Doreen Mary Bray, Institute for Energetic Healing

[Superdog]

A self help type person selling sweatlodges:
http://www.iehinstitute.com/iehceremonies*.html

Regularly scheduled once a month.  $75 per person.

Here's a semi-documentary video where she tries to describe sweat lodges and pretty much justifies what she does as something that's part of every culture throughout the world.  Several of the pictures of sweat lodges in the video feature plastic tarps, yet in her comments she seems to think she's some sort of expert....her take is that "these" sweats include all belief systems....that way you don't have to feel guilty about paying to pretend you're Native....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFYI8LpvFh8

Enjoy...I didn't.

Superdog

[Epiphany]

Here she is blathering in comments to a blog post "The lesson of James Arthur Ray’s guilty verdict in the Sedona sweat-lodge deaths" written by someone else:

Doreen Mary BrayReply08. Feb, 2010 at 7:54 am
I give about 30 sweats a year and have been doing so for over 25 years. First off, the materials used were all wrong. The fabric must be made of a natural fibre like linen, cotton or animals skin and breathe, so the participants can breathe! His exterior consisted of old blankets of varying un-natural materials and plastic tarps. My God! Big flag there!

None of my sweats consist of more than 15 individuals placed in a single row around the outer circle. They have the opportunity to stretch out their legs and even lie down where the ground is cooler and a greater air flow makes breathing more comfortable. Participants should never be squished together like sardines where they are dripping sweat on one another, and ‘no-one’ should be even close to the rim of the hot rock pit. To place them so is certainly not sane. Whenever I’ve had an unexpected large turnout, out of respect for the individuals, I give 2 separate sweats, to ensure everyone’s safety and their journeying personalized. This is a deeply sacred, spiritual journey where great healing and an alignment of mind, body and soul can occur, and all aspects of it should be treated as such.

How do I feel about what happened? Saddened. I am sad that someone would peacock themselves off as an expert without taking into account the saneness of what he was asking of the participants. They were and are all beautiful loving beings whose weaknesses and vulnerabilities they entrusted to him. That is big and should never be taken lightly. Their heart’s, souls and life were in his hands. He abused them. He purposely took them for a ride. Let’s face it, how can anyone reach spiritual enlightenment when all they are doing is trying to remain conscious and just stay alive? It is illogical.

Do I have compassion for him and his journey? Yes. I have compassion for all who have allowed the darkness and insanity of their ego to dictate their desires, direction and actions. I pray he find a way to cleanse his darkness for this is a sickness that seems to have infected many of the light bringers and healers of our times. Perhaps his awakening will help others who carry this dark code to also heal.

I pray for all involved. May they find peace. May they find a true spiritual guide.

Much love and Blessings to All.

Doreen Mary BrayReply23. Mar, 2010 at 11:05 am
We are living in a time of great upheaval and change. We each need to personally answer to our God and the universe. No longer can we act out of greed, insensitivity, denial, self-absorption or from a place of pain and suffering. Living and acting out of those states will only bring more of the same back into our lives for the world mirrors back to us what we think, and what we are.
Sadly most learn through pain and suffering. It teaches us what not to do. What not to think. What not to create. Only when we no longer wish to create pain and suffering for ourselves or others, we change.
Can humans learn through love and compassion instead? I believe this is what we are metamorphosing toward.

Because you condemn Ray, you are like him. You wish him to have pain and suffer, to the same degree as he caused others to have pain and suffer. As long as people perpetuate this ideology, we as a race will continue to create and re-create pain and suffering in the world. It starts with you. Just stop. Think of all the times you have done another wrong. Did you learn? Did it awaken you and make you swear ‘never again.’ It starts with you and ends with you. Change yourself and you change the world.
Have compassion for those that suffered and for those that caused the suffering. They are learning together.
Consciously and honourably rise above them both by sending them love, blessings and light and proclaim your awakening by choosing to never consciously cause pain or suffering in yourself or another again.

Doreen Mary Bray

http://www.soulscode.com/are-we-capable-of-compassion-for-disgraced-guru-james-arthur-ray/

[Epiphany]

Thoughts have energy, and energy has a resonance, a vibration, says Doreen Mary Bray, who also calls herself a seer and is the director of the Institute of Energetic Healing at the Queen Elizabeth Health Complex.

"Every thought is attracted to other thoughts of the same vibration," she said. "That's why it's important to understand where you're manifesting from. The universe will give you what you want but if 95 per cent of your thoughts are negative, you're cultivating weeds."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=78fc94dd-c0b2-4ade-891d-98770bfae388

Institute of Energetic Healing retreats, run by Doreen Mary Bray
Description: Five-day retreats feature two sweat lodges, an aboriginal medicine wheel, daily
yoga and guided meditations.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=f5baee58-93dd-4a43-b973-e57d4a945719

[Epiphany]

That is an incredibly obnoxious video.

