By Ox Drover
The ABC network has a new program called Mind Games that plays on Tuesday evening, and I caught their first show. The show was about James Arthur Ray, who is an advocate of the “Law of Attraction” and was one of the people interviewed on the movie The Secret.
Ray has written several “best —selling” books including, Harmonic Wealth as New York Times bestseller. Ray also charges as much as $10,000 for seminars.
Ray’s biography from Wikipedia states that he was born in 1957, the son of a Christian minister who was so poor at times that the family lived in the Church offices. Ray’s teachings are described as a “mix of spirituality, motivational speaking and quantum physics.”
Critics say that Ray is a charlatan who preys on the insecurities of the rich who are looking for meaning. In one exercise Ray even dressed in flowing white robes and designated himself as “God.”
In an exercise in October 2009, participants paid almost $10,000 each to attend and were pushed to physical and emotional limits in various exercises, one of which included being in the Arizona desert alone for 36 hours without food or water in a “vision quest.” He left them with only a sleeping bag, but did offer them Peruvian ponchos for an additional $250. After coming back from that, the participants were given a buffet breakfast and sent, still dehydrated, into a large sweat lodge. Three people ended up dying as a result of the sweat lodge, during which they were discouraged by Ray from leaving the lodge even though after about an hour they were disoriented and vomiting. One individual who had fallen into the hot rocks and suffered burns in which his skin was “hanging off” his arm, according to a witness, would not let it be dressed but went back into the lodge.
On February 3, 2010, Ray was arrested and charged with three counts of manslaughter for the deaths in October, 2009. Interestingly enough, the former followers of Ray, even though they state that he is a charlatan, still believe that they received “benefits” from his teachings, and would, if they had the money, which they don’t, pay another $10,000 to attend such an event.
Guru? Or charlatan?
Oh, Ray is a charlatan, without doubt! This circus of his was very lucrative until this scandal blew up in Sedona. Killing clients is bad for business.
There’s scads more about him in an enormous long thread on Rick Ross’s forum. (Just click the link.) It includes discussion about the way the whole “sweat lodge” environment was engineered to get the suckers who attended these shows into a more malleable state of consciousness so that they could be manipulated more easily–through oxygen deprivation, among other things.
Years ago I went to a “church” meeting with a couple who were friends of mine. The “minister” was up on the stage talking about this “great investment opportunity” the Lord had “lead him to” and then he REALIZED how “selfish” he was not to let others in on this GREAT investment so everyone could get rich! Before long the crowd was standing, holding hands and swaying, singing, etc. and I KNEW what was going on (I was about 20 at the time) and yet I was still almost wanting to give him every dime I had to “invest.”
While I DO believe that to a certain extent we “attract” what we want—in the way of self fulfilling prophecy—like if you go up to a person and you are selling Fuller brushes and you say “You don’t want to buy a brush do you?” The persoon is NOT going to buy a brush from you. LOL
Or the old “story/joke” about the guy who broke down and needed a jack and by the time he had walked to the nearest house he had convinced himself the people were snooty and wouldn’t loan him a jack so when the lady opened the door he went off on her about being a snooty biatch!
We NEED positive attitudes to accomplish things, but JUST a postive attitude isn’t going to get us success in life.
For a long time I couldn’t understand how my friends who were intellegent folks could be duped by such an obvious CON MAN of a minister—but I no longer feel so “superior” to my friends, because while I saw through that one and they didn’t, I have been duped by my own con-persons for decades. Thanks for the link Redwald.
You hit a nerve with me on this post Oxy. I always walked through life meeting and greeting people. I just enjoyed getting to know someone … picking their brains to find out what made them tick. Nothing more, nothing less. Just being friends with new (and of course, old time friends). I was always into getting to know a person. I didn’t want anything from anyone except their friendship and the differences each one has to offer.
That was the old me. Innocent, naive, excited and looking for the raw pearl in the middle of the oyster. The new me looks at people now and thinks “what does this or that one want”? “Is he/she a giver or a taker”? Is what is coming out of her/his mouth the truth or a manipulative lie? Is this person going to be smooth sailing or a rollercoaster ride?
I resent and miss the excitement of seeing the layers peeled neatly off the new person I met (frown) and the spunky attitude take me as I am … I’ve got nothing to hide … I’ll be a new addition to your friends in your life.
Peace.
Wini, Yea, I useta believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too…and I sort of felt let down when I realized they were just a fantasy, but REALITY is okay too. There ARE evil people in this world, not everyone who says they love you does love you. Being right or even perfect won’t keep you from being crucified! Look what the did to Jesus! I think we SHOULD learn that not everyone is “Mr/Ms Nice-guy” and that people can have ulterior motives.
Sure, it might have been fun when we thought that everyone was “sweet” and “good” but we are GROWN UPS NOW and it is time for us to FACE THE TRUTH of what the world is all about and STILL be good people, JUST NOT GULLIBLE!
Our encounters with the S-paths has given us a clear view of what humanity can be—the up side and the down side! So now we need to put that knowledge to work for ourselves and others.
What! Waddaya mean there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny?
That’s the innocence I lost. Meeting, greeting and just enjoying people for being who they are.
Our Spaths stole that from us. We got to meet and greet and get to know a lie. I think I would have respected my bosses and my Ex if they came out and said “Wini, I’m the biggest schmuck you’ll ever meet, I lie, cheat, steal, con, destroy … and that’s just the beginning of knowing me”. I would have respected them for that.
I know, I know, if we really knew them, then they couldn’t get their rocks off for the setting up and screw over.
There aint no santa clause?
Henry, Henry, Henry … you’re my Huckleberry (SMILE).
How are you buddy tuddy? How’s the doodles? Two of my cats have been out and about since Sunday and Monday nite. I’m feeding all the animals in the neighborhood … since, I’m ensuring they have water and food to grab.
hi wini wini wini – the doodles are good, we just got home from a long trip, they love to go bye bye..I cant leave food outside or I attract all kinds of varment’s and boogers..how are you doing wini?
I’m fine. I’ve been helping friends paint the inside of their place. We got to use the sponge techniques while painting their kitchen. Came out good if you ask me. I haven’t done this in years … ah, to still have that creative touch (SMILE).
I’m meeting new folks due to these friends and others that came popping into my life again over the last few years.
Speaking of doodles in the car. Oski had half his upper bod hanging out the window … of course, barking and being a nuisance at walker bys in the town we were driving through. He’s so fresh. You didn’t warn me how fresh these guys can be. Oh, a few weeks back I went to a clinic for all his shots. I stood in line at the fire department with 100s of other pet owners, waiting for the one Vet that was working at the event. Low and behold, who do the reporters decide to take a mug shot to be in the next day’s paper? Yup, Oski Doodle … the little cutie pie.