James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 22

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

James Ray Sweating in Court

There is much to report on the trial today. But first, this fascinating item from reporter Tim Geller. Ray may be on trial but that doesn't stop him from sell, sell, selling.  Nor from relying on the adage, there's no such thing as bad publicity.  A sales letter to James Ray's email list went out for a product called Mind Movies:

You know, when I first started to study the laws that govern our Universe, I diligently practiced daily visualization. If I had the Mind Movies technology, it would have added a whole new powerful dimension to my "going 3 for 3" practice!

Gee wiz James, are you saying that if you'd had Mind Movies technology you wouldn't currently be  on trial for reckless manslaughter?

But here's the catch...

The team at Mind Movies are only able to offer the incredible Mind Movies 2.1 software at a MASSIVELY discounted price with all the extras to the first few thousand people to take big, bold, fast action.

Oh! There's a catch? And time pressure... What to do? What to do? Tick, tick, tick.

So they're sweating it out, because there is a good chance they will sell out today.

Did he say "sweating?" He did, didn't he. Bad taste? Perhaps. But we can't let all that great media attention to the sweat lodge trial go to waste, now can we? Not if his current website is any indication, where news videos of the trial are featured prominently. But a sweating reference? Seriously?

Well, this is the man who featured death as the prominent theme at a seminar only a few short months after Colleen Conaway died at another of his seminars. Some might find that to be in bad taste as well. But they don't know how the universe works.

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 21

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Joel Swedberg

Joel Swedberg is a flight paramedic. He was part of a team that came to the scene by helicopter and transported patients to the Flagstaff Medical Center. He arrived on scene -- he was told roughly three hours after the incident -- to find numerous fire trucks, EMTs, paramedics, and other aircraft. He explained to prosecutor Bill Hughes that helicopter teams are called in when the conditions "preclude ground transport." In other words, when patients' conditions are extremely critical and they need more speed than an ambulance can provide.

Such was the case with Liz Neuman to whom Swedberg attended.

Neuman was unconscious when Swedberg's helicopter team arrived. She was brought to him strapped to a spine board, not because of any spinal injury, but because they provide overall stability.  None of the medical personnel knew quite what had happened and they took every precaution.

Swedberg described Neuman as not responsive or alert; in other words, not conscious. She exhibited a rapid heartbeat and low blood pressure. She had been started on IV fluids before he arrived which had caused slight improvement. But he administered a lot more fluid, in the form of IVs -- 500 cc's an hour -- and a fluid bolus. The IV was run with the clamp completely open to rush the fluids into her body.

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 20

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy at Allposters.com

Someone called Vortexter passed along her blog entry on James Ray and the Sedona scene. Her comment can be found here and her blog entry here. It got me to thinking about how I got interested in this whole James Arthur Ray debacle. It was really an outgrowth of my interest in The Secret. I started writing about the The Secret a few years ago when I realized I couldn't ignore the problem any longer. I posted a long entry here and thought it important enough that I sent it out as an e-newsletter. I expected a lot of hostility from people but I thought that even if it meant I lost some clients and some friends, it needed to be said. I got exactly one overtly hostile message and one somewhat quizzical one. And I got reams of messages from people saying, "Thank-you." A client told me just recently that he keeps that email in his quiver to send to any of his friends who bring up the subject.

So, my interest in this whole phenomenon grew out of my concern over something that I consider to be just bad metaphysics. When I first heard reports that James Arthur Ray's sweat lodge had gone so horribly awry I thought, geez, I knew The Secret was dangerous. I really didn't expect anyone to die. But aside from the recklessness, the egomania, the long con, the cultish manipulation, and everything else that characterizes this horrible event, I still keep coming back to bad metaphysics. As I wrote in my first post on the sweat lodge deaths, "A little learning is a dang'rous thing."

Years ago I was taking a class with shamanic healer Christina Pratt. She started out her first lecture of that weekend with the observation that it is the best of times and the worst of times when it comes to the range of spiritual thought and traditions available to us. She made the point that all of these wisdom traditions come as complete bodies of knowledge and provide essential safeguards we really need as we open spiritually. And many of those safeguards are not expressed in the marketplace of spiritual ideas.