[Autumn]

Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/SpiritCommunicator

From LinkedIn:

Doreen Mary Bray is an internationally sought-after energetic healer and teacher with over 30 years experience in natural and energetic healing modalities. From early on in her life, she became aware of her extraordinary healing abilities, and began her lifelong mission to help those in need live free of ailments while awakening to their true potential. In her practice, she combines inner guidance with different therapeutic modalities and other proven techniques to activate clients’ innate healing capabilities. She has helped many reverse disease by employing various mind, body, and soul therapies. A visionary thinker, speaker and author of, ‘Energy as Consciousness & The Power of Being,’ she continues to push the boundaries in natural healing and provide new perspectives helping others realize their multi-dimensional nature and achieve self-mastery.
Her teachings bridge philosophy, psychology, spirituality, Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupressure, Soul centered body work, Massage Therapy, cranial sacral release, sound and vibrational medicine, body structural modification and spinal work, healing the inner child modalities, potent Energetic Therapies and healings, grid and matrix re-alignment and re-programming and re-patterning the DNA.
Doreen hosts regular Shamanic and ancient group healing sessions such as retreat workshops, sweat lodges ceremonies and Medicine Wheel journeying. In addition to being an energetic therapist, Doreen is also the founder of the Institute of Energetic Healing where she teaches aspiring natural health practitioners proven mind-body-soul healing techniques studying in such areas as the higher teachings of Energetic Anatomy, Acupressure techniques and hosts an advanced Spiritual Shamanistic curriculum.

Specialties: Therapist, Healer, Natural Diet Consultant, Teacher, Lecturer, Inspirational Speaker, Writer, Shaman.

Doreen Mary Bray has appeared on TV, Radio talk shows and has written a book & several published articles.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/doreenmarybray

Stupid video.  Why doesn't she just call it a sauna?  At least she pronounces "shame-on" right.

I had a problem with the link Superdog gave, so maybe this one works better:  http://www.iehinstitute.com/iehceremonies*.html (nope, it didn't work for me, something weird is going on).  I think you need to physically add the *.html to the end of the address once you have clicked on the link.  (Yes, I tried that and it works).

The ceremonies are done in harmony and respect for the Native American tradition of going into a sweat lodge to purify ones mind, body and connection to their soul. The way through the gates into the higher realms are believed to only be achievable by releasing the heavy and dead things inside of us; the toxins. In their tradition the toxins are believed to be held in the mind through our negative thought forms, in the body and in the organs from the poisons in our food, air and water. It is understood that the toxicity is what creates the barrier between the person and their soul and their higher calling.
 
We have become sleep walkers. Not fully alive and not fully dead. Somewhere caught in the middle. The sweat lodge holds the key to unlocking and freeing all that you are. It allows a person to purify and purge the toxins from their life by releasing them from the mind and body. Once freed the person will be able to connect to their soul, their calling and to the powers within.
 
What goes on in a Sweat Lodge?
Inside the igloo shaped hut, red hot rocks are placed in the middle of the circle. Water and medicinal herbals are sprinkled on the rocks. The steam released cleanses the body as it sweats out the toxins. Drumming, rattling and chanting holds the beat that soothes and calms the mind. Guided imagery takes you on your healing journey into yourself.
 
The igloo shape is symbolic of a mothers womb. It is pitch dark inside. You are going into the womb of Mother Earth to re-create and re-birth yourself in your image. Another way of looking at it is like a cocoon. You are going into the dark, into the cocoon to re-create and then emerge as the butterfly.
 
The experience is empowering, transformative, life-altering and definitely memorable.
This is the only sweat Lodge in Montreal. The ceremonies will be held in Beaconsfield. Don't miss your chance to participate.
 
You must register ahead as no more than 14 people will be allowed per sweat. No-one under 10 is allowed. It is customary to have a people outside the sweat lodge holding prayers for those inside going through the metamorphosis. If you wish to be one of the prayer holders, please register as a prayer holder.

[debbieredbear]

Register as a prayer holder? WTF? And "Native Tradition? Which one? "Guided imagery"?? A guided meditation, even in a sauna, is not "ceremony", but it must be cere-MONEY for her.

[Epiphany]

In the video she displays what looks like a strong Castaneda influence. She talks about "warriors" bravely facing dark challenges and uses her voice extra dramatically to portray supposed danger and darkness.

She says she has apprentices who have been with her for years, if so, my guess is she basically has a cult.

[Epiphany]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFYI8LpvFh8

A great example of her use of overly dramatic, almost ominous voice and music is around the 2:00 mark, sentence ending with "deeper inner realms of their being".

