So about a year or two ago I applied for an Executive Assistant position for James Ray, a famous Personal Success Strategist based out of Southern California. I was super excited about the possibility of this job, mostly because it involved lots and LOTS of travel. I really wanted to travel the world and this would be the job that gave that to me. Needless to say I didn’t get the job… cool.  His email requesting a second interview went directly to my spam folder, leaving me to find it days after the interview date. By the time I had replied, the position had been filled. I was so mad at myself for missing the email, and never understood how something like that could have happened… until today.

My mom just called to check in on my sickness status, and half way through the convo she told me that James Ray held one of his famous wellness camps out in Arizona this weekend, but that it resulted in 3 people dying. The camp was supposed to be a religious awakening, (all for the small cost of only $9,000+ a person) that offered help with finding a new vision for life. Shortly into one ceremony, that “religious awakening” actually resulted in 3 deaths.

I bet you’re wondering how on earth could someone die at a wellness camp? Well here’s the story:

James Ray and his followers had just made it through five strenuous days of fasting, sleep-deprivation and mind-altering breathing exercises, when he led them into a sweat lodge ceremony. It wasn’t long before the ceremony turned into an actual Homicide investigation.

People were vomiting because the heat was sooo intense, gasping for air, and lying lifeless on the ground. One man was even burned when he crawled into the rocks, obviously too tired to know what he was doing.

When camp goers spoke of their weaknesses, Ray urged them to push past it and ignored those who wanted to leave, one witness claims. The witness told Ray she couldn’t get one woman to move or wake up, and James’ reply? “Leave her alone, she’ll be dealt with in the next round.”

At one point, someone lifted up the back of the tent, allowing light into the otherwise pitch black tent. Ray demanded to know where the light was coming from and who committed the “sacrilegious act,”.  A man, yelling “I can’t take it, I can’t breathe, I can’t do this” had crawled out.

She lasted the entire two hours in the sweat lodge, however nearly two dozen others were hospitalized and like I said, 3 ended up dead.  Apparently James Ray did nothing, sat back and watched the people die, trusting they would make it out ok. He will most likely be faced with Homicide and negligence charges. Nuts!

So yeah, who knows what would happen if I had that job. I could have been at the camp? I would now probably be without a job, and more importantly, this guy just sounds nuts! Too intense for me. SO next time you’re confused on why you lost your job, why you didn’t land a job, or why something did or didn’t happen, trust that there is a silver lining hiding somewhere in that dark, puffy cloud. Even if you don’t see it today, know there is a reason. I found out mine today!

I do believe all things happen for a reason. Do you guys have any similar stories?