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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,” ...
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Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh rose from a precocious boy in India to a spiritual guru to tens of thousands of people worldwide. He became famous for his controversial teachings and lavish lifestyle, leading some to call him a cult leader. Building Utopia paints an immersive, unflinching portrait of Rajneesh and the people who chose to devote their lives to him -- including his top lieutenants, who fled his Rajneeshpuram commune in 1985 amid a cloud of criminal allegations. Building Utopia will capt ...
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Run out of shows to binge? Experiencing post binge depression (PBD) because you have to wait another year for a new season of your favorite show to return? Join me as I binge obscure shows on the major streaming platforms with a comprehensive review on what could be your next favorite show to binge! Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/binge-worthy-guru-podcast/support
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On June 10th, 1983, the decomposing body of a well-dressed man was found in a desolate canyon near Los Angeles. John Doe #94 would soon be identified as missing variety show producer Roy Radin. He'd last been seen after meeting with a mysterious woman in a gold dress. Her name was Lanie Jacobs. Jacobs and Radin were obsessed with becoming Hollywood…
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Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. Fro…
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With Sheela gone, Bhagwan takes to his stage to make a series of shocking criminal allegations about his former secretary. Law enforcement pounces on the opportunity to investigate, while disciples are left to piece together what happened in the heart of their community. BOOK NEWS: For a limited time, my publisher is extending a 25% discount on my …
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Murder is in the air at Rajneeshpuram during the summer of 1985. We track the commune leaders’ audacious plots to assassinate public officials and commune members they felt were enemies, including U.S. Attorney for Oregon, Charles Turner, and Bhagwan’s closest companion, Vivek. The events culminate in Sheela making a drastic decision. BOOK NEWS: Fo…
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In the summer of 1985, commune leaders begin plotting the assassination of people who oppose them. In this episode, we examine the events that led them to believe that murder was the only way to preserve their community and their master. Explosive public hearings, concerns about the commune’s arsenal of semi-automatic weapons, and a sprawling surve…
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NEW EPISODES! While external enemies mass against Rajneeshpuram, Sheela fixates on powerful disciples within the commune whom she believes pose an even greater threat. Her efforts to neutralize them lead to unintended — and catastrophic — consequences. Also, an update on my forthcoming book, "Rajneeshpuram: Inside the Cult of Bhagwan and Its Failed…
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Okay, this is actually a musical reality competition. Quite different than what I usually suggest. If you like pop hits, singing along, and seeing bad singers voted off, then this show is for you! Thirty minutes per episode, so you can binge season one in one day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/binge-worthy-guru-p…
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Ginny and her daughter Kirby attend an event featuring self-help superstar James Arthur Ray. Ginny has some concerns about him, but Kirby is drawn in. She spends her life savings to travel for a week-long event in the desert. But when things turn deadly, Ginny is left to figure out what went wrong. Listen exclusively with Wondery+. Start your free …
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A search for spiritual guidance leads a group of strangers to seek help from a self-help guru. He’s part of a growing number of entrepreneurs giving workshops and seminars all over the US in the 2000s. His unorthodox methods and blend of self-improvement philosophies and economic advice have won praise from Oprah and others. His career seems to be …
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Simple...IF you enjoyed Elite on Netflix, then you will enjoy Control Z! It is as if it is cut from the same fabric. High schoolers, in adult situations. After watching this show, you may rethink those explicit texts you send to the ones you trust... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/binge-worthy-guru-podcast/support…
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This was one of my first episodes of Binge Worthy Guru and I was working the kinks out. Seven Seconds came out a few years ago, with one season but definitely worth watching. This show is a bit controversial as it deals with possible police corruption and the killing of an unarmed black teen. Stellar performances, with many twists. --- Support this…
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Stuck in the house with nothing to watch? Check out yet another episode of Binge Worthy Guru where I will discus the new show on Amazon Prime Video, Hunters starring Al Pacino. Its dark, its gritty, kinda funny with violence and gore! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/binge-worthy-guru-podcast/support…
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The largest bioterror attack on U.S. soil hits the sleepy town of The Dalles, Oregon, two months before a high-stakes county election. But it’s just a dress rehearsal for the bigger scheme that Sheela’s closest ally—an enigmatic nurse named Puja—has cooked up in her secret laboratory at Rajneeshpuram, amid her rat cages, incubators, and petri dishe…
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What was it like to be a child living at Rajneeshpuram? In this minisode we’re joined by a special guest — a person who lived at the ranch as a teenager for nearly four years — who discusses his unique experiences living, learning, working, and loving at Rajneeshpuram. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a discussion of child sexual abuse and st…
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How do the Rajneeshees go about fulfilling their Master's vision of a new utopia on their ranch? We see what life was like for the hundreds of commune members who toiled from sun-up to sundown each day to make it happen. And later, we catch up with the big man himself. Bhagwan had entered into a silent phase before leaving India. So if he wasn’t ta…
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It’s the holiday season in Rajneeshpuram! We’ll explore the Rajneeshees’ three major holidays and see how they were celebrated during Bhagwan's first year in America. This culminates in the First World Festival in July 1982, which attracted 5,000 visitors and helped lay the foundation for the city of Rajneeshpuram. We’ll close by hearing Bhagwan’s …
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