Critics say Ray is a charlatan who preys upon the insecurities of the rich who are looking for meaning in life. They say he operates without regulation or oversight to verify accurate claims or safe methods. According to Grant Cardone, James Ray consulted him for methods in 2000 to increase sales at business seminars, and was warned to teach only sound business practices. After this time, Ray began incorporating sleep deprivation, fasting, fire and glass walking, and sweat lodge methods after studying in South America.
Former attendees of Ray's seminars have reported unsafe practices and lack of properly trained medical staff in 2005. A New Jersey woman shattered her hand after she was pressured by Ray to participate in a quasi-martial arts board-breaking exercise. After several unsuccessful untrained attempts, the woman sustained multiple fractures during the seminar that was held at Disney World.
Participants of a Ray's "Spiritual Warrior" exercise in 2006, after signing waivers, were told to put a sharp point of an arrow used in archery against the soft part of the neck and lean against the tip. A man named Kurt sustained injuries during this exercise as the shaft snapped and the arrow point deeply penetrated his eyebrow.
In July 2009, Colleen Conaway attended a seminar hosted by James Ray International in which the attendees were directed to dress as homeless people. She fell to her death at the Horton Plaza Mall in San Diego. She died as a result of injuries, and according to police, she had no identification on her person.
In 2005, preceding the tragic events of October 2009, a serious injury involving hospitalization was reported at the Angel Valley Ranch during a "Spiritual Warrior" retreat led by Ray. Verde Valley Fire Chief Jerry Doerksen's department responded to an emergency call that a 42 year old man had fallen unconscious after exercises inside the sweat-lodge.
Sweat Lodge Deaths more less
On October 8, 2009, at a New Age "Spiritual Warrior" retreat conceived and hosted by Ray at the Angel Valley Retreat Center in Yavapai County near Sedona, Arizona, two participants, James Shore and Kirby Brown, died as a result of being in a sweat lodge exercise. Eighteen others were hospitalized after suffering burns, dehydration, breathing problems, kidney failure or elevated body temperature. Liz Neuman, another attendee, died October 17 after being comatose for a week.
The attendees, who had paid up to $10,000 to participate in the retreat, had fasted for 36 hours during a vision quest exercise before the next day's sweat lodge. During this vision quest, participants were left alone in the Arizona desert with a sleeping bag, although Ray offered them Peruvian ponchos for an additional $250. After this experience, participants ate a large buffet breakfast before entering the sweat lodge. A site owner reported she learned after the event that participants went two days without water before entering the lodge.
Ray has a Twitter account and was sending tweets of his intentions on the day of the deaths, before the lodge event. Apparently, Mr. Ray later deleted the tweets, but they were nonetheless found by others and reported. They included references to death.
Ray refused to speak to authorities and left Arizona soon after the sweat lodge deaths. According to sweat lodge participants, a note was left that said Ray was unavailable as he was in "prayer and meditation".
The Yavapai County Sheriff, Steve Waugh, said October 10 that the investigation was focusing on Ray and his staff in an attempt to determine if criminal negligence was involved. The county sheriff's office held firm in the belief that Ray's staff actually built the sweat lodge, despite a claim by Ray's spokesperson, Howard Bragman, that the staff contracted the Angel Valley resort to build it. The Angel Valley resort would not comment on the details of the contract. The site owner's press release says James Ray was the sweat session facilitator in direction and control.
According to investigators, a local group built the sweat lodge under hire. The site owners reported by e-mail that it was built in 2008. "This structure has been used on several other occasions since it was erected, without ever having caused any problem or even coming close to being problematic," Angel Valley Retreat Center owner Amayra Hamilton said. Jack Judd, the county building safety manager, said that there was no record of a permit or an application for a permit to build the sweat lodge. Bragman claimed that the sweat lodge, which is a 415-square foot space, could accommodate up to 75 people. On the day of the tragedy, between 55 to 65 people were crowded into the space during a two-hour period. However, Joseph Bruchac, has suggested that the number of people inside this sweat lodge far exceeded the norm.
On October 15, 2009, the Yavapai County sheriff's office upgraded the investigations into the deaths of James Shore and Kirby Brown to homicide probes, after talking with participants. Officials claimed the sweat lodge lacked the necessary building permit. James Ray has apparently arranged for his own private investigation into the deaths. He expressed sorrow and shed tears during a seminar in Los Angeles, although he did not explicitly apologize for the deaths. Detectives executed a search warrant at James Ray International's offices.
On October 15, 2009, print media began reporting that Mr. Ray conducted a conference call with some victims, one of which recorded this call and provided it to the AP. During this call, a self-described channeler said that they had communicated with the dead and said they "were having so much fun" out of their bodies that they didn't want to return.
On October 17, Ray's spokesperson Howard Bragman said, responding to the investigation upgrade, "I think they are trying to tar my client. Somebody must be running for re-election in Yavapai County."
On October 27, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar asked the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the event to complement the local investigations.
