Cohen

*776 Appellant Carolyn Cohen and her company Here We Grow, Inc., donated about a half million dollars to a San Diego spiritual group called Kabbalah Centre International, Inc. ("Centre"). Later Cohen wanted her money back. The trial court ruled she had no such right. We reverse one of the trial court's rulings that concerns $ 25,000 and affirm all the rest.

I

We summarize the factual record.

Centre is an organization whose members seek spiritual fulfillment. Cohen alleged Centre "holds itself out to the public as a spiritual and educational, albeit non-religious, organization dedicated to the study of Kabbalah."

Cohen joined Centre in San Diego in 2002. According to Cohen, "Some members of the Kabbalah Centre -- i.e., those they perceive to possess celebrity or personal wealth -- are given special treatment. Such members (including [Cohen] ) are assigned personal teachers and counselors." Counseling sessions were "extremely intense and frequent."

Centre designated defendants Yosef Shvili, and later his wife Esther Shvili, as Cohen's spiritual guides. The Shvilis told Cohen that to receive the light and to promote her spiritual health she should "give money until it hurts."…