Eyes on Now Recap

The Eyes On Now blog reawakened itself and following the advice of my guru, I mean wife I am riding the momentum, keeping the irons hot and exploring whatever circulates. Does that sound too New-Agey, you know the whole transfer of energy thing? I am a mystic too! No one should have a monopoly on the thing (just ask Tallkat). If Salty Droid can have Archangel Karl, and everyone else claims Archangel Michael (see Elizabeth Claire Prophet, boy she did wonders for the desert lifestyle didn't she?)

Anyway I digress, actually I keep digressing, and then you know what I ride the "energy' wherever it wants to go a la James Ray. Then like a well-trained Buddhist I go back to the object of my attention, in this case the James Ray trial. When you read the social media experts (and I mean who doesn't!!!), they tell you to follow the feedback loops and go where the conversation goes, follow the conversation! I certainly haven't mastered such subtle techniques but I do know how to read a chart, and guess what this James Ray thing is hot!!! So much so that people who are not interested just don't get it. That is one of my warning signs that something is hot!!! -Disinterest actively acknowledged. That is right up there with stirred-up controversy.

One lovely individual who has offered some amazing blog entries (LaVaughn) complimented me on my first piece about the James Ray fiasco. This caused me to feel good :)

Another only slightly less-lovely individual, the Salty Droid is impossible not to read regardless of how you feel about him. This is his special lure, as the guy you love to hate, like Ice Cube. It is that effect described in the Howard Stern movie Private Parts where the programmers realized the people that hated Stern spent more time listening to his show. I am not Droid, this guy is an individual snowflake of a specimen and trying to mimic this cross between Ralph Nader and Jesse Ventura (well not exactly but it begins to create context for all the newbies, oh yeah that's right I'm a newby too. As evidenced by this murky entry I may have to reposition myself as an expert, I wonder what the best course for that would be? Or maybe I should start one on my own. Get on the ground floor so to speak) Where am I going with this?

Regroup - time to shake it off, wait a minute that is when you get plunked by a baseball or doing the Tallkat dance. I need a body guru too. Oh man, I'm rambling big time but you know what, you poor people are always getting this sanitized laundry-list wannabe way of relating so here take a gander at this train-wreck prose for your rubber-necking pleasure...now return to the object of your meditation - James Ray...

So as I said in my first Ray entry I spent a week with my mouth shut-up just like Tallkat says that Little Grandmother needs to do. Then after a week, sorry not decades like Tallkat thinks that Little Grandmother needs to be quiet for. Oh btw now that I made mention of everyone's favorite thirty-something Shaman Grandma here is what I found on Indian Country TV while I went-a searching for the Connie Joy Interview...

indiancountrytv on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Okay breathe in - breathe out - James Ray...

Of course the reason I got off on the whole Little Grandmother tangent is that Tallkat went on a fake-guru rant about James Arthur Ray in mid-February, and then it showed up again April 1st, I am not fooling you but she might be, because I found out that when she is not blasting those fake guru types she is talking to dead people as you see in an earlier entry. She begins her session of "Seeing Dead People" a la John Edwards ala mode by "seeing" the host's mother, and a little animal though it not clear to anyone else what she is referring to (did his mother keep secrets from her son? - possibly but now Tallkat is uncovering the mystery pet), anyway they move on. I am thinking when you are seeing dead people and the information you receive doesn't come with a hook attached to it, then it is best to move on. Anyway this guy's mom has been following Tallkat around for days, and guess what she is, the dead mom that is, fascinated by all of the radio equipment taking over her former bedroom turned radio studio. If that is not fantastic enough Mom is in the spirit world studying gender issues! I am so glad that the elderly have a chance to explore gender in the afterlife, and that us trapped here on earth find out about it because of powerful seers like Tallkat. She loves us living people too, some may say even more than Dr. Lyon!

JAR-JAR-Thinks

So there is this new cast of characters coming into focus for the Eyes on Now blog helmster and I thought I would take a moment and tie it all to feather for you. Not even close, I know but can't you give me some false reassurance, I crave that sort of thing, just like White Castle at 4am on a Saturday night, I love me some grease, again I digress. Let me set this ramble aside and get to some real reporting because this is turning into quite an amusement park ride for yours truly.

Early Life of James Arthur Ray

In searching for information about the early days of James Arthur Ray it became shockingly apparent there is a paucity of information. What exists primarily comes from the various press releases, books, or programs where Ray deems to mention his past. This portion of the Ray story can be told quickly in his own words.

His website bio states

James’ father was an Oklahoma minister and his family had very humble beginnings. Ray’s father pastured Red Fork Church of God in Tulsa, and at times they had to live in the church office…“The hardest part of my childhood was reconciling how Dad poured his heart into his work, how he helped so many people and yet he couldn’t afford to pay for haircuts for me and my brother,” Ray wrote in …“Harmonic Wealth.” in 2008,
“How could a loving God keep me from Cub Scouts on account of not being able to afford a uniform?"

