Associate: Sweat Lodge Guru's Ego Swelled

A former co-worker of James Ray said he noticed the self-help guru become more narcissistic after an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show.

Ray stands at the center of a criminal investigation into three deaths at an Arizona sweat lodge earlier this month.

"I saw an ego just blow up," Mickey Reynolds, a former associate of Ray's, told CBS' "The Early Show" Monday.

Reynolds said he funneled several followers to Ray. "I never really checked into his credentials," Reynolds said. "I just believed him."

When Ray appeared in film "The Secret," his income was $1.5 million. Then came Oprah Winfrey, who featured Ray and the secrets of other new age experts on her
Show - sales soared, as did Ray's personal fortune. His revenue topped $9 million last year, CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes reports.

The deadly sweat lodge ceremony was part of Ray's "spiritual warrior" retreat. Each participant paid $9,000, but a survivor says that as people died and others passed out, ray abandoned them.

"We never saw James Ray ever again and he's never contacted any of us," Dr. Beverly Bunn told "The Early Show" recently.

Ray later posted condolences on his Facebook page and is continuing with his workshops, even as authorities have declared the deaths homicides, Hughes reports.

"I'm sure that investigators and prosecutors feel that this motivates them all the more, to go after him," CBS News legal analyst Lisa Bloom said.

Investigators in Arizona would like to hear from Ray as well. He has yet to file a statement or offer his account of the tragedy.

18 Comments Add a Comment

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justicewillprevail says:: Thanks, CBS, for staying on top of this story. The NLP and other hypnotic persuasion techniques used by people like James Ray need to to be exposed. And thanks to Mickey Reynolds for having the courage to come out and denounce JR's practices in public. It can't have been easy. I'm sure all his 'associates' are giving him hell.; reply

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asamiller says:: This guy is no different from any of the born-again fakers like Swaggart or the Bakers. He's no different from a long line of Catholic popes, Jim Jones, Rev Moon or anyone else posturing to have "the answer". The only difference is he appeals to a bunch of equally narcissistic wealthy upscale "achievers". Let the idols fall so people can learn to rely on their own sound judgement instead of leaning on these charlatans and BS artists.; reply

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octoman1 says:: Re: Ms_enza October 26, 2009 9:34 AM EDT
"They sought a religious experience and they got the big one."

LOL! You nailed it.; reply

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dennisall77 says:: This is ALL Obama's fault... according to Limbaugh and his sheep; reply

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rondivoo says:: There is nothing in the news article to indicate authorities are even thinking about charging this charlatan with any crime... and, I seriously doubt they ever will. Ray is NOT going to address what happened unless law enforcement brings him in for questioning, and then he won't admit he did anything wrong. The 'people' who are looking to him for some kind of mystical powers are the ones who are making him rich, and there are PLENTY of these people around. These kinds of people are highly gullible and don't have the resources within themselves to realize they can achieve what they're looking for WITHOUT the help of some self-appointed guru.; reply

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MPHgrad says:

The people were idiots to sit in a sweat lodge & feel themselves slipping into unconsciousness and still stay there. More proof of the insanity of religion.


fss2009 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; And rest assured, all but one or two of those in attendance were registered Republicans. The average Democrat would not throw away so much money so stupidly.


Rohanite replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Where are you getting this kind of data, fss? You're foolish to think party lines divide people's intelligence so clearly.

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get_down says:: "Each participant paid $9,000". Hummm, I sure hope the so-called "Spiritual Experience" is worth every penny of it! I found out I can always achieve SE within myself without paying a penny to some so-called ?Guru? to experience it! God is everywhere ? He?s not associated with any particular priest nor any specific church! ?Bible? shouldn?t be the only book one read!; reply

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Midwestchristian says:

The bigger con is that people believe that they can earn salvation! You cannot earn salvation for salvation is a gift from Jesus' death on the cross.


bill0bob replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; "You cannot earn salvation for salvation is a gift from Jesus' death on the cross." -- by Midwestchristian October 26, 2009 9:24 AM EDT

The logic here is so weak that I just have to ask:

You're saying that someone let himself be tortured to death as a "gift" to you? That is totally perverted and disgusting! Do you think his murder/suicide wiped out your bad karma? Every action produces an equal and opposite reaction; what goes up, must come down; as ye sow, so shall ye reap-- whether believe it or not!


dwath replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Bill0Bob. I think there are a couple of issues in this subset of this thread. Salvation being an eternal escape from Hell is, in my belief, something one can not earn because the requirement is perfection. I need not look at anyone's life but my own to determine that goal is unattainable. Almost all regions holding w/ an afterlife believe in the necessity of some sort of blood sacrifice. Yes, it may be barbaric but that does not disprove validity. I gladly accept Christ's sacrifice fo atonement on my behalf with deep thanksgiving.

You quoted my source book about sowing and reaping and I agree when we sow evil we generally reap evil. When we sow good, I am not sure we reap as much good in return. (I am not saying we should not sow good as I believe we should regardless of return.) As the ten leppers showed us on Christ's healing of their illness, only one came back and expressed gratitude.

Also, in the Old Testament, God states he sends rain on the just and the unjust. Also, good people experience bad things. This is a world filled with sin, thus, a place of imperfection.

This incident clearly demonstrates regardless of how well off we are, we still have an emptiness we seek to fill. All of the toys in the world will not fill that "God Shaped Vacume." Unfortunately, there are those out there who are charlatains seeking to help people fill the void to line their pockets. That problem spans all religions be it Christianity, the current new age gurus or anything in any direction. Religion IS good business. God calls us to be reasoned and to seek the truth. A lot of examination is always in order.

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csivy says:: There are many people here in the US who are saddened by the deaths of the three people as a result of James Ray's actions. Prayers continue for their families and friends now grieving the loss of loved ones. We wish, though, you would clarify that what he was doing was not an inipi ceremony, as traditional Lakota people define. It was a mockery of a sacred ceremony dedicated to health and help for the people.
A statement was published in one of the Native American newspapers from Orville Looking Horse, which speaks more eloquently than I about this subject. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy on this computer.; reply

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ellensmithee says:

How can intelligent people still be paying for his workshops?
He's a con artist, people. Don't you get that yet?


Rohanite replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; People seem to think that if someone is able to attract a certain "level" of clientele, he must have done something to earn it - like, started low, and worked his way up to a more professional group of participants. I'm sure a lot of it was word-of-mouth... one dentist's associate had a great time at the sweat lodge, tells her dentist friends how amazing it was, who pass it on to their dermatologist buddies... no one ever actually has to check into it because they assume he wouldn't be ABLE to do what he does without proper credentials. If only that were true. Some people are just expert manipulators.