Tragedy in Sedona

Book excerpt: "James Ray's debut in the film, The Secret, thrust him into the spotlight. . . appearances on Oprah and Larry King Live... 'Tragedy in Sedona' is a behind the scenes look at the rise and fall of the James Ray Empire, through the eyes of an ultimately disenchanted follower. Connie Joy takes you on her personal and authentic journey-from being a devoted member of James' inner circle andDream Team to...trying to warn others." ~From the Foreword by forensic psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman Follow Connie Joy inside the seminars and once-in-a-lifetime trips to Egypt and Peru for an up close look at the transformative work of a charismatic teacher-and the underlying danger of mixing up the message with the messenger! In 2007, Connie participated in Ray's sweat lodge, a Native American ceremonial sauna meant to be a place of spiritual renewal and mental and physical healing. It turned out to be only a test of endurance for Connie and many of the participants. Her prediction that someone could be seriously hurt came true in October 2009 when three people died and 18 participants were injured during a sweat lodge run by James Arthur Ray and his staff. After injuries at his previous events, why didn't Ray get the message he was literally playing with fire? Connie and her husband attended 27 events over three years presented by James Arthur Ray, "Rock Star of Personal Transformation." As this book is released, Ray is charged with three counts of manslaughter and faces a criminal trial in Arizona as well as numerous civil suits.