Journey Into Yoga Cults

What a treat to start our season 2 with A Little Bit Culty podcast hosts (and NXIVM cult survivors) Sarah Edmonson and Nippy Ames!

Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress who has starred in the CBS series Salvation and more than twelve films for the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. She is also a well-established voice-over artist for popular series such as Transformers: Cybertron and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. In 2005, when NXIVM, a personal and professional development company, promised to provide the tools and insight Sarah needed to reach her potential, she was intrigued. Over her twelve-year tenure, she went from student to coach and eventually operated her own NXIVM center in Vancouver. Questions kept coming up about the organization’s rules and practices, which came to a head in 2017 when she accepted an invitation from her best friend to join DOS, a “secret sisterhood” within NXIVM.

In 2019, Sarah published Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life, with Kristine Gasbarre. In this tell-all memoir, she shares her story from the moment she takes her first seminar to her harrowing fight to get out. Her full story as a whistleblower is featured in the CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM  (downloaded over 25 million times) and The Vow, the critically acclaimed HBO documentary series on NXIVM. Now with the launch of “A Little Bit Culty,” Sarah and her co-host/husband Anthony “Nippy” Ames are keeping the conversation going by discussing the healing process with the help of experts and fellow survivors.

As an aspiring actor and former college athlete, Anthony “Nippy” Ames was drawn to NXIVM’s goals program. In his 12 years with the organization, he rose steadily up the ranks as a teacher, built centers in New York and Vancouver, and even met his now wife, “A Little Bit Culty” co-host Sarah Edmondson there. But when he learned that the company was, in fact, a dangerous cult, he wasted no time in doing exactly what needed to be done: helping burn its carefully constructed public image to the ground.

With NXIVM’s notorious founder now behind bars facing a brisk 120-year sentence, Nippy isn’t planning on going quiet anytime soon. As Executive Producer of the “A Little Bit Culty” podcast, Nippy has come full circle back to what he was born to do: performing, creating, and truth telling. He’s proving to be an emerging voice in the conversation around what it means to be an upstanding man, husband, and father in 2021.

Trigger Warning: this episode contains content about sex trafficking. Please take care of your needs regarding this topic or skip this episode if this topic is triggering for you.  

Recruiting and grooming sexual partners, weeding out critics, using harassment and coercion, encouraging others to take expensive courses to further control them are all reasons that prosecutions have proceeded in court in other cases. Listen and hear how some real cases could potentially bring these crimes to justice. What laws are in place to protect women from abuse?  Listen and learn about what is actually sex trafficking and how it is happening when people put trust into a leader and an organization. It really makes you look at how people have been used and how the law can actually protect them.

There are tools for survivors to use Civil Law for federal crimes. "Masha's Law" is written into Title 18 where all the Federal crimes are located. It gives survivors the power to bring their own civil lawsuits against sex offenders who may have abused or exploited them, even if it wasn't reported and police did not arrest. The survivor can still go after that offender. It covers sex trafficking (a broad expansive federal crime meant to protect victims of exploitative abuse) includes "enticement" either in person or online. It's very powerful but also under-used. More than forced prostitution, the federal definition qualifies: makes it illegal for someone to participate in a venture (2 or more people) that uses force, fraud or coercion to subject the victim to engage in a commercial sex act (defined as "in exchange for anything of value" including but not limited to: a free training; moving up in the organization; benefit or status -- and does not have to be a direct contract) or if it's a minor, even if there is no force or coercion needed. Even "demanding absolute commitment" to the leader, or inducing shame and guilt to control the members and their behavior. If you think you may have experienced sexual coercion, abuse or trafficking contact here for support:    www.advocatesforsurvivors.com and https://www.Vanessabaehrjones.com 

Special guest: Vanessa Baehr-Jones Founding partner of Advocates for Survivors of Abuse a woman-owned law firm specializing in seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking Vanessa spent nearly a decade prosecuting child sex offenders and securing restitution for survivors. As the Project Safe Childhood coordinator in Los Angeles, she managed intake of all child exploitation cases in the seven-county district. After leaving Los Angeles, Vanessa served as a federal prosecutor in Northern California, providing expertise on child exploitation and trafficking cases. A skilled trial and appellate attorney, she is fearless in seeking the best outcomes for her clients. Vanessa earned her B.A. summa cum laude from Tufts University, and then served as an intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency. She holds a law degree from UCLA School of Law. She is a member of the National Crime Victims Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. About Vanessa: https://www.advocatesforsurvivors.com/advocates _____________________________________ 

***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)

You asked, we answered. Thank you so much for writing into us and sharing your stories, questions and topic ideas. We are listening.

A peek into this conversation: how to protect people from Baron, real talk about "affiliate studios" businesses, the lack of support from Baron and "The Institute" but lots of encouragement to open open open an affiliate studio, to BE A YES to opening a yoga studio with no concern for the cost or the reality of how you need to be business wise to succeed in this market... and what to do if you are employed by a Baptiste affiliate and you are questioning the harmful practices? How to keep teaching yoga and what to teach in order to stop being harmful and stop perpetuating Baptiste Yoga. Is it possible to still teach for an affiliate and not perpetuate harm? Good questions! Let's talk about it and let us know your thoughts. @yogacultspod

Resources mentioned in the conversation:

The real history of yoga. 

