Being Ram Dass
By Ram Dass, Rameshwar Das and Anne Lamott
5/5 (9 ratings)
739 pages
21 hours
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at no additional cost
Perhaps no other teacher has sparked the fires of as many spiritual seekers in the West as Ram Dass. If you've ever embraced the phrase "be here now," practiced meditation or yoga, tried psychedelics, or supported anyone in a hospice, prison, or homeless center—then the story of Ram Dass is also part of your story.
From his birth in 1931 to his luminous later years, Ram Dass saw his life as just one incarnation of many. This memoir puts us in the passenger seat with the one time Harvard psychologist and lifelong risk-taker Richard Alpert, who loved to take friends on wild rides on his Harley and test nearly every boundary—inner or outer—that came his way.
Here, Ram Dass shares his life's odyssey in intimate detail: how he struggled with issues of self-identity and sexuality in his youth, pioneered psychedelic research, and opened the doorways to Eastern spiritual practices. In 1967 he trekked to India and met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. He returned as a yogi and psychologist whose perspective changed millions.
Populated by a cast of luminaries ranging from Timothy Leary to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Allen Ginsberg to Sharon Salzberg, Aldous Huxley to Alan Watts—this intimate memoir chronicles Ram Dass's experience of the cultural and spiritual transformations that resonate with us to this day, a journey from the mind to the heart, from the ego to the soul.
Before, after, and along these waypoints, readers will encounter many other adventures and revelations—each ringing with the potential to awaken the universal, loving divine that links this beloved teacher to all of us.
From his birth in 1931 to his luminous later years, Ram Dass saw his life as just one incarnation of many. This memoir puts us in the passenger seat with the one time Harvard psychologist and lifelong risk-taker Richard Alpert, who loved to take friends on wild rides on his Harley and test nearly every boundary—inner or outer—that came his way.
Here, Ram Dass shares his life's odyssey in intimate detail: how he struggled with issues of self-identity and sexuality in his youth, pioneered psychedelic research, and opened the doorways to Eastern spiritual practices. In 1967 he trekked to India and met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. He returned as a yogi and psychologist whose perspective changed millions.
Populated by a cast of luminaries ranging from Timothy Leary to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Allen Ginsberg to Sharon Salzberg, Aldous Huxley to Alan Watts—this intimate memoir chronicles Ram Dass's experience of the cultural and spiritual transformations that resonate with us to this day, a journey from the mind to the heart, from the ego to the soul.
Before, after, and along these waypoints, readers will encounter many other adventures and revelations—each ringing with the potential to awaken the universal, loving divine that links this beloved teacher to all of us.
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Mar 30, 2021Jt O'Neill rated it really liked it
I was a college student in the mid 1970’s when Be Here Now was making a splash on college campuses across the country. Yes, I was intrigued with the author Ram Dass and curious about the path that took him to writing this unique book. I will admit that Be Here Now was not an easy book for me to read. One reason is that the formatting does not follow the usual book publishing rules. I had to physically adjust myself and work just to read it. The different formatting along with the dark writing on dark pages and the intricate illustrations made it uncomfortable to read but so did the actual text. It was all unfamiliar territory for me. I was from a working class Catholic family and I needed help just understanding these new concepts.
Eventually, I grew in depth and understanding. Eventually, I came to greatly appreciate the work of Ram Dass and I grieved when I learned of his death in December of 2019. I was delighted to see that his autobiography would be published posthumously in early 2021.
Being Ram Dass is four hundred pages of a life story. There is a lot of minutia, some of it interesting, some of it monotonous. Although I enjoyed reading the sections on his childhood and his work at Harvard and Stanford detailed in Parts I and II, I was also familiar with those years as he had summarized them in the opening (non numbered pages) of Be Here Now. Those twenty or so pages will offer a reader the background to the rest of his life but I did enjoy his storytelling. He weaves together names, places, and events of the era in an engaging fashion.
For me, Parts III, IV, and V were more compelling. Throughout his life, Ram Dass took charge of his own story but these sections detail the compassion and grace that made his life so remarkable. He does not hold himself up to be a model of a perfect human being. In fact, he holds himself accountable for his humanity and yet he resonates with light and wisdom. I was especially interested in his path as he looked carefully at aging and dying.
For me, this book was more of an autobiography than a memoir. What’s the difference, you ask? The difference is in the details. An autobiography, told in the first person, tends to focus more on the facts of a person’s life. A memoir, also told in the first person, might reveal facts but tends to focus more on reflection and the author’s emotional response to events of their life. In my ideal book, Ram Dass would have paired down some of the minutia and written even more from the heart about his life story. Don’t get me wrong. He did write from the heart but sometimes that writing got buried in details. Another reviewer suggested that if some of the pages get too bogged down, just read the opening sentence in each paragraph and you will get the general idea, freeing you up to focus on the more engaging sections. That’s advice worth considering.
If you are interested in the 1960’s/1970’s, the counterculture, and research on psychedelic experiences, this book might appeal to you. If you are looking for a model of compassion, openness, and truth then this book will definitely appeal to you. Ram Dass was a gift to us from the Universe. He taught us how we are all walking each other home and I found his words to be thoughtful and inspiring.
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Eventually, I grew in depth and understanding. Eventually, I came to greatly appreciate the work of Ram Dass and I grieved when I learned of his death in December of 2019. I was delighted to see that his autobiography would be published posthumously in early 2021.
Being Ram Dass is four hundred pages of a life story. There is a lot of minutia, some of it interesting, some of it monotonous. Although I enjoyed reading the sections on his childhood and his work at Harvard and Stanford detailed in Parts I and II, I was also familiar with those years as he had summarized them in the opening (non numbered pages) of Be Here Now. Those twenty or so pages will offer a reader the background to the rest of his life but I did enjoy his storytelling. He weaves together names, places, and events of the era in an engaging fashion.
For me, Parts III, IV, and V were more compelling. Throughout his life, Ram Dass took charge of his own story but these sections detail the compassion and grace that made his life so remarkable. He does not hold himself up to be a model of a perfect human being. In fact, he holds himself accountable for his humanity and yet he resonates with light and wisdom. I was especially interested in his path as he looked carefully at aging and dying.
