James Ray, owner of a mulitmillion-dollar motivational company based in Carsbad, Calif., was indicted Wednesday after he injured more than 20 people and killed three others in a fake sweat lodge ceremony. Ray claims he did nothing wrong during his “makeshift suana” Oct. 8 where he purported to lead his followers in a spiritual journey modeled after the American Indian sweatlodge ceremonies. Every Native person I know was floored by the idea that a non-Native was conducting these ceremonies and collecting thousands of dollars from each participant. The for-profit James Ray International organization has been operating contrary to Native spiritual beliefs, raising, once again, questions about who has the right to run these ceremonies. Here’s more on the Ray indictment story in today’s New York Times.
Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman, 49, of Prior Lake, Minn., died during a two-hour ceremony inside a dome-shaped tent where hot rocks were placed. The hot air inside was then supposed to help the participants sweat and purify their mind, body and soul. If done right under the guidance of someone who knew ow to lead such a ceremony, the participants may have succeeded. These ceremonies are taken seriously by Native people. We believe that only certain people, even among American Indians, have a right to run a sweatlodoge ceremony. News of the deaths prompted many Native people to speak out against Ray, including Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle. Here’s the statement Looking Horse issued on Oct. 29, 2009. “What has happened in the news with the make shift sauna called the sweat lodge is not our ceremonial way of life!” said Looking Horse in his statement.
Prayers to all the families still suffering from the loss of their loved ones.
Jodi Rave
richard cross
this again just goes to show that the white man doesnt take the native american society or beliefes seriously , but i hope mr ray and thjose like him are punished severely and this goes as a lesson to others not to mock things they dont understand and that a sweat ceremony should only be done by a qualified native leader
cyndi
I am so sorry for the people and families of the people who were fooled and hurt by this imposter. There’s somethng to be learned here!
Everytime I hear this deadly circus called a sweat lodge ceremony I want to take some really drastic action! I live in Arizona and have written and called journalists, radio stations and tv stations with regard to the misnaming and categorizing of this travesty. No one seems interested. I think it’s really important for people to know that appropriating ceremony from cultures has harmful, even deadly effects!
This fact could save lives if it were as published as the fatal event.
shane doyle
Thanks for clearing that up. It wasn’t a sweat lodge ceremony. It was a fake sweat lodge ceremony.
anne
It is appalling that even in Europe there are many (hundreds or maybe even thousands) of non-native people flashing catchy ‘Indian’ names, running ‘sweat lodge’ ceremonies, pipe ceremonies, and even native inspired ‘sundance’ ceremonies, most of them charging fees for participation, while they claim to have been given authorisation by Native American medicinemen, .
But to Cindy; i resent the way you use the phrase about the sweat lodge ceremony being a deadly circus that should be taken drastic action against.
It is NOT the ceremony itself that is a deadly circus, because run by a true ceremonial leader it is quite safe – it is the misuse of the ceremony by someone who don’t have the full understanding of it and has no respect for the different elements and procedures of the ceremony that is potentially harmful.
As you so precisely put it – the ‘appropriating ceremony from cultures’ is harmful, and not only to the participants, but to the cultures which the ceremonies stem from.
It is degrading and humiliating for the peoples who once had all their sacred ceremonies forbidden, now seing their same sacred ceremonies stolen, copied and mocked by people who make their own very profitable carreer and business with their make believe Native American ceremonies.
Pat
Finally, there is someone to whom we can make an example! Our ceremonies are NOT FOR SALE! This shameful exploitation of people has been going on for DECADES. If he doesn’t pay the “right” people off, maybe justice will be served! I hope that he gets the max – as to me he is a serial murder – and the 12 1/2 years x 3 will be served concurrently with no parole. He is a menace to everyone’s society! Then once he’s convicted, He will also serve as an example for all the others who continue to exploit people in the name of First Nations Sacred Ways of Being! Too bad, he can’t go directly to death row. A good example of how money buys Happiness in the American Dream!