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FM
Former Member

Baba Ram Dass, psychedelic pioneer and New Age guru, is dead at 88

Baba Ram Dass, psychedelic research pioneer, best-selling author and New Age guru who extolled the virtues of mindfulness and grace, has died. He was 88.

Dass' official Instagram confirmed his death Monday.
Born Richard Alpert, the future spiritual teacher met experimental psychologist Timothy Leary while the two taught at Harvard University. They founded the Harvard Psilocybin Project and shared psychedelic drugs with volunteer graduate students to explore their mind-altering effects.
 
 
The unorthodox pair were fired from Harvard in 1963 after faculty found out Alpert shared the drugs with undergraduates. They became "counter-culture icons" in their dismissal, per the Ram Dass website, taking more drugs to learn how psychedelics expanded their consciousness.
 
But he didn't become Ram Dass until a fateful trip to India in 1967. There he met Neem Karoli Baba, his guru, who gave Alpert the name Baba (or "father") Ram Dass, which means "servant of God," per Dass's website.
The spiritual enlightenment he experienced there prompted him in 1971 to write "Be Here Now," a best-seller his website describes as a "Western articulation of Eastern philosophy." The book became a New Age treatise on mindfulness and positivity.

He never feared death

A severe stroke in 1997 left Dass unable to speak or move part of his body. He relearned to speak and continued to teach online and host retreats from Maui, Hawaii.
"The stroke itself was not grace, but my reaction to the stroke was grace," he told the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. "I was positive from it, I was fascinated by it. And it was changing my philosophy on life."
In September, Dass told the New York Times Magazine he'd accepted his death.
"Soul doesn't have a fear of dying," he said. "Ego has very pronounced fear of dying. The ego, this incarnation, is life and dying. The soul is infinite."
He died at home in Maui, surrounded by loved ones, according to his Instagram. The post didn't list a cause of death.

Ram Dass' fans mourn his death

Supporters mourned his death on Twitter.
"'Be Here Now' shifted my world when I was young, as it did for millions of others," Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson tweeted. "Praise & thanks to a huge & radiant soul. May he be forever blessed."
Buddhist teacher Joan Halifax shared images of Dass, whom she called her close friend, during their final visit.
"The last time I saw him, sensing it might be so," she wrote. "Loving awareness...our Ram Dass."
 

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Ram Dass changed my life. Seriously. For nearly 30 years I was an atheist in keeping with Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Then, in the summer of 2005  I borrowed a book from the Toronto Public Library after browsing its back cover that hinted one of its themes is ageing gracefully. Little did I know that it dealt with far more than that theme. 

The book, STILL HERE by Ram Dass, discusses Richard Alpert's conversion to Hinduism and some important aspects of Hindu philosophy. Before I finished reading it I was already reunited with the religion of my parents and foreparents and making plans to acquire a copy of the BHAGAVAD GITA. No turning back after that. Thanks to the persuasive power of Guru Ram Dass. Only a few weeks ago I bought online a mala of prayer beads from his organization. 

Today I won't grieve for Ram Dass. I truly believe his passing is merely a change of clothing and his soul will wear new clothes as determined by his karma.

FM

It’s interesting getting other people’s perspectives!  In Swiss, I met Hindu converts, and they are hard core believers!

When I worked there, I often communicated with an employee in Guatemala whose name was Ramakrishnan something!  I thought he was Indian. Finally I met him in Mexico for a meeting!  He was pure Latino!  Then he told me his Grand parents converted in the 40s and the tradition continues!  All his kids carry full Hindu names!  He told me a condition of marriage is the spouse becoming Hindu!

One aspect they don’t agree is the caste system!  They view everyone the same!

FM
Prashad posted:

Prashad has been saying this for a long time. Chief, Keffer and Kazama should go back to the religion of their ancestors.

Bai, while as I grow older, I am getting better at accepting that all people of faith are seeking the same goal, I have no intention of changing my religion. I am too old to learn a new religion. Heck, I am still far from knowing the one my grandfather chose nearly a century ago. 

FM
ksazma posted:
Prashad posted:

Prashad has been saying this for a long time. Chief, Keffer and Kazama should go back to the religion of their ancestors.

Bai, while as I grow older, I am getting better at accepting that all people of faith are seeking the same goal, I have no intention of changing my religion. I am too old to learn a new religion. Heck, I am still far from knowing the one my grandfather chose nearly a century ago. 

What purpose would it serve? I was born a Hindu, will remain a Hindu and will die a Hindu. If being a Hindu means I don't go to heaven(if there's one), I will accept my destiny.

FM
ksazma posted:

I am not as dogmatic as I used to be. I think that people should let other worship as they so choose. Truthfully, no one really knows who is right or wrong or even if any or all are right or wrong.

You not telling the whole truth. Yuh gatt a Hindu wifey!!  Play dogmatic and yuh sleep in the doghouse!

FM
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

I am not as dogmatic as I used to be. I think that people should let other worship as they so choose. Truthfully, no one really knows who is right or wrong or even if any or all are right or wrong.

You not telling the whole truth. Yuh gatt a Hindu wifey!!  Play dogmatic and yuh sleep in the doghouse!

Kaz smart, he is playing both religion, maybe Christian?

K
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

I am not as dogmatic as I used to be. I think that people should let other worship as they so choose. Truthfully, no one really knows who is right or wrong or even if any or all are right or wrong.

You not telling the whole truth. Yuh gatt a Hindu wifey!!  Play dogmatic and yuh sleep in the doghouse!

Bai, me wifey love âĪïļ me to wan fault. Me kyan get away with almost everything. Not everything but almost everything. 😀

I am truly spoiled. 😀

 

FM
Baseman posted:
ksazma posted:

I am not as dogmatic as I used to be. I think that people should let other worship as they so choose. Truthfully, no one really knows who is right or wrong or even if any or all are right or wrong.

You not telling the whole truth. Yuh gatt a Hindu wifey!!  Play dogmatic and yuh sleep in the doghouse!

Don't worry.  Prashad will take him in his room at the YMCA when Prashad wife kick him out also.

Prashad

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