Let's Talk About Sects

Fai West was just 10 years old when she was first introduced to the teachings of Soulaire Allerai and the Soulful Journey. A few years later, as a teenager in high school, she found herself living in Soulaire’s basement, sleep deprived from attending multiple late-night classes and channelings of an omniscient being known as ‘G’, and learning about her own presence in a future dimension called The 99. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Credits:Written and hosted by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldLinks:Being: The Soulful Journey  — by Soulaire Allerai, FriesenPress, December 2023Being: Transformation Begins With… — by Lynn Young, Master Path Publishing, March 2007Soulful Journey — website, accessed February 2026Living Faith Spiritual Community — ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer listing, accessed February 2026\Getting Real with Soulaire — Podbay episode shownotes, accessed February 2026An Interview with Lynn Young (Master Soulaire) — by Tim Miejan, Edge Magazine, 1 October 2008Lynn Young, Interview — by Tim Miejan, Edge Magazine, 1 October 2007soulaireallerai.com — archived website from 28 February 2021Inspiring Conversations with Soulaire Allerai of Bad Rooster Food Truck — Voyage Minnesota, 24 March 2022Soulful Journey® Wellness Center — archived website page from 12 August 2025Family, former followers, claim food truck finances a Minnetonka cult — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 28 August 2022Bad Rooster Responds: It’s because of our success — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 30 August 2022Bad Rooster LLC and Soulaire Allerai vs Kelly Ring Abedi and Angela Marie Hummelgard — Minnesota Judicial Branch Court Records Online, document search conducted for Case Number: 27-CV-22-10996 and documents viewed March 2026Minnetonka food truck co-owner sues two sisters over cult accusations — by Kim Hyatt, The Minnesota Star Tribune, 28 July 2022Families accuse Minnesota food truck of funding New Age ‘cult’ that ‘brainwashes’ members — by Josh Marcus, The Independent (UK), 1 September 2022Judge dismisses 'cult' lawsuit filed by food trucks — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 21 July 2023‘Abuse, Fear, and Gaslighting’: Ex-Members on Life in Food Truck Owner’s ‘Cult-Like’ Group — by Kate Briquelet, The Daily Beast, 14 September 2022Community Highlights: Meet Soulaire Allerai of Bad Rooster Food Truck — Voyage Minnesota, 18 December 2025Kelly Abedi’s Facebook post — about Bad Rooster from 7 July 2022 that she continues to update with developmentsLiving Faith Instagram — accessed February/March 2026The Soulful Journey Instagram — accessed February/March 2026Bad Rooster Instagram — accessed February/March 2026Living Faith Spiritual Community website — accessed February/March 2026Soulful Journey Facebook page — accessed February 2026Bad Rooster Truck Facebook page — accessed February 2026Bad Rooster website — accessed February/March 2026Popular Food Truck Accused of Luring Women Into a ‘Cult’ — by Kate Briquelet, Daily Beast, 5 September 2022'The Journey Comes First': More family members make claims against Bad Rooster — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 13 September 2022Meet Soulaire Allerai — Canvas Rebel, 2 September 2025Minnetonka food truck owner asks judge to stop sisters from making public cult accusations — by Kim Hyatt, The Minnesota Star Tribune, 24 September 2022

The sentences just came down for OneTaste’s founder Nicole Daedone and her second-in-command Rachel Cherwitz – if you're unfamiliar with OneTaste you can listen to Let's Talk About Sects' deep dive in November 2020. From that episode, you may remember Ruwan Meepagala. When he spoke with LTAS five years ago, Ruwan had already been working on his memoir, which he finished writing and released last year. It’s called ORGSM: A Memoir. The sentencing was the perfect opportunity to revisit Ruwan's story and find out how his perspective has shifted over the intervening years.Credits:Written and hosted by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldLinksFounder of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company gets nine years in prison in forced labor conspiracy — Associated Press, The Guardian, 31 March 2026ORGSM: A Memoir — by Ruwan Meepagala, Subversalist Publishing, October 2025Ruwando.com — Ruwan Meepagala's websiteYou can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.

Expanse is the ABC’s internationally award-winning podcast exploring big stories from across Australia, and it’s sixth season sees host Dominique Bayens investigate the unsettling circumstances surrounding the 2007 disappearance of four people from the town of Nannup in Western Australia: Chantelle and Leila McDougall, Tony Popic, and a man known as Simon Kadwill. Simon espoused a doomsday belief system in online forums and through his book, Servers of the Divine Plan. And when it came to his relationship with the much younger Chantelle, many close to her had noticed his controlling behaviours.LinksExpanse: The Nannup Four — Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2026The curious case of the Nannup Four — by Dominique Bayens for the Expanse podcast, ABC, 7 March 2026You can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.