Cafe

Buy at Allposters.com

Around the Web, Around the World

"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

The power of shamanic healing from the inside out

We can use shamanic healing skills to address the suffering of humanity. Whether caused through human action, like war or drug use, or natural events, like earthquakes or tsunamis, shamanic healing practices can effectively address the complex energetic relationships that lead to much of the suffering that persists in spite of technology and modern medicine. "As we address the healing needed outside of ourselves, we are shown the need for healing within," explains host and shaman, Christina Pratt. "As we address and transform the need for healing within the need for the outer world to reflect back our suffering is relieved." Shamanism is unique in its ability as a healing form to translate effectively between the worlds of outer healing and inner healing. The shamanic healing forms work to bring relief to the outer world, like healing the pain and danger held in earth that was a battlefield. They also work to bring relief to the inner world, like healing the pain and anxiety held in the body of the child that was the battlefield of divorcing parents. "As above so below; as below so above; as within so without; as without so within." Following this hermetic principle shamanism helps us to create health and wholeness within so that the without no longer needs to reflect our broken, lost souls and peace and interconnection below so that we can respond to disaster with the grace of above.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:00 AM Pacific

Log on to Listen
Why Shamanism Now? on Co-Creator Network
Questions? Comments? Call: 1-512-772-1938

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Ripping Open the Heart

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy This Allposters.com

We're in a new stage of heart chakra opening that is causing many people confusion and discomfort. The collective grief over the tragedy that is still unfolding in Japan (and New Zealand and Burma, etc.) has been catalytic but it's more of the same overall process that I addressed here. What is happening right now is, if possible, even more sudden and dramatic. The experience for a lot of us has been physically uncomfortable: racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pains, and pressure between the shoulder blades. It started for me a couple of weeks ago. I have also spoken to a number of clients who are experiencing varying degrees of the same thing. The message I got around this was that the heart chakra was being "ripped open." I have since stumbled on a number of similar observations so I've collected a few different perspectives on this process.

The first is from Lauren Gorgo:

The devastating & recalibrating events that took place in Japan and shook the globe last week, in a very literal sense, were the result of the same energies that precipitated a major heart & plexus opening throughout all of humanity. The energies behind this event caused a massive expansion in the (high) heart, as well as the solar plexus, and this expansion process is creating the new template of love that is now anchoring on the planet. This new love is a combination of empowered love (high heart) & spiritual wisdom (solar plexus)…what the unseens refer to as the activation of the "body brain".

On a physical level, this opening can be felt in the center of the chest, thru the back of the heart and in the pit of the stomach. Symptoms can vary based on our personal collection of energetic/genetic miasms, but generally our solar plexus (third chakra) is linked to our stomach, abdomen, upper GI tract, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, spleen and adrenal glands…and the heart center (fourth chakra) is linked to our heart, lungs, blood vessels, shoulders, ribs, breasts, diaphragm, and upper esophagus, and so all of these areas are subject to cellular detoxification during this time.

Some of the more prominent symptoms may be manifesting as tightening/pain in the chest, shortness of breath, anxiety, extreme and unrelenting heartburn/indigestion, acid reflux, nausea, heart-flutters, palpitations, arrhythmia, soreness/sensitivity in detox organs and along the spine. (**NOTE: for the lucky ones experiencing that drop-to-the-floor heartburn, drinking a little baking soda in water is the only thing I have found to put out the fire…temporarily) Also, as these energy centers open more fully, it can also cause great discomfort in the middle of the back where many are unfolding their "etheric wings" (opening the energy center behind the heart)….I am hearing that those affiliated with the first wave of the ascension timeline are affected/afflicted by these energies the most right now.

Horoscope for March 28 - April 3

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

Aries (March 21st - April 20th)
With so many planets transiting your sign, it's no wonder why you are feeling both excited and stressed this week, Aries. The new moon will be highlighting your 1st house of self at the end of the week, but before it gets there, it keeps you busy in other areas. One of these is the area of friends, groups, and organizations. There may be some stress surrounding relationship as a result of your other interests and activities. If someone is wanting to monopolize your time or keep you from socializing with others, they are liable to see some of that Aries imperious attitude. It's not that you are adverse to commitment, it's just that you can't do any relationship that won't allow you to be an individual with many interests. Pioneer energy is strong for you and being free to explore and meet new people is vital to your very essence. Right before the new moon, you will need to retreat and consider what makes you happy and what you feel you can't live without. Next week, and the rest of the month, you can begin the process of eliminating the negative and attracting more of the positive. Hold off on major changes until retrograde Mercury in your sign goes direct on April 23rd.

