James Arthur Ray
James Arthur Ray is a self-help motivational guru[1] who was found guilty in June 2011 of negligent homicide[2] after three participants died at a "sweat lodge" ceremony he was conducting as part of a five day large group awareness training retreat called "Spiritual Warrior" in 2009. He was on trial in Yavapai County, Arizona. Prior to the sweat lodge he had participants fast for three days with no food or water. He reportedly discouraged participants from leaving the "sweat lodge" even after people were unconscious or vomiting.[3]
After the deaths he had the chutzpah to continue to advertise future retreats (rather than, say, refund the money of everyone who had paid $9000 to attend and get out of the self-help business forever), and to have skeptics who showed up at his seminars to ask questions about the sweat lodge deaths escorted out.[4]
Native American activists consider him an asshole for not just casually appropriating chunks of their culture in this manner, but doing so with such gross negligence.
Ray adheres to the law of attraction and teaches that tapping into this can create "harmonic wealth" in all areas of your life. He appeared in The Secret, has been promoted by Oprah Winfrey, and has written articles published by The Huffington Post.
[edit] External links
- Native American activists discuss Ray
- Anti-cult activists discuss Ray
- New York Times articles about Ray
- James Arthur Ray Released from Prison
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ As in: let me help myself to your money
- ↑ AZ Family: James Arthur Ray convicted of negligent homicide 22 June 2011
- ↑ CBS News: James Arthur Ray Employees Rat Out Self-Help Guru, Get Immunity from Sweat Lodge Deaths 9 February 2010
- ↑ James Randi Educational Foundation: James Arthur Ray in Denver 25 October 2009