Self-Help Guru Creates Wellness Company For Women To Receive “Orgasm Massages” By Trained Men
In this episode of Rotten Mango, the story of One Taste and its controversial wellness organization is explored. Founded by Nicole Dédône, the company marketed a sexual wellness practice called "Oming" to both women and men, particularly targeting individuals in the tech industry. The organization's recruitment process began with low-cost mixer events before advancing participants into more expensive programs.
The summary examines One Taste's business model and leadership approach, including allegations from former members about financial exploitation and questionable practices. It details how the organization promoted its signature practice as a form of meditation and female empowerment while simultaneously marketing it to men seeking improved intimate relationships. The summary also covers Dédône's background and the apparent contradictions in her teaching philosophy.
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1-Page Summary
One Taste and Its Controversial "Oming" Practice
One Taste's signature practice, "Oming," involves a fully-dressed male "stroker" providing manual stimulation to a partially undressed woman for 15 minutes. According to founder Nicole Dédône, this meditative practice aims to boost female sexual energy and pleasure, though it's not intended to result in orgasm.
Marketing and Recruitment Strategy
One Taste employs a calculated recruitment strategy beginning with $10 mixer events featuring "hot seat" exercises to identify participants' vulnerabilities. The company then implements an aggressive upselling approach, starting with $200 introductory courses and escalating to programs costing up to $60,000. Their marketing particularly targets men struggling with relationships, especially those from the tech industry who seek to improve their intimate connections with women.
Allegations of Cult-like Behavior
Former members report significant financial strain, with some accumulating over $100,000 in debt through the organization's expensive programs. The organization faces accusations of coercing participants, including sexual assault survivors, into potentially harmful practices. According to Stephanie Soo's account, Nicole Dédône advised trauma survivors that "Oming" could help them overcome their past experiences by becoming aroused by their trauma.
Nicole Dédône's Complex Leadership
Before founding One Taste, Dédône planned to become a Buddhist monk but changed course after discovering Oming. Her teachings present notable contradictions: while promoting female empowerment through Oming, she simultaneously tailors the practice to appeal to men. Dédône's message often varies between encouraging women's autonomy and advising them to be accommodating to men, suggesting a complex interplay between empowerment and commercial appeal.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- "Oming" is a practice developed by One Taste that combines elements of meditation and sexual energy work. It is intended to cultivate heightened awareness and presence during intimate touch without focusing on orgasm. The term reflects the idea of channeling sexual energy into a meditative, healing experience. This approach is rooted in certain tantric and somatic traditions that emphasize energy flow and mindfulness.
- A "stroker" in the context of One Taste's "Oming" practice is an individual, typically male, who provides manual stimulation to a woman during the session. Their role is to facilitate the meditative experience by focusing on the woman's pleasure and energy without the goal of achieving orgasm. The stroker's actions are meant to enhance the woman's sensory experience and connection to her own body. The practice is designed to be a consensual and meditative interaction between the stroker and the woman, emphasizing mindfulness and sensation.
- The practice of "Oming" involves a fully-dressed male and a partially undressed woman to create a dynamic where the focus is on the woman's experience and pleasure. The contrast in attire is designed to emphasize the roles of the participants and the intention behind the practice. It aims to facilitate a specific type of intimate connection and energy exchange between the individuals involved. This setup is a key aspect of the unique approach and philosophy of the One Taste organization.
- The idea of boosting "female sexual energy" without orgasm comes from certain spiritual and tantric traditions that view sexual energy as a life force to be cultivated and circulated rather than released. Practitioners believe this energy can enhance overall vitality, emotional balance, and intimacy. The practice focuses on prolonged arousal and sensation without climax to maintain and amplify this energy. This approach contrasts with conventional views that equate sexual pleasure primarily with orgasm.
- $10 mixer events are low-cost social gatherings designed to attract many participants. "Hot seat" exercises involve individuals sharing personal stories or vulnerabilities in front of the group. These activities create emotional openness and trust among attendees. They also help organizers identify who might be more receptive to further recruitment.
- The upselling process starts by attracting participants with low-cost events to build trust and identify personal needs. After initial engagement, the company offers progressively more expensive courses promising deeper transformation or mastery. High prices often reflect extended program durations, exclusive content, and personalized coaching. This tiered pricing strategy aims to maximize revenue from committed clients.
- The tech industry is known for high-stress jobs and social isolation, leading some men to seek help with emotional and relationship skills. Many in tech have disposable income, making them attractive customers for costly self-improvement programs. The culture in tech often values productivity and logic over emotional intelligence, creating a market for services promising personal growth. One Taste likely targets this group to capitalize on their financial means and desire for better intimacy.
