Ram Dass
Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert; April 6, 1931 – December 22, 2019), also known as Baba Ram Dass, was an American spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, psychologist, and writer. His best-selling 1971 book Be Here Now, which has been described by multiple reviewers as “seminal”, helped popularize Eastern spirituality and yoga in the West. He authored or co-authored twelve more books on spirituality over the next four decades, including Grist for the Mill (1977), How Can I Help? (1985), and Polishing the Mirror (2013).
Ram Dass was personally and professionally associated with Timothy Leary at Harvard University in the early 1960s. Then known as Richard Alpert, he conducted research with Leary on the therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs. In addition, Alpert assisted Harvard Divinity School graduate student Walter Pahnke in his 1962 “Good Friday Experiment” with theology students, the first controlled, double-blind study of drugs and the mystical experience. While not illegal at the time, their research was controversial and led to Leary’s and Alpert’s dismissal from Harvard in 1963.
In 1967, Alpert traveled to India and became a disciple of Hindu guru Neem Karoli Baba, who gave him the name Ram Dass, meaning “Servant of Ram,” but usually rendered simply as “Servant of God” for Western audiences. In the following years, he co-founded the charitable organizations Seva Foundation and Hanuman Foundation. From the 1970s to the 1990s, he traveled extensively, giving talks and retreats and holding fundraisers for charitable causes. In 1997, he had a stroke, which left him with paralysis and expressive aphasia. He eventually grew to interpret this event as an act of grace, learning to speak again and continuing to teach and write books. After becoming seriously ill during a trip to India in 2004, he gave up traveling and moved to Maui, Hawaii, where he hosted annual retreats with other spiritual teachers until his death in 2019.
Ram Dass’s Philosophy
Embracing the Present Moment
Ram Dass emphasized the importance of being fully present and attentive to the current moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. He taught that by anchoring one’s consciousness in the “here and now”, one can experience a deeper sense of peace, joy, and connection with the universe.
Journey from Ego to Soul
Ram Dass believed that the ego, or the sense of individual self, is the root cause of suffering. He advocated for a shift in consciousness from the ego to the soul, which he saw as our true, divine essence. This journey involved practices like meditation, mantra repetition, and cultivating a “witness consciousness” that observes thoughts and emotions with detachment.
Love and Compassion
A central tenet of Ram Dass’s teachings was the cultivation of unconditional love and compassion for all beings. He believed that everything in the universe is interconnected and infused with love, and that by opening our hearts to this universal love, we can experience profound transformation and inner peace.
Embracing Suffering
Ram Dass viewed suffering, including his own stroke and physical challenges later in life, as opportunities for growth and spiritual awakening. He taught that by embracing difficulties with acceptance and grace, we can transcend our ego’s resistance and move closer to our true nature.
Honoring All Paths
While deeply influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism, Ram Dass respected and drew wisdom from various spiritual traditions, including Judaism, his birth religion. He believed that all paths could lead to the same ultimate truth if pursued with sincerity and an open heart.
In essence, Ram Dass’s philosophy encouraged a shift from the ego-driven, material world to a state of present-moment awareness, love, and spiritual awakening, embracing both the joys and challenges of the human experience as part of the journey.
― #genAI/perplexity
Ram Dass On Accepting Things As They Are - YouTube
Accepting Life As It Is
Ram Dass emphasizes embracing life without the “if only” mindset. He advises to engage fully with our current experiences rather than wishing for different circumstances. By accepting things as they are, we can find peace and presence in every moment, even amidst chaos.
Path to Spirituality Through Daily Life
Ram Dass shares a story where a mother wants to meditate but is distracted by her children. He suggests that her path to spirituality is through her children, not in spite of them. Spiritual growth happens through engaging with life as it is, not by escaping from it.
The Illusion of Roles
Ram Dass discusses how people often get trapped in their roles, such as being a mother or a truck driver, even when the context changes. He highlights the importance of recognizing and transcending these roles to understand our true, multifaceted nature.
Embracing Humanity and Divinity
According to Ram Dass, we are both human and divine. True self-awareness involves embracing both aspects. By accepting our desires, fears, and passions alongside our spiritual consciousness, we can live more fully.
Awareness and Conscious Living
Ram Dass talks about the constant presence of awareness once we begin to awaken. This awareness enriches our experiences, making even mundane activities deeply meaningful. He suggests that this state leads us to naturally alleviate the suffering of others.
Embracing the Present Moment
Ram Dass describes how fully engaging with our experiences, whether pleasurable or painful, enriches our lives. By allowing ourselves to be present in each moment without resistance, we find greater depth and meaning.
Quotes
- Ram asks Hanuman, “Who are you, Hanuman?” Hanuman answers, “When I don’t know who I am, I serve you. When I know who I am, I am you. ― Ram Dass, Grist for the Mill: Awakening to Oneness