In most stories, the climax happens near the end. In Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste, the climax is the story. At least, that’s what Nicole Daedone promised to her clients and followers when she founded OneTaste, a sexual wellness company that gained global notoriety. At its core was the teaching of a practice called “orgasmic meditation” that promised spiritual enlightenment and community through 15-minute female orgasms. OneTaste built a large client base within San Francisco’s tech bubble, and was hailed by the media as a promising health and wellness outlet that would lead subscribers on a path toward fulfillment. However, according to some former members of OneTaste, there was something much more sinister going on behind the scenes.
The new documentary pulls back the curtain on what really happened to the OneTaste organization, its members and its controversial leader, Nicole Daedone. Using never-before-seen footage and interviews, Orgasm Inc. is an investigative journey covering 15 years of the company under Daedone’s leadership, including an FBI investigation for claims of sex trafficking, prostitution and violations of labor law.
The nature of this documentary series is graphic, sexual and highly sensitive with descriptions of sexual acts and suicidal ideation.
OneTaste was a wellness company that promised members a path to physical, mental and emotional liberation through orgasmic meditation, slow sex and sexuality-focused wellness education. Since the events depicted in Orgasm Inc., the company has rebranded as the Institute of Om.
According to OneTaste, orgasmic meditation (known by members as “OM”) is a unique wellness practice that combines mindfulness with orgasm. Daedone claimed she adapted the term from Buddhist and tantric practices that combine meditation with sexual stimulation.
Nicole Daedone is the founder of OneTaste, and is considered the organization’s spiritual leader. A TED talk she gave in 2011 put her in the national spotlight, earning Daedone the attention of celebrities and investors who funded much of OneTaste’s growth. However, under her leadership, many of OneTaste’s members reported experiencing coercion, manipulation and verbal, emotional and sexual abuse. Daedone is currently the subject of an FBI investigation after fleeing the country and selling her stake in OneTaste in 2017.
Orgasm Inc. premieres on Netflix on Nov. 5.
