Be Here Now by Ram Dass is a classic work from 1971 that merges Eastern and Western religions into a cohesive approach to life. Ram Dass (formerly Richard Alpert) was a collegue of Timothy Leary's back at Harvard and was involved in the LSD experimental sessions there before they both were thrown out for going way beyond the academic. Ram Dass took a trip to India where he discovered, with the help of a few gurus, his true nature. He came back to the US and wrote Be Here Now to share his enlightenment with everyone. Ram Dass discusses his state of mind on going to India, and how it was blown away by his gurus and his experiences there. The thrust of the book is that we should all "Be Here Now", live in the moment, and accept life as it comes, free from judgement and preconceptions. It's a melding of Hindu, Buddhist, Christian beliefs into a guide. The book is a very unusual format (although others have copied it), with two kinds of paper, horizontal and vertical pages, lots of cool psychedelic drawings, and a message that transcends any page or image. Despite being 35 years old this year, this book is BACK on the charts, selling incredibly well on Amazon.com You can purchase the book thru this link & support the Hipforums too. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0517543052/hippylandhippiem
Dr. Richard Alpert (born April 6, 1931), later known as Baba Ram Dass, was a professor of psychology at Harvard University who became well known for his controversial research program which studied the effects of psilocybin on human subjects. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tufts University, a masters' degree from Wesleyan University and a doctorate from Stanford University. In 1967, Alpert travelled to India, where he became heavily involved in meditative practice and yoga. He met and studied with the great American spiritual seeker Bhagavan Das, who introduced Alpert to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, or Maharaj-ji, hindi for "Great King." Maharaj-ji gave Alpert the name Ram Dass, which means servant of Rama, and instructed him to receive teaching from Bhagavan Das. After his return to the United States in 1969, Alpert founded several organizations dedicated to expanding spiritual awareness and promoting spiritual growth. Since a 1994 interview with Gay Soul, he has been open about his bisexuality. In February 1997, he suffered a stroke which left him with expressive aphasia, but he continues to give lectures at a variety of places. Books by Ram Dass Be Here Now (1971). Compassion in Action, with Mirabai Bush (1991) Doing Your Own Being (1973) Grist for the Mill (with Steven Levine) (1977) Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook (1978) Miracle of Love: Stories about Neem Karoli Baba (1979) (tales of Maharajji). The Only Dance There Is (1974) Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing and Dying (2000) Paths to God:Living The Bhagavad Gita (2004) ♥ Love ♥ Vanessa
A very cool book. THere's a dvd out called Fierce Grace where Ram Dass talks about his life after his stroke. It's great. So genuine and authentic. I found it at the public library.
it's like a real person... only waaay fucking cooler i like ram dass, read a fair bit of his stuff over the years... and he always looked incredibly happy .. good recommendation
