Sedona Sweat Lodge Retreat Deaths

Self-help guru James Arthur Ray is facing possible criminal charges after two people died and others are in critical condition while being ‘cleansed’ in a ’sweat lodge’ he provided. The Sedona sweat lodge retreat deaths occurred at the Angel Valley Spiritual Retreat in Arizona on the last day of Ray’s ‘Spiritual Warrior’ retreat in which he promised participant’s lives would be changed forever.
James Arthur Ray is a motivational speaker and author of the popular self-help book, Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want and The Secret. He recently rented the Angel Valley Spiritual Retreat in Sedona, Arizona to hold what he called a ‘Spiritual Warrior’ retreat. It is rumored that people paid up to $9,000 to attend this retreat through which Ray promised would ‘absolutely change your life’. This life-changing event started on October 3, 2009. On the last day of the retreat, October 8, 2009, 64 people crowded into a haphazardly constructed ’sweat lodge’. Twenty-two of those people ended up being hospitalized, two in critical condition and two died.

Apparently, this cleansing part of the spiritual week was loosely patterned after the Native American tradition of a sweat lodge. Unfortunately, whoever constructed this sweat lodge missed a few key points that the Natives use in their traditional practices. For one, Natives use materials that ‘breath’, as opposed to the plastic covered monstrosity constructed to sweat out whatever personal demons the conference attendees were trying to rid themselves of. For another thing, Natives have a maximum of 8-12 people inside a sweat lodge at any given time. The plastic tarp covered tent at Angel Valley Spiritual Retreat was crammed full with 64 people. Lastly, Natives don’t stay in a sweat lodge until they lose consciousness.
Apparently, the group was about two hours into their sweating when people began to get sick. People started getting lightheaded, weak and fainting.
The causes of death and illness have not yet been determined. The situation is currently under investigation by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities are investigating if there were preexisting medical conditions and whether they had been fasting. They have determined there were not high levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or other out of the ordinary contaminants in the tent.
While the investigation is on-going, there remains the possibility that James Arthur Ray, the host of the event, will face criminal charges for the Sedona Sweat Lodge Retreat deaths.
The dead were transported to Verde Valley Medical Center and have only been identified as a middle-aged man and woman.