- Advising trauma survivors to become aroused by their trauma involves encouraging them to reframe painful memories as sources of sexual energy. This approach is controversial because it can blur boundaries between healing and retraumatization. Trauma therapy typically emphasizes safety and consent, not sexualization of trauma. Critics argue this method risks exploiting vulnerable individuals rather than supporting genuine recovery.
- Nicole Dédône's initial plan to become a Buddhist monk reflects her early interest in spiritual practices and meditation. Buddhism emphasizes mindfulness, self-awareness, and transcendence of suffering, which likely influenced her later development of "Oming." Her shift from monastic life to creating One Taste shows a move from traditional spirituality to a commercialized, sexualized form of meditation. This background helps explain the meditative framing of One Taste's practices despite their controversial nature.
- Nicole Dédône's teachings blend empowerment with traditional gender roles, creating tension between promoting independence and encouraging women to prioritize men's needs. This duality reflects a strategic balance to attract both women seeking autonomy and men seeking control or connection. The contradictions may stem from commercial motives, aiming to appeal broadly rather than adhere to a consistent philosophy. Such mixed messages can confuse participants about the true intent of the practice.
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One Taste and Its Controversial "Oming" Practice
One Taste, a company focused on women's sexuality, has introduced the practice of "Oming" which raises questions about consent, ethical boundaries, and the potential for exploitation in group settings.
One Taste Offers "Oming" As a Wellness and Empowerment Activity For Women
Oming: A Male "Stroker" Stimulates a Woman Non-sexually For 15 Minutes
During an "Oming" session, a woman lies down and adopts a butterfly position with her pants off and shirt on while a fully-dressed male "stroker," trained by One Taste, uses organic coconut lube to manually stimulate her non-sexually for 15 minutes. The idea is that any man can bring out the big "Om" in any woman in just 15 minutes, as suggested by Nicole Dédône, One Taste founder.
Oming: A Meditative Practice to Boost Female Sexual Energy and Pleasure
The meditative practice of Oming involves a timer set for 13 minutes, followed by a two-minute grounding period. Not intended to result in orgasm, the practice is described as a way for women to build up energy within themselves and reconnect with their femininity. Nicole Dédône emphasizes the sync of nervous systems that this practice induces, claiming it opens up magical doors of experience. Regular Oming is said to prevent a woman's desire from "being iced over."
One Taste's Oming: Women's Sexuality Exploration Raises Ethical Concerns
Oming Sessions: Group Settings Blur Boundaries and Consent
The practice can take place in large group settings, such as at the OM conference, which concerns some due to blurred personal boundaries and complicated issues of consent. Despite the offer of a red card system for discomfort, the nature of being stroked by someone possibly just met, in front of other participants, can create an uncertain environment. Moments occurred at the conference that made participants question the ethical nature and the boundaries o ...
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One Taste and Its Controversial "Oming" Practice
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- The concept of "non-sexual" stimulation in a practice like Oming is subjective and can be interpreted differently by participants, potentially leading to misunderstandings about the nature of the activity.
- Group settings for intimate practices like Oming may not provide the necessary privacy and comfort for all individuals, which could affect their ability to give genuine consent.
- Labeling a practice as "clinical" does not automatically ensure its safety or ethical integrity, especially if it involves physical touch and emotional vulnerability.
- The training of "strokers" and the effectiveness of the red card system may not be sufficient to address the complexities of consent and personal boundaries in such intimate settings.
- The claim that Oming can prevent a woman's desire from "being iced over" lacks scientific evidence and may oversimplify women's sexual health and wellness.
- The emphasis on male strokers for a practice aimed at female empowerment could be seen as reinforcing gender dynamics that the practice os ...
Actionables
- You can explore your own boundaries and comfort levels by journaling about your experiences with intimacy and vulnerability. Start by writing down your thoughts and feelings about intimate practices, noting any discomfort or boundaries you may have. Reflect on these entries to better understand your personal limits and how you might communicate them in any future intimate setting.
- Develop a personal consent checklist for intimate activities to ensure clear communication and mutual understanding. Create a list of questions or statements that address your boundaries, comfort levels, and consent preferences. Use this checklist as a guide in conversations with potential partners to establish a shared understanding of each other's limits and expectations.
- Educate yourself on diverse perspectives and experiences regarding intima ...
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One Taste's Marketing and Recruitment Tactics For Attracting Members
One Taste's methods for attracting and retaining members involve a calculated strategy of high-pressure sales and an appeal to certain demographics of men.