Check out the comments on the video. Sampling of Doreen here, worth looking over the whole thread, good range of opinions expressed on the youtube page

You are absolutely correct Blaine, which makes me wonder why there are so many hate comments here. I have clearly stated these are not Native American Sweats nor are they done by Natives (I'm only part Native), yet they are still so disrespectful. I pray all humans stop their separatist ways & come together in respect? & love. Sending Heart-Hugs, Doreen

Blessings to you Dear One for I am part native and part Siberian, so the term suits me just fine and I thank you for your thoughts and for sharing. You, as I, are divine. We are not separate as others try to make us? think. We have a choice to support and lift one another or condemn and harm each other. I choose to lift you by loving you and sending you blessings.

Personally, I think this is outright evil.

[Autumn]

Register as a prayer holder? WTF? And "Native Tradition? Which one? "Guided imagery"?? A guided meditation, even in a sauna, is not "ceremony", but it must be cere-MONEY for her.

Mmmm....  $75.00 x 14 people = $1.050.00 x 12 (months) = $12,600/year.  And that is only one of the things she offers.  Definitely cereMONEY.

[Epiphany]

Medicine Wheel Workshop for Teens

This workshop is like the one above but has been created especially for young adults. Creative, interactive, informative and educational, this workshop will inspire and help develop a young persons sense of self. Give your kids the gift of knowledge and self-acceptance. In this workshop they will learn about the least understood parts of themselves. Their animal nature or ego. Through understanding and playfulness they will unlock the hidden Shaman and inner wisdoms within themselves and begin to walk the way of the Shaman.
 
In Beaconsfield
Date: Saturday, June 29th. 2013 
$100.00 1:00-5:00 PM

http://www.iehinstitute.com/iehcoursesandworkshops.html

She has that last word in that course description "Shaman" highlighted in red, which is like how she says that word in her video too, very stagy.

If she uses her voice that way in her Skype consultations, workshops etc. - she's using it for trance induction. She is using it to influence and manipulate.

[Autumn]

Yes, Epiphany, very interesting comments under her YouTube video.  I thought this one was interesting:

Doreen Mary Bray 1 year ago

Oh My...you are tooooo funny. I have done 1,000's of sweats in my life time from South America, Mexico, the Southern and Northern US, along with Canadian natives sweats, Hawaiian, Australian Aboriginal ones, Norwegian, German and African. Each is different, but not just different teachings depending on which nation is doing the teachings but even within one Nation the sweats often differ. Funny enough they all? say the same as you have here...that theirs is the only REAL one :>) Blessings to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFYI8LpvFh8

Let's see.  1,000 sweats x $75.00 per sweat = $75,000.  Well, she has to recover her money some way.   

Here is something I have always wondered -- If a Sweat Lodge is supposed to purify you and "release the toxins," why do you need to do it over and over and over again?

[Epiphany]

Here is something I have always wondered -- If a Sweat Lodge is supposed to purify you and "release the toxins," why do you need to do it over and over and over again?

You'd think she'd notice that she is more "toxic" after every sweat and that maybe the sweats were responsible for making her "toxic". 

I like this definition from The Red Flags of Quackery:

"Toxins" Also see: Chemicals. Imaginary substances invoked to sell a product. The liver removes any real toxins from your body just fine.

http://sci-ence.org/red-flags2/

[Autumn]

Here is something I have always wondered -- If a Sweat Lodge is supposed to purify you and "release the toxins," why do you need to do it over and over and over again?

You'd think she'd notice that she is more "toxic" after every sweat and that maybe the sweats were responsible for making her "toxic". 

I like this definition from The Red Flags of Quackery:

"Toxins" Also see: Chemicals. Imaginary substances invoked to sell a product. The liver removes any real toxins from your body just fine.

http://sci-ence.org/red-flags2/

Yes, Epiphany, the word "toxin" is a sore point for me.  As I mentioned in my introductory thread, a dear friend's daughter fell under the sway of a man who convinced her that practically everything around her was "toxic" and that he knew how to "release the toxins".

Here are a few other "illuminating" comments by Doreen under her YouTube video:

Doreen Mary Bray 1 year ago

Different forms of indigenous sweat practices date back over 2,000 yrs. American Indian Sweat Lodge; Finnish Sauna; Greek Sweat Bath; Irish Sweat House; Japanese Mushi-Buro and Korean Jim Jil Bang; Jewish Shvitz; Islamic Hammam;Mayan Sweat? House; Mexican and Central American Temescal and Inipi; Roman Balnea and Thermae; Russian Bania; Scythian Sweatbath; and South African Sifutu. The oldest remaining sweat ritual structure is Celtic. It dates back to 1500 B.C.

Article by Stephen Colmantm PhD

Doreen Mary Bray 1 year ago

No exploitation...at all. I only charge for the food and the time spent with them (approximately 5 hours) before the sweat. The sweat part is free. But important to note is that it takes me 3 days in the least, to prepare for a sweat. If I gave it all without being gifted back in some way, then I would be the one being exploited. A balance of give and take is necessary for all humans in all endeavours. Wishing only the? highest and purest outcomes in your life for 2012!

