Cherokee Wigwam

[Elk Woman]

Die Tragödie von Sedona
und / oder : Wie gefährlich " selbsternannte Indian. Kultur-Vermarkter " wirklich sind .

(Dpa) - Zwei Menschen sind gestorben und 19 andere erkrankt, nach einer "Schwitzhütten-Box" Veranstaltung in Arizona ( Sedona)
Dieses Programm.. wird von dem Selbsthilfe-Experte James Arthur Ray geleitet, sagten die Behörden am Samstag.

Dieser Selbsthilfe-Guru ist weithin bekannt für seine Programme, die behaupten, zu lehren wie Menschen zu Reichtum (finanziell, geistig, körperlich) in allen Aspekte ihres Lebens kommen können...
James Arthur Ray, dessen Firma sich in Carlsbad, Kalifornien befindet, hat eine Vielzahl von nationalen Programmen, einschließlich der "CNN Larry King Live" Auftritte ( umfasste 3000 Menschen in Phoenix, Arizona).
Auf die Frage, was er über Kritiker seiner Lehren denkt, sagte Ray King:
"Well, you know, it's interesting, Larry, because any time a new idea comes to the fore, it goes through three phases. It's first ridiculed. Then it's violently opposed. And then it's finally accepted as self-evident, normally after the opposition dies."
"Angel Valley Resort advertises itself as "a place to relax and heal ... where powerful earth energies are present and active."

Das "Angel Valley Resort" wurde im April 2002 von Michael und Amayra Hamilton, die beide Lehrer und Therapeuten dort sind gegründet. Der Ort liegt auf 70 Hektar in einem abgeschiedenen Tal, 20 Minuten von Sedona, ist von Tausenden von Hektar nationalen Wald umgeben, lt. der Website dieser Organisation.Die Web Seite informiert , das sie den Status eines Internal Revenue Service haben, einem gemeinnützigen Status als religiöse Organisation.

Es gibt aber auf der Web Seite keine Informationen über die Anzahl der die dort zuschaden gekommen sind und zahlreiche interne Links funktionieren nicht.

Die Verwendung von Schwitzhütten, einer körperliche und geistige Reinigung ist ein Teil der Kulturen mehreren indianischen Stämmen.
Richard Moreno, ein Mitglied der Pira Manso Pueblostamm, sagte zu KPHO-TV.:
"I've been participating in the sweat lodge since the age of 3 and I've never recalled being sick from being in the sweat lodge."
Moreno told the station he has never been to a lodge that held more than 20 people.
( Er könne sich seit seiner Teilnahme ab dem 3 Lebensjahr nicht erinnern das je Jemand in einer Schwitzhütte krank wurde . Aber er kann sich auch keine Schwitzhütte mit mehr als 20 Personen vorstellen.."

In diesen oben genannten "Schwitzkästen" wurden 50 Personen mehr oder weniger "eingesperrt"... !

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/09/sweat.box.deaths/index.html


'Sweatbox' victims were attending 'Spiritual Warrior' program

Story Highlights
· NEW: Illnesses occur during event led by author James Arthur Ray, reports say
· NEW: Evidence "may turn this into a criminal prosecution," sheriff says
· About 50 people had spent up to two hours inside the "sweatbox," officials said
· Resort is nonprofit religious organization, Web site says


· NEW: Evidence "may turn this into a criminal prosecution," sheriff says
· About 50 people had spent up to two hours inside the "sweatbox," officials said
· Resort is nonprofit religious organization, Web site says

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/09/sweat.box.deaths/index.html

[Elk Woman]

Nachtrag:

Sedona/Arizona -
Hochburg des New Age

Von FOCUS-Redakteur Stefan Wagner
http://www.focus.de/reisen/reisefuehrer/usa/sedona/sedona-arizona_aid_22518.html

Gefahren:
http://www.vikas.de/GOLDNERTEXTE/Missgeburt%20des%20New%20Age.html
http://www.die-friedenskrieger.de/new_age_esoterik_okkultismus_new_world_order.html#esoterik_new_age_verfuehrung

[Elk Woman]

Nachtrag zu Todesfälle bei der Schwitzhüttenveranstaltung in Sedona:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... er-ON.html

Retreat leader speaks out over sweat-lodge deaths

Oct. 13, 2009 09:53 PM
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -The man in charge of a spiritual retreat last week in Arizona that left two people
d e a d after they were overcome in a sweat lodge said Tuesday night he is facing a difficult time and is “being tested” by the tragedy.

