A Little Bit Culty

Empire of Orgasm: Ellen Huet on the Different Strokes of OneTaste (Part 1)

10 snips
Nov 17, 2025
Guest
Ellen Huet
Ellen Huet, an award-winning investigative journalist and author of Empire of Orgasm, delves deep into the controversial wellness cult, OneTaste. She reveals how a movement promising sexual healing transformed into a high-demand group that manipulated its members. Ellen discusses the seductive appeal of orgasmic meditation and how the pursuit of pleasure morphed into a psychological trap. Sharing her firsthand reporting experiences, she explores the alarming tactics used to maintain control and the complexities that led to a federal investigation. It's a conversation that challenges the very notion of empowerment.
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INSIGHT

Sex At The Center Of The Brand

  • OneTaste sold orgasmic meditation as goalless mindfulness while positioning sex at the forefront of its brand.
  • That upfront sexual framing both attracted seekers and normalized deep sexual focus within the organization.
ANECDOTE

What An OM Session Looks Like

  • Ellen describes the OM session: a stroker uses a gloved, lubed finger to stroke a woman's clitoris for 15 minutes with scripted language.
  • The practice ends with a bell and the interaction is explicitly framed as goalless and contained.
INSIGHT

From Class To High-Demand Group

  • Deeper involvement shifted OM from a class into a high-demand group with communal living and sales work.
  • Members often left jobs, moved into OneTaste residences, and isolated from outside relationships.
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