Author James Arthur Ray and his partner Bersabeh Ray joined Richard Syrett (Twitter) to discuss James' transformative journey from a struggling entrepreneur to a renowned figure in personal development, to the tragic events surrounding a sweat lodge ceremony in Sedona, Arizona that he was conducting in 2009. His breakthrough came after he participated in the documentary "The Secret," which propelled him into the limelight, leading to appearances on major platforms like Oprah and the Today Show. "I went from living hand to mouth to a personal net worth of over $20 million," he shared. However, Ray acknowledged that this success led him to lose sight of his humility and original mission.
Regarding the tragedy in Sedona, where three participants died and 18 were injured, Ray said that medical evidence pointed to pesticide exposure but this was not widely reported in the media. In 2011, Ray went on trial for his involvement in the incident and he was found guilty of negligent homicide and served 20 months in jail. "You have to take absolute responsibility for every single thing in your life," Ray said, acknowledging his leadership role in the event. However, he maintained, "Did I intend to harm people? No."
When he got out, he was homeless, had lost his reputation, and was millions of dollars in debt. It was at this point that Bersabeh came into his life. She had experienced a number of traumatic events, having grown up in Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, and explained how her suffering allowed her to connect deeply with Ray's pain. Their bond, forged in adversity, has driven them to help others heal from their traumas, and deal with the consequences of "spiritual warfare." The two also touched on their new book, which explores three human dilemmas-- God, money, and sex. These three issues account for why there's so much pain, suffering, and chaos in the world, Ray suggested.
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First hour guest, Constance Victoria Briggs, explored the intriguing connections between Earth and extraterrestrial civilizations, delving into themes of cosmic history and advanced technologies. She discussed the possibility of extraterrestrial beings residing underground within planets or moons to shield themselves from surface-level dangers. There have been reports that our Moon and other bodies in space could be hollow, she noted. The Moon has played an essential role in sustaining life on Earth, she added, positing that it may have been artificially placed to stabilize conditions on our planet. Addressing the possibility of cosmic conflict, she recounted historical accounts of battles in the skies, notably the Nuremberg sighting of 1561. She also touched on the concept of terraforming, proposing that extraterrestrials could have seeded life on Earth.