The comments from self-help expert and author James Arthur Ray came during a seminar he held at a hotel in Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles. Ray broke down in tears as he addressed the deaths.

“This is the most difficult time I've ever faced,” Ray told the crowd of about 200. “I don't know how to deal with it really.”

An audience member asked Ray to describe what happened at the retreat, but he declined, saying only that he has hired his own investigative team and is cooperating with authorities.

“We're looking for answers,” he said. “I'm as frustrated and confused as other people are.”

Ray added that he wrestled with whether to go through with Tuesday's seminar, which he said was scheduled weeks before the sweat lodge deaths.

“My advisers told me, Don't do that. You don't know who'll show up. They're going to eat you alive,'” he told the audience. But he said it was important for him to keep his commitments.

“I'm grieving right now,” Ray said. “I'm grieving for the families.” Ray led a group of more than 50 people last week through a five-day program at a resort near Sedona, Ariz., intended to push people beyond their limits. The course included a Thursday sweat lodge ceremony, which ended tragically in the deaths of Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, N.Y., and James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee.

Nineteen other people were hurt, and one remains in critical condition.

Ray's comments followed a demand earlier Tuesday from a spokesman for Brown's family for more accountability from Ray.

Tom McFeeley, Brown's cousin and family spokesman, called on Ray to assure that the retreat's participants “were not mistreated and not put in a reckless situation.

“He was someone people believed in, people paid good money to get his advice,” McFeeley said. “It's a person we all wanted to believe had our best interest in mind. Quite simply, that didn't happen.”

McFeeley also said he is concerned that Ray exhibited a “godlike complex” during the event that might have kept people from opting out of activities Ray acknowledged could cause “physical, emotional, financial or other injuries.”

Fire department reports released Tuesday show the incident wasn't the first involving a sweat lodge ceremony at the resort. Verde Valley Fire Chief Jerry Doerksen said his department responded to a 911 call in October 2005 about a person who was unconscious after being in a sweat lodge.

Angel Valley resort owner Amayra Hamilton confirmed that Ray was leading the sweat ceremony during the 2005 event. Ray's spokesman declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office continued to investigate last week's ceremony to determine if criminal negligence played a role in the deaths or illnesses. Sheriff's spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn said Tuesday that authorities have not yet spoken with Ray.

Ray's spokesman, Howard Bragman, declined Tuesday to address the Brown family's concerns.

Authorities say 55 to 65 people attending the program were crowded into the 415-square-foot, crudely built sweat lodge during a two-hour period Thursday night. Participants paid between $9,000 and $10,000 for the retreat. They were highly encouraged, but not forced, to remain inside for the entire two hours, authorities said.

The participants had fasted for 36 hours as part of a personal and spiritual quest in the wilderness, then ate a breakfast buffet before entering the sweat lodge around 3 p.m. A 911 call two hours later said two people, who authorities said were Shore and Brown, had no pulse and weren't breathing.

Autopsies on Brown and Shore were conducted, but the results are being withheld pending additional tests. Carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out as a cause of the deaths and illnesses.

A statement released by the family of Liz Neuman, who remains in critical condition at the Flagstaff Medical Center, said she is in a coma and doctors are working to stabilize damage to multiple organs.

Two others remained hospitalized. Fire officials say the victims exhibited symptoms ranging from dehydration to kidney failure after sitting in the sweat lodge.

Officials say the sweat lodge, built specifically for the five-day retreat, lacked the necessary building permit.

Resort owners Amayra Hamilton and her husband, Michael, asked Tuesday for prayers in hopes that something positive would come out of what they said was a tragic and unexpected event."

(P.S: Text wurde mit Absicht nur im Originalsprache eingefügt, damit die Aussagen nicht verfälscht werden. Die Krokodilstränen und Ratlosigkeit darüber beim Veranstalter sind schon bezeichnend..)

