Ram Dass Here And Now

In this exploration of the fear of suffering as we get older, Ram Dass talks about approaching the mystery of aging and death in the same adventurous manner as his friend Timothy Leary. For more on the relationship between Ram Dass and Timothy Leary, please check out Dying to Know [https://shop.ramdass.org/products/dying-to-know-book], a book that details their epic friendship and Timothy’s process of dying. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship [https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/] to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. This talk from June 1996 is part of an aging study group Ram Dass conducted to help guide his book on aging, Still Here [https://shop.ramdass.org/products/still-here?_pos=2&_sid=a5414758b&_ss=r]. * Fear of future suffering is a major issue for all us, but especially when it comes to aging. Ram Dass explores how we tend to respond to that fear with massive denial, and how we can work on coming to terms with those fears through a shift in perspective. * Ram Dass talks about how his work with people who are severely ill or in the process of dying has helped prepare him for his own death. He talks about the fear of losing one’s analytic, linear mind, which is so valued in this culture, and how we can open ourselves up to the value of non-linear thinking. * Finally, Ram Dass details the time he spent with his old friend Timothy Leary as he approached his death. For Timothy, death was another glorious adventure. Ram Dass wonders if we shouldn’t all add a touch of the “Leary Method” as a way to approach the mystery of aging and dying. Sponsors of this Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass [https://www.betterhelp.com/ramdass] and get on your way to being your best self. This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one-time purchases with the code RAMDASS at www.magicmind.com/ramdass. Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion.  Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com [http://www.reunionhotelandwellness.com/] Retreats | www.reunionexperience.org [http://www.reunionexperience.org/] “What Timothy added was the fun of it, the adventure as you approach the mystery. When you’re approaching a mystery, what space do you want to be in in your head? Getting free of guilt? I mean, is that the one you want? Which one do you want? Which one opens to the possibilities? And Timothy was an adventurer, I mean, as I can tell you from being in the backwash for years. Timothy took me fighting and screaming into adventure. He opened up the whole image of dying into the possibility that it was a celebratory, adventurous, exciting part of life.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this special bonus episode, Ram Dass offers his viewpoint on how we can dance in the ocean of change as the structure of our culture shapeshifts before our very eyes. This episode of Here and Now is from a talk Ram Dass gave at a bookstore in Sebastopol, CA, on April 15, 1992. * How do you learn to live with change? Where do you stand? Ram Dass offers his viewpoint on our culture as he saw it in the early 1990s, talking about the rapid changes taking place in the ecological, economic, social, political, and spiritual realms.  * Ram Dass explores the massive denial in the culture about what all these changes mean and how that denial leads to uncertainty and fear. He talks about his work with death and dying, and how we can work with the death of our culture in a similar manner. * Finally, Ram Dass shares how we can begin to find some balance amidst the chaos of change. It is possible to feel equanimity and even joy in a world that is filled with suffering. He says, “So you and I are driven to work on ourselves to rest in the place in ourselves where we are not vulnerable to the winds of changing time and space. And then to dance in the ocean of change, and to be a great dancer.”  The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship [https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/] to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. Sponsors of this Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass [https://www.betterhelp.com/ramdass] and get on your way to being your best self. Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion.  Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com [http://www.reunionhotelandwellness.com/] Retreats | www.reunionexperience.org [http://www.reunionexperience.org/] “Here we are dealing with perhaps the death of the whole structure, the way we know it. This is a massive death process. Now, this sounds like a gloomy lecture, except it isn’t. It all depends on whether you expect change always leads to bad things.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this classic Q&A session from the 1980s, Ram Dass talks about soul mates, marriage and open relationships, working with truth in relationships, and much more. In this episode of Here and Now: * Ram Dass begins with questions about soul mates and the difference between marriage and cohabitation. “I’m not sure,” he says, “I understand the term ‘soul mate’ other than people have work to do together, at times. Then, they may come together in many different forms.”  * Ram Dass converses with an audience member about being on the spiritual path while having a partner who is not. Next comes a question about open relationships, which leads him to talk about the importance of working with truth in relationships. * Finally, Ram Dass answers a question about the different challenges men and women face in awakening through relationships. He talks about a quality of androgyny that can manifest in spiritual identity. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship [https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/] to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. Sponsors of this Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass [https://www.betterhelp.com/ramdass] and get on your way to being your best self. This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with our link: magicmind.com/ramdass [https://www.magicmind.com/ramdass ] Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion.  Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com [http://www.reunionhotelandwellness.com/] Retreats | www.reunionexperience.org [http://www.reunionexperience.org/] “It is certainly possible to work with truth in a relationship, to get to the point where, more and more, you are safe in expressing what your impulses are and your truth of your moment. Truth is one of the vehicles for deepening spiritual awareness through another human being and if there is a license for that in any relationship – with guru, with friend, with lover, whatever it is – it is an absolutely optimum way of coming into a liquid spiritual relationship with another person.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this Q&A session from 1993, Ram Dass talks about his passions, the balance of separateness and unity, dealing with turmoil, the creative force of the universe, and more.  The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship [https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/] to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. This episode of Here and Now is from a Q&A session at an event in Boise, Idaho in April 1993. * Ram Dass begins with questions about dealing with people who might not like you, what his current passions in life are, and the art of staying in the present moment.  * Ram Dass moves on to inquiries about hesitating when action feels needed, making the transition from somebody to nobody, and the limits of Carl Jung’s work with mythic archetypes.  * Finally, Ram Dass answers questions about dealing with polarization and turmoil in the world, offers his personal feelings about organized religion, and explores the creative force of the universe. He ends with a brief guided meditation centered around awareness and compassion for those who are suffering. Join renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg for a free live conversation and interactive Q&A exploring the power of real connection—with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Throughout the discussion, Sharon, Jackie Dobrinska, and Raghu Markus will weave in the wisdom of Ram Dass, reflecting on how intimacy can be a profound path to awakening. Join this free live call on April 7th: Click Here To Learn More [https://www.ramdass.org/intimacy/] Sponsors of this Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass [https://www.betterhelp.com/ramdass] and get on your way to being your best self. This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind. Try their new Mental Performance Gummies–a caffeine-free way to stay sharp, providing calm, sustained clarity without the side effects of traditional stimulants. Get 25% off with our link: magicmind.com/RAMDASSGM [https://magicmind.com/pages/gummies-welcome-kit-partner-v1?snowball=RAMDASSGM&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=gummies-campaign-no-affiliate&utm_campaign=RAMDASSGM] or use code RAMDASS25 at checkout. Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion.  Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com [http://www.reunionhotelandwellness.com/] Retreats | www.reunionexperience.org [http://www.reunionexperience.org/] “There is a process where, when you get out of the way, the whole creative force of the universe keeps expressing itself through the way you walk, talk, dance, paint, write, whatever your thing is.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this talk from 1970, Ram Dass explores the transformation from ignorance to wisdom, going up and coming down, living in the spirit, and different techniques of centering. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship [https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship/] to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. Listen to the Ram Dass Podcast ad-free and support this show at the same time! You can listen to the full podcast archive with hosts Raghu Markus and Jackie Dobrinska or listen to Ram Dass' talks from each episode by themselves. All that with regular guided practices from Ram Dass & friends. Sign up fore a 7-day free trial here: patreon.com/RamDassPodcast This episode of Here and Now is the second half of a talk Ram Dass gave at the Arlington Street Church in Boston on March 24, 1970. Don’t miss part one of this talk: Tuning Up & Tuning In [https://beherenownetwork.com/ram-dass-here-and-now-ep-272-tuning-up-tuning-in/]. In this episode: * Ram Dass explores the transformation from ignorance to wisdom. “The really fierce problem that most of us are realizing at this moment,” he says, “is how to alter our ways of thinking about who we are and how it all is, to be in tune with something inside that already knows.” * Ram Dass talks about the roller coaster of going up and coming down. But that’s all ultimately a game. The real work is to center ourselves so we can be at the vibrational rate where we are living in the spirit. * Ram Dass shares different techniques of centering oneself, including vipasana meditation, pranayama breathing, and bhakti yoga. “As far as I can see,” he says, “every form of yoga is based on one-pointedness of mind. Take bhakti yoga, singing a love song to Ram. It only works when you can make your mind so one-pointed on Ram that you and Ram become one.” Sponsors of this Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass [https://www.betterhelp.com/ramdass] and get on your way to being your best self. This show is also sponsored by Magic Mind. Try their new Mental Performance Gummies–a caffeine-free way to stay sharp, providing calm, sustained clarity without the side effects of traditional stimulants. Get 25% off with our link: magicmind.com/RAMDASSGM [https://magicmind.com/pages/gummies-welcome-kit-partner-v1?snowball=RAMDASSGM&utm_source=snowball&utm_medium=gummies-campaign-no-affiliate&utm_campaign=RAMDASSGM] or use code RAMDASS25 at checkout. Reunion is offering $250 off any stay to the Love, Serve, Remember community. Simply use the code “BeHere250” when booking. Disconnect from the world so you can reconnect with yourself at Reunion.  Hotel | www.reunionhotelandwellness.com [http://www.reunionhotelandwellness.com/] Retreats | www.reunionexperience.org [http://www.reunionexperience.org/] “Living in the spirit is a vibrational rate. It’s a take of it all. It’s a vibrational take. In order for it to work, you’ve got to get your head so centered. You’ve just got to calm down and center. And it’s really fierce to do it in the marketplace. And sometimes it’s cool to go off and do it in cycles. So at those times you sort of go off by yourself to cool out and center.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].