For me, this book was more of an autobiography than a memoir. What’s the difference, you ask? The difference is in the details. An autobiography, told in the first person, tends to focus more on the facts of a person’s life. A memoir, also told in the first person, might reveal facts but tends to focus more on reflection and the author’s emotional response to events of their life. In my ideal book, Ram Dass would have paired down some of the minutia and written even more from the heart about his life story. Don’t get me wrong. He did write from the heart but sometimes that writing got buried in details. Another reviewer suggested that if some of the pages get too bogged down, just read the opening sentence in each paragraph and you will get the general idea, freeing you up to focus on the more engaging sections. That’s advice worth considering.
If you are interested in the 1960’s/1970’s, the counterculture, and research on psychedelic experiences, this book might appeal to you. If you are looking for a model of compassion, openness, and truth then this book will definitely appeal to you. Ram Dass was a gift to us from the Universe. He taught us how we are all walking each other home and I found his words to be thoughtful and inspiring.
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https://rogueliterarysociety.com/f/be...
…”No matter what someone else does to you, never put anyone out of your heart.”__Maharaji-ji
That creed is not something I was ever gifted with. Life has many pitfalls and I found plenty of them. However, I was first introduced to the writings and lectures of Ram Dass back in the late sixties, early seventies. I liked both him and his work then and I certainly love him now. One pretty cool dude. Ram Dass has always been consistent in his representation of pure love and words of wisdom. Sad to know he passed from this life but his body did outlast most of his peers. This autobiography was written over the last ten years of his life. Interesting to learn what was behind his very public service and get a bit of insight into the other players in his continually evolving sphere of influence. The humility of Ram Dass comes through his writing, though he never truly suffered from any monetary lack which is the plight it seems for many of us. Richard Alpert was born into wealth and privilege which for me casts a shadow at times on his lifetime of good work and self-realization, but it was comforting to know he gave it all away. Any money he made from lectures or the sales of his books was put back into his foundations.
...My intellectual explorations made me think about who I was. I became an observer of my thoughts, learning how to watch how my mind changed. I became curious about the motivations that propelled me and others. Little did I realize that this observer stance would become important...I had just found the “I”—that perceptual point of view, that essence of identity, that scanning device. I’d found that place of awareness beyond form, where “I” exists independent of social and psychological roles. This “I” was beyond space and time…
LSD offers this like-experience. Of course, I had felt it all along in my sober self, but using LSD gave me a first-hand intense lesson on getting outside of one’s self and being witness to it. As in not reacting. Simply watching and observing what might, or might not, unfold. Steve Jobs maintained that everyone should take a hit of LSD at least once. Not a bad idea.
...Suddenly, sitting there, it occurs to me that if Maharaj-ji knows my thoughts about my mother, then he knows all my other thoughts too—including all the things I’m most ashamed of…
The quotation above reflects the astounding idea, and fear, of growing up a Lutheran that our dear God should know everything about me no matter what. Frightening, and for my part cause for extreme consternation. The same phenomenon of a fellow human being over in India knowing everything about me, all my secrets, guilt, and shame, just might be enough for my head to explode, and is something fortunately I have yet to have happen to me. It happened to Richard Alpert.
...We said that compassion is beyond sympathy or even empathy. It literally means being with another’s suffering. It includes the wisdom of impermanence and the understanding that personal narratives are not so important in the larger scheme of things…
Nearing my own passing due to the sheer mathematics of my advancing age is propelling me into a more rigorous study on how I might better prepare for my own end days. I understand this is something we now all should be practicing every day, but rarely do we. My having a family member struggling on all levels while dying of cancer brings this book into even better focus.
...Contentment is an attitude of the soul…Maharaj-ji said no one can die a moment before his or her time or live for a moment past it...
A joy to read and well-written, Being Ram Dass is as good as it gets, unless one had the pleasure and good fortune of being present in his midst. I have yet to subscribe to all these beliefs, but there are plenty of them for me to chew on in what remains of my time on this earth.
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…”No matter what someone else does to you, never put anyone out of your heart.”__Maharaji-ji
That creed is not something I was ever gifted with. Life has many pitfalls and I found plenty of them. However, I was first introduced to the writings and lectures of Ram Dass back in the late sixties, early seventies. I liked both him and his work then and I certainly love him now. One pretty cool dude. Ram Dass has always been consistent in his representation of pure love and words of wisdom. Sad to know he passed from this life but his body did outlast most of his peers. This autobiography was written over the last ten years of his life. Interesting to learn what was behind his very public service and get a bit of insight into the other players in his continually evolving sphere of influence. The humility of Ram Dass comes through his writing, though he never truly suffered from any monetary lack which is the plight it seems for many of us. Richard Alpert was born into wealth and privilege which for me casts a shadow at times on his lifetime of good work and self-realization, but it was comforting to know he gave it all away. Any money he made from lectures or the sales of his books was put back into his foundations.
...My intellectual explorations made me think about who I was. I became an observer of my thoughts, learning how to watch how my mind changed. I became curious about the motivations that propelled me and others. Little did I realize that this observer stance would become important...I had just found the “I”—that perceptual point of view, that essence of identity, that scanning device. I’d found that place of awareness beyond form, where “I” exists independent of social and psychological roles. This “I” was beyond space and time…
LSD offers this like-experience. Of course, I had felt it all along in my sober self, but using LSD gave me a first-hand intense lesson on getting outside of one’s self and being witness to it. As in not reacting. Simply watching and observing what might, or might not, unfold. Steve Jobs maintained that everyone should take a hit of LSD at least once. Not a bad idea.
...Suddenly, sitting there, it occurs to me that if Maharaj-ji knows my thoughts about my mother, then he knows all my other thoughts too—including all the things I’m most ashamed of…
The quotation above reflects the astounding idea, and fear, of growing up a Lutheran that our dear God should know everything about me no matter what. Frightening, and for my part cause for extreme consternation. The same phenomenon of a fellow human being over in India knowing everything about me, all my secrets, guilt, and shame, just might be enough for my head to explode, and is something fortunately I have yet to have happen to me. It happened to Richard Alpert.
...We said that compassion is beyond sympathy or even empathy. It literally means being with another’s suffering. It includes the wisdom of impermanence and the understanding that personal narratives are not so important in the larger scheme of things…
Nearing my own passing due to the sheer mathematics of my advancing age is propelling me into a more rigorous study on how I might better prepare for my own end days. I understand this is something we now all should be practicing every day, but rarely do we. My having a family member struggling on all levels while dying of cancer brings this book into even better focus.
