceremonies and rituals and gurus are window dressing. If a sect's goal is that its members reach enlightenment, then why with thousands of sects and millions of adherents and meditation retreats aren't there more enlightened people? If a religion's goal is to make its practitioners more godly, then why with hundreds of religions and billions of practitioners and trillions in weekly offerings do most make no progress? McKenna suggests it's another case of the blind leading the blind, or perhaps no one being sure what they're seeking to begin with.

The book's teachings are expressed in elaborate metaphors, including an updated version of Plato's allegory of the cave expanded over several chapters, ultimately adding a movie theater, screen, aisles, manager, and eventually the outdoors. For the most part, McKenna roams around town talking to people while on bike rides, picnics, and even skydiving – in short, not acting very guru-like at all. "Spiritual Enlightenment" is not exactly parody, but it certainly doesn't celebrate the spiritual life either.

Verdict: A mix of thought-provoking metaphor and eye-rolling excess. I found the book interesting, but won't be finishing the trilogy.