Taurus (April 21st - May 20th)
Some of the communication or information gathering you were busy with last week continues at the beginning of this week, Taurus. The new moon on Sunday occurs in the 12th house of your subconscious. It is a house that also has to do with hospitals, prisons, drug or alcohol addictions, dreams, meditation, altered states, spirituality, and the connection to the collective. The new moon is amplified by other planets joining it and is challenged by the restrictive nature of Saturn in the sign of socially-correct Libra in your 6th house of work, service, and health. On the mundane level, Bulls may be having work or health issues arise. Some of you may simply become more aware of what is going on internally and how you are physically affected by your thoughts and emotions. The new moon may bring something to culmination and now you must decide what to do next. Saturn in Libra emphasizes the importance of doing what is right in a way that is good for both parties.

Astrological Trends for March 28 - April 3

Cross-posted from Aloha Astro

A progressive, can-do attitude prevails on Monday, March 28th, as the moon in the inventive fixed air sign of Aquarius forms a supportive sextile to the sun, which is loosely conjunct Jupiter, the planet of growth, in the cardinal fire sign of pioneering Aries. The moon is also semi-sextile to Pluto, the planet of intensity, in the cardinal earth sign of capable Capricorn, helping to ground things and make them stick. Despite the fact that the expansive nature of Jupiter in Aries is still being held in check by the opposition it makes to Saturn, the planet of restriction, in Libra, Jupiter and the sun are so well-supported today that the energy swings in favor of growth, new beginnings, and advancing personal projects. Now that the sun in Aries has moved away from the shocking and erratic energy of Uranus in Aries, the square between the sun in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn feels less extreme than it did last week, and you have also had time to integrate it into your own energy field. The changes you decide to make may be no less destructive of the older, established order, but they will be less unsettling. At lunchtime, the Aquarius moon makes a supportive sextile to Uranus in Aries and also a semi-sextile to the cluster of Neptune in Aquarius conjunct Venus and Chiron in Pisces. This is a strong humanitarian influence that encourages seeing the unity of all while honoring individuality. As Mars, the planet of physical action, moves into the later degrees of romantic Pisces, it melds its energy with Uranus, the planet of sudden impulse, which is in the early degrees of impetuous Aries. Mars conjunct Uranus is like high-octane rocket fuel when it comes to physical drive and performance and it is also a very potent sexual aspect. Flirtation and sudden attractions coincide with the warmer weather, which is bringing people outdoors to play. If you are wanting to meet someone new, head out for a walk in the park. Everyone is more inclined to act on impulse now, especially in matters of the heart.

Intelligent calm and logical order are in place on Tuesday, March 29th, as the moon in the fixed air sign of Aquarius forms a supportive, cerebral trine to Saturn in the relationship-minded cardinal air sign of Libra. You can get your Spock on as rational thinking and scientific reasoning help you untie any logistical knots in your life. People will be more open to listening and less swayed by emotions, making it an ideal day to present ideas or argue a position. The Aquarius moon is also happily exchanging energy with Jupiter in Aries, which acts like a Mary Poppins or SpongeBob SquarePants kind of energy. Do you remember the scene in "Mary Poppins" where she is decorating her room? As she unpacks her carpet bag, she pulls one improbable thing after another out of the bag. SpongeBob and Patrick have a similar scene where they imagine all kinds of impossible things while they are sitting in a large empty box. Look into your own cardboard box or carpet bag to see what improbable or impossible things you can manifest.

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 19

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

I made a mental note yesterday to pay close attention to Tom Kelly's demeanor when questioning male witnesses. After his nasty, condescending, questioning of Beverley Bunn and Melinda Martin, I got a whiff of sexism. That question was answered when I had the opportunity to watch him question Scott Barratt. What a difference in tone. Of course I'm also finding it a little disturbing how prone both Li and Kelly are to developing obvious man crushes on every alpha male who testifies.