...Contentment is an attitude of the soul…Maharaj-ji said no one can die a moment before his or her time or live for a moment past it...
A joy to read and well-written, Being Ram Dass is as good as it gets, unless one had the pleasure and good fortune of being present in his midst. I have yet to subscribe to all these beliefs, but there are plenty of them for me to chew on in what remains of my time on this earth.
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Feb 16, 2021Luke Schalla rated it it was amazing
Simply an account of the dance of a yogi’s soul as he journeyed home.
“Love holds the universe together. Love is the emotion of connection and merging. Viewed from the soul, the world is a manifestation of love. Love is the bridge, the transfer of energy between form and formless, matter and spirit.”
“Love holds the universe together. Love is the emotion of connection and merging. Viewed from the soul, the world is a manifestation of love. Love is the bridge, the transfer of energy between form and formless, matter and spirit.”
Aug 17, 2021Aishwary Mehta (The_Fugitive_Biker) rated it it was amazing
Shelves: spirituality, 2021-reads, biographt-memoir
20th book of 2021 (188 Books read overall)
Quote from the Book I Liked - ‘At times, I feel like I’m on a spiritual staircase, looking back at my former selves on the landing below, while above I am the witness, ensconced in my soul, watching myself traverse the steps in this incarnation.’ (Page no. 6)
Rating - 5 Stars
*Important take from the book* - We hold memories, yes, but we are not those memories. We are who we are, today. (Page no. 332)
Plot Summary - Set against a ...more
Quote from the Book I Liked - ‘At times, I feel like I’m on a spiritual staircase, looking back at my former selves on the landing below, while above I am the witness, ensconced in my soul, watching myself traverse the steps in this incarnation.’ (Page no. 6)
Rating - 5 Stars
*Important take from the book* - We hold memories, yes, but we are not those memories. We are who we are, today. (Page no. 332)
Plot Summary - Set against a ...more
Dec 24, 2021Italiangirl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I learned about Ram Dass ( given name Richard Alpert) when I was in college in Boulder during the first year of Naropa Institute. He was giving talks along with Bhagavan Dass, Alan Ginsberg and many others. I remember how enthralled I was with the whole scene. Shortly after, I wrote Ram Dass a letter about a dream I had and he was in it. He actually responded with a note that said,” where I am is closer than than in your dream”. Over the last 40 years I’ve read a few of his books and attended some of his talks. My spiritual path is aligned with much of his philosophy; his experiences with Maharaj-ji and with his understanding of death and the importance of service. Maharaj-ji became even closer to him after he died (or left his physical body )also known as Neem Karoli Baba, and I’ve experienced the same thing with my spiritual teacher.
This isn’t much of a review of the book! It’s his autobiography and he tells the story with the right amount of history, drama, humor and deep honesty about his unfolding to who he really is. I especially liked the last chapters which described his new awareness of himself after his stroke, and the humbleness that developed because of it. Ram Dass died shortly after he finished this book. I’m sure he was ready. Love, serve, remember… Thats what his life was about, and that’s a beautiful direction for us to follow. (less)
This isn’t much of a review of the book! It’s his autobiography and he tells the story with the right amount of history, drama, humor and deep honesty about his unfolding to who he really is. I especially liked the last chapters which described his new awareness of himself after his stroke, and the humbleness that developed because of it. Ram Dass died shortly after he finished this book. I’m sure he was ready. Love, serve, remember… Thats what his life was about, and that’s a beautiful direction for us to follow. (less)
Oct 16, 2020Ruth rated it it was amazing
Ram Dass began working on this nearly-400 page biography in 2010 at the insistence of his friend and co-author Rameshwar Das. Considering the last 10 years of his life were physically agonizing it took much persistence to complete.
Ram Dass begins with his childhood as Richard Alpert ,born to a wealthy New England couple., giving a portrait of his family and family dynamics. He spends quite a bit of the book delving into his childhood and also the psychedelic era he and Tim Leary helped shape and evolve.
Toward the middle of the book, goes to India on vacation and meets his guru Neem Karoli Baba aka Maharaj-ji, who gives him his spiritual name Ram Dass. Many experiences living communally with devotees, his nearly 20 year committed relationship with another man ( who he identifies as ‘Peter’) . This period also involves social action and reaching out to prisons and hospitals to do meditation there,
The last part Ram Dass talks
about moving to Maui and becoming enthralled with the island’s vegetation , the ocean, the air, the rain.
He discusses determined early work is this.
The writing sounds like his speaking, his with his wry humor and deep insights in conversational tone. Many thanks to Net Galley and Sounds True for e-ARC. (less)
Ram Dass begins with his childhood as Richard Alpert ,born to a wealthy New England couple., giving a portrait of his family and family dynamics. He spends quite a bit of the book delving into his childhood and also the psychedelic era he and Tim Leary helped shape and evolve.
Toward the middle of the book, goes to India on vacation and meets his guru Neem Karoli Baba aka Maharaj-ji, who gives him his spiritual name Ram Dass. Many experiences living communally with devotees, his nearly 20 year committed relationship with another man ( who he identifies as ‘Peter’) . This period also involves social action and reaching out to prisons and hospitals to do meditation there,
The last part Ram Dass talks
about moving to Maui and becoming enthralled with the island’s vegetation , the ocean, the air, the rain.
He discusses determined early work is this.
The writing sounds like his speaking, his with his wry humor and deep insights in conversational tone. Many thanks to Net Galley and Sounds True for e-ARC. (less)
Jan 27, 2021Sam Bradley rated it it was amazing
This is a beautiful book written more as inner and spiritual growth than a summary of triumphs and failures. There are touching lessons throughout the book sprinkled with humor and insight.
I found myself wondering if maybe he got too high on psychedelics and the rest of his life was a result of just flying too close to the sun, but I didn’t get that sense. He and another Harvard professor Timothy Leary are basically responsible for introducing the western world to psychedelics in the 60’s. To me, Leary seems have gotten too high while Ram Dass moved on and used those experiences as a catalyst for deeper meaning, inner growth and teaching. Psychedelics aren’t the theme of the book if someone is looking for that; but I did find it interesting they were experimenting with psychedelics in the early 60’s at the same time lobotomies were still being widely performed.