Article: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/history-of-yoga/10-things-didnt-know-yoga-history/

Books: Roots of Yoga (Penguin Classics) Mallinson, James Sir

Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice Singleton, Mark

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***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)

We are thrilled to give you this episode with Rachel Bernstein! Bernstein is a therapist in LA specializing in cult recovery and has worked With India Oxenberg in her healing from the NXIVM cult as well as her mother, Catherine Oxenberg. Her popular podcast, IndoctriNATION has had over 900K listens from all over the world and features regular people who are healing from cults, high control groups and narcissistic relationships. Join us in the conversation as Bernstein helps us to understand how Baptiste Yoga is a system of control and what steps to take to heal from the influence so we don't join another culty group or relationship again.

Rachel Bernstein, MSed, LMFT, has been working with former cult members for nearly 30 years. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Educator, who lives in Los Angeles, CA. She has been a member of ICSA for many years and has presented talks and moderated panels at ICSA conferences. Rachel previously ran the Maynard Bernstein Resource Center on cults, named after her father. She was the Clinician at the former Cult Clinic in Los Angeles, as well as the Cult Hotline and Clinic in Manhattan. She now treats former cult members and the families and friends of those in cults in her private practice. Rachel has facilitated numerous support groups for former cult members, for people who were in one-on-one cults, and for the families of those in cults. Rachel has published many articles, made media appearances, consulted on shows and movies about cults, and has been interviewed for podcasts and YouTube videos. Rachel is the host of her weekly Podcast, "IndoctriNation," about breaking free from systems of control. RachelBernsteinTherapy.com, [email protected] 818-907-0036

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***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)

Threats of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and Cease and Desist letters from attorneys are designed to bully and silence would-be whistler blowers. Could that be why so many people are speaking underground about Baptiste Yoga and so many women have stories to share about Baron but are afraid to go public? Attorney and former Baptiste Yoga teacher Eva Sedgwick explains why these tactics are lame attempts to scare us into silence and why they cannot hold up in a court of law. Also, Eva tells her own story and experience with Baptiste Yoga, why she got out after being publicly defamed by Baron in front of hundreds of people and never looked back. Eva then breaks down the difference between defamation and speaking the truth or giving your opinion about a "Public figure" which falls under freedom of speech and is what we do here in this podcast. For any women who have been seduced by Baron while a student or training participant, Eva offers resources for Pro Bono (free) attorneys who will represent women in a case where Baptiste Yoga finally has it's #metoo moment. 

About our special guest: Eva Sedgwick is an associate professor of business law in the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University. She has been teaching and writing about business and technology and how they intersect with human rights and social justice for over 20 years. Her work is published in such journals as the Stanford Technology Law Review and the American Business Law Journal. Eva has been recognized frequently for her innovative teaching. Teaching is Eva’s passion and vocation. At Seattle University she teaches undergraduates and graduate students in topics such as business law, negotiation skills and law and ethics in business analytics/Artificial Intelligence. Eva is also a yoga teacher. She received her original yoga alliance certification after completing levels 1 and 2 with the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute. In 2019 she stepped back into training and completed her 240 hours of trauma-informed yoga teacher training with Yogamour, a nonprofit yoga organization in Maryland whose mission it is to bring yoga and mindfulness practices as an adjunct therapy for communities in trauma. When she is visiting Maryland, Eva teaches power vinyasa classes at Yogamour’s affiliated studio. She is a former yoga instructor in Seattle at BeLuminous Yoga and Shakti Vinyasa Yoga. 

NEW Baptiste policies just release this week and seem suspiciously in response to our podcast and the issues we have discussed.... Baptiste Yoga buckling down to protect the man and the organization, instead of actually making changes where harm is being done. Buyer beware of any "program" you enroll in:

https://www.baptisteyoga.com/terms-conditions-agreement/?fbclid=IwAR2V7HJTWCSHPzpPrhC3wNfLCJYdszCSGgMpM4ZPUfy16BtJEbXtfCJvAO0

Questions about this episode or stories to share? Contact us on IG @yogacultspod

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***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)

We thought that becoming a "Certified Baptiste Teacher" and a "Baptiste Affiliate Studio" owner actually meant something of value and we worked hard to achieve this status thinking it represented a higher level of skill and ability in our careers. We took it seriously and then paid a lot of money and spent a lot of time to get there! But as it turns out the "Path of a Baptiste Certified Teacher" is paved with moving targets and dangling carrots. And standards that change depending on how much status you bring or how many recruits you enroll = $$$ in Baron's pocket. It's a "Pay to Play" system where the goal posts move every few years (or whenever he changes his mind). One day you are paying over $10K to become a "Tier One" certified teacher and the next day all the standards go away in favor of a Cross-fit model where it takes just one weekend to earn a "Baptiste Certificate. But what does Baptiste Certification even mean when some people just had to be friends with the right people to earn their "500-Hour" status? Certribut-ifully nothing! Affiliate studios who pay $3K per year to sport the Baptiste name on their website benefit by being allowed to be Facebook friends with other studio owners and being listed on the Baptiste website. Literally, that's all. A dwindling number of affiliated studios act as recruitment stations by enrolling students into "40 Days to Personal Revolution" where they learn their first thought-terminating cliches and how to start gaslighting themselves, then the studios benefit by getting a $ kick-back for each Level 1 recruit they generate. Would you like to join into this and become a Tier 3 Certified Influencer for the low low price of $100,000?! We can show you how and how much value you will actually (not) get for your investment. Follow us for more tips!

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***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)