On October 28, the family of victim Kirby Brown said that Ray was insincere. They said he assured them he was working with authorities and yet the sheriff hasn't received an official statement from Ray. Ray offered the family a $5000 refund on October 22, with a sympathies card to settle them, which was described as "laughable". The family had previously announced their intentions to sue him.
On October 29, Ray postpones his event schedule and pledges to fully commit himself to the investigation for the victim's and family's benefit of an authoritative response for closure. Ray admits he's been struggling to respond in the right way since the tragedy started. Ray's attorney places no responsibility for the lodge design, construction or maintenance on his client.
On October 30, a wrongful death lawsuit claiming negligence, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and other actions on the part of Ray and the site owners was filed for the family of Liz Neuman. A similar action was filed for Sidney Spencer who was seriously injured. The suits seek compensatory and punitive damages alleging that defendants failed to provide adequate prior warnings, to monitor the participants' well being in the sweat lodge, and to provide medical treatment. On November 10 Dennis Mehravar, an injured attendee from Canada, joined the Spenser suit.
On November 4, Ray listed his Beverly Hills home on the market for $5,495,000. Ray paid $4 million in March, according to public records, for the contemporary Mediterranean home.
On November 12, news reported the Lakota nation lawsuit against the U.S., Arizona, Ray and site owners, to have Ray and the site owners arrested and punished under the Sioux Treaty of 1868 between the United States and the Lakota Nation, which states that “if bad men among the whites or other people subject to the authority of the United States shall commit any wrong upon the person or the property of the Indians, the United States will (...) proceed at once to cause the offender to be arrested and punished according to the laws of the United States, and also reimburse the injured person for the loss sustained.” The Lakota Nation holds that James Arthur Ray and the Angel Valley Retreat Center have “violated the peace between the United States and the Lakota Nation” and have caused the “desecration of our Sacred Oinikiga (onikare, sweat lodge) by causing the death of Liz Neuman, Kirby Brown and James Shore”. As well, the Lakota claim that James Arthur Ray and the Angel Valley Retreat Center fraudulently impersonated Indians and must be held responsible for causing the deaths and injuries, and for evidence destruction through dismantling of the sweat lodge. The lawsuit seeks to have the treaty enforced and does not seek monetary compensation.
Ray was arrested in connection with the deaths on February 3, 2010, and bond was set at $5 million. Ray's attorney stated that he can't afford the $5 million. Ray was released on February 26, 2010, after bail was reduced to $250,000.
On April 2, 2010 a suit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court claimed that Ray has failed to refund money paid in advance for seminars which Ray cancelled following the sweat lodge deaths.
On July 14, 2010 the court date of August 31, 2010 was vacated due to another overlapping trial with Judge Warren Darrow. There has been no other date set. A hearing on pending motions is still set for August 10, 2010
Witness accounts
Sedona resident Shawna Bowen arrived late to the event. She said, "One of the women I was tending to was asking for James Ray and calling for him". "I got the impression he was shell-shocked by what the results of the sweat lodge were" said Bowen. From her experiences in lodge participation, she speculated the tragedy would not have happened if Ray was properly trained and said that he should be held accountable.
Texas resident Beverley Bunn, a participant, spoke to the AP for an October 21, 2009, article. The AP describes her account as "by the time the sweat lodge ceremony began, the participants had undergone days of physically and mentally strenuous events that included fasting. In one game, guru James Arthur Ray even played God. Within an hour of entering the sweat lodge, people began vomiting, gasping for air and collapsing. Yet Bunn says Ray continually urged everyone to stay inside."
Sidney Spencer participated and was air lifted from the Angel Valley Retreat Center to a Flagstaff hospital. She has difficulty talking, after suffering multiple organ failures and neurological issues. "If this sweat-lodge experience had been conducted properly nobody would have been injured, but it was reckless how they handled this thing," said Ted Schmidt, who represents Spencer.
Native American perspective
Native American experts on sweat lodges have criticized the reported construction and conduct of the lodge as not meeting traditional ways (the words "bastardized", "mocked" and "desecrated" have been used). Indian leaders expressed concerns and prayers for the dead and injured. The leaders say the ceremony is their way of life and not a religion. It is Native American property protected by U.S. laws and United Nation declaration. The ceremony should only be in the hands of sanctioned lodge carriers from legitimate nations.
Traditionally, a typical leader has 4 to 8 years of apprenticeship before being allowed to care for people in a lodge. Participants are instructed to call out whenever they feel uncomfortable, and the ceremony is usually stopped to help them.
The lodge was said to be unusually built from non-breathable materials. Charging for the ceremony is extremely inappropriate. The number of participants was criticized as too high and the ceremony was said to be too long. The importance of respect for elders' oversight helps to avoid sickness and injury during these sacred acts.
The tragedy was characterized as "plain carelessness", with a disregard for the participants' safety and outright negligence.
The Native American community actively seeks to prevent abuses of their traditions. The Angel Valley owners announced they have accepted Native American friends' help to "heal the land".
