Part 4: Sexual Teachings of Master Raniere: ‘My Sweetheart’

A previous post [Part 2: Secret Teachings of Master Raniere ] attracted critical attention by some who thought the language attributed to ‘the spirit of Keith Raniere’ during episodes of amorous adventures was incongruous with the man who gave the world ‘Rational Inquiry.’

Women, he says, however, require such flighty language.

Some seemed intent on destroying his life energy. Such was the case of Toni Natalie, the first women to publicly defect from Mr. Raniere.

She first met him when she was employed by Mr. Raniere for his company Consumers Buyline. After a time she became his girlfriend.

Miss Natalie claims Mr. Raniere told her she was born on Earth to carry his baby who would alter the course of history. They never had a child.

When Mr. Raniere’s Consumers’ Buyline was sued in 1993 by the New York attorney general, alleging it was a pyramid scheme, Mr. Raniere closed the business and settled for a $40,000 fine. Miss Natalie lent him $20,000 to help him pay his fine.

Mr. Raniere and his new partner, Nancy Salzman, began a multi-level marketing business called Executive Success Programs. Ms. Salzman operated it based on the conceptual teachings of Mr. Raniere. Its purpose was to teach people to be ethical and think rationally.  Mr. Raniere wrote that his teaching program “represents the change humanity needs in order to alter the course of history.”

Miss Natalie set up a health food shop in Clifton Park, N.Y.  and continued to live with Mr. Raniere. Mr. Raniere from time to time borrowed money from Miss Natalie to demonstrate his mathematical ability to beat the house at various casinos.

Mr. Raniere miscalculated slightly [only by a single digit] and her money was lost.

Miss Natalie said she decided to leave Mr. Raniere in 1999 when she discovered he was having sexual episodes with other women he was teaching while claiming they were in a monogamous relationship.

To persuade her to stay, he initiated a series of on-demand amorous encounters. When she protested, Mr. Raniere held her in place and said, ‘its harder on me than it is on you.” He explained he had to require her to have sexual encounters in order for her to share his energy, according to Miss Natalie.

Miss Natalie said she did not want to press rape charges but was happy just to leave, which she did one day without notice.

After she left, Mr. Raniere wrote to Miss Natalie, referring to her as “sweetheart”.

In an attempt to woo her back on May 12, 1999, he wrote in ‘the spirit of Mr. Raniere.”  [for complete six page letter: Raniere’s Love Letter to Woman].

Mr. Raniere wrote in part:

My Sweetheart swore … that she would never hurt me, leave me and would be loyal to me – no matter what happened…. My Sweetheart swore to protect me at all costs and truly understood the difficulty of the task I undertook. … She loved the mission, ESP [Executive Success Prohrams] and teaching…. She loved the soft caresses and the deep connection we had through our eyes. She recognized there was no one else for her and experienced the true feeling of completion when she opened herself to me. We had a dance where we held hands and I would sing to her as she held her head up against mine….

Dear Sweetheart, you may now understand for the first time truly how I love you….  I showed you how wonderful and complete our relationship could be…  [I] waited patiently over the years for the day when you would say “Oh Keith, I am truly sorry about what I did, I was wrong.” At that point, the world would stand still and all would transform to your perfect relationship. …

I continued to hope Nancy could help you open your heart.  … Unfortunately, you did not understand how deeply I cared… Remember, I trust everyone (including you) because I can’t imagine a person- being untrustworthy. This is because I am very trustworthy….

I would like to meet with you secretly…  Sweetheart, it does not have to be this way…. We had so much to build together… We also have so many memories to cherish. I will forever miss my Sweetheart so much. Each night, I meet with her and we hold hands and Oh, how we danced… I hope my Sweetheart calls. If not, then shall I dance with my Sweetheart forever in my dreams, but never again in real life shall we touch for my Sweetheart will no longer exist….

My angel, my all, my very self… .my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us – I can live only wholly with you or not at all… Be calm – love me – today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my all – farewell.  Oh continue to love – never misjudge the most faithful heart of your Beloved. Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours.

Despite the poetic letter, Miss Natalie decided not to return to Mr. Raniere and filed for bankruptcy in US Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Raniere’s vigorously opposed her, claiming she had hidden assets and owed Ms. Salzman $50,000 for her health food business.

A U.S. judge said he found it “disturbing” to hear testimony that Mr. Raniere had had police sent to Miss Natalie’s mother’s house and made repeated threats to her and her family. Mr. Raniere appealed the case several times.

In 2003, US bankruptcy Judge Robert Littlefield ruled in favor of Miss Natalie. Referring to Mr. Raniere, Judge Littlefield wrote: “This matter smacks of a jilted fellow’s attempt at revenge or retaliation against his former girlfriend, with many attempts at tripping her up along the way.”

It is said that Mr. Raniere almost died from grief at the loss of Miss Natalie, his sweetheart. His ‘tearful longings’ and his ‘most faithful heart’ which was ‘ever hers, ever his and ever theirs’ never allowed him to forget and all we have left of his beautiful sentiments is the language of love he so ardently crafted to his ‘immortal beloved.’

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Frank Parlato