Jean and Dr. Glenn speak with author Joelle Tamraz, whose gripping memoir details her time with a “yoga guru” who became her life and business partner. Through her compelling storytelling, it becomes clear that it was not weakness or desperation, but a heady mix of idealism, openness to possibility, and a desire for meaningful connection that put Joelle in the path of Arun, who promised to guide and love her, but instead exploited her faith and abused her trust.
Joelle’s personal experience under the control of a charismatic partner illuminates another, wider issue: how “new age” movements like yoga and meditation have been weaponized by charismatic leaders in the popular and lucrative world of self-help. The means in which Arun manipulated Joelle also resemble how “gurus” and predatory self-help organizations manipulate wider audiences.
In this interview, Joelle, Jean, and Dr. Glenn discuss Joelle’s experience, focussing on the problems with yoga, how the popular practice fits under the umbrella of self-help, and why it deserves as much criticism as any other corner of the industry. Joelle also shares a number of tips and red flags to help other seekers avoid unethical and dangerous “gurus.”
“The Secret Practice” releases in August 2023, and is now available for pre-order.
Also mentioned in this Episode:
General info:
SEEK’s Red Flags
Post about Harmful Yoga on SEEKSafely.org by Sarah Jean White
Books:
“Tragedy in Sedona” by Connie Joy
Documentaries:
“The Secrets of Hillsong”
“Holy Hell”
“Wild, Wild Country”
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Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown
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