"I started to feel dizzy, very sick"

June 6, 2005
By a Sedona retreat participant

I was involved with Dahn Hak about 3 years ago. Due to my disappointment, embarrassment at being duped and my shock at the results of my "retreat," this is the first time I have talked about it.

I attended the retreat in Sedona, AZ.

When I stepped off the bus, I knew that something wasn't right with this place, but still decided to see where the weekend went.

We had dinner and then went into another room. We were meditating with our eyes closed and when we opened them, there sat at the front of the room an attractive Asian man who looked to be late 30's or 40's. He sat behind a bank of flowers and was lit from behind so that it looked as though he had a halo.

My first thought was, "Oh, My God! This is a cult!"

We went to bed early and got up very early for our morning exercise.

As we began, I started to feel dizzy, very sick so I stepped into the next room.

Hey had someone take my blood pressure and it was 210 over 108! Then they took me back to my room and said a doctor would be with me shortly. Someone took my pressure again, but it had only come down a point or two.

I take anti-hypertension medication.

The doctor there told me to take another blood pressure pill. In all, she had me take four extra blood pressure pills.

Then I started to get a headache.

I have migraines, but this headache was far worse. I felt as if my head might explode.

The doctor then had me take one of my migraine meds and wrapped my head with a cold dry cloth.

Over the course of the evening I rested and my blood pressure started to subside a bit as did the headache. I decided then that I was going home. I went to the office (the only phone is there) and checked with the airport to change my flight. I then called my husband to let him know that I was coming home.

A young woman behind the desk said that that in the morning they would give me a ride to the airport.

I played it cool, afraid that if I yelled and hollered they might not take me to the airport and it was too far and too hot to walk. I remember sitting outside the office and seeing the smiles on all their faces and feeling envious that they seemed so peaceful.

People at the retreat tried very hard to talk me out of going, but I said I was sick and needed to go home.

On the way to the airport, the young man behind the wheel talked constantly about how wonderful Dahn Hak was and it was a shame I was going home and when should he tell them I would be back.

I said that I didn't know, and was too sick to think about it.

Once home, I called and made an appointment with my personal physician.

She was aghast that the doctor at Dahn Hak had me take extra blood pressure medicine.

My physician said that it could have stopped my heart!

I asked her if she thought that they could have put something in my food.

My doctor ran tests to find out.

By then my blood pressure was back to its regular level and the headache was gone. A CAT Scan of my head was negative for any abnormalities that might have caused the headache.

A day or two later, my MD called with the results of my tests. They were positive for marijuana!

But I've never smoked marijuana in my life. Just the smell of the smoke made me ill so, I assumed I was probably allergic to it.

Could the reason everyone seemed so peaceful at the retreat be that they were stoned?

I called the Arizona authorities, but there was nothing they could do.

Dahn Hak called several times, very insistent about talking to me.

I told them that drugs had been put in my food at Sedona and that I was very angry and wanted my money back. I felt betrayed by people of whom I had become very fond over the months.

A check arrived several days later, with no argument.

I'm sure they hoped I would just go away.