[Elk Woman]

Update :

Schwitzhütten Todesfälle- wegen Mordes ermittelt- CNN nimmt Kameras INSIDE Sweat Lodge Zeremonie - u.a.mehr

und:

"Chief Arvol Looking Horse spricht sich über Sedona Schwitzhütte Todesfälle"

http://www.ndnnews.com/

[Elk Woman]

Concerning the deaths in Sedona
By Arvol Looking Horse

Story Published: Oct 16, 2009

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/opinion/64486777.html

"As Keeper of our Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle, I am concerned for the two deaths and illnesses of the many people who participated in a sweat lodge in Sedona, Ariz. that brought our sacred rite under fire in the news. I would like to clarify that this lodge, and many others, are not our ceremonial way of life because of the way they are being conducted. My prayers go out to the families and loved ones for their loss.

Our ceremonies are about life and healing. From the time this ancient ceremonial rite was given to our people, never has death been a part of our inikaga (life within) when conducted properly. Today, the rite is interpreted as a sweat lodge. It is much more than that. The term does not fit our real meaning of purification.

Inikaga is the oldest ceremony brought to us by Wakan Tanka (Great Spirit). Nineteen generations ago, the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota oyate (people) were given seven sacred rites of healing by a Spirit Woman, Pte San Win (White Buffalo Calf Woman). She brought these rites along with the sacred Canupa (pipe) to our people, when our ancestors were suffering from a difficult time. It was also brought for the future to help us for much more difficult times to come. They were brought to help us stay connected to who we are as a traditional cultural people.

The values of conduct are very strict in any of these ceremonies, because we work with spirit. The Creator, Wakan Tanka, told us that if we stay humble and sincere, we will keep that connection with the inyan oyate (the stone people), who we call the Grandfathers, to be able to heal ourselves and loved ones. We have a gift of prayer and healing and have to stay humble with our Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth) and with one another. The inikaga is used in all of the seven sacred rites to prepare and finish the ceremonies, along with the sacred eagle feather. The feather represents the sacred knowledge of our ancestors.
What has happened in the news with the makeshift sauna called the ‘sweat lodge’ is not our ceremonial way of life.

Our First Nations people have to earn the right to pour the mini wiconi (water of life) upon the inyan oyate in creating Inikaga by going on the vision quest for four years and four years to Sundance. Then you are put through a ceremony to be painted, to recognize that you have now earned the right to take care of someone’s life through purification. They should also be able to understand our sacred language, to be able to understand the messages from the Grandfathers, because they are ancient, they are our spirit ancestors. They walk and teach the values of our culture in being humble, wise, caring and compassionate.

What has happened in the news with the makeshift sauna called the “sweat lodge” is not our ceremonial way of life.

When you do ceremony, you can not have money on your mind. We deal with the pure sincere energy to create healing that comes from everyone in that circle of ceremony. The heart and mind must be connected. When you involve money, it changes the energy of healing. The person wants to get what they paid for. The Spirit Grandfathers will not be there. Our way of life is now being exploited. You do more damage than good. No mention of monetary energy should exist in healing, not even with a can of love donations. When that energy exists, they will not even come. Only after the ceremony, between the person that is being healed and the intercessor who has helped connect with the Great Spirit, can the energy of money be given out of appreciation. That exchange of energy is from the heart; it is private and does not involve the Grandfathers. Whatever gift of appreciation the person who received help can now give is acceptable. They can give the intercessor whatever they feel their healing is worth.

In our prophecy, the White Buffalo Calf Woman told us she would return and stand upon the earth when we are having a hard time. In 1994, this began to happen with the birth of the white buffalo. Not only their nation, but many animal nations began to show their sacred color, which is white. She predicted that at this time there would be many changes upon Grandmother Earth. There would be things that we never experienced or heard of before: Climate changes, earth changes, diseases, disrespect for life and they would be shocking. There would also be many false prophets.

My Grandmother who passed the bundle to me said I would be the last Keeper if the oyate do not straighten up. The assaults upon Grandmother Earth are horrendous, the assaults toward one another was not in our culture, the assaults against our people have been termed as genocide, and now we are experiencing spiritual genocide.

Because of the problems that began to arise with our rebirth and being able to do our ceremonies in the open since the Freedom of Religion Act of 1978, our elders began talking to me about the abuses they have seen in our ceremonial way of life, which was once very strict.

It is forbidden to film or photograph any of our ceremonies.