Tom Kelly got off on the wrong foot this morning by trying to get off on the right foot with the Scott Barratt. He tried to make a little joke about having seen him on TV. Sheila Polk immediately objected. Judge Darrow lost his seemingly endless patience and told him to just ask a question. Kelly whined about how he was just being friendly. Barratt one-upped him by making a joke about how he hoped it wasn't when he was in the shower. Then he scrunched up his twinkly, Steve Martin-like eyes and grinned.

Kelly simply rephrased his television story as a question... sort of.

Kelly: You had mentioned yesterday that when you were a boy you were a cowboy?

Barratt: Yes.

Kelly: And the TV this morning identified you as a cowboy. Did you know that?

Barratt: Um. You're trying to trick me into thinkin' I was watchin' TV. No. I didn't do that, no.

Kelly: So my point is despite all those other accomplishments that you've, uh, described yesterday, the media has identified the cowboy as the most important attribute. Are you aware of that?

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 18

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

More JRI Pictionary

Today we saw a kinder, gentler Tom Kelly. He clearly knows his courtroom demeanor yesterday was unbecoming and unappealing. Good. I was starting to fear that it was a deliberate tactic and that we'd be seeing a lot more of it. But, no. He lost control and he knows it.

He still seems intent on quizzing Martin on the corporate structure. Today he showed many pretty pictures of JRI's lavish offices. But he admitted that yesterday he was asking leading questions and that today he will ask only for her understanding of that corporate structure. From there he proceeded to do exactly the same thing; name people and ask what they did. The only difference is that he didn't supply their titles even if she doesn't know them. He's even drawn a new chart.

It's seems the purpose of this exercise is to prove that James Ray has nothing to do with the day to day operations of JRI and that if anything goes wrong it's someone else's fault. Secondarily, his point is that Melinda Martin is a nothing, a nobody, a never was. She's "on the bottom of the totem pole," as Kelly said earlier this morning to Judge Darrow when he heard arguments over the admission of evidence.

She'd only been there for six months. She doesn't know who did what job. When Martin prepared the first aid kit it was based on a list that came from Megan Fredrickson. She can't even help Mr. Kelly make a decent chart!

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 17

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Buy at Allposters.com

Just a few more thoughts on Laurie Gennari:

I realize that it may sound to some people like I'm being overly preferential to her because she's a good witness for the prosecution. I've never made it a secret that I'm biased in this case and that it would take a lot to convince me that James Ray was not responsible for this tragedy. I would make a lousy juror. I've been following this event since it occurred and he rapidly made a very negative impression on me. But that's not why I find Gennari so credible.

The truth is I'm relatin' to Laurie Gennari way too much. And a lot of the hairs split by Li in yesterday's cross are meaningless to me because I've been where she is and where she was.

• Over-committed and hyper-achieving? For much of my life. 
• Looking at people through rose colored glasses? Check. 
• Insisting, including to myself, that I was fine when I wasn't? Yup. 
• Forced cheerfulness especially when I was really at my worst? Hells yeah. 
• Handing over way too much power to people who seemed to know more than I did? Learned the hard way on that one. 
• Rescripting things that people have done and said to make them look better in my own mind? Oh yes.

I've never had the misfortune to be in anything as horrific as that sweat lodge and its aftermath. But the dynamics Gennari is now realizing she was involved in and the painful disillusionment that goes with that? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial: Day 16

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Ray and Kelly Listen to Gennari's Cross

Today was operation impeach Laurie Gennari. This began with Luis Li splitting hairs between her post event police interview and her current trial testimony. She was less critical of the vision quest in her police interview, saying she enjoyed the experience and, one could infer from comments, did not get dizzy. By the end she said she could have gone on, even without food. She had distracted herself whenever she started to feel hungry by journaling. Last Friday she claimed to have been hungry, dizzy, and headachey. She'd said, "My body was just not happy with no food." Slight disconnect but really more in attitude and emphasis than fact. In both cases, she said she was hungry. In the police interview she emphasized her ability to distract herself from it.

It quickly became clear, under Li's cross, that Gennari's overall take on the events of that week and in James Ray has darkened considerably. She had thought that Ray was kind of a character who could be a bit too much. Now, she's contemplating the possibility that he was sometimes "abusive," a "bully," and a "tyrant." Gennari explains that disconnect thusly:

I don't recall. This has been quite the journey of, of figuring out a lot of things in my head the last year and a half.