Fool's Gold: Discernment in the Age of Grift

ABOUT BECKY GARRISON: Becky Garrison is a spiritual seeker and researcher exploring the Pacific Northwest craft culture, including beer, wine, cider, cannabis/CBD, psychedelics, along with the regional festival scene and the sacred sexuality/ecstatic dance community. She served as Senior Contributing Editor for The Wittenburg Door from 1994 to 2008 and is now on its board of directors since its 20...

In this Bonus episode of Fool's Gold Reading the News, Cara reads aloud the International School of Temple Arts/ISTA's About Page from their website ista.life as of April 2026. Judge for yourself.

What does it take to hold coercive organizations legally accountable? Attorney Carol Merchasin—known in some circles as "the cult ninja"—joins Cara for a deep dive into the legal landscape survivors face when seeking justice. Carol traces her path from large law firm partner to specialist in high-control group litigation, including the pivotal influence of Anita Hill's testimony and how it reveale...

How did a Victorian manor in rural New Zealand become an ISTA-connected mystery school? Bronwyn Rideout—Chair of the NZ Skeptics and independent researcher—joins Cara to trace Highden Temple's strange history, from its 1898 origins through Bruce Lyon's 2017 crowdfunded acquisition. Bronwyn walks through the digital evidence trail connecting Highden to ISTA despite public claims of separation, the...

What do Scientology, Nazism, and neo-tantra have in common? Cult researcher Jon Atack traces the hidden lineage through Theosophy, Aleister Crowley, and early 20th century occultism. Jon explains how L. Ron Hubbard stole from Crowley's sex magick, how Alice Bailey's "ascended masters" influenced both Scientology and Bruce Lyon's Highden Temple, and why Blavatsky's Aryan race fantasies became found...

In this Fool's Gold, Reading The News Bonus episode, Cara reads the latest statement posted on Safer Sex-Positive and Spiritual Communities website: 3SC, ISTA and the Misuse of the Joint Statement , published March 10, 2026. References: ISTA's FAQs The Joint Statement Jan 18, 2024 A Disappointing End June 9, 2025 Israeli Center for Cult Victims (ICCV) Update on ISTA November 2025

What if the "transformation" promised by week-long retreats is really activating a defense mechanism to stress? Dr. John Hunter joins Cara to explain the dopaminergic defense hypothesis, his research connecting large group awareness trainings (LGATs) to bipolar-like states. John traces LGAT history from Mind Dynamics (1967) through EST, Lifespring, and Landmark, explaining how these organizations...

Award-winning journalist Anya Kamenetz joins Cara to discuss her February 2025 New York Magazine investigation of The International School of Temple Arts, ISTA. Anya explains how she came to the story through friends who loved ISTA, attending an ISTA-adjacent retreat, and hearing whispers of a "Me Too problem" the organization was supposedly addressing. What began as a story about accountability d...

What happens when a cult journalist finds themselves in a cult? Anke Richter, author of Cult Trip and founder of DECULT, joins Cara to explore the disorienting experience of researching sex cults while simultaneously participating in ISTA, The International School of Temple Arts. Anke describes the dopamine hook of intense retreats that made mundane life feel flat, and the embarrassing realization...

In this Reading The News bonus episode of Fool's Gold, Cara reads the New York Magazine article by Anya Kamanetz , published Feb 28, 2025. No commentary, just the article read aloud.

Former ISTA facilitator Ellie Wilde joins Cara to share her 11-year journey through the organization—from participant to inner circle to speaking out. Ellie arrived at 40 seeking tools for better relationships and sexuality. She traces how she moved into facilitation and what it meant to be part of a world that seemed to offer healing and belonging. Ellie and Cara discuss power dynamics between te...

CONTENT NOTE Contains discussion of coercion, manipulation, organizational abuse, and victim-blaming. Jack's direct, confrontational interviewing style may be activating for survivors. In Part 2 (of 2), Cara and Jack explore what comes after you recognize harm in a community you loved. Cara shares her two-year journey attempting accountability through mediation—believing transformation was possibl...

Fool's Gold 'Reading The News' Bonus episodes launch with the Politis article, "ISTA in Cyprus: Sacred Sexuality or a Pattern of Harm? " by Katerina Nicolaou, Nov 23, 2025. No commentary, just the article as written, read aloud to you by Cara Cordoni.

What happens when your friend's shampoo post on Facebook leads to five years in a commercial cult? Anti-MLM activist Julie Anderson joins Cara to trace her journey from desperately seeking work to becoming one of the most recognizable voices exposing multi-level marketing fraud. Julie explains how Monat recruited her through product testimonials, bonuses, and "ignorance on fire"—the MLM term for r...

What happens when a journalist flips the script? In this episode, writer and comedian Jack Rikess interviews host Cara Cordoni about her journey into and out of The International School of Temple Arts (ISTA). Cara walks Jack through her three ISTA retreats, from the $2,500 promise of transformation to the reality of large group awareness training (LGAT) manipulation—including sleep disruption, psy...

What happens when the search for meaning collides with manipulation? In this inaugural episode of Fool's Gold, host Cara Cordoni sits down with communication strategist Stuart Parkinson to explore why this podcast exists—and why we're all fools. Stuart and Cara discuss the archetype of the fool, the mechanics of large group awareness trainings (LGATs), and how bright, thoughtful people end up in h...