After many years of witnessing their warnings, we held a meeting to address the lack of protocol in our ceremonies. After reaching an agreement to address the misconduct of our ceremonies and to remind of the proper protocols, a statement was made in March 2003. Every effort was made to ensure our way of life of who we are as traditional cultural people, because these ways are for our future and all life upon Grandmother Earth (Mitakuye Oyasin, all my relations), so that they may have good health. Because these atrocities are being mocked and practiced all over the world, we even made a film called “Spirits for Sale.”

The non-Native people have a right to seek help from our First Nation intercessors for good health and well-being. It is up to that intercessor. That is a privilege for all people that we gift for being able to have good health and understand that their protocol is to have respect and appreciate what we have to share. The First Nations intercessor has to earn that right to our ceremonial way of life in the ways I have explained.

At this time, I would like to ask all nations upon Grandmother Earth to please respect our sacred ceremonial way of life and stop the exploitation of our Tunka Oyate (Spiritual Grandfathers).

In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no ending and no beginning, namahu yo (hear my words)."

Chief Arvol Looking Horse is the 19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle.

Comments:
"This is deeply saddening. As a non-native I would apologize for the larger culture's values but it would mean nothing because we are not tribal and don't listen to our elders . I took part in a NAC sweat deep in the Navajo. It was an honor to be invited but we should follow our own paths. I am family through friendship with some traditional Dine' : if we forgot who we all are and how we came together we'd lose joy."

"Sedona is just a few miles from where I live in Arizona. Torn between anger and compassion I traveled to Sedona to visit the site. Sedona was once the ancestral homelands of my people the Apaches. The beautiful Red Rock formations was our sacred grounds. It was taken away by the U.S. Government. Now, filthy rich white people, movie stars and rich republican politicians live there. It is dominated by the New Age Movement and wanna-bees running around dressed in buckshins"

"If all these white ppl and non-medicine people had an ounce of respect for the ceremony then no laws are needed. But because they lack respect and are in it for financial gain, they lack respect for themselves and traditional healing. This shows the true intentions of their hearts. It is not good.!"

"Howe, I feel sorry for those people who lost their lives in that sweat lodge in Sedona, AZ. I just wanted to make the comment on "never has someone died when conducting the ceremony properly since time immemorial." It is true what you said that when you charge money for these sweat ceremonies it does not invite the spirit of Wakantanka to bless the purification. I would not attend if I had to pay as Wakantanka would not protect me from danger if done improperly. This is true."

[lakotagirl]

gestern haben wir hier auf cnn gehoert, dass eine dritte person, eine frau, gestorben ist die seit dem zwischenfall im koma lag.

[Elk Woman]

Hi, Maria,

hab ich auch gehört; eine 48 jährige Frau...( Zu jung, um zu sterben, für eine falsche Entscheidung; nämlich sich Jemand auszuliefern der keine Skrupel hat....)
Hoffentlich wird dem Treiben da bald ein Ende gesetzt ( falls das überhaupt möglich ist bei solcher "Lobby".. ), bevor noch mehr zu Schaden kommen .

Der Schaden für die traditionelle Spiritualität der Native ist durch weltweiten Mißbrauch schon hoch genug..
Aber was hilft alles warnen, wenn es soviel Leute immer wieder gibt , die freiwillig diesen Plastiks das Geld hinterhertragen und sich über eventuelle Negativfolgen keinen Kopf machen..

Man darf trotzdem nicht müde werden mit der Aufklärung und ich hoffe, das kluge anerkannte Menschen wie Arvol Looking Horse dazu beitragen können und auch "gehört werden".

Liebe Grüße,
elk(e)

[Elk Woman]

Out of Office
Tod in der Heiler-Welt

"In dem kleinen Ort Sedona ist das Geschäft mit dem Seelenheil ein Millionenbusiness. Unter den Schamanen und Heilern tummeln sich aber auch Scharlatane. Jetzt kamen bei einem Ritual drei Menschen ums Leben. "

von Nina Rehfeld, Sedona
21.10.2009

Auszug:

