Shameless Sex

#470 Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult

Jan 27, 2026
Guest
Ellen Huet
Ellen Huet, investigative journalist and author of Empire of Orgasm, investigates OneTaste and the rise of orgasmic meditation. She traces how a wellness practice became a system of intense social pressure and alleged coercion. Conversation covers the practice itself, how involvement deepened into a lifestyle, and the federal probe that followed.
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INSIGHT

What Orgasmic Meditation Actually Is

  • Orgasmic Meditation (OM) is a 15-minute partnered clitoral-stroking mindfulness practice framed as spiritual rather than sexual.
  • Ellen Huet explains the ritualized setup, roles, and the practice's emphasis on noticing sensations rather than climax.
ANECDOTE

Demo Turned Consent Violation

  • Amy recounts a Pure Pleasure demo where a teacher forced audience members to verbalize sensations without consent.
  • The hosts apologized afterward and labeled that forced sharing a consent breach.
INSIGHT

Goallessness Reframes Orgasm

  • OneTaste reframed orgasm as a goalless, metaphysical energy to be cultivated rather than a climax to be achieved.
  • That goallessness and focus on presence appealed to people seeking deeper sexual awareness and reduced performance pressure.
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