In 1967 a man named Richard Alpert traveled to India as a spiritual seeker. A year later he returned to the United States as Ram Dass and became one of the most influential teachers who introduced and popularised Eastern spiritual practices in the west through yoga, meditation, chanting and bhakti devotional practices. The person who became Ram Dass was born Richard Alpert on April 16th, 1931 in Boston. His father, George Alpert, was a prominent, prosperous executive and a founder of Brandeis University serving as its first board president.
Alpert’s academic training and talent were clearly evident as he earned a PhD in psychology from Stanford University, accepted a tenure track position at Harvard and was also made a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to teaching at Harvard, Alpert studied and experimented with psychedelic mushrooms (LSD). Though not illegal at the time, the use of psilocybin mushrooms was highly controversial. When Harvard University officials discovered Alpert had given LSD to undergraduate students he was promptly fired in 1963.
Professionally adrift, Alpert traveled to India in 1967. While there he encountered a Neem Karoli Baba, a Hindu guru and devotee of the Vedic deity Hanuman. At the time Neem Karoli Baba, known affectionately to his followers as Maharajji, was little known outside of India. When the two met, Maharajji shocked Alpert by revealing Alpert’s mother had recently died from a spleen disorder. According to Alpert that was private health information which had not been shared with anyone in India. Intrigued by that encounter, Alpert decided to spend more time with Neem Karoli; a decision which propelled him onto a transformative spiritual path.
Consequently, Alpert embraced Maharajji his guru remaining devoted to him and his memory for the rest of his life. It was Maharajji who gave Alpert the spiritual name “Ram Dass” meaning servant of God. After spending nearly a year in India, Maharajji sent Ram Dass home to the United States instructing him to “love, serve, and remember God.” His plane landed in Boston where his father picked him up. Ram Dass recalled that because he returned barefooted, with long hair, long beard, and white robed, his father, shocked at his appearance, instructed him to get into the car promptly “before anyone sees you.” For several months, he lived in a cabin on his father’s estate. Soon hundreds of people began to join him for chanting and meditation. Additionally, he was invited to deliver traditional Vedic teachings in various cities.
For the rest of his long life, Ram Dass would love and serve people while seeing and promoting the divinity within every being. Those who met him, read his books or listened to him teach experienced in Ram Dass a non-judgmental completely accepting personality. Ram Dass described this unique ability as “turning people into trees” explaining: “When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying, ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”
In 1971, an obscure publisher, The Lama Foundation, released his first book ‘Be Here Now’. It connected with Western readers and went through more than three dozen printings,with sales exceeding two million. ‘Be Here Now’ was more than a best- selling book. It became a critical part of the cultural and spiritual shift in consciousness taking place across America in the late 1960s. The book became a “new age bible” serving as a foundation guide for Westerners seeking to explore Eastern spiritual practices. Ram Dass continued to publish books, do recordings on tape and video always ensuring that his teachings were reasonably priced. Additionally, he used his royalties to start charitable foundations.
Ram Dass was an appealing teacher because he presented profound wisdom with humility, humor and simplicity. One example is his advice for those experiencing spiritual growth. “Reorganise your life to support your spiritual journey,” he advised and offered these ways of doing the reorganization:
- Changing your diet by moving from a meat based to plant based eating and shifting from consuming highly processed foods to food in its more natural state.
- Changing who you’re with by looking more closely at the people you associate with the most. Maximise your association with spiritual companions who will validate your journey while minimising time with those who don’t offer that support. It’s especially important to spend more time with people who live with a high vibration because they can lift you up raising your to a higher, healthier level.
- Changing how you spend your time by seeking activities which strengthen spiritual aspirations and goals such as spending time in nature, meeting with others for teaching and meditation.
- Changing the books you read find those which increase your hope, faith, confidence, which nourish the mind and feed the spirit rather than writings which merely entertain or, worse, drain you emotionally.
- Changing how you care for your body committing to regular physical exercise, eating clean and lean, avoiding food with unhealthy fats and added sugar.
- Changing what you fill your consciousness with choosing activities that make you feel uplifted and inspired, rather than ones that drain you of energy and leave you depressed, frustrated or angry.
On February 19, 1997 Ram Dass experienced a stroke which left him with paralysis on the right side of his body. The part of the brain which controls language was damaged and severely limited his ability to speak. Despite that, he continued to write and lead retreats over the next decades before dying peacefully at his home in Hawaii on December 22, 2019. He was 88 years of age.
Victor M. Parachin, M. Div. (CYT) is an author, Vedic educator, yoga instructor, and Buddhist meditation teacher. He is the director of Tulsa Yoga Meditation Centre (USA). Victor researches and writes extensively about eastern spiritual philosophy and is the author of numerous books.
His work is published regularly in YOGA Magazine. His book – ‘Think Like a Buddha: 108 Days of Mindfulness’ was published by Hohm Publishers and his latest book ‘Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners: An A-Z Guide’ is published by Sunstone Press.
WORDS OF WISDOM FROM RAM DASS
- The quality of the spiritual heart is that it loves without discrimination. It just loves.
- Listening is an art that comes from a quiet mind and an open heart. Listening uses all your senses, and it is a very subtle skill, not only with the ears but with your whole being. Are you really
- Are you really here, or are you simply waiting for the next thing?
- People who are enamored with their intellect don’t trust the inner space. They don’t know how to tune in to it. They haven’t noticed its existence, because they were so busy thinking about everything.
- External silence can be the doorway to inner silence.
- We have created ecological conditions that are strangling us. Think of that: No one has done it to us— we humans have done it to ourselves.
- There is no experience in your life that doesn’t have the potential to liberate you.
- Even your enemies can be teachers who wake you up to a place that you’re not, that you need to bring into your awareness.