The Science of Success marketing page reveals:

Growing up, he was the kid every one loved to ridicule. His Coke bottle glasses earned him the name of "Four Eyes;" his buck teeth snagged him the nickname "Bugs Bunny." His self esteem took a beating every single day. Day after day he'd wonder aloud, "Why me?"
At the age of 18, most kids focus their attention on movies, dances, parties, and their raging hormones. Not James.
He knew deep inside no girl would want to have anything to do with him so he became a virtual hermit feeling sorry for himself. … After a brutal motorcycle accident that nearly took his life and ended up shattering his knees, his left forearm, and his lower back

In an interview with Donna Strong he said:

Twice on the edge of bankruptcy, I lived on vision sandwiches and faith cookies for a couple of different times in my life. For a large portion of my existence I struggled with low self-esteem and self-worth. In retrospect, I would both bully and discipline myself into some grand achievement. Yet I was rooted in low self-worth then, so once I got it, I felt guilty and I would do something to self-sabotage.

Aside from this there is not much more to tell except of course this juicy tidbit I spotted in the comments of Salty Droid's trial update and it comes from Jean D. March 5th talking to Moxie:

The Rays lived in Ohio, West Virginia and Hawaii before moving to Oklahoma. They were not poor, they lived far better than many in their congregation. James was known for hating poor people. He was also known as a hateful, arrogant bully; a spoiled momma’s boy (Did anyone notice his mom on his arm entering the courthouse? She’s the poster child for Enablers Anonymous.) Ray always wanted the prettiest girl, the fastest car; to be better than others. He started injecting steroids at an early age, pumped up to a huge size very quickly.
… Important observation: James Ray has a serious case of strabismus, a condition which can lead to mental and social malfunctioning.
Ray was a professional bodybuilder, his first wife competed, also. They divorced, lost their house, James couldn’t finish Junior College (he makes CONSTANT reference to how worthless education is) James moved to Kansas, still worked for AT&T, learned sales, was competing in bodybuilding and dated bodybuilder girls. He seems to have continued a sexual conquistador attitude throughout his life and as a LGAT seminar leader.
James wasn’t allowed to be a rebellious teen like many of us. His parents wouldn’t allow it…Ray describes how he was much older when he started exploring other religions and drugs. He always injected himself with some form of drug; has admitted to using steroids and bragged about shooting DMT, a powerful hallucinogen. Claimed that drugs are essential to “kick-starting” spiritual enlightenment.
Ray later continued using DMT in the form of Ayahuasca drink while visiting Brazil and Peru. Ray goes into lengthy descriptions of “nearly dying” during an Ayahuasca ceremony. He drank the “boca grande” which was apparently the strongest form of the drink. He vomited severely, and became unconscious; claims to have confronted “Death” and looked it right in the face; for him an important “life-changing experience” that he decided to share with others.

That my dear friends in cyber world is all I have for you. What do you know about the formative years of Mr. Ray?

Healing Earth Energy with Kiesha "Little Grandmother" Crowther

I only watched a few minutes of this video and between the music soundtrack native flutes and all and the spooky darth vader effect into the headset I couldn't even hang around to dissect the heavy global significance of baby gramma's message all that complete you know?

Beware of Fake Gurus and People Posting Nonsense

In my continuing search regarding everything James Ray I stumbled on this link Fake Gurus and False Profits: Who are We Listening To? posted by Karen Tallkat. Something about the article caused me to blow a gasket and I rattled off a quick rant about it. Then as I looked at it closer I realized it had been written earlier than the April 1^st posting on j-net solutions because it mentions pre-trial motions from February 2^nd. I found the original posting on her website along with videos, bio, and the like. Mrs Tallkat is very opinionated about watching out for these false guru types, particularly Little Grandmother who she thinks should shut up for a few decades before sharing her wisdom. Mrs. Tallkat feels there are too many of them types, so she don’t want them around here. No, actually she doesn’t have time for gurus at all, Mrs. Tallkat sees the guru thing as passe

According to Mrs. Tallkat the James Ray Sweat Lodge tragedy is a microcosm of a bigger problem that lies with these spiritual seeker types hyped up on the 2012 thing flocking to the southwest and fouling up things for all of the legitimate folks, I paraphrase of course but you can see her actual words for yourself. The trick then becomes being able to sift through all of the slick websites and find the teachers who are the real deal. Mrs Tallkat has come across many clients who have left high cost programs because the content was just plain childish, and this is where her snipe at Little Grandmother is volleyed. In Mrs Tallkat’s words:

Be cautious of individuals with a meteoric, viral video rise to fame. I’ve noticed a few so called ‘grandmothers’ that might benefit by shutting up for a few decades and experiencing more of life before offering their wisdom to the masses. Isn’t a Grandmother (Little or Big) an elder by definition? And hey - How can there be so many white Grandmothers out there?!

Now that the competition has been told to shut up for a few decades we can continue with Mrs. Tallkat’s guru fighting platform, shall we. Its okay to pay for programs that connect you to the source, but ask questions about your teacher’s credentials, do your research, and look for lies and spin.

