This article talks about the terrible "Spiritual Warrior" retreat tragedy.
I heard about this perilous journey that people paid up to $10,000 to experience. James Arthur Ray, a spiritual guru, was the leader of this retreat. Part of the journey was to fast for days before participating in the sweat lodge event.
Kirby Brown, 38, was one of the victims that passed away during the vigorous and extreme sweat lodge. How anyone would ignore pleas from people in the lodge when they started saying they could not handle the heat anymore, is beyond me. These people had fasted for days prior to this sweat lodge ceremony, and who knows if they had hydration during the 2-hour event. Ray did not force people to stay in the tent, but he strongly encouraged them to stay for the entire time. The situation is being investigated by authorities as a homicide. This could be the end of Ray, and his multi-million dollar spiritual empire.
I don't feel that there was any thought to the health and well-being for these followers of Ray. Because 3 people died and at least 18 were hospitalized for dehydration and organ failure, totally abolishes Ray's creditibility. He talks about obeying the laws of the universe because if you don't, you will never accomplish what you set out to do. Ray did not obey the laws of the universe in this sweat lodge incident, and there are many paying the price for his obvious carelessness. He ignored the warning signs around him. People were becoming distraught, unable to handle the intensity of the heat. Ray encouraged them to stay inside and this proved to be a tragic error.
Traditional sweat lodges are not intended to kill people, nor force them to endure more than they can physically handle. They are built very carefully and in a way that allows enough oxygen for the participants.
Time will unfold the destiny of James Arthur Ray. I have to question his intent in this sweat lodge, turned death lodge experience. Read more here and decide for yourself.
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2 comments:
That is simply horrific! I cannot believe that an individual could carelessly and without any consideration take a traditional Native cerimony and turn it into a farce for profit, ...I am totally at a loss for words right now.
The purpose of a sweat lodge is to clean the soul, a recharge of the body and mind leaving all points of vanity of our daily lives behing. Consider it like a church... the sweat lodge itself is made of all organic material, in respect to Mother Earth, stones are heated uopn a fire and over a period of time these large stones are placed in the center of the sweat, all person are seated or are laying down to the far edges of the lodge, yet encircling the heat of the stones. Clothes are optional as the temperatures are quite extreme, and sage is placed upon the heated stones as a metheod of cleansing both the body and spirit.
You are asked to fast before a sweat cerimony due to the extreme heat, an upset stomach in those conditions will be inevitable. A buffet style meal is set up after the cerimony to replenish the body, and there is water everywhere... trust me when I say you are going to need it.
If a person was not able to tolerate the 'round' in the sweat, he or she could leave at any time by telling an elder or merely excusing themselves...there is some ventilation during the cerimony and each session or 'round' in the sweat is timed, yet some traditionalist can stay in the lodge for hours suffering no heat related effect.
What this man did in Arizona was simply appauling, risking peoples lives who are inexperienced in Native traditions and ways, charging money to participate and treating the whole thing as a tourist attraction or retreat.
I actually had to stop typing and gather my thoughts... I am totally at a loss for words.
I hear you Matt - he was out for money, and had no experience with traditional sweat lodges. He went over the line with this one. Money is not supposed to be charged for a sweat lodge. Ray will pay...no pun intended.
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