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 Steel
Music by Joe Gould

Links:
Being: The Soulful Journey — by Soulaire Allerai, FriesenPress, December 2023
Being: Transformation Begins With… — by Lynn Young, Master Path Publishing, March 2007
Soulful Journey — website, accessed February 2026
Living Faith Spiritual Community — ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer listing, accessed February 2026\
Getting Real with Soulaire — Podbay episode shownotes, accessed February 2026
An Interview with Lynn Young (Master Soulaire) — by Tim Miejan, Edge Magazine, 1 October 2008
Lynn Young, Interview — by Tim Miejan, Edge Magazine, 1 October 2007
soulaireallerai.com — archived website from 28 February 2021
Inspiring Conversations with Soulaire Allerai of Bad Rooster Food Truck — Voyage Minnesota, 24 March 2022
Soulful Journey® Wellness Center — archived website page from 12 August 2025
Family, former followers, claim food truck finances a Minnetonka cult — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 28 August 2022
Bad Rooster Responds: It’s because of our success — by Tom Lyden, FOX 9, 30 August 2022
Bad 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 2026
Minnetonka food truck co-owner sues two sisters over cult accusations — by Kim Hyatt, The Minnesota Star Tribune, 28 July 2022
Families accuse Minnesota food truck of funding New Age ‘cult’ that ‘brainwashes’ members — by Josh Marcus, The Independent (UK), 1 September 2022
Judge 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 2022
Community Highlights: Meet Soulaire Allerai of Bad Rooster Food Truck — Voyage Minnesota, 18 December 2025
Kelly Abedi’s Facebook post — about Bad Rooster from 7 July 2022 that she continues to update with developments
Living Faith Instagram — accessed February/March 2026
The Soulful Journey Instagram — accessed February/March 2026
Bad Rooster Instagram — accessed February/March 2026
Living Faith Spiritual Community website — accessed February/March 2026
Soulful Journey Facebook page — accessed February 2026
Bad Rooster Truck Facebook page — accessed February 2026
Bad Rooster website — accessed February/March 2026
Popular 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 2022
Meet Soulaire Allerai — Canvas Rebel, 2 September 2025
Minnetonka food truck owner asks judge to stop sisters from making public cult accusations — by Kim Hyatt, The Minnesota Star Tribune, 24 September 2022
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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 Steel
Music by Joe Gould

Links
Founder of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company gets nine years in prison in forced labor conspiracy — Associated Press, The Guardian, 31 March 2026
ORGSM: A Memoir — by Ruwan Meepagala, Subversalist Publishing, October 2025
Ruwando.com — Ruwan Meepagala's website

You 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Links
Expanse: The Nannup Four — Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2026
The curious case of the Nannup Four — by Dominique Bayens for the Expanse podcast, ABC, 7 March 2026

You 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Links
Creative Exit Counselling — Harry's work assisting survivors to reclaim their creativity after leaving a high-control group
I Was in a Cult. Leaving Wasn’t the Hardest Part — by Harry Rob Bruner, Medium, 16 August 2025
The Media’s Love Affair With Alleged Sex Criminal Sri Chinmoy — by Edwin Lyngar, Salon, 9 May 2014
New York Times Crossword — 10 December 2025

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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Links
Uncover: Allison After NXIVM — Campside Media, 2025
Natalie Robehmed — Natalie's website
NXIVM — Let's Talk About Sects' episode about the organisation, 18 September 2019

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). With thanks to Money Saver Home Loans, supporting partner for this episode of Let's Talk About Sects.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.