Where Wellness Meets The Radical Right: Experts warn of radicalization pipeline in Sedona

 

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Experts warn of radicalization pipeline as Sedona wellness communities, anti-government groups share space On the outskirts of Sedona, natural light filtered through New Age tapestries at the Ultimate Light Mission community center as the scent of burning palo santo hung in the air. Inside the two-day Wellness Wave Expo, visitors could choose from products ranging from crystal necklaces to stem-cell activation patches.  It was a common event in the affluent area, known for its iconic sandstone towers and mythic status as an anchor point of spiritual energy that draws a global audience of New Age pilgrims. But mixed within the Ultimate Light Mission’s schedule of drum circles and full moon ceremonies are trainings that weave together improbable conspiracy theories and promote anti-government ideologies. By blending alternative wellness offerings with events more traditionally aligned with the far right, experts say such shared spaces have become a pathway to radicalization. Events like the Freedom Wave, hosted just two weeks after the wellness expo and billed as a “must-see powerhouse presentation where the puzzle comes together,” introduce sometimes unsuspecting adherents of alternative health to conspiracy-laden ideologies like those of sovereign citizens—a resurging movement law enforcement officers once considered the greatest threat to communities in the nation. In this second installment of a three-part series, AZCIR’s Isaac Stone Simonelli details how Sedona has become a meeting place between wellness practitioners and groups with far right ideologies.  READ THE FULL STORY (PART II)

COMING WEDNESDAY:   Part III — 'Paper Terrorism' Growth in the sovereign citizen movement in Sedona has led to bogus legal filings designed to intimidate and harass public officials, requests by court officials to increase building security and escalated tensions between the movement’s adherents and local police. City officials have publicly downplayed the movement’s growth, but their internal communications reveal an awareness of—and concerns over—sovereign activity. Catch up on Part I: ‘Sovereign citizen’ filings flood Pima County, parallel national resurgence of controversial movement Adherents of the sovereign citizen ideology have garnered a reputation for conflict with government officials and members of the public—conflicts that, in some cases, have turned violent. More commonly, they engage in so-called paper terrorism tactics, threatening and harassing people and public agencies by inundating them with baseless lawsuits and liens. READ MORE I hope you’ve found value in this series of stories, which builds on AZCIR’s efforts to shed further light on movements and ideologies that affect our state. The third and final installment, which focuses on the impact from such groups, publishes tomorrow. If you haven’t already, please share this reporting or our newsletter with your friends and colleagues. Please also consider donating to our newsroom—we can’t do what we do without your support! DONATE Thanks, as always, for following and supporting our work. With gratitude, Brandon Quester Executive Director and Editor Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting