Dr. Johnson's Reply to Mariangela and Hank Landau

Dear Mariangela and Hank,

I just read your article and commend you for taking this matter on in a direct, firm and commanding manner. As soon as this tragic event took place and hit the press I began receiving word of it from those that wanted to make sure that I was aware of what had transpired. I received messages over that weekend from at least a half dozen different sources.

As you know, we just completed our 22nd annual Fall Sacred Path Men's Retreat this past weekend. We had 50 participants, including staff, and we conducted 3 sweat lodges. I believe you know that I started holding lodges for my events commencing in the mid-80's. I have always invited Traditional Native American Sun Dancers to pour water for our lodges. Our lodges have always been conducted with the utmost safety, dignity and honor to the Lakota ways. My very first sweat lodge was conducted by Grandfather Wallace Black Elk, Great Grandson of the legendary Chief Black Elk. That lodge was filled with Native Americans including Grandfather Semu of the Chumash Tribe. It was an intense and challenging experience for me but I knew that I was in safe hands and that I was being pushed to my edge but that I was protected from above and within.

Andrew Soliz, who pours water for us now, spoke about the lodge led by Mr. Ray in Arizona. Andrew's cousin Thomas co-led our lodges. He is a member of AIM (American Indian Movement). They both indicated that they did not know Mr. Ray but discerning from what they had heard they knew that he did not run his lodge in a proper way and that many elements of it were inappropriate, abusive and negligent.

I am troubled by the fact that Mr. Ray calls his events Spiritual Warrior retreats. I founded the Men's Center of Los Angeles and the Sacred Path Men's Retreats in the mid-80's, and the subtitle of the Sacred Path Retreat has always been: The Way of the Spiritual Warrior. I heard these words spoken to me by the Great Spirit, "The Sacred Path, The Way of the Spiritual Warrior." I was inspired and instructed to bring good men together and to bring out the best in them and that they would therefore naturally choose to give back to others. Thousands of men of all ages have passed through the portals of our retreats without physical harm or emotional shame or abuse. Mariangela, you intimately know the profound nature of this work, and Hank, you have personally experienced the power of this work firsthand. When it is done in a good way, people benefit greatly. Many have been healed and helped on the Sacred Path.

I went to Mr. Ray's web site to learn more about him. I have read comments by people that have attended this event and others that he has conducted. I feel an aura of ego attached to Mr. Ray's teachings. There appears to be a mercenary tinge to his work that smacks of avarice and entitlement. When one is run by one's ego and pride, one can be misguided and mislead those that follow. I believe we are living in a time in which false prophets are being exposed. One of the men attending our retreat, for example, had lost over $2 million dollars from his life savings through investing in Bernard Madoff's ponzi scheme. I feel a sense of urgency that people need to awaken to the importance of exercising Mindfulness these days in discerning those that are real and truly committed to an honorable path with integrity from those that are essentially self-serving narcissists taking advantage of trusting souls. Thank you, dear friends, for being gatekeepers of The Path and sourcing the Divine word so that others may more clearly distinguish the twists and turns on their journeys to personal enlightenment. I would hope that Mr. Ray would take your admonition to heart and allow himself to be humbled and brought to a place in which he will do the right thing now. If you wish to include my words on your blog, you may.

With love and admiration,
Stephen