WEBVTT - Astray Trailer

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<v Speaker 1>It's two thousand six and Emily, a twenty one year

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<v Speaker 1>old American, is that a retreat center in India, immersed

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<v Speaker 1>in a week long silent meditation. She climbs up to

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<v Speaker 1>the roof of the retreat center. It's at four in

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<v Speaker 1>the morning or so, and wraps a scarf under her

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<v Speaker 1>face and jumps off the building to her death. I

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<v Speaker 1>was shocked and confused when I heard this story. How

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<v Speaker 1>can a spiritual practice like meditation make you do that?

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<v Speaker 1>Some would argue that through this meditation, Emily reached some

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<v Speaker 1>sort of enlightenment. But if that's the case, then what's

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<v Speaker 1>the cost of enlightenment death. I'm Caroline Slaughter, the host

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<v Speaker 1>of a new podcast called Astray, and I'm also a seeker.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just about living in the light, meaning the truth

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<v Speaker 1>of who you are. A lot of people that will

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<v Speaker 1>hear this podcast will be seekers. But don't go to

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<v Speaker 1>India because this is a venus fly trap for your vulnerability.

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<v Speaker 1>After Emily's tragic death, the media linked her to a

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<v Speaker 1>phenomenon called India syndrome, a psychosis that befalls Westerners in

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<v Speaker 1>India on a spiritual quest. She's not alone in this diagnosis.

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<v Speaker 1>In the podcast, I investigate the disappearances and deaths of

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<v Speaker 1>other Westerners who have gone astray and what's been called

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<v Speaker 1>the spiritual Bermuda triangle. You don't know whether it's a

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<v Speaker 1>permanent loss or part time loss, or whether you've lost

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<v Speaker 1>them forever or you haven't, or you know it's just

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<v Speaker 1>or what is the loss? There's no evidence of the loss.

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<v Speaker 1>If we got a call today, he's not gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>the same person that left, So like, what does that

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<v Speaker 1>journey even look like? And to be honest, maybe maybe

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<v Speaker 1>it's better off you get the cool In my own

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<v Speaker 1>quest to investigate their disappearances has led me to some

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<v Speaker 1>unexpected places, identifying drowned bodies in the Holy River Ganges,

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<v Speaker 1>befriending a cannibal hunter, and re examining my own relationship

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<v Speaker 1>to this idea of enlightenment. Were you offended by it

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<v Speaker 1>at all? I am a little annoyed by it by

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<v Speaker 1>the term in death syndrome. To believe that that is

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<v Speaker 1>a general definition of a place I feel is reckless

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<v Speaker 1>and irresponsible. Astray examines the cost of a spiritual awakening

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<v Speaker 1>and asks how far would you go for enlightenment. Astray

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<v Speaker 1>is a production of school of Humans and I heart

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<v Speaker 1>Radio Listen to Astray launching a Marks three on the

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<v Speaker 1>I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get

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<v Speaker 1>your podcasts.