Harry Robert Bruner was brought into Sri Chinmoy as a child, joining the organisation run by Chinmoy Kumar Ghose at the age of 12. Chinmoy claimed he lifted weights totalling 7063¾ pounds (or over 3,200kg) with one arm on 30 January 1987. He also faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with female devotees. Harry left at the age of 30, and wrote and performed a solo show about this experiences in Sri Chinmoy called ‘Nephew of the Universe’. Through Creative Exit Coaching he now helps others disentangle from destructive beliefs, reclaim their voice, and tell their own stories.LinksCreative Exit Counselling — Harry's work assisting survivors to reclaim their creativity after leaving a high-control groupI Was in a Cult. Leaving Wasn’t the Hardest Part — by Harry Rob Bruner, Medium, 16 August 2025The Media’s Love Affair With Alleged Sex Criminal Sri Chinmoy — by Edwin Lyngar, Salon, 9 May 2014New York Times Crossword — 10 December 2025If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.

Allison after NXIVM tells the story of Allison Mack: former Smallville actress, high-ranking NXIVM member, and convicted felon. With exclusive access following her release from prison, the series traces her astonishing path from Smallville fame to NXIVM’s inner circle – and her effort to rebuild a life in the wreckage.Host, writer and executive producer Natalie Robehmed spoke with Sarah about the new podcast series, her impressions of Allison Mack, why she decided to be involved with this story, and the ethical considerations around making the series.LinksUncover: Allison After NXIVM — Campside Media, 2025Natalie Robehmed — Natalie's websiteNXIVM — Let's Talk About Sects' episode about the organisation, 18 September 2019If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.

Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult is Ellen Huet’s excellent new book, described as “a cautionary tale of sex and salvation for the wellness generation: how orgasmic meditation turned into a cult.” Let's Talk About Sects dived into OneTaste back in November 2020, and a lot has happened since then, including arrests, trials, and guilty verdicts. So it was the perfect time to speak with the journalist who broke one of the most important stories about the true nature of OneTaste back in 2018.LinksEmpire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult — by Ellen Huet, MCD, November 2025The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company — by Ellen Huet, Bloomberg Businessweek, 18 June 2018If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.

Danny Rensch grew up in the Church of Immortal Consciousness, a cult he usually refers to as ‘the Collective’. Started by Steven and Trina Kamp, the group followed the teachings of a Dr Pahlvon Duran, whose spirit first visited Trina when she was 9. In trances, she would convey the teachings of Dr Duran, whose last lifetime was lived as an Englishman in the 15th century. The group lived communally dispersed across basic housing in Tonto Village, Arizona.The Collective’s small charter school, the Shelby School, became renowned for the performance of its chess team, and Danny Rensch was its star performer. By 14 he was a US Chess Federation national master, which was an Arizona state record at that age, and at 19 he was ranked first in the United States for his age, when he also achieved his first international master norm. Today he is the Chief Chess Officer and co-founder of Chess.com. In his memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life, out on 6 September and available now for pre-order, Danny delves into this part of his story for the first time.Links:Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life — by Danny Rensch, Hachette, September 2025Chess.com — With Danny Rensch's profile and statisticsIf you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com).

From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate, to the Octopus Murders and the Waco Siege, the world is full of deception, manipulation, and destruction. Listen to Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes every Wednesday as we explore the real people at the centre of the world’s most shocking secrets and nefarious organizations. Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a Crime House Original powered by PAVE Studios. Follow the show now so you don’t miss a single story.Listen and follow here: https://link.podtrac.com/c6zbxkmi

The Logos Foundation was often described as ‘mysterious’ in media coverage, but became a part of the religious right that published full page newspaper advertisements encouraging the electorate to vote on ‘moral’ issues at Queensland state elections in the late 1980s. LTAS looked into the organisation in Season 5, and you can listen to that episode here.'Fynn' (not their real name) was born into the Logos Foundation, and in this interview episode shares the extent to which a childhood in a group like this impacted their family and their life, even many decades later.Links:Survivors of the Logos Foundation Australia — a new Facebook group set up by Fynn to help former members connectThe Logos Foundation — LTAS episode with further research links, 16 November 2022If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com).If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at www.iasp.info.