Wannabes Using Indigenous Ceremonies Is Dangerous- Sedona

Sedona issue, Calling campaign - Stop James Ray from plagiarizing ceremonies before he kills anyone else

Here is James Ray’s contact info:
James Ray International
5927 Balfour Ct Ste 104
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Phone: 800-643-6085
Fax: 760-476-9074

http://jamesray.com/index.php


Here are two of his upcoming events. Let’s start a campaign to bombard these locations with calls, alert them of what this greedy scam artist has done. Shut all of his events down. He is responsible for killing two people and injuring 19 others due to his plagiarizing ceremony. Hopefully this guy goes to jail for what he has done. I see on his website that he has participants sign a release waiver for any liability http://jamesray.com/pdf/guides/20091113-quantum_leap.pdf

List of other “free events” a few of these are within the next couple of days.
http://jamesray.com/events/event-dates.php & http://jamesray.com/jet/jet.php?jid=Intro20091022


Upcoming paid events:


World Wealth Summit
San Diego, CA
Oct 16 - Oct 17, 2009
Hyatt-Regency La Jolla,
at 858.552.1234


Quantum Leap Las Vegas, NV
Nov 13 - Nov 15, 2009
Green Valley Ranch
2300 Paseo Verde Parkway
Henderson, NV 89052
www.greenvalleyranchresort.com
866.782.9487

The next events that concern his plagiarizing Native culture and ceremonies will be held

April 12-16th in Southern California for $5,695.00 (location not disclosed)

Quotes from his website:

http://jamesray.com/events/modern-magick.php

How incredibly would that impact every area of your life?
With Modern Magick you'll have all that and more.

I've studied with the Qu'ero Shaman in Peru (the only direct descendents of the Inca), the Brazilian Shaman in the deep jungles and rainforests, the ancient Kahuna of Hawai'i as well as many Native American traditions. My search has also led me to the esoteric schools of Qabalah (or Kabbalah), the mystical temples of Egypt, the ancient mystery schools and ceremonial magick. While their terminology and approaches may be slightly different, they all hold the same fundamental truths.
Modern Magick synthesizes all of these great traditions into a practical format for present-day life.
Lest you think these are just the ravings of someone who is just a little "out there"...take a look around and you'll see the growing popularity and understanding of all things spiritual.

There are increasing numbers of Shamanic workshops, Native American and Indigenous teachings not to mention studies in Qabalah, Gnosticism, Egyptian Mystery schools, and other esoteric approaches. I believe we all have a deeply hard-wired need to be connected to something bigger than the day-to-day. And more often than not these days the traditional religious approaches are no longer fitting the bill.





Authorities puzzled by deaths at Sedona-area sweat lodge

by Michael Kiefer and Glen Creno - Oct. 10, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

SEDONA - "911: Where's your emergency?"
"Angel Valley," came the breathless female response. "Two people not breathing, there's no pulse."
"Is this the result of a shooting or something?" the dispatcher asked.
"No, it's a sweat lodge."

Shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday, a man and a woman, reportedly in their 50s, lapsed into unconsciousness during a simulated Native American sweat-lodge purification ceremony led by a self-help guru and inspirational speaker at a Sedona retreat. They were pronounced dead at Verde Valley Medical Center, and 19 others were hospitalized for as-yet-undetermined causes. All but four have been released. One remained in critical condition and three in fair condition Friday at Flagstaff Medical Center.

Yavapai County sheriff's deputies served search warrants Friday at Angel Valley Spiritual Retreat, a New Age resort on Oak Creek near Sedona, looking for clues into the deaths and the illnesses.

A sweat lodge is an enclosed structure in which heated rocks are doused with water to create steam and saunalike conditions. Adapted from Native American tradition, it is thought to help purify both body and spirit.

Verde Valley Fire District Chief Jerry Doerksen told The Arizona Republic, "Sweat lodges are usually safe. People use them all the time."

But the dangers, although rare, can include heat-induced illnesses, asphyxiation from carbon-monoxide poisoning and exploding rocks.

Autopsies were to be conducted on the deceased Friday afternoon. Blood samples were to be checked for poisons, and investigators were looking into the activities, foods and medical histories of all involved.

"We're looking at everything," said Dwight D'Evelyn, Yavapai County sheriff's spokesman.

According to D'Evelyn and other witnesses, 64 people were taking part in the sweat-lodge ceremony, which lasted about two hours and was being hosted by James Arthur Ray, an author and spiritual self-help entrepreneur.

Ray spokesman Howard Bragman confirmed that his client was inside the sweat lodge Thursday evening and was interviewed at the scene.

"We express our deepest condolences to those who lost friends and family, but we pray for a speedy recovery for those who took ill," Bragman said. "At this point, there are more questions than answers, so it would not be appropriate to comment further."

When fire crews arrived on the scene, people were doing CPR on the unconscious victims. Other sweat-lodge participants complained of weakness and dizziness.

The ritual in sweat lodges is helpful in restoring balance and changing people's attitudes and self-image, said Joseph Bruchac, author of "The Native American Sweat Lodge: History and Legends."

People have died in sweat lodges in the past. They were either sick tribal elders who voluntarily stayed until they died or people who were in poor health.

"The sweat lodge needs to be respected," Bruchac said. "When you imitate someone's tradition, and you don't know what you are doing, there's a danger of doing something very wrong."

The victims were attending the ceremony during the final day of a five-day program called "Spiritual Warrior," which Ray has conducted at the resort annually since 2003. Ray's Web site lists the cost for next year's program at $9,695 per person.

Ray's program brochure promises participants will push themselves past their "self-imposed and conditioned borders" and "learn (and apply) the awesome power of 'integrity of action.' " It describes the sweat lodge as "a ceremonial sauna involving tight, enclosed spaces and intense temperatures."

Ray, a frequent guest on TV talk shows, calls himself "a personal-success strategist," and his Web site details a sampler of international spiritual philosophies that he has fused into his program. His book, "Harmonic Wealth," contends that one can become a millionaire through spiritual study.

The Associated Press reported that, eerily, Ray made this posting on his Twitter account just hours before the deaths: "Still in Spiritual Warrior ... for anything new to live something first must die. What needs to die in you so that new life can emerge?"

The posting and two others were deleted Friday afternoon.

The resort founders, Michael and Amayra Hamilton, would not comment.

Sedona is an international mecca for New Age beliefs and purportedly the site of numerous "vortexes," or natural energy confluences thought to enhance spirituality and well-being.
Some questioned why there were so many people in the sweat lodge at once.

Jennifer Gentry, a sales associate at Sedona Crystal Vortex in uptown Sedona, said that she has been in several sweat-lodge ceremonies and that they typically are events for four to five people, maybe as many as 10, but never something she has done with strangers.

"In my opinion, it's a sacred ceremony," she said. "You shouldn't sell it, and you shouldn't have that many people in it."

Associated Press contributed to this article

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/10/10/20091010sweatlodge1010.html



Tamra Brennan

Founder/Director

NDN News

www.NDNnews.com

www.protectsacredsites.org

www.protectbearbutte.com



NDN News is a grassroots organization which acts as an information hub and resource for many issues in Indian Country. We are dedicated to providing information featuring headline stories, on-going issues, action alerts, and upcoming events.



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"Our sacred lands are all that remain keeping us connected to our place on Mother Earth, to our spirituality, our heritage and our lands; what’s left of them. If they take it all away, what will remain except a vague memory of a past so forgotten?" ......excerpt from One Nation, One Land, One People by Tamra Brennan, 2006