Ram Dass (1931–2019)
Author of Be Here Now
About the Author
Baba Ram Dass was born Richard Albert in 1931 in the U.S. In 1967 he went to India and returned as a bushy-bearded, barefoot, white-robed guru, Ram Dass, who became a peripatetic lecturer on New Age possibilities and a popular author of more than a dozen inspirational books. His first title, Be show more Here Now (1971), was originally issued by the Lama Foundation as loose pages in a box, but its published version went on to sell more than two million copies. By the 1980s, Ram Dass had shaved off his beard but left a neatly trimmed mustache. He continued to turn out books and recordings. He started or helped start foundations to promote his charities, to help prisoners and to spread his message of spiritual equanimity. He made sure his books and tapes were reasonably priced. His other books include Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying (2000); Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita (2004); Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart (2010) and Polishing the Mirror: How to Live from Your Spiritual Heart (2013), both with Rameshwar Das; Compassion in Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service (1991) and Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying (2018), both with Mirabai Bush. Baba Ram Dass passed away on December 22, 2019 at the age of 88. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Kathleen Murphy
Works by Ram Dass
Birth of a Psychedelic Culture: Conversations about Leary, the Harvard Experiments, Millbrook and the Sixties (2010) 34 copies
Finding and Exploring Your Spiritual Path: An Exploration of the Pleasures and Perils of Seeking Personal Enlightenment (1989) 9 copies
Love, Service, Devotion, and the Ultimate Surrender: Ram Dass on the Bhagavad Gita (Audio Learning Course) (2011) 7 copies
From bindu to ojas 5 copies
Open to the Infinite : Live at the Inner Directions Gathering [1999 videorecording] (2006) — Lecture — 2 copies
Be Love Now 1 copy
Still Here 1 copy
Ram Dass 2021 On-the-Go Weekly Planner: 17-Month Calendar with Pocket (Aug 2020 - Dec 2021, 5" x 7" closed): Be Here… (2020) 1 copy
Meditations on the Gita (CD) 1 copy
A Meeting with Emmanuel 1 copy
Associated Works
Conversations on the Edge of the Apocalypse: Contemplating the Future with Noam Chomsky, George Carlin, Deepak Chopra,… (2005) — Contributor — 67 copies
Take My Advice: Letters to the Next Generation from People Who Know a Thing or Two (2002) — Contributor — 45 copies
Higher Wisdom: Eminent Elders Explore the Continuing Impact of Psychedelics (2005) — Contributor — 40 copies
Abide as the self : the essential teachings of Ramana Maharshi [2006 video recording] (1997) — Narrator — 6 copies
Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (2011, film) (2011) — Featured, some editions — 3 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Dass, Ram
- Legal name
- Alpert, Richard (birth name)
- Other names
- Dass, Baba Ram
- Birthdate
- 1931-04-06
- Date of death
- 2019-12-22
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Place of death
- Maui, Hawai'i, USA
- Places of residence
- Millbrook, New York, USA
Taos, New Mexico, USA
Middletown, Connecticut, USA
Medford, Massachusetts, USA
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - Education
- Tufts University (BA ∙ 1952)
Wesleyan University
Stanford University (Ph.D ∙ 1957) - Occupations
- yogi
spiritual teacher (lineage of Neem Karoli Baba)
psychologist
professor - Relationships
- Leary, Timothy (colleague)
- Organizations
- Harvard University
International Federation for Internal Freedom
Harvard Psilocybin Project
Love Serve Remember Foundation
Members
Reviews
How Can I Help?: Stories and Reflections on Service by Ram Dass
Outstanding insights into what it means to be of service. And why we do so.
From Bindu to Ojas contains some very early Ram Dass recordings made in 1969. Ram Dass had recently returned from his first trip to India where he met his guru, Maharaji, when he began living in a cottage on his dad’s farm in New Hampshire. Ram Dass began sharing what he learned in India with people in the West.
This audiobook captures Ram Dass holding a very early version of a retreat on his dad’s farm. It was interesting to listen to him share teachings on numerous topics. I especially enjoyed his perspectives on identity. He provided explanations of the chakras. At the end, he concluded with insights on humility.
I have been a student of Ram Dass for the past few years and have listened to many of his books and podcasts that have spanned decades of his teachings. Since this recording took place in 1969, it was fascinating to observe him so early in his transformation. For instance, I could detect the arrogance he displayed prior to his trip to India. It’s not overt, just interesting to observe. This snapshot of Ram Dass in 1969 allowed me to see how much he had grown and evolved throughout his incarnation.
To be honest, this wasn’t my favorite Ram Dass book/audiobook. I have reviewed other Ram Dass books that you can find in the link below. I also wrote a blog post about my experience at a Ram Dass retreat I attended.
I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog… (more)
This audiobook captures Ram Dass holding a very early version of a retreat on his dad’s farm. It was interesting to listen to him share teachings on numerous topics. I especially enjoyed his perspectives on identity. He provided explanations of the chakras. At the end, he concluded with insights on humility.
I have been a student of Ram Dass for the past few years and have listened to many of his books and podcasts that have spanned decades of his teachings. Since this recording took place in 1969, it was fascinating to observe him so early in his transformation. For instance, I could detect the arrogance he displayed prior to his trip to India. It’s not overt, just interesting to observe. This snapshot of Ram Dass in 1969 allowed me to see how much he had grown and evolved throughout his incarnation.
To be honest, this wasn’t my favorite Ram Dass book/audiobook. I have reviewed other Ram Dass books that you can find in the link below. I also wrote a blog post about my experience at a Ram Dass retreat I attended.
I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog… (more)
So grateful for all of Ram Dass’ teachings. This is a short audiobook; it’s a live recording of one of his talks in front of a live audience. He shares about his experience at Harvard as a psychologist and how getting fired led him to India where he met his Guru and got on the spiritual path. He then shares some amazing lessons about spirituality. This is a great book for anyone new to Ram Dass.
I have so much gratitude for Ram Dass’ teachings. This book provides a brief history of Ram Dass’ experience with psychadelics and his first trip to India where he met his beloved Guru, Maharaj-ji. He graciously shares his wisdom on aging, karma, anger, dying, suffering, and meditation. Ram Dass has such an incredible way of explaining these concepts. Studying his teachings provides me with a perspective that is relatable and calming. He has a way of righting my views of the world and establishing a sense of balance. Ram Dass not only offers wisdom, he shares his personal experiences and how he struggled to apply the teachings of his Guru. His stories are often humorous and remind the reader he is human too. He closes the book with suggestions for practicing these concepts. ~Namaste… (more)
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Statistics
- Works
- 83
- Also by
- 11
- Members
- 5,316
- Popularity
- #4,684
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 68
- ISBNs
- 160
- Languages
- 10
- Favorited
- 8
