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Guru: Don't Cross Kat
Guru: Don't Cross Kat
Description
Season 2:
Kat Torres has the insta-perfect life. She is rich, gorgeous and not ashamed to share it. Her posts about witchcraft and "alien baths" draw in over a million followers, all chasing the dream of a lifestyle like hers. But as she gathers more followers around her, the secrets beneath her fame grow darker and more dangerous.
One woman sets out to bring back her best friend who has fallen under the spell of this modern-day guru. And what begins as a search for a missing friend soon puts her on a collision course with Kat.
Based on the hit Brazilian podcast, journalist Chico Felitti uncovers a gripping story of influence, control, and those who dare to fight back.
Season 1:
When we face challenges in life, we seek answers from people we believe can help us. When tragedy strikes an exclusive retreat with a self-help superstar, many people are left to wonder: how far is too far? James Arthur Ray was an Oprah-endorsed self-help teacher who achieved fame, fortune, and influence. But friends and family members of his followers questioned his unorthodox methods, and tried to stop him. From Wondery, the makers of "Dirty John," "Dr. Death," and "The Shrink Next Door," comes a story about the dark side of enlightenment. Hosted by journalist Matt Stroud.
Listen to episodes of Guru: Don't Cross Kat early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/guru/ now.
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what a wank 🙄
This says everything about justice in the US. James Arthur Ray (Guru) only served a pathetic 2 years in prison for Involuntary Manslaughter. The moment he came out of prison he was back in the media backed by the same people as he was previously.
Every time they say his full name I just think "JAR" lol
some judgy asshole commenters on previous episodes, or on any article about cults, etc., need to listen to the last 5 minutes and take it to heart. i really wish they'd talked about vulnerability more. so many people think they're above being drawn in to something like this...they aren't. nobody who winds up in a cult or in a near cult situation has ever said to themselves "wow, boy howdy, am I ever gullible and ripe for exploitation. think I'll go join a cult, as I'm such easy pickings!" it has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with vulnerability, and what those judgy assholes need to understand is that *the purpose of society and the duty of humanity is to protect the vulnerable*, not mock them when they are harmed. you are not immune. there is a philosophy out there strong enough to draw you in, if the right bastard catches you at the right time. we must be sympathetic.
It's ironic that a show about sketchy wellness practice is full of ads for sketchy wellness products.
isn t it almost the non religious version of Osteen s prosperity church? it did hit all the cult markers save cutting off those who don't follow. I suspect that if it were not for the deaths at the time they did happen,it would become a nexium like cult
This absolute SHIT has the unmitigated gall to complain about the heat in prison?! WOW he can go fuck a bed of hot coals and suck Satan's farts for air.
He carries on about how he lost 3 Friends BUT then straight after says I LOST ALL MY COMPANIES WHAT A TWAT
I take my hat 🧢 off to Jenny I think I would of cut his neck
Stupid Oprah
I’m an ex drug addict & just can’t understand how stupid ppl can be to believe in this shit
One of the best podcast episodes I've listened to in a while. I'm totally looking this guy up later.
I thought inner happiness was more than success and money?😑
Many of these people needed therapy, medication and some social interaction, not some nut job locking them in a hot shed!!😬
This is based on cult models - dressed up as 'wellness' and 'empowerment' James Ray is a snake oil salesman with a thirst for power, cash and has a god complex. How did such intelligent people fall for such nonsense? Did I also hear Herbal life mentioned? Wasn't that some MLM scam??? Good grief😧
I'm not sure why this is a 7 part podcast? It seems to be a witch hunt against an irresponsible person who was followed by equally irresponsible consenting adults which led to their demise...
You know at first I was irritated by the followers, but the more I listened to what this guy was saying and how he was "grooming" them, I realized how manipulative he was. A lot of those people probably couldn't see past his machinations no matter how intelligent they were because he was playing on their vulnerabilities and telling them what they wanted to hear. In short, he brainwashed them. They didn't have the ability to make better decisions.