To me there are two ways of looking at his book. In a psychological sense it’s a marvel the way he looked at things. The positivity he found in situations, the lessons he saw in things, how he handled relationships or inner and outer strife.
On the other hand, not trying to measure how he interacted and viewed things and just letting my mind wander with the magical feel the book is filled with...wow. (less)
I found myself wondering if maybe he got too high on psychedelics and the rest of his life was a result of just flying too close to the sun, but I didn’t get that sense. He and another Harvard professor Timothy Leary are basically responsible for introducing the western world to psychedelics in the 60’s. To me, Leary seems have gotten too high while Ram Dass moved on and used those experiences as a catalyst for deeper meaning, inner growth and teaching. Psychedelics aren’t the theme of the book if someone is looking for that; but I did find it interesting they were experimenting with psychedelics in the early 60’s at the same time lobotomies were still being widely performed.
To me there are two ways of looking at his book. In a psychological sense it’s a marvel the way he looked at things. The positivity he found in situations, the lessons he saw in things, how he handled relationships or inner and outer strife.
On the other hand, not trying to measure how he interacted and viewed things and just letting my mind wander with the magical feel the book is filled with...wow. (less)
What a life. So inspiring. Incredibly grateful for the existence of this book. 🤍
Jun 16, 2021Miglė rated it really liked it
what a journey. what a trip.
when talking about great books, I often hear people discussing character development, and it's so damn rich in here.
a misunderstood kid.
a Harvard professor.
a researcher of psychedelics.
a guru.
talk about a character arc. going from simply learning about ideas, to sharing them, to applying them, to creating them. a circle of life.
and that matters, as it seems like everyone knows what to do and yet barely anyone actually acts on their exquisite knowledge.
"when you get the message, hang up the phone".
on top of that, he got to hang out with Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts and Aldous Huxley all the time, which sounds like a recipe for greatness on its own (or a perfect answer to "who'd you have for dinner, dead or alive").
“we're all just walking each other home.”
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when talking about great books, I often hear people discussing character development, and it's so damn rich in here.
a misunderstood kid.
a Harvard professor.
a researcher of psychedelics.
a guru.
talk about a character arc. going from simply learning about ideas, to sharing them, to applying them, to creating them. a circle of life.
and that matters, as it seems like everyone knows what to do and yet barely anyone actually acts on their exquisite knowledge.
"when you get the message, hang up the phone".
on top of that, he got to hang out with Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts and Aldous Huxley all the time, which sounds like a recipe for greatness on its own (or a perfect answer to "who'd you have for dinner, dead or alive").
“we're all just walking each other home.”
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Mar 29, 2021Nathalie rated it really liked it
Although the facts, names and details were overwhelming for someone not familiar with Ram Dass, this book creates the right atmosphere for a deeper understanding of the man and his look on the cosmos.
My suggestion if you find the details of some sections make you nod off: start reading the first sentences of paragraphs only, you'll get the idea and you can concentrate on the more engaging pages. (less)
My suggestion if you find the details of some sections make you nod off: start reading the first sentences of paragraphs only, you'll get the idea and you can concentrate on the more engaging pages. (less)
Feb 05, 2022Sangeeta Gupta rated it really liked it
Thank you so much Indic Book club for sending me this book
Perhaps no other teacher has sparkled the fires of as many spiritual seekers in the west as Ram Dass. If you have ever embraced the phrase "be here now" practiced mediation or yoga, tried psychedelics, or supported anyone in a hospice, prison or homeless center then the story of Ram Dass is also a part of your story.
This book is a memoir that puts us in the passenger seat with the one-time Harvard psychologist and lifelong risk taker Richard Alpert, who loved to take friends on wild rides on his Hatley and test nearly every boundary- inner or outer that came his way.
Here, Dass shares his Journey of life in very detail . How he struggled, pioneered psychedelic research and opened the doorways to eastern spiritual practices.
This book is also about the internal journey. Who I am is awareness and deep love, a presence beyond experience within a temporal, changing form. Who I am is soul, a soul without name, address, social security number, or biography, who isn't born and doesn't die. I am
Complete book is divided into 5 parts and there are total 36 chapters. Book is little thick and it may take long time and patience if you are a slow reader like me. (less)
Perhaps no other teacher has sparkled the fires of as many spiritual seekers in the west as Ram Dass. If you have ever embraced the phrase "be here now" practiced mediation or yoga, tried psychedelics, or supported anyone in a hospice, prison or homeless center then the story of Ram Dass is also a part of your story.
This book is a memoir that puts us in the passenger seat with the one-time Harvard psychologist and lifelong risk taker Richard Alpert, who loved to take friends on wild rides on his Hatley and test nearly every boundary- inner or outer that came his way.
Here, Dass shares his Journey of life in very detail . How he struggled, pioneered psychedelic research and opened the doorways to eastern spiritual practices.
This book is also about the internal journey. Who I am is awareness and deep love, a presence beyond experience within a temporal, changing form. Who I am is soul, a soul without name, address, social security number, or biography, who isn't born and doesn't die. I am
Complete book is divided into 5 parts and there are total 36 chapters. Book is little thick and it may take long time and patience if you are a slow reader like me. (less)
Wow. I absolutely loved the autobiography, “Being Ram Dass.” At 488 pages, it is a long, beautiful and comprehensive look at his two lives. We meet Richard Alpert, the chubby Jewish kid-turned Harvard psychology professor who used psychedelics in his research. And we watch Richard transform into Ram Dass when he met his guru in India. Ram is well-known for bringing to the West a heightened awareness of Eastern spirituality and practices.
If you’ve read Ram Dass’s best-known book Be Here Now—referred to as the counterculture Bible—you’ll find a repeat of those stories. But this memoir (which took 10 years to write) is also chock-full of new stories. We learn much more about his well-heeled East coast family, his fundraising efforts for charitable causes, his spiritual efforts to help those in prison as well as in hospice care. And of course we witness his journey after his debilitating stroke.
Ram was in this lifetime for nine decades, so he has witnessed everything between the Great Depression to the ability to teach thousands via the internet. Of course, he has much to say about cultural events, spiritual transformation, social psychology the ego and his professional ups and downs.
