NOTE:  See here for Link to updated info on this matter

Breaking news, an Inside Account This is from Philadelphia Speculative Fiction Examiner Cassandra Yorgey. Remember this is just one person’s account, based on whoever she spoke with.  And each person she spoke with gave just one person’s truth, just how one person saw the situation. I initially wrote that I was not sure this writer’s account is true, and said she had so much in her article that was not true and that she clearly had it in for Ray. As I read more and more of her writing this morning, my mind has changed somewhat. I don’t agree with everything she writes but she has valid points and I believe she’s somewhat objective.  I no longer think she has it in for Ray.

Cassandra Yorgey describes herself as a speculative fiction enthusiast. I don’t say that to diminish her authority for writing what she writes, I simply never heard the term before.  I commented on one of her articles:  I just discovered your pages about James Ray n am enjoying your writing. I may not agree with everything you say but you make me think n see things from another angle. In the past 17 years I’ve published Florida’s new age magazine, Horizons, n I’ve seen lots of people get wrapped up in this guru n that; even smart people, even knowledgeable, informed people. Folks are so ready for change n deliverance from their boring n routine lives that they gladly place their trust in whoever has the most compelling spiel. They want to die to their old selves n be re-born again. It’s not that they’re willing to risk their lives for it, it’s that they haven’t seriously contemplated the consequences of their choices. They frantically go from one guru to another, one workshop to the next, waiting for someone to magically make it all better. They don’t take much time for critical thought or inner work. Then they attract situations they resonate in “vibrational” harmony with and don’t know why.

and she emailed me:

Thanks for helping continue the discussion of the sweat lodge tragedy. One factual correction I need to alert you to is that my article is not just one person’s view. I spoke with multiple sources to write my article. It is true that my opinion is all over it though, I did try to make clear where my thoughts differ from fact.

Many have pointed out that I am a speculative fiction enthusiast, and that is absolutely true. I realize it’s odd that I am covering the James Ray story but it is not as unrelated as it first appears. In addition to my examiner column I am also writing a young adult fantasy set in a wilderness program. During the resesarch for my book I came across a lot of information that ties into this case. My latest interview is with an expert who ran a program that has many overlaps to James Ray’s spiritual warrior retreat and takes a look at the both the mental and physical safeguards that are necessary, as well as an explanation of one aspect of James Rays technique. Thanks again for contributing to the discussion, Cassandra Yorgey