So, in other words, she will do what she wants to do and you can't convince her of anything because she knows it all.

And this one is a doozy.  It proves her ability to exaggerate:

Doreen Mary Bray 1 year ago

Dear weekofthepioneer, After over 500 sweats & almost 20 years of giving them on both Native grounds with & for? Natives along with non-natives, as a therapeutic tool & as an amazing aide to assist all who wish to heal their fragmented or shattered selves, I see this practice as a glorious gift from Creator. These sweats are only given in love, to nurture & heal through love & I stand ready to help & to assist anyone wishing to heal using any tools creator gives to his children.

So what is it Doreen?  500 sweats or 1,000 sweats???

[Epiphany]

Two different quotes from Doreen, in response to extensive ongoing criticism:

Nothing can be stolen,for nothing is owned.

Bless you Dear One. Please understand that no one can take anything from you because nothing belongs to you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFYI8LpvFh8

[Autumn]

Doreen Mary Bray 1 year ago

Different forms of indigenous sweat practices date back over 2,000 yrs. American Indian Sweat Lodge; Finnish Sauna; Greek Sweat Bath; Irish Sweat House; Japanese Mushi-Buro and Korean Jim Jil Bang; Jewish Shvitz; Islamic Hammam;Mayan Sweat? House; Mexican and Central American Temescal and Inipi; Roman Balnea and Thermae; Russian Bania; Scythian Sweatbath; and South African Sifutu. The oldest remaining sweat ritual structure is Celtic. It dates back to 1500 B.C.

Article by Stephen Colmantm PhD

This is the Stephen Colmant mentioned in Doreen's quote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1GGE8ZwK3Q

Uploaded on Sep 5, 2010

Sweat rituals have been present throughout the world for thousands of years and are central to community life among many cultural groups. For example, the practice was common in ancient Greece and Rome. The Romans built gigantic structures throughout their empire like the Diocletian Bath which could accommodate 6,000 people. Today in Finland there is one sauna to every 3.5 people. Different forms of indigenous sweat practices can be found across many geographically and culturally distinct regions of the world: (1) American Indian Sweat Lodge; (2) Finnish Sauna; (3) Greek Sweat Bath; (4) Irish Sweat House; (5) Japanese Mushi-Buro and Korean Jim Jil Bang; (6) Jewish Shvitz; (7) Islamic Hammam; ( Mayan Sweat House; (9) Mexican and Central American Temescal and Inipi; (10) Roman Balnea and Thermae; (11) Russian Bania; (12) Scythian Sweatbath; and (13) South African Sifutu. Many of these sweat practices have been present for more than 2,000 years. The oldest remaining sweat ritual structure is Celtic. It was recently found in Scotland and dates back to 1500 B.C. Today, few modern health clubs are without a sauna or steam room. Sweat rituals have significant social and cultural meaning for people. Physical and mental health, spirituality, close interpersonal interaction, and relaxation are common themes reported for people using the American Indian sweat lodge ceremony, the Finnish sauna, the Russian bania, and the Islamic hammam. According to the Finnish Sauna Society, the common purposes among different cultures using sweating procedures include religious ceremonies, healing illnesses, bodily cleaning, relaxation, and socialization. Many of the different forms of sweat practices used by cultural groups centuries ago remain obscure to us today. Such is true with the ancient Celts, Japanese, and in tribal Africa. Others, such as sweat practices used in ancient Greece, Rome, and by the Mayans are well documented. The forms of sweat practices that have been most persistent throughout time are the Finnish sauna, the American Indian sweat lodge, the Russian banya, and the Islamic hammam.

Only he sticks to saunas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yPB39ustcM
http://saunascape.com/2010/10/creating-your-own-sweat-ritual/
http://www.ihs.gov/oscar/export_pdf.cfm?Submission_UUID=C8154159-CE18-098A-CBDA493A58857A44
His book:  http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B004NIFPA0/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail

Indeed, the sweat lodge ceremony could be the poster child for cultural appropriation. The problem with using the sweat lodge ceremony with non-Indians is that the sweat lodge ceremony is a sacred ritual to American Indians. In our experience, American Indian representatives require that sweat lodges be built and ceremonies be facilitated by only American Indian people qualified to do so. Many American Indian representatives strongly object to non-American Indian groups proposing to use the sweat lodge ceremony. It is such a central part of the religious beliefs of American Indians that, according to Hirschfelder and Molin (1992), “it is inconceivable that an Indian could practice his religious life in the traditional Indian way without having access to a sweat lodge” (p. 287). Considering the ideas of cultural theft and exploitation is long overdue.

http://web.archive.org/web/20111225005016/http://psychsymposium.com/categorylist_html?cat_id=1