Ultimately, Ram Dass shares an uplifting message of humility, being of service and practicing lovingkindness. I think this book will have a much wider appeal than just to hippies and yogis. If you’re looking for a way to connect spiritually, it might just be a great fit for you.
Special thanks to his longtime publisher, Sounds True, for an advanced digital copy of the book via NetGalley. I also purchased the audiobook and listened along while reading. Rameshwar Das did a wonderful job in helping to write, edit and narrate the book. (less)
If you’ve read Ram Dass’s best-known book Be Here Now—referred to as the counterculture Bible—you’ll find a repeat of those stories. But this memoir (which took 10 years to write) is also chock-full of new stories. We learn much more about his well-heeled East coast family, his fundraising efforts for charitable causes, his spiritual efforts to help those in prison as well as in hospice care. And of course we witness his journey after his debilitating stroke.
Ram was in this lifetime for nine decades, so he has witnessed everything between the Great Depression to the ability to teach thousands via the internet. Of course, he has much to say about cultural events, spiritual transformation, social psychology the ego and his professional ups and downs.
Ultimately, Ram Dass shares an uplifting message of humility, being of service and practicing lovingkindness. I think this book will have a much wider appeal than just to hippies and yogis. If you’re looking for a way to connect spiritually, it might just be a great fit for you.
Special thanks to his longtime publisher, Sounds True, for an advanced digital copy of the book via NetGalley. I also purchased the audiobook and listened along while reading. Rameshwar Das did a wonderful job in helping to write, edit and narrate the book. (less)
Feb 01, 2021Dan Secor rated it it was amazing
Come for the Acid trips, stay for the enlightenment ....
Or, If Richard Alpert/Ram Dass didn't exist, mankind would have had to make him up.
Throughout my adult life I have searched for a form of spirituality that I could identify with and settle into. About 15-20 years ago, I settled in Buddhism with some Taoism and Hinduism sprinkled in. I have been to several meditation and/or yoga retreats to Kripalu in Western Mass. over the years, including a couple where I have met some amazing people and learned so much about myself.
However, the political polarity and COVID anxieties have led me to stray from my practice. My tipping point came this past weekend when a much anticipated training for meditation teacher training left me feeling empty. And then came this wonderful autobiography.
Without going into details about this amazing man's transformation, I will say this. Ram Dass was a self-acknowledging flawed man who grew up in privilege and recognized the power of ego, only to give himself to teaching and love. He finished this book (with Rameshwar Das) very shortly before his life ended. It was remarkable, touching, sad and triumphant.
This book came along just when I needed it. (less)
Or, If Richard Alpert/Ram Dass didn't exist, mankind would have had to make him up.
Throughout my adult life I have searched for a form of spirituality that I could identify with and settle into. About 15-20 years ago, I settled in Buddhism with some Taoism and Hinduism sprinkled in. I have been to several meditation and/or yoga retreats to Kripalu in Western Mass. over the years, including a couple where I have met some amazing people and learned so much about myself.
However, the political polarity and COVID anxieties have led me to stray from my practice. My tipping point came this past weekend when a much anticipated training for meditation teacher training left me feeling empty. And then came this wonderful autobiography.
Without going into details about this amazing man's transformation, I will say this. Ram Dass was a self-acknowledging flawed man who grew up in privilege and recognized the power of ego, only to give himself to teaching and love. He finished this book (with Rameshwar Das) very shortly before his life ended. It was remarkable, touching, sad and triumphant.
This book came along just when I needed it. (less)
Jan 31, 2021Giles rated it it was amazing
It is impossible to overstate the cultural and spiritual significance of Ram Dass (formerly psychologist Richard Alpert) and his work. As a pioneer of the 1960s counterculture, both as a psychologist and as spiritual explorer, he has had a powerful impact, even if some of it has been under the radar.
You may not want to embrace the Hindu cultural and spiritual trappings that provided a context for his work. Nevertheless, there is a lucidity and a joyful sense of wonder about the heart of his life and teachings. In fact Ram Dass, along with Gandhi would say that his life was his teaching. I have heard many of the stories in this book before (though not all of them), but that didn't matter at all. The autobiographical perspective, looking back from the end of his life, and told to one of his closest friends Rameshwar Das, gives them a fresh feel and manages to uncover new layers of spiritual significance in each one.
Reading this book, was a happy experience. Despite the fact that Ram Dass left his body a little over a year ago I could feel a tangible sense of the presence of this loving and joyful soul.
I am sure I will read it again on many occasions. (less)
You may not want to embrace the Hindu cultural and spiritual trappings that provided a context for his work. Nevertheless, there is a lucidity and a joyful sense of wonder about the heart of his life and teachings. In fact Ram Dass, along with Gandhi would say that his life was his teaching. I have heard many of the stories in this book before (though not all of them), but that didn't matter at all. The autobiographical perspective, looking back from the end of his life, and told to one of his closest friends Rameshwar Das, gives them a fresh feel and manages to uncover new layers of spiritual significance in each one.
Reading this book, was a happy experience. Despite the fact that Ram Dass left his body a little over a year ago I could feel a tangible sense of the presence of this loving and joyful soul.
I am sure I will read it again on many occasions. (less)
Feb 25, 2021Jeremy Hartley rated it it was amazing
This book was both fascinating and inspirational from beginning to end. It was a journey of almost 90 years. Of Richard Alpert starting life as a young boy, becoming a grown man, experimenting with LSD, meeting his guru, Maharajji (Neem Karoli Baba), becoming Ram Dass and finally the long journey to just becoming a soul.
There were so many interesting characters that pass by along the way. So many of whom have had a role in shaping my life. Living, dying, psychedelics, faith, devotion are just some of the topics that came by.
The story is lovingly told by Rameshwar Dass who wrote this book with him. I strongly recommend the audio book, which is read by Rameshwar Dass.
This is the strongest recommendation I could give for a book. Would give more stars if I could. (less)
There were so many interesting characters that pass by along the way. So many of whom have had a role in shaping my life. Living, dying, psychedelics, faith, devotion are just some of the topics that came by.
The story is lovingly told by Rameshwar Dass who wrote this book with him. I strongly recommend the audio book, which is read by Rameshwar Dass.