You see Mrs. Tallkat is not no New ager, well what is she then I’m not sure, she doesn’t exactly label herself so easily, but she is definitely not a new ager as you can see in one of her videos, which interestingly enough opens with a dance to help slough off that negative energy, you know all that crummy new age stuff, shake it off.

Her advice to avoid getting into trouble with a false-guru is stated as follows... "if an intuitive consultant, or instructor asks for additional fees to remove a curse, increase your personal appeal, help you to conceive – or for a private expensive ceremony – you have just encountered a charlatan."

She goes on to claim that there are many ethical teachers but they are overshadowed by the crooked ones. What I find so interesting is how important it is for her to plead her case, and distance herself from the phonies. It really becomes apparent how a guy like James Ray might be bad for business for a lot more people than just himself.

Here she sees Dead People...

James Ray is Winning!

That is of course if you believe the nonsense oozing from the website that bears his name. I am knee-deep in the muck that is the James Ray debacle and when I decided to pay a little visit over at James Ray Dot Com I found this Youtube gem with the title ... A win for James Ray in Court.



Isn't it nice of ABC 15 to keep score for all of us at home. Well it appears that such responsible reporting has yielded an odd opening to feature a news story there front and center in the living area of James's very own home page. I see they have lots more reports from the trial so lets see the other selections from Youtube.

Day 1 of the James Ray Trial...



Day 2 of the James Ray Trial...

Arizona Sweat Lodge Deaths Trial

For those of you still living under a rock, or perhaps merely bombarded by the threat of earthly devastation in the form of news of earthquake tsunami's tipping Japan's Nuclear Reactor's (see photos) into deadly territory, or the domino of Government's toppling in the Middle East and North Africa, interspersed with dug-in tyrants massacring their own people. I could see why that could also take much of your attention, or the myriad of other concerns such as survival or enlightenment, what have you...

There is a trial underway in Arizona for the manslaughter charges levied against James Arthur Ray, and his sweat lodge which caused 3 people to die, and 18 injured. Ray is well known for his appearance in the movie The Secret, and his appearance on Oprah. The deadly sweat lodge occurred in Sedona in October 2009, and was part of his Spiritual Warrior program, a 5 day endurance test in which around 60 participants pay $10,000 each to experience James Ray's brand of self-help wizardry. This year things go terribly wrong, well that is not to say this is the first time things have gone wrong at a James Ray sponsored event, as a matter if fact it is not even the first time death has been associated with a James Ray group encounter. Earlier that year Colleen Conaway jumped off a ledge while performing a homeless exercise at a James Ray led event in a San Diego mall. The poor victim's suicide made even more atrocious on the part of the Ray gang by the fact they cleared out of the mall without her, and then threw a big party replete with dancing the night away. Not exactly good PR, I might imagine.

I am by no means an expert on all these shenanigans and as fact this is the first writing I've allowed myself to do on the topic after a week reading the blogs of Salty Droid and LaVaughn, following the tweets of the hashtag #jamesray and my twitter list, and catching the CNN live feed of the trial.

Egypt Protest Turns Violent

January 25th marked the birth of a movement in Egypt. February 2nd marked a day of violence in Egypt. The people demonstrating at Cairo’s Tahrir Square were confronted by pro-Mubarak supporters intent on shedding blood. The nightmarish scene resulted in numerous injuries. Al Jazeera and CNN broadcasted it to the world live. On Twitter, the user Beleidy remarked they were reverting back to prehistoric war. People ripped up the streets to create more rocks to throw as others rained down debris from the roofs of buildings across from the museum.

Demonstrators advised that men they caught inciting the mayhem had police IDs on them pointing to direct government involvement in the day’s chaos. Tweeters claimed these men were paid directly by the Government, arriving in buses with machetes and straight razors to attack the peaceful demonstrators. Women and children remained in the center of Tahrir Square as the men protected the perimeter. People cite today’s brutality as evidence of the criminal nature of this regime. The Government denies any involvement with the violence but for observers this seems far fetched.

Friday is scheduled to be the day Mubarak leaves according to the timeline of the demonstrators. The opposition leader El Baradei asked people to maintain the pressure by remaining in the streets in the push to remove Mubarak. Meanwhile Mubarak plays the stubborn old man seemingly unmoved by the destruction unleashing in front of him. If Mubarak remains as stubborn as he has been so far then we are sure to be in for more blood on the streets of Cairo and Egypt. His stance irks his Western allies to be certain and the aftershocks continue to be felt all over the Arab world (the Jordanian King fires members of his cabinet, and in Yemen their leader advises he will not remain in power nor hand it over to his son.)

The question on everybody’s lips today questioned the military’s role in this whole thing? They went from exercising restraint to now standing by watching bedlam.

Additional Links

CNN International asks who are these pro-Mubarak demonstrators?

Al Jazeera English blog looks at Tahrir Square.