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===Native American perspective===
===Native American perspective===


Native American chiefs and experts on sweat lodges have criticized the reported construction and conduct of the lodge as not meeting traditional ways ("bastardized" and "mocked"). Indian leaders expressed concerns and prayers for the dead and injured. The typical leader has 4 to 8 years of apprenticeship before being allowed to care for people in a lodge. Participants are instructed to call out whenever they feel uncomfortable, and the ceremony is usually stopped to help them. The lodge was said to be unusually built from non-breathable materials. Charging for the ceremony was said to be inappropriate. The number of participants was criticized as too high and the ceremony length was said to be too long. Respect to elders' oversight was said to be important for avoiding unfortunate events. The Native American community actively seeks to prevent abuses of their traditions. <ref>Cheif Chemito, Comments reported on Phoenix Fox 10 by Miriam Garcia, 10/10/2009 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLILFSrfmBs]</ref><ref>Valerie Taliman, "Taliman: Selling the sacred", Indian Country Today, 10/13/2009 [http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/64077357.html]</ref><ref>Lindsay Hocker, "Sweat lodge incident 'not our Indian way", Quad-Cities Online, 10/14/2009 [http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=462433]</ref><ref>Chief Arvol Looking Horse, "Concerning the deaths in Sedona", India Country Today, 10/16/2009 [http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/columnists/64486777.html]</ref><ref>All Nations Indigenous Native American Indian Cultural Center, "Native Elder Addresses Deaths In Sweat Lodge", BlackHillsToday, 10/17/2009 [http://www.blackhillsportal.com/npps/story.cfm?ID=3492]</ref>
Native American chiefs and experts on sweat lodges have criticized the reported construction and conduct of the lodge as not meeting traditional ways ("bastardized" and "mocked"). Indian leaders expressed concerns and prayers for the dead and injured. The typical leader has 4 to 8 years of apprenticeship before being allowed to care for people in a lodge. Participants are instructed to call out whenever they feel uncomfortable, and the ceremony is usually stopped to help them. The lodge was said to be unusually built from non-breathable materials. Charging for the ceremony was said to be inappropriate. The number of participants was criticized as too high and the ceremony length was said to be too long. Respect to elders' oversight was said to be important for avoiding unfortunate events. The Native American community actively seeks to prevent abuses of their traditions. James Ray is an idiot. <ref>Cheif Chemito, Comments reported on Phoenix Fox 10 by Miriam Garcia, 10/10/2009 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLILFSrfmBs]</ref><ref>Valerie Taliman, "Taliman: Selling the sacred", Indian Country Today, 10/13/2009 [http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/64077357.html]</ref><ref>Lindsay Hocker, "Sweat lodge incident 'not our Indian way", Quad-Cities Online, 10/14/2009 [http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=462433]</ref><ref>Chief Arvol Looking Horse, "Concerning the deaths in Sedona", India Country Today, 10/16/2009 [http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/columnists/64486777.html]</ref><ref>All Nations Indigenous Native American Indian Cultural Center, "Native Elder Addresses Deaths In Sweat Lodge", BlackHillsToday, 10/17/2009 [http://www.blackhillsportal.com/npps/story.cfm?ID=3492]</ref>


== Published books ==
== Published books ==

Revision as of 18:48, 18 October 2009

James Arthur Ray
File:JamesArthurRay.jpg
Born (1957-11-22) November 22, 1957 (age 66)
Honolulu, Hawaii
Occupation(s)New Thought author, Motivational speaker

James Arthur Ray (born November 22, 1957) is a professional speaker and author. He has been a guest on Oprah,[1] Larry King Live[2] and The Today Show, and is the author of Harmonic Wealth, a New York Times bestseller.[3] He is a self-described "personal success strategist" and visionary.[4]

Ray is the President and CEO of James Ray International,[4] a private company which holds seminars and mentoring services on wealth creation. He was also one of the guest speakers in the 2006 film The Secret.

Sweat lodge deaths

On October 8, 2009 at a New Age "Spiritual Warrior" retreat conceived and hosted by Ray at the Angel Valley Retreat Center in Yavapai County near Sedona, Arizona, James Shore and Kirby Brown died and nineteen others were hospitalized after suffering burns, dehydration, breathing problems, kidney failure or elevated body temperature in a large sweat lodge. Liz Neuman, an attendee, was in a coma in critical condition on October 15, 2009.[5] She died two days later on October 17.[6] The sweat lodge was covered in plastic and was constructed by Ray's staff.[7][8][9] The attendees, who had paid up to $10,000 to participate in the retreat, had fasted for 36 hours, then ate a large buffet breakfast before entering the sweat lodge.[9]

Ray refused to speak to authorities and has left the state.[10]

The Yavapai County Sheriff, Steve Waugh, said October 10 that the investigation was focusing on Ray and his staff in an attempt to determine if criminal negligence was involved.[11] The county sheriff's office held firm in the belief that Ray's staff actually built the sweat lodge, despite a claim by Ray's spokesperson, Howard Bragman, that the staff contracted the Angel Valley resort to build it.[7] The Angel Valley resort would not comment on the details of the contract.[7] Jack Judd, the county building safety manager, said that there was no record of a permit or an application for a permit to build the sweat lodge.[12][13] Bragman claimed that the sweat lodge, which is a 415-square foot space, could accommodate up to 75 people.[12] On the day of the tragedy, between 55 to 65 people were crowded into the space during a two-hour period.[9][12] However, Joseph Bruchac, another expert in Indian tradition, has suggested that the number of people inside this sweat lodge far exceeded the norm. [14]