This guy is so showman this is the same thing Joe osteen does
Funny how Oprah Invites these scam artists to her show And gives him the green light and has people believing in them And they end up being Frauds What does that tell you people stop believing what Oprah says
I always try to consider all sides of arguments presented and to place myself in others' shoes. I'm surprised that I find myself feeling more outraged/frustrated by the followers and their willingness to do whatever this guy said than the 'guru.' It's so sad that people are so willing to 'follow' that they would throw all rational thinking out the window. I'm just blown away by the fact that their need to believe in something cancelled their ability to recognize that they were literally baking to death. Wow! I agree with other comments that at the end of the day you're responsible for prioritizing your own personal safety. I guess they weren't given enough information to fully weigh the risks...but you would think that internal alarm bells would start to sound as they approached their physical limit. Had every participant in this extreme heat challenge died, I would have a completely different reaction. The fact that some of them had the soundness of mind to leave the tent when they re
Great podcast but that intro music really gets on my nerves
The charleton who ran the deadly weekend called it a sweat lodge so I think they are using his words for clarity. The show creators have pointed out it was nothing even resembling a sweat lodge and have also had representatives from the Native American community voice their condemnation of James Ray's cultural appropriation of the term sweat lodge. This guy (Ray) is disgusting, he's in it for the money, fame and ego boost...what a creep. He shows no remorse and takes no responsibility for all the trauma he caused. His only concern is for himself and his reputation. What a VILE man.
I really wish they wouldn't refer to this as a sweat lodge because it wasn't.
28:45 Complaining about their attitude "like that we're some crazy people that got people hurt." 🤦♀️ You are and you DID.
hate the opening music and all the ads, so loud and annoying
My son's late unci (grandmother) was a healer. She lived off the reservation but had a lodge in her backyard. She was given permission by the family holy man to conduct lodge and I've participated in many. Lakota people have long used lodge for healing. I remember hearing about this when it happened and was so angered about this fraud using a sacred name for his gain. Unci always said that if someone charges for lodge, run. He killed people with his ego. A lodge can be hot with just 7 rocks. Creator will guide based on the people in the lodge and their needs. Unci never said you must die in order to be reborn. That's absolutely preposterous! He did not serve enough time, in my opinion.
I enjoy most of wonderys podcasts however this particular one the adds were so frequent it became annoying. please reduce adds
the officer says there were doctors inside the sweat lodge but in the pervious episode, a victim says they asked if anyone was a doctor and no one was?
"After appearing on Oprah, thousands flocked to seek the guidance of renowned self help guru James Arthur Ray" I've heard this advertisement dozens of times. It implies that thousands of Oprah guests went on to follow James Arthur Ray. This makes me question the intelligence of the show's host. Here ARE alternate constructions that actually make sense. "After his appearance on Oprah, thousands flocked to seek the guidance of renowned self-help guru James Arthur Ray." (suggested rephrasing) "After renowned self help guru James Arthur Ray's appearance on Oprah, thousands flocked to seek his guidance" "After his appearance on Oprah, the guidance of James Arthur Ray was sought by thousands." Get your shit together Wondery. I don't expect perfection during podcasts, but if you're going to make me listen to the ad at the end of every single show PLEASE compose grammatically correct advertisements. You're not middle school dropouts, you can do better.
anyone with even a basic understanding of physiology would know that what he suggested was extremely dangerous. idiots
anyone else thinking "what absolute dumbass is going to listen to this guy telling them to overheat themselves to death??" I am being judgemental because I'm sick of hearing about people falling for bullshit self-development "Guru's" who request $$$$$$ to regurgitate thousands of year old philosophies which you can learn by reading any book on Buddhism, Yoga and even Catholosism... I'm with the lady who didnt go in to the sweat cabin at the beginning telling all the participants not to go because it's crazy. she was likely one of the only sane people there.
I generally listen to almost all of Wondery's podcasts due mainly to their extremely high production quality. Recently however they have become more of a long Wondery advert interspersed with some short sections of stories. It's a shame, they've gone more for revenue than content.
Did this man basically say if you die you die. Listen that's my cue to exit. I'm sure there were some before but. .. I don't need that kind of enlightenment
Anyone who asks you to give up your autonomy is suspect and should not be trusted - no sane or trustworthy person desires a group of adults to hand over their intelligence and worship them as a Deity. To defy logic and remain in a situation that is deadly because @3:13: "no one wanted to disappoint him" (James) is beyond my comprehension...I am trying not to judge as I have never found myself in a situation quite like this one but I do know for a FACT that I would have left that ridiculous retreat the minute I realized I spent thousands of $'s to sleep in a tent and play "dead".
More adverts than content!
I'm hoping the host interviews someone who knows about traditional native American sweat lodges so people listening don't conflate this dangerous fraud with legitimate native American religious/spiritual practices. I'm just your regular working class white person, but I grew up with hippie parents attending "Native American Church" ceremonies and what this guy is doing is wrong on soooo many levels! These people should have realized he was full of shit sometime between paying thousands of dollars and crawling in a "lodge" with plastic tarps! (you know because um.... oxygen)