- The art of growth has to do with how quickly you admit error and start making decisions that arise out of wisdom.
- Treat everyone you meet like God in drag.
- Learn to watch your drama unfold, while at the same time knowing you are more than your drama.
- It is the continuing work of life: learning to trust that the universe is unfolding exactly as it should, no matter how it looks.
- Live fully in life. But don’t cling. Flow through it.
- The quieter you become, the more you can hear.
- Suffering is part of our training program for becoming wise.
- The changes you undergo in meditation are often too subtle to detect accurately. You may be making the most progress when you don’t feel anything particularly significant is going on.
- The art of playing on the playground of life is to do what you do as well as you can, while knowing that what happens is not always in your control
- Getting caught up in memories of the past or worrying about the future is a form of self-imposed suffering.
- When you know how to listen, everybody is the guru, speaking to you.
- Don’t get too rigidly attached to any single method. Turn to others when their time comes, when you are ripe for them.
- If you meditate regularly, even when you don’t feel like it, you will make significant gains, allowing you to see how your thoughts impose limits on you.
- The art of growth has to do with how quickly you admit error.
- The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can’t be organized or regulated. It isn’t true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth.
- It’s very hard to grow because it’s difficult to let go of the model of yourself in which you’ve invested so heavily.
- Realise that sometimes you make a decision and, if it wasn’t the right one, you change it.
Yogi Maharaj Dr. Malik our Editor (since 2003) is a recognised international expert and an authority on the subject of Yoga. He started his training under the guidance of Yogis from the Himalayan region at the age of six and also received instructions from Sufis, Lamas and Sadhus. He is an accredited Yoga teacher specialising in Kundalini, Hatha and Laya Yoga.
Founder and pioneer of Yogology, a spiritual technology which combines ancient traditions and principles of Laya, Hatha, Kundalini and meditative practices, Yogi Malik began teaching this over 20 years ago. He has spent a lifetime dedicated to researching, teaching and sharing his knowledge on yoga. He is also a practitioner of related alternative therapies, including Shamanism.
Q: I’ve been practicing yoga for a year now. How can I deepen my practice beyond just the physical postures? J. Kaur (Wolverhampton)
A: Yoga is much more than asanas— it’s a holistic practice that integrates mind, body, and spirit. To deepen your practice, you can explore meditation. Begin incorporating mindfulness or focused meditation into your routine. You might start with Dhyana (meditation), the seventh limb of the eightfold path in yoga.
Also try Pranayama variations by moving beyond basic breathing to techniques such as Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) for energising or Bhramari (bee breath) for calming. Another way to explore your yoga mastery beyond physical postures is to explore about the philosophical underpinnings of yoga or Sanskrit. Study texts like the Bhagavad Gita or Yoga Sutras. One core concept is Ahimsa (non-violence), which can influence how you treat others and yourself. Another thing you could do is pay attention to your lifestyle. Concentrate on your diet, habits, and daily schedule with yogic principles, such as eating sattvic (pure) foods, waking up early for practice, and embracing a sense of service (seva). By integrating these dimensions will help you experience yoga as a way of life rather than just a physical activity.
Q: Can yoga help with stress management and overall health? If so, which practices do you recommend for daily stress relief? A. MacLeod (Edinburgh)
A: Yoga is one of the most effective tools for stress management because it works on the physical, mental, and emotional levels. For daily stress relief, I recommend you trying gentle asanas. Poses like Balasana (Child’s Pose), Sukhasana (Easy Pose), and Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose) calm the nervous system. Also try Pranayama (breath exercise) help considerably so learn as many as you can. Try Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) to balance energy or Ujjayi (victorious breath) for soothing the mind.
Q: I have been practicing advanced asanas like inversions, but I’m struggling with mental focus during long holds. How can I train my mind to stay present? S. Mendes (Bristol)
A: Advanced poses challenge not only your body but also your mental discipline. Here’s how you can cultivate focus further. Drishti is the practice of fixing your gaze at a single point. For example, in Sheershasana (Headstand), focus on a point on the floor or in the distance to stabilise your mind. Try using a Sanskrit mantra or affirmation to keep your mind anchored. Repeating a simple mantra like “Om” or “So Hum” during poses can prevent mental chatter. Practice prayanama and sync each movement and hold with your breath. For example, count your inhales and exhales during challenging poses to create a meditative rhythm. You could also try visualisation techniques by imagining energy flowing through your body as you hold the pose. Visualising light or warmth can help maintain your focus and connection.
Remember, advanced practice is as much about mental mastery as physical ability. Be patient and compassionate with yourself.
Q: Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the pace of life. Are there yoga practices that can help me slow down mentally and emotionally? E. Watson (London)
A: Yes, yoga is excellent for embracing stillness and slowing down. Begin with postures that relax the body. Try Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) by lying on your back with the soles of your feet together and knees supported by cushions. Hold this pose for 5-10 minutes while practicing Viloma Pranayama (interrupted breathing) by inhaling halfway, pause, inhale fully, and then exhale slowly.
For emotional balance, practice Shitali Pranayama (cooling breath), curling your tongue and inhaling through the rolled tongue before exhaling through the nose. This calms both body and mind.
You should also look to learn and practice Yoga Nidra. Known as yogic sleep, this guided meditation relaxes the body and mind deeply. Even 20 minutes can feel as restorative as hours of sleep. Try Mindful Living: Practice Santosha (contentment) by acknowledging small joys and maintaining gratitude.
Scientific studies have shown yoga reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) and improves heart health. Make these practices a consistent part of your routine to build resilience against stress. Remember, yoga is a lifelong journey of discovery. Keep practicing with intention and openness, and you’ll continue to grow on every level.
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