This is the strongest recommendation I could give for a book. Would give more stars if I could. (less)
Nov 22, 2020Eric Hannemann rated it liked it
Excellent memoir of one of the greatest teachers of our times. If you have been interested in the history and background of Ram Dass, this book will you give you more and then some! Highly recommended for those who have listened or read through his teachings.
Nov 03, 2020Eli Gray rated it it was ok
A bit too long winded
Feb 01, 2021Amy rated it it was amazing
Ram Ram Ram.
Apr 19, 2021Pieter Aart rated it really liked it · review of another edition
A full of love account of Ram Dass's life before, during and after Richard Alpert. A detailed look into the rise of psychedelics in the 70's, including appearances on the scene by Timothy Leary, Aldus Huxley, Alan Watts and the likes. It must have felt like being at the frontier of their kind of exploration before stepping into the exploration of his own path, the frontier we all share, that makes us common yet vastly unique. For me this book was a very warm read, written in a light way, conveying the warmth of Ram Dass's path. Maybe a bit slow at the end, but worth reading. Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram.
Ram. (less)
Ram. (less)
Dec 02, 2021John Hein rated it it was amazing
I didn't plan to read "Being Ram Dass." Having previously read three of his books and Parvati Markus's "Love Everyone," I figured I knew enough about Ram Dass; however, the Love Serve Remember Foundation put on an online discussion group about the book so I joined in the fun. I'm so glad I read "Being Ram Dass." It provided some extraordinary detail and anecdotes that I hadn't read or heard before. Rameshwar Das, who was with Ram Dass in India and a long time friend, coauthored this wonderfully written book with Ram Dass over many years, and certainly seems to have been the driving force behind it. I definitely recommend the book. (less)
Mar 25, 2021Isaiah rated it really liked it
I always love the stories of yogis abs how they found their way. It was an enjoyable book and a form of motivation for me to keep working on my spiritual side
Mar 28, 2021Jeff Bauer rated it it was amazing
I was really pleased with how this memoir "filled in the gaps" on a lot of Ram Dass' story. He speaks frankly about his missteps and about his sexuality. This book inspired me to go back and read several of his other books. Highly recommended, even for those who are familiar with his life story (less)
Sep 25, 2021David rated it it was ok
worth picking up, but only for maybe an hour or two total. I knew a fair amount already about his time at Harvard researching psychedelics with Timothy Leary. Learned some about his painful struggles with coming out as gay (first to himself, then the world). Some of the career/family-of-origin stuff was vivid and paints a picture of a much different time in the 1960's above and beyond the differences for which the decade became known -- ex. the casual "my advisor called so-and-so to see if they had a job for a bright......and that's how i got my faculty job at....." way in which occupational advances often happened.
good, vivid depictions of some of his major life events -- learning in late life that he had a son and grandchild he hadn't known about (from brief grad school relationship), coping with aftermath of a stroke he had in the late 90's, and late life in Hawaii ("Maui does not get old" -- I can imagine).
wrapped around, over, under, and thru these interesting (to me) parts of the story are tedious (again, to me) sections involving either (a) blow-by-blow of who took what drugs at what party or research "session" and how they reacted or, later, (b) his ethereal beyond-enthusiastic gushing about his guru. A sample (p. 373):
"I let my mind dissolve into the ocean of love in my spiritual heart. As the mind quiets, the spiritual heart is the gateway to the soul, the place where we are one without distinction. I associate that place with Maharaj-ji's being. He exists on the threshold of self and no-self, of the individual soul and God. As we come together in the spiritual heart, there's just pure being, no experiencer, no subject-object. Just the vast oneness."
beautiful image, reminded me of the teachings one hears in transcendental meditation courses. However, do you want to take in roughly 4,000 passages in that vein? If so, then read every line of this book. Otherwise, i suggest brisk skimming.
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good, vivid depictions of some of his major life events -- learning in late life that he had a son and grandchild he hadn't known about (from brief grad school relationship), coping with aftermath of a stroke he had in the late 90's, and late life in Hawaii ("Maui does not get old" -- I can imagine).
wrapped around, over, under, and thru these interesting (to me) parts of the story are tedious (again, to me) sections involving either (a) blow-by-blow of who took what drugs at what party or research "session" and how they reacted or, later, (b) his ethereal beyond-enthusiastic gushing about his guru. A sample (p. 373):
"I let my mind dissolve into the ocean of love in my spiritual heart. As the mind quiets, the spiritual heart is the gateway to the soul, the place where we are one without distinction. I associate that place with Maharaj-ji's being. He exists on the threshold of self and no-self, of the individual soul and God. As we come together in the spiritual heart, there's just pure being, no experiencer, no subject-object. Just the vast oneness."
beautiful image, reminded me of the teachings one hears in transcendental meditation courses. However, do you want to take in roughly 4,000 passages in that vein? If so, then read every line of this book. Otherwise, i suggest brisk skimming.
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Mar 12, 2021Steve rated it it was ok
Sorry, Ram Das. I admire you, and believe you did much good for the world. May your spirit be for a blessing. But I couldn't finish the book. The Harvard/Leary years have been covered in greater detail elsewhere, and the guru stuff is not for me. Great pictures, though. (less)
Apr 16, 2022Ben rated it liked it
I started following the teachings of Ram Das about three years ago after Remember, Be Here Now placed me on the path of god and service. I've listened to many of Ram Dass's talks; I've read a few of his other books too, but I didn't know what to think about his biography. From the onset, I knew it was a story he didn't have too much interest in telling. The Life of Ram Dass is much richer and profound in his talks and other books. This biography is squarely focused on him, yet he feels removed from it. You will understand why after reading the last two posthumous chapters, which express the intent in the book's writing. This story seems written for those struggling to gracefully let Ram Dass leave his body. I imagine he wrote it for their sake.
Does this book have value? is it worth reading?
It does and it is. If you've augmented your life with Ram Dass's teachings, you wont find a lot of new exciting information. Some details will fill in the gaps for the curious. It offers a whole picture of a counter-culture formed and unformed. It's a great reference material for finding other references. Every chapter of the book points to an endless river of names and history to learn more about.
The other significant takeaway of Being Ram Das is how he puts words to an intellectual understanding of the Guru-Devotee relationship. This is an aspect that can help you find a perspective of "what" a guru is, if his other works hadn't already taken you there. For those who need it, it can be a great last nugget of wisdom.