On October 15, 2009, the Yavapai County sheriff's office upgraded the investigations into the deaths of James Shore and Kirby Brown to homicide probes, after talking with participants.[15] Officials claimed the sweat lodge lacked the necessary building permit.[15] James Ray has apparently arranged for his own private investigation into the deaths.[15] He expressed sorrow and even shed tears during a seminar in Los Angeles.[15] Detectives executed a search warrant at James Ray International's offices.[16] Spokesman Howard Bragman claims the investigation upgrade is only politically motivated and that Ray helps people.[17]

On October 15, 2009, print media began reporting that Mr. Ray conducted a conference call with some victims, one of which recorded this call and provided it to the AP.[16]

Mr. Ray has a Twitter account and was sending "tweets" of his intentions on the day of the deaths, before the lodge event. Apparently, Mr. Ray later deleted the tweets, but they were nonetheless found by others and reported. They included references to death. [18][19]

Native American perspective

Native American chiefs and experts on sweat lodges have criticized the reported construction and conduct of the lodge as not meeting traditional ways ("bastardized" and "mocked"). Indian leaders expressed concerns and prayers for the dead and injured. The typical leader has 4 to 8 years of apprenticeship before being allowed to care for people in a lodge. Participants are instructed to call out whenever they feel uncomfortable, and the ceremony is usually stopped to help them. The lodge was said to be unusually built from non-breathable materials. Charging for the ceremony was said to be inappropriate. The number of participants was criticized as too high and the ceremony length was said to be too long. Respect to elders' oversight was said to be important for avoiding unfortunate events. The Native American community actively seeks to prevent abuses of their traditions. James Ray is an idiot. [20][21][22][23][24]

Published books

  • The Science of Success, SunArk Press 2003, ISBN 9780966740011
  • Practical Spirituality: How to Use Spiritual Power to Create Tangible Results, SunArk Press 2003, ISBN 9780966740035
  • Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want, Hyperion Books 2008, ISBN 9781401322649
  • The Seven Laws of True Wealth: Create the Life You Desire and Deserve, Hyperion Books Books 2009, ISBN 9781401322847

See also

References

  1. ^ The Secret Is Out, Oprah.com
  2. ^ Transcript, "The Secret Revealed", Larry King Live, March 8, 2007
  3. ^ Hardcover Advice, New York Times, May 18, 2008
  4. ^ a b About James Ray (official)
  5. ^ http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2009/10/15/20091015sweatlodgerecords1014-ON-CP.html
  6. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33364440/ns/us_news/
  7. ^ a b c Dougherty, John: "Arizona: Sehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33364440/ns/us_news/lf-Help Expert Contests Police Statements," The New York Times, October 12, 2009
  8. ^ Arizona sweat lodge where 2 died lacked permit, AZCentral.com
  9. ^ a b c Allen, Nick: "Couple die during spiritual cleansing ceremony," The UK's The Daily Telegraph, 12 October 2009
  10. ^ http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/spiritual-warrior--cleanses-tweets-after-fatal-ceremony-20091012-gtft.html
  11. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/12/crimesider/entry5378668.shtml
  12. ^ a b c "Ariz. sweat lodge lacked key permit," Associated Press via The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 13, 2009
  13. ^ Fonseca, Felicia: "County official says Arizona sweat lodge where 2 died during spiritual retreat lacked permit," AP via The Sun SentinelOctober 13, 2009
  14. ^ http://www.startribune.com/nation/63935292.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
  15. ^ a b c d Sweeney, Claire: "'Sweat lodge' deaths being investigated as homicides," The (London) Times online, 16 October 2009
  16. ^ a b http://www.examiner.com/x-4805-Arizona-Rural-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m10d16-Criminal-investigation-launched-in-Sedona-sweat-lodge-incident
  17. ^ Glen Creno, "Guru's spokesman criticizes sheriff's investigation of 2 deaths"' The Arizona Republic, 10/17/2009 [1]
  18. ^ http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/10/09/2-people-died-in-a-sweat-lodge-last-night-and-deleted-tweets-have-surfaced/
  19. ^ http://search.twitter.com/search?max_id=4747167954&page=1&q=+from:jamesaray
  20. ^ Cheif Chemito, Comments reported on Phoenix Fox 10 by Miriam Garcia, 10/10/2009 [2]
  21. ^ Valerie Taliman, "Taliman: Selling the sacred", Indian Country Today, 10/13/2009 [3]
  22. ^ Lindsay Hocker, "Sweat lodge incident 'not our Indian way", Quad-Cities Online, 10/14/2009 [4]
  23. ^ Chief Arvol Looking Horse, "Concerning the deaths in Sedona", India Country Today, 10/16/2009 [5]
  24. ^ All Nations Indigenous Native American Indian Cultural Center, "Native Elder Addresses Deaths In Sweat Lodge", BlackHillsToday, 10/17/2009 [6]

External links

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