Sweat Lodge Guru "Abandoned" Participants

(CBS)  Last week, nearly two dozen people were hospitalized after participating in a retreat at a Sedona, Ariz., sweat lodge, and three people died.

The sweat lodge ceremony was part of a $9,000 per person retreat run by spiritual guru James Arthur Ray.

Dr. Beverley Bunn, an orthodontist from Texas, was one of the participants at the retreat. She spoke with "The Early Show"'s Harry Smith this morning, telling him that Ray had "abandoned" them, refusing to let anyone leave the sweat lodge while the door was closed.

"If the door was closed, you couldn't leave," she said. "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," Bunn said on The Early Show.

Bunn said that when she finally left the sweat lodge she could see several people lying unconscious on the ground outside. Some had mucus coming out of their noses and mouths; their eyes were rolled back in their heads.

Sweat Lodge Families Speak
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Bunn began putting people into teams to take care of one another. Her roommate at the retreat, Kirby Brown, was getting chest compressions. She later died.

Since the horrific events last week, they have heard little from James Arthur Ray.

"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."

[KateH1]

James A Ray is a coward, lacking in the basics of human compassion! Who leaves the scene of such devistation?

The family of Kirby Brown was on Larry King tonight. After hearing what they had to say, I hope that Ray is prosecuted to the full extent of the law! Ray called the family of Kirby Brown, through his tears he talked about his loss, his pain. How selfish and self centered can he be!! How dare he! He also lied to the family telling them that he is working with the authorities to help them resolve how this happened. So far, Ray has refused to talk to authorities, yet he continues his seminars! He also told the family that he has sent a donation to a surfer charity in Kirby's name....to date, there is no record of Ray doing this.

Last but not least, Ray sent the family "A Gift" of $5,000. Half of what Kirby paid Ray to die in his hands! Ultimate greed! A slap in the face to this family!

Anyone who pays to listen to this guy is a fool! I hope that he is sued by everyone that attended this event, all were harmed! I also hope that he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law!

[missme4]

If you allow yourself to be steamed alive like a lobster, you deserve it. When will america stop trying to protect the stupid?

[MarkNS]

Darwin award contenders; the lot of them.

[karmabites]

Keep in mind these people were also deprived of food and water for 36 hours prior to going into the sweat lodge. They were weak and dehydrated even after their breakfast. I think J Ray get's off watching how far people will go for him.

[missme4]

Keep in mind those people were not held in cells preventing them from leaving. In fact, they each paid $9000 to be treated like that. I would be more than happy to starve and bake any dumb american for $8500. That's a $500 savings!

[Goog123]

Wow...tough crowd here! You guys, try to have SOME compassion! This is HELL on earth for these people. Yes, they were probably a little "lost" and unfortunately they put all their trust in another human being...who is just human. However, he betrayed them by brainwashing them, starving them, then basically trying to get them to hallucinate so they thought they had an "experience" so they would come back for more. He just wants their money and he's probably an egotistical narcissist who feels like their God. But, when someone so captivating and persuasive brainwashes you...its hard take a step back to see what's happening! These poor people were not in their right minds to begin with after being starved and dehydrated for days. And, that's exactly where he wanted them...compromised so he could take control of them!! This guy WILL go to prison. He directed these people to stay in the tent and stopped medical personnel from saving lives. Have any of you seen the laws in Arizona...not a place I'd want this to go down. What makes him worse...a self-help guru that doesn't offer emotional support?

[missme4]

There should be no compassion for stupid people paying large sums to do stupid stuff. Let the stupid die.

[saddened56]

Courageous of you, Dr., to come forward. Looks like you are understandably still in shock. Hope you will be able to put this awful tragedy, including the rape of your trust in the man with big promises, behind you with time; that you will come to know that what Mr. Ray claimed he had to offer was inside of you all along. I am certain you did your best and made a difference in these harrowing circumstances. God bless you in your journey.

As to those who feed on the dark energy of judgment and would stone the doctor with their words, the words of a real master apply: He/she who has never trusted another who have betrayed them; he/she who has never been beset by tragedy; he/she who has never been in an emergency yet not recognized it until it was upon them; he/she who has never been human; let him/her cast the first stone.

[rstew4724]

I wont say that I began to know what they went through at the Sweat Lodge,but I am going to say that I saw Dr. Bunn on The Early Show this morning and I just do not feel that she was as broken up as she would have us believe. It seems more staged than real.

[brin366]

Discouraging to see so many nasty and ignorant comments from people who don't have a clue about at the very least how a sweat lodge works, and more importantly the value or difficult process of achieving awareness, understanding in this very complicated world. I suppose the critics answer to happiness is - just buy more stuff!

[wertsad]

The thing is that all these poor lost sheep were there to learn how to take life by the horns and mold it to their will, overcome obstacles and become spiritually enhanced (and wealthy) in the process.

Since they couldn?t even muster the gumption to open the door and leave while they were dying, I guess they all flunked eh?

[get_down]

"The sweat lodge ceremony was part of a $9,000 per person retreat run by spiritual guru James Arthur Ray." Soooo in the current economic woes, there actually existed folks who're whole-heartedly willing to pay 9K to experience this "Spiritual Experience" and now they are having their 15 minutes of limelight? Hummmm - ain't got absolutely no sympathy from me! As far as I'm concerned every one of them paid 9K received their SE from the guru James Arthur Ray! They got what they paid for.

[rondivoo]

only thing missing was the kool-aid