"Mariah Carey war schon zur Selbstfindung in Sedona. Genauso wie Mel Gibson und Scarlett Johansson. Auch Politiker aus Washington und Unternehmer aus New York kommen regelmäßig in den Ort in Arizona auf der Suche nach Erleuchtung. "Es sind Leute, die in ihrem Leben finanziell alles erreicht haben und sich darüber definieren. Viele von ihnen, die mit Beginn der Wirtschaftskrise in ein Loch fielen, suchen jetzt nach einem Sinn im Leben", sagt Juniper Campbell.
Die Psychologie-Studentin arbeitet seit zehn Jahren in Sedona als spirituelle Trainerin. Hunderte von Schamanen und Heilern tummeln sich in dem 11.000-Einwohner-Ort, der seit den 80er-Jahren Anlaufpunkt für Esoterikfans ist. Damals wollte eine kalifornische Hellseherin in der Gegend sogenannte Vortexes entdeckt haben, Verwirbelungen also, die durch elektromagnetische und spirituelle Energie ausgelöst werden. Seither ist das Geschäft mit der Seele in der Wüste Arizonas ein Millionenbusiness. "

"Doch jetzt erschüttert Sedona ein tragischer Unfall: Drei Menschen starben nach dem Besuch einer sogenannten Sweat-Lodge."

"Es arbeiten hier viele integre Menschen", sagt Trainerin Juniper Campbell, "aber vielen fehlt jede Qualifikation."

"Für die Selbstfindungsindustrie sind die Ereignisse ein "Weckruf", wie Katherine Lash sagt, die Inhaberin von "Sedona Spirit Quest". Jeder müsse sich fragen, wie viel er über die Zeremonien weiß, die er veranstaltet. Spiritualität, sagt eine deutsche Ärztin, die in Sedona arbeitet, sei wichtig. "Aber man muss den Körper respektieren. Irdische Taten haben irdische Konsequenzen." Gemeinsam mit indianischen und nichtindianischen Heilern arbeitet sie nun an einem "Traditional Healing Council", der Heilsuchenden Orientierung bieten soll. Die Polizei ermittelt unterdessen wegen Mordes gegen James Ray."

(Quelle: Financial Times Deutschland)

http://www.ftd.de/lifestyle/outofoffice ... 26637.html

[Elk Woman]

Sweat-Lodge-Guru: Eine Geschichte von Höhen, Tiefen
Cracks form in motivational mogul's empire

by Craig Harris and Dennis Wagner -
Oct. 23, 2009
The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/06/09/20090609snowbowl0609.html

Auf gleicher Seite, Links zu folgenden Themen:

- What is the allure of retreats?
- Lodge commercialization appalls Native Americans
- Another sweat-lodge survivor speaks
- Attorney for Ariz. woman: Intimidation inside lodge
- Family probing death of 3rd sweat lodge victim
- Sweat lodge incident claims 3rd victim
- Sweat-lodge host fights back against accusations
- Deaths cast bad light on guru
- Sweat-lodge deaths being treated as homicide case
- Sedona hoping to escape tourism backlash
- Self-help guru calls participants
- A previous incident

Die Behörden ersuchen jeder, der Informationen über die tödlichen Zeremonie hat,
die folgende Nummer anrufen:

Yavapai County Sheriffs Office
Web site: www.ycsoaz.gov

Yavapai Silent Witness: 800-932-3232.

[Elk Woman]

Tod statt Erleuchtung
in Arizona

(Die "Erfolgsstory"... von James Arthur Ray)
Rita Neubauer, veröffentlicht am 24.10.2009

http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/stz/page/2250683_0_7971_-arizona-tod-statt-erleuchtung.html#
---------------------------------

Aufruf von
Arvol Looking Horse:

http://www.blackhillsportal.com/npps/story.cfm?ID=3492


"At this time, I would like to ask All Nations upon Grandmother Earth to please respect our sacred ceremonial way of life and stop the exploitation of our Tunka Oyate (Spiritual Grandfathers).
In a Sacred Hoop of Life, there is no ending and no beginning!”

Namah¹u yo (hear my words),

Arvol Looking Horse,
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle.
------------------------

"Zu diesem Zeitpunkt möchte ich mich alle Nationen der Großmutter Erde bitten, die heilige Zeremonie auf dem Weg des Lebens bitte zu respektieren und die Ausbeutung unserer Tunka Oyate (Spirit unserer Großväter) zu stoppen.
In einem Sacred Hoop des Lebens, gibt es ist kein Ende und keinen Anfang! "
Namah ¹ u yo (höre meine Worte)."

Arvol Looking Horse
19. Generation Hüter der heiligen White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle.