Ram Dass :Tune In, Turn On ,more than your average hippie

[krsna]

[Ram Dass] Tune In, Turn On

 

Slate (USA), Apr. 20, 2004

http://slate.msn.com

By Siân Gibby

 

A new documentary about Ram Dass shows him to be more than your average hippie.

 

In 1971, a long-haired former Harvard professor known as Ram Dass first told the world to "Be here now." These words encapsulated his philosophy of existing in the present moment and would become the seminal mantra for the burgeoning New Age movement. And it was with this simple message, as well as his yoga and meditation teachings, that Ram Dass (formerly Richard Alpert) ushered in a new era of consciousness-raising.

 

Thirty years later, being here now isn't what it used to be. In the '70s, Ram Dass' audience was mostly middle-class white kids interested in expanding their minds by whatever means—including drugs. Now those original disciples are aging, and their bodies are failing. But the proto-New Age guru remains relevant to this audience, especially now that he is aging himself.

 

In 1997, the then 65-year-old Ram Dass had a stroke that left him partly paralyzed and with vastly diminished speech capacities. A new documentary, Ram Dass Fierce Grace (PBS, April 20, 10 p.m. EST; consult your local listings), tells his story and claims that this phase may actually be the most spiritually enriching and valuable one of his eventful life. Ram Dass, the film asserts, can now help people deal with aging, infirmity, and disability by pointing the way to a higher understanding of these mysteries. The film uses extensive footage from the 1960s, as well as interviews with Ram Dass, his family, and disciples to show his life's arc: from precocious child to brilliant academic, from countercultural guru to the physically broken but still lively man he is today.

 

The documentary professes the worthy aim of illustrating how Ram Dass' own pain has lifted him to a new level of awareness and increased his compassion (after all, if anyone is going to learn a great lesson about suffering from physical ailments, wouldn't it be Ram Dass?), but this notion isn't illustrated in any concrete way for the viewer. Educating the audience, either by providing practical techniques of the sort Ram Dass employs for transcending illness and aging or by placing his message and spiritual work in a historical context, takes a back seat to showcasing the guru's considerable charisma and the pathos of his situation. The end result, sadly, is a moving portrait of an old, ill man, but little else.

 

To understand the importance of Ram Dass' work, it's necessary to know the history of how he became one of the country's most celebrated spiritual practitioners. Ram Dass was born Richard Alpert, the bright and personable scion of a wealthy, influential Jewish family. Alpert taught at Harvard in the '60s, joining his colleague Timothy Leary in "consciousness-raising" experiments using LSD (for which they were soon fired). Unsatisfied by that research, Alpert then traveled to India where he met a man, Neem Karoli Baba, who would become his Hindu guru. Alpert stayed on to study Hinduism with this master, was renamed Ram Dass, and subsequently came back to the States to spread word of new techniques for spiritual practice based on yoga and transcendental meditation (meditation using a repeated mantra, such as "Om").

 

In the late '60s, America's youth was ripe for anything that would allow for the exploration of human consciousness. Ram Dass' methods—which seemed revolutionary at the time but by today's standards are simply practical techniques for increasing awareness—made him enormously popular. His book Be Here Now sold more than a million copies. Since then, Ram Dass has written a number of spiritually themed books; he has continued to teach; and in 1996, he started plans for a radio show, a project that he was forced to set aside after the stroke.

 

The film lingers too long on historical footage of the hippie era and on by-now clichéd sound-bytes of Leary talking about "turning on" and dropping acid. Long sequences of traipsing Hare Krishnas, swathed in marigold garlands and singing their familiar chant, pass by without explanation. All of this, it seems, is there to provide background, but the images raise more questions than they answer. How did the experience of LSD and transcendental meditation compare, for instance? Were the drug experiments worthwhile as an introduction to opening oneself up to a different level of awareness? The film fetishizes the countercultural movement, lumping Ram Dass in among the hippie free-for-all.

 

The film also rather mystically (and crudely) assumes that the guru's newly truncated speech has taken on a poetic, spiritual force. (I guiltily found myself wondering if the massive doses of drugs he had taken in his youth might have played a part in his brain condition. This doesn't get addressed.) Though he has lost his ability to articulate, his cryptic, sometimes baffling statements are supposed to be oracular, infused with a wisdom born of suffering. This may be true, but it's hard to tell. We are shown scant footage of Ram Dass talking at the height of his powers of articulation, so we can't know how diminished his capacities are, or whether he has indeed become more insightful.

 

In failing to illustrate how his stroke has focused (or diminished) Ram Dass' mind, and thus his message and teachings, the film basically just shows us an old guy, famous among the counterculture youth of yesteryear, who is still cool and sweet and charming and who may now be more lovable than ever—because he's suffering.

 

In spite of its frustrating omissions, Ram Dass Fierce Grace is worth watching. Witnessing the guru's struggles—especially in light of his warmth, goodwill, and buoyant ego—is sobering and moving. It's also unusual to see the frankness with which some of the people interviewed for the film speak about Ram Dass and their own spiritual and physical pain. For example, a couple whose daughter's violent death years ago nearly destroyed their family recall with breathtaking candor how a sympathetic letter from Ram Dass helped them begin the healing process. The agony that suffuses their faces and voices is shockingly fresh and raw.

 

Unlike the standard, sentimentalized portraits of grieving or the "empowering" survivor tales we usually see on television, this movie shows the face of aging with a great deal of honesty and grace. If only it had done a better service to Ram Dass himself, by placing him in historical perspective instead of in distractingly anachronistic surroundings. There is much to say about the way in which Ram Dass' message affected our culture: He helped usher in the New Age movement, which, notwithstanding the outworn jokes of crystals and pyramid power, is a worthwhile development in an otherwise spiritually bereft society. Outside the often strangling parameters of organized religion, there isn't much room in America for the soul's questing; what scope there is was imported to us by people like Ram Dass. Indeed, the spiritual tools he introduced to us—for centering oneself and embracing our present experience—have stood the test of time. And now, in our culture of cynicism and violence, we need his perspective and ecumenical outreach more than ever.Siân Gibby is a Slate copy editor. She edits the "Faith-Based" column.

[Guest guest]

Thank you for that Krishna Das! Baba Ram Dass is an extraordinary being! Forgive me for asking,but are you the Krishna Das that Ram Dass mentions alot?

[ShiDaDao]

I am now a board member andwant to use the email notification facility!

 

Namaste!

[theist]

Hi ShiDaDao

[krsna]

What does your name mean?

[ShiDaDao]

Thank you for your kindness. My name is a Chinese Buddhist ordination nmae - it means something like 'Respectful Big Way', it means to follow the spiritual path and accept all beings.

[Guest guest]

In some indirect way I think Ram das and his philosophy of being Here Now, although somewhat speculative, did have a very substantial influence in setting the foundation for the western alternative movement to focus on India for transcendental inspiration.

After all it was that bohemian rapsody of the 60's that opened up the doors of perception with a little leverage of psychdelic substances that made a whole generation receptive to the descent of the adhoksaja plane and its representitives that would show us the alternative way home.

Ram dass is a gentle soul, even after being introduced to Krsna consciousness I still felt some appreciation and debt for his inspiration towards eastern philoshophy.

 

If he was a wayfarer of things to come I sure hope I don't have to face a stroke in the future for my frolics in similar fields as him in the past. The way I'm starting to get a few gaps in the memory banks makes me wonder where this mind will end up.

[theist]

It looks like he might do better then the "pyschedelic guru"

Timothy Leary. It was important for Leary to have his material body creamated and the ashes strewn in space. He thought that to be most cosmic.

 

I hope Ram das has exited the guru game business though.

[Guest guest]

Yes the art of dying that Tim propagated is really only of value if it is practiced like George Harrison, otherwise the clear light of the 'Tibetan book of the Dead' won't help much.

[Guest guest]

with old age, trouble comes. memory loss is common - politicians suffer from a special variety, called selective memoryloss. there is hope, though, for there are excellent homoeopathic remedies that can alleviate nearly all problems of old age, so the devotee can remember krsna at all times.

if you like, send me your symptoms to similicure@hotmail.com and i will tell you what remedy will help you.

VdK.

[Guest guest]

I met him in 1960 in Amsterdam at the birthday party of the only Dutch beat poet - Simon Vinkenoog. I was 14 then. With him were Alan Ginsberg, Ken Kesey and William Burroughs. i smoked my first pot at that party.

In 1969, I met him again, in Woodstock, where I was brought by Alan Ginsberg. I lived there with Bob Dylan, who had a house in Woodstock. I was backstage, when Hendrix played the starspangled banner, with the tears streaming down his face. Later he said it was not him, playing there, but it was given to him to do that. Baba Ram Das was a charismatic person, with a good grasp of Indian philosophy, albeit with a Shankarite slant. he knew little or nothing about bhakti, but helped the hippies define their goals better.

VdK.

[theist]

Vdk knew some people with influence that's for sure. I remember on VNN you told me about Ginsberg special love of mellons, watermellon I think in particular.LOL

[Guest guest]

Not ramm dass, but his guru, bhagavan das, had a great bhajan album,with Krsna Keshava on it. Very nicely done.

 

Leary had a good album too, the A-Cid symphony, wonderful. I actually got a copy at a sunday feast in Laguna when the temple was on woodland drive, next door to leary's Brotherhood of Eternal Life (the sunshine express folks).

 

I must admit that I liked these albums in my hash oil mist of youth. I listened to a Sam Andrew riff recently. I thought he was so good as the guitarist for Janis, but he was really bad, not on the same level as other SF musicians like John Cippolina and brother Jerry.

 

See, Ramm Dass doesnt remind me of Krsna, he reminds me of afghani hash oil, kona bud and warm sunny beaches with good waves as a twenty year old. But Krsna was in there somewhgere, I guess.

 

Hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

well, he awoke the same sort of hazy memories to the good old daze in me. remembering krsna from those days would be difficult, because He was never part of my youth till I visited India in '64.

Ginsberg used to gobble watermelon when in season, sprinkled with salt and pepper, like they do in Inda. he told me it enhances the taste. i did not believe until I tried. he was right!

When I was in California in'69, I lived with the merry pranksters and we took the bus to Esalen for weekly acid sessions, with Stanislaf Groff in the wirlpool, spinning not only the water but also your mind.

somehow, at the perifery of my vision, I remember a rathayatra festival, either in LA or san fransisco, with the best prasadam ever.

VdK.

[theist]

You made another reference to his having a mellon fetish. Were you just kidding if you remember?

[Guest guest]

You invoke them in me as well, I remember ol hank harrison, the dead compiler and friend of lesh and hart, and the big sur/santa cruzin daze. I was more isla vista then, but occasionally made the steamer lane surf tour.

 

Ginzberg, I met him in 67 at long beach (ca) state college during the mario controversy concerning artwork. He played a wild harmonium, and I was a dishwasher at the college on break, just inside the quad where he played.

 

Thoze were the daze bro, haribol, ys, mahak

[Guest guest]

"with old age, trouble comes. memory loss is common - politicians suffer from a special variety, called selective memoryloss. there is hope, though, for there are excellent homoeopathic remedies that can alleviate nearly all problems of old age, so the devotee can remember krsna at all times.

if you like, send me your symptoms to similicure@hotmail.com and i will tell you what remedy will help you."

 

Prabhu i wouldn't know where to start with my symptoms, there are just too many.

The conclusion I've come to is that Hari Nam kirtan is the only panacea for all disease this soul has come to carry.

My only dilema is placing myself in the footdust of those inspired vaisnavas who are living in their service to the Holy Name, so i can regularly relish their grace and good fortune.

I love the fresh young fired up spirit of the latter-day Saraswatas, they are very dynamic and bring out the best in me, but alas I now only see them at major festivals. Just not good enough.

Talking of memories, wonder where that 'wayfarer' is these eternal moments. Can only hope she is in the best of places.

I miss her impish spirit in the forums, she sure added some joy and spice to the pot.

Plus i remember taking lunch at your place in Vrndavan dham with you and your good wife on Bhaktivedanta marg way back then. Or what about the misty morns crossing over to Mayapur on parikrama to those waves of timeless kirtan echoing thru the mist. I still have some video of those wonderful times. Thanks for the memoiries, we were extremely fortunate to receive such connection, it's totally ACHINTYA.

Thanks for the offer of medicine prabhu, i've never been able to follow prescriptions, I always start, then can it after a week or two. The only thing I'm ever regulated at is chanting Malika, still she hasn't fasted. Touch Tulasi wood.

[Guest guest]

him and leary made some sort of album with the Fuggs too, if I remember well. Ever heard of it?

 

Theist, I was not joking. It is in my memorybanks as a clip - Alan buying a quart of a watermelon and taking a sprinkler from his pocket, with black salt and pepper. he then carefully sprinkled every part of the fruit flesh and then looked at it, opened his gob and stuffed it with watermelon, the juice dripping from his beard.

 

I also remember him being in Amsterdam in the Milky Way, with William Burroughs, playing and Indian harmonium and starting what we hippies called his astral lamentations. there, I saw him for the first time sprinkle the salt on watermelon and eat five or six pieces in a row.

 

VdK.

[Guest guest]

Prabhu, the principle of homoeopathy comes from the Srimad Bhagavatam - 1/5/33. Please read it carefully. If you think there are too many symptoms, I think that is an advantage, for it makes selecting a remedy on that principle very easy.

You say:

My only dilema is placing myself in the footdust of those inspired vaisnavas who are living in their service to the Holy Name, so i can regularly relish their grace and good fortune.

My reply:

If you do not want it, what can the vaisnavas do? If you give me no chance to serve you, then what shall my service be, other than doing my medicine?

Evry book on homoeopathy is adding to the purport of that one verse and there are countless books on homoeopathy. That one verse is inexhaustible and contains the entire science of medicine. In some other thread, devotees are posting about rebirth.

It is my sincere wish, to be reborn and do this service with medicine for eternity, if Mahaprabhu helps me keep a memory of Him. Otherwise, stuff this material plane, for it is not worth the while living here without the memory of Mahaprabhu.

VdK.