One Taste Uses High-Pressure Tactics to Convert Participants
One Taste draws potential members in with mixer events and uses these occasions to identify individual vulnerabilities and insecurities.
Vulnerability Assessment at Initial "Mixer" Events
During a $10 mixer event, which includes cocktails and socializing, One Taste conducts what's known as a "hot seat" exercise for about 30 minutes. Participants are given intense attention, making them feel a high from this focused interaction. A salesperson in the background takes notes on each participant's insecurities and desires, which are extracted by persistently asking the participant, "What do you want?" until it leads to the revelation of their deepest insecurities and desires.
One Taste Upsells Into Costly Courses and Programs
One Taste's strategy involves a ladder of increasingly expensive courses. After the initial mixer, participants are upsold to a $200 one-day course introducing stroking and Orgasmic Meditation (OM) sessions. From there, members are encouraged to sign up for a $3,000 weekend course, escalating to a week-long course costing $16,000, and ultimately to a master coaching program priced at $60,000. An attendee may find themselves in significant debt, as much as $100,000, even when they are considered employees of One Taste.
One Taste Targets Men Struggling With Relationships and Intimacy
One Taste's clientele has included a substantial number of men, implying they target those seeking to improve their relationships with women.
Company Urges Men to View Oming As a Method to Better Please Women
The marketing strategy suggests that One Taste has a focus on making oming attractive to men as a means to enhance their ability to please women. Nicole, the founder, catered to men because it was difficult to get them to pay for services ...
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One Taste's Marketing and Recruitment Tactics For Attracting Members
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Orgasmic Meditation (OM) is a practice combining mindfulness and focused genital stimulation, typically involving a partner. It aims to increase awareness, emotional connection, and sexual pleasure through a structured, timed session. OM emphasizes non-goal-oriented touch, focusing on sensation rather than orgasm as the end result. The practice is often taught in workshops or courses to improve intimacy and personal growth.
- A "hot seat" exercise involves one person being the focus of intense attention and questioning from a group or facilitator. It is used to create emotional vulnerability and encourage participants to reveal personal thoughts or feelings. This technique can increase psychological pressure, making individuals more open to influence. In marketing or recruitment, it helps identify personal insecurities to tailor persuasive approaches.
- "Oming" refers to the practice of Orgasmic Meditation (OM), a structured form of mindfulness focused on genital stimulation. It combines physical touch with meditative awareness to enhance emotional connection and intimacy. The practice aims to improve sexual pleasure and emotional openness between partners. It was popularized by One Taste as a method for personal growth and relationship improvement.
- Some organizations classify participants as employees to require them to promote or recruit others, effectively working for the company. This can blur the line between customer and worker, leading to financial obligations like purchasing courses as part of their "job." Such arrangements may result in participants incurring debt while being labeled employees. This practice is often seen in multi-level marketing or similar business models.
- The courses focus on teaching Orgasmic Meditation (OM), a practice involving mindful, partnered stroking to enhance intimacy and emotional connection. They include guided sessions, group discussions, and personal coaching to develop skills in communication and sexual pleasure. Higher-level courses offer deeper training in teaching OM and personal transformation techniques. The programs often blend physical practice with psychological and emotional exploration.
- Men from the tech space are often targeted because they are stereotypically seen as socially awkward or inexperienced in intimate relationships. Their intense focus on technical skills may leave them less confident in em ...
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Allegations of one Taste as a Cult With High-Pressure Sales and Member Coercion
Allegations against One Taste suggest that it operates with high-pressure sales tactics and engages in member coercion.
Ex-members Report Feeling Indebted to one Taste After Costly Pressure
Former members have reported feeling a sense of emptiness and disruption in their personal relationships after engaging in "Oming," an activity central to One Taste's practice, which may imply a high-pressure environment and emotional manipulation. A journalist shared her experience describing "Oming" as thrilling but also leaving her feeling empty and unable to relate to friends, indicating potential psychological coercion.
Members Accrued $100,000+ Debt Due to Predatory Sales Practices
Members—including staff—of One Taste have reportedly accrued debts upwards of $100,000 through the organization’s expensive courses and programs to become master strokers. The high level of financial commitment indicates that One Taste's sales practices could lead members into significant debt, though the exact figure is not detailed within the provided transcript.
One Taste Accused Of Coercing Participants, Including Sexual Assault Survivors, Into Trauma Re-enactment
Allegations against One Taste also extend to accusations of the organization coercing participants, including sexual assault survivors, into re-enacting their traumas under the auspice of healing.
Company Allegedly Advised Survivors Oming Overcomes Trauma
While not explicitly mentioned in the transcript, there are victims who have suggested that One Taste targeted young women and sexual assault survivors. Stephanie Soo reported that Nicole Dédonne, associated with One Taste, advised such survivors that "Oming" could help them become comfortable with their bodies. Dédonne is said ...
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Allegations of one Taste as a Cult With High-Pressure Sales and Member Coercion
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- "Oming" is a practice developed by One Taste that involves guided sexual energy exercises aimed at achieving heightened pleasure and emotional release. It is presented as a form of meditation or healing through sexual experience. The practice is central because it is marketed as the key method for personal transformation and trauma recovery within the organization. Participants are often encouraged to engage deeply with "Oming" to progress in their involvement with One Taste.
- "Oming" is presented by One Taste as a practice intended to help sexual assault survivors reconnect with their bodies and overcome trauma through sexual energy and arousal. The method involves guided exercises that focus on sensation and pleasure, aiming to transform traumatic memories into positive physical experiences. This approach is controversial because it encourages survivors to re-enact or engage with trauma-related feelings in a sexual context. Critics argue this can be psychologically harmful rather than healing.
- The term "valuable commodity" refers to how young women were viewed primarily for their ability to attract attention and generate revenue within the organization. This perspective reduces individuals to their economic or social utility rather than respecting their autonomy. It often leads to exploitation, where the organization pressures these women to conform to roles that benefit the group financiall ...
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One Taste Founder Nicole Dédonne: Background, Beliefs, and Contradictions
Nicole Dédonne, the founder of One Taste, shows a complex interplay between her early life ambitions, her beliefs concerning empowerment and sexuality, and the contradictions inherent in her teachings.
Nicole Dédonne Planned to Be a Buddhist Monk Before Discovering Oming
Before establishing One Taste, Nicole Dédonne was on the path to becoming a Buddhist monk. However, her life took a sharp turn after her initial encounter with Deliberate Orgasm (DO), commonly referred to as Oming. This experience was so transformative that she ditched her monastic plans and made Om her life's work, dedicating herself to espousing and promoting the practice.
Dédonne's Teachings Contradict In Messages to Men and Women
Stephanie Soo recalls Nicole Dédonne's charismatic speaking skills, particularly when explaining the concept of Om, instilling the practice with an aura of empowerment, particularly for women. Dédonne's lectures often focus on how females can use Oming as a means of empowerment, with the practice allowing them to focus on their own pleasure.
Oming Empowers Women, Tailored For Men
Dédonne positions Oming as part of wider discourse on female sexuality, which, in her view, has been suppressed and framed negatively. She champions Oming as a way for women to harness their "turned on" energy, suggesting that it can be a powerful tool to sway men. However, the practice of Oming can be seen as catering more to men—the 'strokers'—in a seemingly transactional manner, embellishing the male role within the practice. During OM, men are instructed to apply grounding pressure and maintain eye contact with the woman's genital area while providing neutral narration, which Dédonne argues leads to an emotional revelation for many women.
Dédonne Urges Women to Be Accommodating and Enticing to Attra ...
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One Taste Founder Nicole Dédonne: Background, Beliefs, and Contradictions
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Counterarguments
- The concept of empowerment through Oming may not be universally accepted as empowering for women, as some may argue that it still places women in a position of performing for male pleasure.
- The idea that Oming can lead to emotional revelations for women may not be supported by scientific evidence and could be seen as an overstatement of the practice's benefits.
- The advice to women to be accommodating and show appreciation to men could be criticized for reinforcing traditional gender roles rather than challenging them.
- The assertion that men desire competence and authenticity from women could be seen as a generalization that does not account for the diverse preferences and desires of individual men.
- The portrayal of female sexuality as historically suppressed may not acknowledge the progress made in many cultures and societies regarding women's sexual liberation and rights.
- The claim that O ...
Actionables
- Explore mindfulness techniques that focus on bodily sensations to enhance personal awareness and pleasure. By practicing mindfulness that zeroes in on physical experiences, you can develop a deeper connection with your body, similar to the heightened focus on sensation that Oming promotes. Start with simple exercises like mindful breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, paying close attention to the sensations in different parts of your body.
- Create a personal journal to document emotional insights and revelations. Keeping a journal dedicated to your emotional journey can help you track patterns and breakthroughs, akin to the emotional revelations described in Oming. Write daily entries about your feelings, reactions to certain situations, and any moments of self-discovery, focusing on authenticity and self-compassion.
- En ...
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