Read this story as a celebration of his carnation, but don't close the back cover and say it's the end of Ram Dass. There will be a teaching hidden somewhere, ready for you when you are ripe. You might be reminded of something or be pointed to another clue for you to seek in your own journey. Enjoy it for what it is; a summarized history lesson told for the heart.
I once read that a seeker of liberation would do well to read the works of great saints and devoted seekers. This book definitely fits into that cannon. (less)
Does this book have value? is it worth reading?
It does and it is. If you've augmented your life with Ram Dass's teachings, you wont find a lot of new exciting information. Some details will fill in the gaps for the curious. It offers a whole picture of a counter-culture formed and unformed. It's a great reference material for finding other references. Every chapter of the book points to an endless river of names and history to learn more about.
The other significant takeaway of Being Ram Das is how he puts words to an intellectual understanding of the Guru-Devotee relationship. This is an aspect that can help you find a perspective of "what" a guru is, if his other works hadn't already taken you there. For those who need it, it can be a great last nugget of wisdom.
Read this story as a celebration of his carnation, but don't close the back cover and say it's the end of Ram Dass. There will be a teaching hidden somewhere, ready for you when you are ripe. You might be reminded of something or be pointed to another clue for you to seek in your own journey. Enjoy it for what it is; a summarized history lesson told for the heart.
I once read that a seeker of liberation would do well to read the works of great saints and devoted seekers. This book definitely fits into that cannon. (less)
Dec 22, 2021Phanindra rated it it was amazing
When I picked up the book “Being Ram Dass”, I was not expecting much. I knew Ram Dass as a disciple of Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj Ji). His book “Miracle of Love” containing stories of his Guru made me appreciate the grace of Maharaj Ji but did not make me a fan of Ram Dass. I heard couple of Ram Dass’s spiritual lectures and liked his teaching style. I knew his past story from being a Harvard Professor to his experiments on psychedelics. I was amazed by his transformation after meeting Maharaj Ji but I never felt any particular pull towards him.
Then I read this book and I am touched and impressed! Ram Dass died 2 years ago on this same day (Dec 22nd) I finished reading the book. I felt a deep connection with him as I read about his last moments. He gracefully finished this leg of his spiritual journey and walked into the embrace of Maharaj Ji. Through out the book, we can feel his love for Maharaj Ji and this love touches us too. This is indeed the core of Maharaj Ji’s teaching - Love Everyone. What a beautiful way to express this love through his life!
We can easily connect with Ram Dass because he is not perfect. He is not a great ascetic Yogi. He is an ordinary person with spiritual leanings who also has material desires and egoistic tendencies. Maharaj Ji embraced him and his imperfections with unconditional love and that began his transformation. It was never fully complete but he kept making a life-long progress from his ego-centre to his spiritual heart. He explains this journey in a very honest way that really resonated with me.
This book is an inspiration for every spiritual aspirant. It is a message of love and determination. It shows that we too can make changes in ourselves and we too can make a difference in the world. Through Ram Dass, we too can connect with Maharaj Ji whose another name is Love.
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Then I read this book and I am touched and impressed! Ram Dass died 2 years ago on this same day (Dec 22nd) I finished reading the book. I felt a deep connection with him as I read about his last moments. He gracefully finished this leg of his spiritual journey and walked into the embrace of Maharaj Ji. Through out the book, we can feel his love for Maharaj Ji and this love touches us too. This is indeed the core of Maharaj Ji’s teaching - Love Everyone. What a beautiful way to express this love through his life!
We can easily connect with Ram Dass because he is not perfect. He is not a great ascetic Yogi. He is an ordinary person with spiritual leanings who also has material desires and egoistic tendencies. Maharaj Ji embraced him and his imperfections with unconditional love and that began his transformation. It was never fully complete but he kept making a life-long progress from his ego-centre to his spiritual heart. He explains this journey in a very honest way that really resonated with me.
This book is an inspiration for every spiritual aspirant. It is a message of love and determination. It shows that we too can make changes in ourselves and we too can make a difference in the world. Through Ram Dass, we too can connect with Maharaj Ji whose another name is Love.
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Jan 28, 2021Sertac rated it it was amazing
Mixed feelings... After reading about his Richard Alpert years, then 'Be Here Now' and watching 'Ram Dass, Going Home' twice, I decided to read 'Miracle of Love' about Maharaj-ji. I really wanted to understand how a man of science can change so dramatically and fall into bhakti. Who am I to criticise; I just wanted to understand.
I've looked for clues about this transition in 'Being Ram Dass'. I couldn't find many answers. Especially after reading 'Miracle of Love', I'm still struggling with Maharaj-ji being such much associated with unconditional love. Additionally, all those supernatural things they say he has done are accepted without much (scientific) questioning. I understand and respect that people need to believe in anything/something/someone that can transform and make them enlightened and loved/happier human beings in many ways. Still, I am having difficulty comprehending and getting into Ram Dass' and Maharaj-Ji and all the 'hype' created around. I've heard this saying: ''Guru doesn't fly; the devotees make him fly'. I sincerely tried to find clues to prove this wrong but no luck. I'd appreciate if anyone could shed light and help me understand what that extraordinary and still 'real' about Maharaj-Ji was.
I have to say; I got bored of reading glorification of him all over the book which I was expecting more about love and compassion and how Ram Dass understand life and death overall, which I found in Part V finally.
No matter what this is a great human being's astonishing life story which is a 5-star read.
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I've looked for clues about this transition in 'Being Ram Dass'. I couldn't find many answers. Especially after reading 'Miracle of Love', I'm still struggling with Maharaj-ji being such much associated with unconditional love. Additionally, all those supernatural things they say he has done are accepted without much (scientific) questioning. I understand and respect that people need to believe in anything/something/someone that can transform and make them enlightened and loved/happier human beings in many ways. Still, I am having difficulty comprehending and getting into Ram Dass' and Maharaj-Ji and all the 'hype' created around. I've heard this saying: ''Guru doesn't fly; the devotees make him fly'. I sincerely tried to find clues to prove this wrong but no luck. I'd appreciate if anyone could shed light and help me understand what that extraordinary and still 'real' about Maharaj-Ji was.
I have to say; I got bored of reading glorification of him all over the book which I was expecting more about love and compassion and how Ram Dass understand life and death overall, which I found in Part V finally.
