Be Here Now by Ram Dass

Be Here Now by Ram Dass

$27.00

Be Here Now, or Remember, Be Here Now, is a 1971 book on spirituality, yoga and meditation by the American yogi and spiritual teacher Ram Dass.

Be Here Now is a vehicle for sharing the true message, and a guide to self-determination.

With over 150 pages of metaphysical illustrations, practical advice on how to implement a yogic regiment, and a chapter dedicated to quotes and book recommendations, Be Here Now is sure to enrich your emotional, physical, and spiritual life.

The book is divided into four sections:
"Journey: The Transformation: Dr. Richard Alpert, PhD. into Baba Ram Dass"
"From Bindu to Ojas: The Core Book"
"Cookbook for a Sacred Life: A Manual for Conscious Being"
"Painted Cakes (Do Not Satisfy Hunger): Books"

The first section is a short autobiography, the journey he takes to India where he meets his guru teacher Neem Karoli Baba and his initiation process. 

The second section, the largest, is a free-form collection of metaphysical, spiritual, and religious aphorisms, accompanied by illustrations.

The third section is a manual for starting on a yogic or spiritual path, including various techniques. 

The last section, titled on a Zen commentary on liturgy, contains a list of recommended books on religion, spirituality, and consciousness. 

Summary:

In March 1961, Professor Richard Alpert – later renamed Ram Dass – held appointments in four departments at Harvard University. He published books, drove a Mercedes and regularly vacationed in the Caribbean. By most societal standards, he had achieved great success... And yet he couldn’t escape the feeling that something was missing. 
 
Psilocybin and LSD changed that. During a period of experimentation, Alpert peeled away each layer of his identity, disassociating from himself as a professor, a social cosmopolite, and lastly, as a physical being. Fear turned into exaltation upon the realization that at his truest, he was just his inner-self: a luminous being that he could trust indefinitely and love infinitely.

And thus, a spiritual journey commenced. Alpert headed to India where his guru renamed him Baba Ram Dass – “servant of God.” He was introduced to mindful breathing exercises, hatha yoga, and Eastern philosophy. If he found himself reminiscing or planning, he was reminded to “Be Here Now. He started upon the path of enlightenment, and has been journeying along it ever since.