Ram Dass

Ram Dass
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Name	Ram Dass
Birth name	Richard Alpert
Birth date	April 6, 1931
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts
Death date	December 22, 2019
Death place	Maui, Hawaii
Occupation	Spiritual teacher, author, psychologist

Ram Dass was a prominent American spiritual teacher, author, and psychologist, known for his association with Neem Karoli Baba, Timothy Leary, and Aldous Huxley. Born as Richard Alpert, he was a professor at Harvard University and a researcher at the Harvard Psilocybin Project, alongside Timothy Leary and Ralph Metzner. His spiritual journey was influenced by Eastern spirituality, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism, and he was also associated with the Esalen Institute and the Human Potential Movement. He was a close friend of Wavy Gravy and Allen Ginsberg, and his teachings were also influenced by Sufism and the works of Rumi and Hafiz.

Early Life

Ram Dass was born as Richard Alpert in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family, and grew up in a secular household. He was educated at Wilton Academy and later attended Tufts University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He then went on to earn his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University, and later became a professor at Harvard University, where he worked alongside Timothy Leary and David McClelland. During his time at Harvard University, he was also associated with the Harvard Psilocybin Project, which was a research project that studied the effects of psilocybin and other psychedelics, and he was also influenced by the works of Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard.

Spiritual Journey

Ram Dass's spiritual journey began in the 1960s, when he traveled to India and met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, who was also known as Neeb Karori Baba or Maharajji. He was deeply influenced by Neem Karoli Baba's teachings and became a devotee of Hinduism and Bhakti yoga. He also studied with other spiritual teachers, including Tat Wale Baba and Dada Lekhraj, and was influenced by the teachings of Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita. His spiritual journey was also influenced by his association with the Sufi poet Rumi and the Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa, and he was also associated with the Theosophical Society and the Anthroposophical Society.

Teachings and Philosophy

Ram Dass's teachings and philosophy were centered around the principles of love, compassion, and selflessness. He believed in the importance of mindfulness and meditation in achieving spiritual growth and inner peace, and he was influenced by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and Dalai Lama. He also emphasized the importance of service and seva in spiritual practice, and he was associated with the Seva Foundation and the Hanuman Foundation. His teachings were also influenced by the principles of Advaita Vedanta and Non-dualism, and he was influenced by the works of Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj.

Literary Career

Ram Dass was a prolific author and wrote several books on spirituality and personal growth, including Be Here Now, Still Here, and Compassion in Action. His books were widely read and influential, and he was also a popular speaker and lecturer, and he was associated with the Omega Institute and the Kripalu Center. He was also a contributor to several spiritual and philosophical journals, including the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology and the Yoga Journal, and he was influenced by the works of Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra.

Later Life and Legacy

Ram Dass passed away on December 22, 2019, at the age of 88, in Maui, Hawaii. He left behind a legacy of spiritual teachings and writings that continue to inspire and guide people around the world, and he was remembered by his friends and colleagues, including Wavy Gravy and Daniel Goleman. His teachings and philosophy continue to be studied and practiced by people from diverse spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sufism, and he was also associated with the Integral Institute and the California Institute of Integral Studies. His legacy is also preserved through the Love Serve Remember Foundation, which was established to promote his teachings and continue his work, and he was also associated with the Ramana Ashram and the Tat Foundation.