No matter what this is a great human being's astonishing life story which is a 5-star read.
(less)
Dec 28, 2020Livre_monde rated it it was amazing
This book came my way when I was going through one of the lowest emotional moments in my life and needed spiritual uplifting to sail through. It seemed like a message from God himself. This book is also my first ever ARC from @netgalley when I was absentmindedly scrolling through my dashboard and I came through the powerful cover of this book. There was an instant pull.
Born in 1931 as Richard Alpert, Ram Dass was given his spiritual name by his Guru Neem Karoli Baba who has established several ashrams and temples devoted to Hanuman (Hindu monkey God) in the Himalayas. Born in a privileged family, Richard was a psychology professor at Harvard. He along with Timothy Leary pioneered psychedelic drugs research during the '50s-'60s which had raised lots of controversies. This book is Richard's transformational journey from a Harvard professor to the psychedelic researcher to
Becoming Ram Dass, one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the west.
This book is the first-person narration of a life that has been written with an open heart. Covering 88years of a lifetime which has been a witness and participant to many revolutionary events, Ram Dass's life is a message to every soul who is seeking spirituality.
This book is releasing on Jan'21 and recommended if:
- You are looking for a spiritual read
- Don't mind reading lengthy books
- You are interested in knowing about psychedelic related research.
- You like detailed autobiographies (less)
Born in 1931 as Richard Alpert, Ram Dass was given his spiritual name by his Guru Neem Karoli Baba who has established several ashrams and temples devoted to Hanuman (Hindu monkey God) in the Himalayas. Born in a privileged family, Richard was a psychology professor at Harvard. He along with Timothy Leary pioneered psychedelic drugs research during the '50s-'60s which had raised lots of controversies. This book is Richard's transformational journey from a Harvard professor to the psychedelic researcher to
Becoming Ram Dass, one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the west.
This book is the first-person narration of a life that has been written with an open heart. Covering 88years of a lifetime which has been a witness and participant to many revolutionary events, Ram Dass's life is a message to every soul who is seeking spirituality.
This book is releasing on Jan'21 and recommended if:
- You are looking for a spiritual read
- Don't mind reading lengthy books
- You are interested in knowing about psychedelic related research.
- You like detailed autobiographies (less)
Apr 30, 2021Lit Folio rated it it was amazing
This is a vastly well written autobiography of one of the men who launched an entire movement of bringing LSD culture and then Hindu spirituality to the west. The Beatles were also partly responsible for this trend circa 1967 when they apprenticed under a guru and featured (mostly via George Harrison) the Indian sitar sound in their later work. What did this all do to contemporary North American culture? Perhaps we see the seeds of this movement now in full bloom where so many states have legalized Marijuana and LSD is currently being proscribed as an excellent medical alternative to standard drug treatments for a variety of ills.
It's a compellingly good read of Richard Alpert's life from Harvard prof to humble Hindu practitioner. I had no idea this man was so philanthropic in his work all the way to his demise in Maui some two years ago at the age of 88. Ram Dass also points out his struggle with the temptations of getting on a 'power trip' with his newfound role of speaker, teacher and role model for many. It's an important point that needs to be made in this subsequent age of so many writing books and making huge returns on the New Age movement that he unwittingly started. His sincerity rings true throughout and convinced this reader that the man 'walked his talk'--in spite of frankly admitting his propensity of things lustful, homo-erotic and other such appetites we humans fall into so easily. Wholeheartedly recommend. (less)
It's a compellingly good read of Richard Alpert's life from Harvard prof to humble Hindu practitioner. I had no idea this man was so philanthropic in his work all the way to his demise in Maui some two years ago at the age of 88. Ram Dass also points out his struggle with the temptations of getting on a 'power trip' with his newfound role of speaker, teacher and role model for many. It's an important point that needs to be made in this subsequent age of so many writing books and making huge returns on the New Age movement that he unwittingly started. His sincerity rings true throughout and convinced this reader that the man 'walked his talk'--in spite of frankly admitting his propensity of things lustful, homo-erotic and other such appetites we humans fall into so easily. Wholeheartedly recommend. (less)
I've read almost everything Ram Dass has written over the years, starting with "Be Here Now" shortly after it came out. "Be Here Now" was his most amazing work, his magnum opus, a breath-takingly creative endeavor, a gigantic force that changed society. He never wrote anything remotely comparable.
He was a teacher and I definitely learned a lot from him, and even went to hear him speak on occasion in NYC. He translated Hinduism and Buddhism to an American audience, and at core that's what his teachings were. He had a personal twist that I don't find elsewhere in Hinduism and Buddhism, namely his focus on the soul. Perhaps that is his Jewish upbringing coming through. His teachings didn't really evolve much, and his books seemed similar and even repetitious after a while.
This autobiography was published posthumously. Much of it I already knew. The early years as a psychedelic pioneer were new to me, and those stories are quite entertaining. This bits where we strays from biography to teaching are weaker, but perhaps that because I already had heard his teachings so many times.
I have great respect for Ram Dass. He was very honest about his flaws and is a great story-teller. If there is anyone who deserves a biography it is him. This is the real history of the hippie movement, from LSD to mysticism to old age. He lived it and led the way.
If you don't know anything about Ram Dass, this would be a good book to read. But "Be Here Now" is the real gem.
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He was a teacher and I definitely learned a lot from him, and even went to hear him speak on occasion in NYC. He translated Hinduism and Buddhism to an American audience, and at core that's what his teachings were. He had a personal twist that I don't find elsewhere in Hinduism and Buddhism, namely his focus on the soul. Perhaps that is his Jewish upbringing coming through. His teachings didn't really evolve much, and his books seemed similar and even repetitious after a while.
This autobiography was published posthumously. Much of it I already knew. The early years as a psychedelic pioneer were new to me, and those stories are quite entertaining. This bits where we strays from biography to teaching are weaker, but perhaps that because I already had heard his teachings so many times.
I have great respect for Ram Dass. He was very honest about his flaws and is a great story-teller. If there is anyone who deserves a biography it is him. This is the real history of the hippie movement, from LSD to mysticism to old age. He lived it and led the way.
If you don't know anything about Ram Dass, this would be a good book to read. But "Be Here Now" is the real gem.
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