Sweat-Lodge Deaths Won't Stop James Arthur Ray, No Mention of $9,000 Per Person Pricetag

By: Sammy Rose Saltzman
Topics: Daily Blotter

(JamesRay.com)

Photo: James Arthur Ray.

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) Despite the three deaths and numerous hospitalizations that took place after a Sedona, Ariz. retreat hosted by James Arthur Ray, the New Age guru wrote in his blog that he will continue to host seminars because "It's too important not to."

CBS' The Early Show last Friday that she felt abandoned by the spiritual sage.

"We never saw James Ray ever again and he's never contacted any one of us," Bunn said. "He doesn't know what some of us are going through."

Her statements also suggest that Ray pushed his followers to the limit, and maybe beyond.

"If the door was closed, you couldn't leave," she said of the sweat lodge ceremony. "If the door was open, you could leave. But the fifth round, a woman passed out and she was taken out. At the sixth round, they'd said that she passed out, she isn't breathing, but they yelled it out and stuff and by the time that they had actually said that and announced it, the door was closed. No one can leave when the door is closed."

October 26, 2009 - Sweat-Lodge Deaths Won't Stop James Arthur Ray, No Mention of $9,000 Per Person Pricetag
October 23, 2009 - Sweat Lodge Hero? Victim May Have Saved Woman Before Dying, Says Participant Beverley Bunn
October 21, 2009 - Sweat Lodge Survivor Beverley Bunn Says James Arthur Ray Played God Before Deadly Ending
October 18, 2009 - Third Death from Sweat Lodge Ceremony Led by James Arthur Ray
October 16, 2009 - Self-Help Guru James Arthur Ray in Crosshairs of Angel Valley Sweat Lodge Homicide Investigation
October 15, 2009 - Desperate 911 Call: First Glimpse Into Angel Valley Sweat Lodge Deaths
October 13, 2009 - Angel Valley Sweat Lodge Deaths: Owner Didn't Have Permits
October 12, 2009 - Sweat Lodge Death Investigation Turns to Self-Help Guru James Arthur Ray
October 12, 2009 - Family Says New Yorker Kirby Brown was in Great Shape before Mysterious Sweat Lodge Death
October 9, 2009 - Angel Valley Resort: Two Dead, Many Hospitalized in Sedona Sweat Lodge Illness

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by LaurahLMT October 31, 2009 1:26 PM EDT: As a person who loves the Inipi and has gone to legit ceremonies many times, it is apparent that this is an unethical, uninformed man who is greedy and is unfit to run a sweat...the number of rounds, the fact that it costs money, the plastic tarp used (it does not breathe and therefore is dangerous), the number of people in the structure all point to fraud...it is the water pourer's responsibility to know when the door is to be opened, how each person is doing, when someone needs to leave the lodge...all responsibility is in their hands...
this man is only out for money. He is not a holy man. He is a fake who by overfilling the lodge and charging money let alone not knowing how to run a sweat...I've personally never been in a lodge ceremony where there is more than five rounds and only occasionally have been at ones that had five rounds.
You wanna sweat and talk to spirit? We have plenty of lodges here in Oklahoma...the price? If you have the means maybe a dish for the potluck afterwards, and maybe a pouch of tobacco for the water pourer, if you do not have the means, you are still more than welcome.
I've never seen money exchanged, never seen someone get ill...and if you need to leave the lodge the door is opened and you may leave.
This man hurts all who know the truth and goodness in these ceremonies when done in the proper ways. I was talking to some friends in a lodge last weekend...this man is a murderer...a man who is dark of heart and spirit. It is a shame so many believe him...BTW setting intentions on greed and vanity is not praying in a good way...we pray for the people not on monetary gains...prayer said in selfish ways borders on witchcraft and is ethically wrong. The lodge is not non-christian BTW...it is the same God, and some ceremonies are held at Christian churches even...I know Ministers who also are keepers of lodges.; Reply to this comment


by Virgil-1 October 26, 2009 11:22 AM EDT: Sweat lodges won't cleanse the soul.Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ will wash the sin filled heart and make it pure.By-the-way this is free to the
beliver and reciever of it.It won't cout you nine thousand dollars.; Reply to this comment