General > Frauds
James Arthur Ray - Angel Valley Resort DeathSweat in Sedona: 3 dead, 20 injured
AnnOminous:
I'm not sure if the article you refer to Kathryn is different from this one or not so I've included it in its entirety. I especially lurve the last sentence; however I would replace the word "danger" with the word "guarantee."
The following News article can be located at:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j4PHcSvMF8pPe_CpIRZejl7OD1vgD9B7SCBG0
2 die, 19 overcome at Arizona retreat sweat lodge
By FELICIA FONSECA (AP) – 28 minutes ago
PHOENIX — A sauna-like sweat lodge at an Arizona resort meant to provide spiritual cleansing became a crime scene Friday after two people died and others became ill during a two-hour session inside the crude structure.
In all, 21 of the 64 people crowded inside the sweat lodge Thursday evening were transported to hospitals. Three of five who remained hospitalized Friday were in critical condition.
Authorities haven't determined the cause of the deaths and illnesses; tests for carbon monoxide and other contaminants were negative. Yavapai County sheriff's spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn said authorities were checking into whether any of the attendees had pre-existing medical conditions and the possibility that some of them might have been fasting.
Among those sickened were a middle-aged man and a woman who were unconscious, according to a 911 call, and a third person who was found not breathing.
"It's not something you'd normally see at one of the resorts there, and it's unfortunate regardless of the cause," D'Evelyn said.
Investigators were working to determine whether criminal actions might have been a factor in the incident, D'Evelyn said.
The Angel Valley Retreat Center sits on 70 acres nestled in a scrub forest just outside Sedona, a resort town 115 miles north of Phoenix that draws many in the New Age spiritual movement.
Self-help expert and author James Arthur Ray rented the facility as part of his "Spiritual Warrior" retreat that began Oct. 3 and that promised to "absolutely change your life." The schedule had few details about what participants could expect, other than thrice-daily meals and group gatherings that started at 7 a.m. and ended 16 hours later.
The details came in a lengthy release of liability that acknowledges participants may suffer "physical, emotional, financial or other injuries" while hiking or swimming, or during a multi-day personal and spiritual quest in the wilderness without food or water or the sweat lodge.
No one was required to participate in the activities.
Some participants told detectives they paid up to $9,000 for the event. In a testimonial on the Angel Valley retreat's Web site, Ray said it "offers an ideal environment for my teachings."
Ray spokesman Howard Bragman confirmed that his client was holding an event at the retreat, as he has done in the past. Authorities said Ray was inside the sweat lodge Thursday evening and was interviewed.
"We express our deepest condolences to those who lost friends and family, but we pray for a speedy recovery for those who took ill," Bragman said. "At this point there are more questions than answers, so it would not be appropriate to comment further."
Ray's company, James Ray International, is based in Carlsbad, Calif.
Ray's most recent posting on his Twitter account said: "Still in Spiritual Warrior ... for anything new to live something first must die. What needs to die in you so that new life can emerge?"
The posting and two others were deleted Friday afternoon.
A woman who answered the phone at the Angel Valley resort Friday said its founders, Michael and Amayra Hamilton, would have no comment. A call to the Hamiltons' home went unanswered.
The Angel Valley Spiritual Retreat Center, built on former ranch property in the high-desert and red-rock country of northern Arizona, bills itself as a natural environment for self discovery and healing through a holistic approach aimed at balancing the mind, emotions, body and spirit.
The property includes American Indian structures such as teepees, guest houses and outdoor labyrinths made of stones.
Sweat lodges, like that held on the final day of the Angel Valley retreat, are commonly used by American Indian tribes to cleanse the body and prepare for hunts, ceremonies and other events. The structure used Thursday was crudely built and covered with tarps and blankets.
Stones are heated up outside a lodge, brought inside and placed in a pail-sized hole. The door is closed, and water is poured on the stones, producing heat aimed at releasing toxins in the body.
The ritual is helpful in restoring balance and changing people's attitudes and self-image, said Joseph Bruchac, author of "The Native American Sweat Lodge: History and Legends."
American Indian sweat lodges typically hold a maximum of 12 people.
People have died in sweat lodges in the past. They were either sick tribal elders who voluntarily stayed until they died or people who had heart conditions and were in poor health.
"The sweat lodge needs to be respected," Bruchac said. "When you imitate someone's tradition and you don't know what you are doing, there's a danger of doing something very wrong."
*****************
Defend the Sacred:
--- Quote from: AnnOminous on October 10, 2009, 03:50:09 am ---
Ray's most recent posting on his Twitter account said: "Still in Spiritual Warrior ... for anything new to live something first must die. What needs to die in you so that new life can emerge?"
--- End quote ---
Holy crap.
--- Quote ---The posting and two others were deleted Friday afternoon.
--- End quote ---
Probably at his attorney's urging. Though at $9,000 a head, he can afford legal advice. He's going to need it.
--- Quote ---The property includes American Indian structures such as teepees, guest houses and outdoor labyrinths made of stones.
Sweat lodges, like that held on the final day of the Angel Valley retreat, are commonly used by American Indian tribes to cleanse the body and prepare for hunts, ceremonies and other events. The structure used Thursday was crudely built and covered with tarps and blankets.
--- End quote ---
We need to keep an eye on this stuff, and make sure, like with the cancer kid whose mother kept him from getting treatment, that the media keeps it straight that this was NOT an NDN ceremony.
--- Quote ---People have died in sweat lodges in the past. They were either sick tribal elders who voluntarily stayed until they died or people who had heart conditions and were in poor health.
--- End quote ---
I've only heard of nuagers dying from suffocation, dehydration or psychotic breakdowns. Has anyone ever heard this claim of "tribal elders who voluntarily stayed until they died"? ... I'm not going to speculate on that, but even if it were true, is that really an appropriate thing to say?
--- Quote ---"The sweat lodge needs to be respected," Bruchac said. "When you imitate someone's tradition and you don't know what you are doing, there's a danger of doing something very wrong."
--- End quote ---
At least that got said. It needs to be said over and over as this case is covered. Everyone is talking about it, so I think we need to keep an eye on the coverage.
ETA: The people who hosted this debacle also participated in the Live H2O event that White Ego Fraud (Rachel Holzwarth) was involved with: http://www.angelvalley.org/events.html
NDN_Outlaw:
Two dead, three in critical condition and sixteen others hospitalized. Sixty-four people in a huge lodge conducted by some greedy know nothing idiot. Traditionalists have warned so many people for so long. So many of these people have no ears-all mouth. I'm all muddled up with all kinds of powerful feelings but above all my heart goes out to those families who lost a loved one. There are probably children mourning a parent. Such a bizarre and senseless tradgedy. Who ever caused this needs to spend some time in jail.
BlackWolf:
2 people died recently at a Sweat Lodge in Sedona, Arizona. The news story says Sedona is the home of a modern Spirtual Movement. Anyone have any info on this guy James Arthur Ray? I guess he was the guy that rented the facility there.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9B7MOEG1&show_article=1
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091010/ap_on_re_us/us_sweat_lodge_deaths_12
BlackWolf:
I guess it all happened here at the Angel Valley Retreat Center. They also offer "Crystal Skull Meditations" and "Full Moon Druming Circles"
http://www.angelvalley.org/sedona-calendar-of-spiritual-events.html
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