Ram Dass
Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert; April 6, 1931 – December 22, 2019) was an American spiritual teacher, psychologist, and author best known for his book Be Here Now. He was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s, and his teachings have had a significant influence on Western spirituality, yoga, and New Age philosophy.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
Richard Alpert was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University, a Master of Arts from Wesleyan University, and a Doctorate in Psychology from Stanford University.
Career[edit | edit source]
Alpert held an academic position at Harvard University. Together with Timothy Leary and Ralph Metzner, Alpert conducted research on the therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs. This research was controversial and led to his dismissal from Harvard.
Spiritual Journey[edit | edit source]
In 1967, Alpert traveled to India where he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and became his disciple. Upon his return to the US, he took the name Ram Dass, meaning "servant of God." He started giving lectures and teaching about spirituality, drawing on Hindu philosophy, yoga practices, and other spiritual traditions.
Be Here Now[edit | edit source]
In 1971, Ram Dass published Be Here Now, a manual for conscious living, which has since become a seminal work in Western spirituality. The book combines autobiography, spiritual teaching, and practical guidance and has been influential in the New Age movement.
Later Life and Death[edit | edit source]
In his later years, Ram Dass continued to teach and write. He suffered a stroke in 1997, which left him with expressive aphasia, but he continued to give lectures with the help of assistants. Ram Dass passed away in 2019 in Maui, Hawaii.
Legacy[edit | edit source]
Ram Dass's teachings continue to influence Western spirituality. His work has been a bridge between Eastern and Western spiritual traditions and has contributed to the mainstream acceptance of mindfulness and yoga in the West.
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
