Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment
4.7/5
Critic Rating
When we face challenges in life, we seek answers from people we believe can help us. When tragedy strikes an exclusive retreat with a self-help superstar, many people are left to wonder: how far is too far? James Arthur Ray was an Oprah-endorsed self-help teacher who achieved fame, fortune, and influence. But friends and family members of his followers questioned his unorthodox methods, and tried to stop him. From Wondery, the makers of “Dirty John,” “Dr. Death,” and “The Shrink Next Door,” comes a story about the dark side of enlightenment. Hosted by journalist Matt Stroud.Binge all episodes of Guru exclusi...
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Sarah Hoek • Daily Maverick • Apr 2, 2021
"Thick, hot air: you can hear it; you can feel the bodies gasping for it next to you. For a moment, this is not a podcast, but a memory. It is gripping true crime meets existentialism in the middle of the Arizona desert that hooks you from the first installment to the last."
Score: 4.5
Wendy J. Fox • PodcastReview.org • Aug 14, 2020
"Though Guru is well-edited and boasts a high production value, if one listens to all six episodes consecutively, it does get slightly repetitive. To be fair, this is a challenge for anyone who produces episodic content, and it helps that Stroud is a skilled interviewer. On Guru, his subjects are open, reflective, and comfortable sharing difficult experiences on tape."
Score: 4.5
Eoghan O'Sullivan • Irish Examiner • Jul 14, 2020
"Written and narrated by journalist Matt Stroud, the soundscape and sound design Jeff Schmidt really adds to the unsettling atmosphere as the podcast confidently rolls on. The murder trial of Ray in episode four could become bogged down in detail but lets victim Kirby Brown’s mother Ginny tell of the “emotional numbing” of the trial and Laura Tucker describe her experience at the retreat. …"
