Ram Dass (1931–2019)

From Bindu to Ojas contains some very early Ram Dass recordings made in 1969. Ram Dass had recently returned from his first trip to India where he met his guru, Maharaji, when he began living in a cottage on his dad’s farm in New Hampshire. Ram Dass began sharing what he learned in India with people in the West.

This audiobook captures Ram Dass holding a very early version of a retreat on his dad’s farm. It was interesting to listen to him share teachings on numerous topics. I especially enjoyed his perspectives on identity. He provided explanations of the chakras. At the end, he concluded with insights on humility.

I have been a student of Ram Dass for the past few years and have listened to many of his books and podcasts that have spanned decades of his teachings. Since this recording took place in 1969, it was fascinating to observe him so early in his transformation. For instance, I could detect the arrogance he displayed prior to his trip to India. It’s not overt, just interesting to observe. This snapshot of Ram Dass in 1969 allowed me to see how much he had grown and evolved throughout his incarnation.

To be honest, this wasn’t my favorite Ram Dass book/audiobook. I have reviewed other Ram Dass books that you can find in the link below. I also wrote a blog post about my experience at a Ram Dass retreat I attended.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog… (lisätietoja)

I have so much gratitude for Ram Dass’ teachings. This book provides a brief history of Ram Dass’ experience with psychadelics and his first trip to India where he met his beloved Guru, Maharaj-ji. He graciously shares his wisdom on aging, karma, anger, dying, suffering, and meditation. Ram Dass has such an incredible way of explaining these concepts. Studying his teachings provides me with a perspective that is relatable and calming. He has a way of righting my views of the world and establishing a sense of balance. Ram Dass not only offers wisdom, he shares his personal experiences and how he struggled to apply the teachings of his Guru. His stories are often humorous and remind the reader he is human too. He closes the book with suggestions for practicing these concepts. ~Namaste… (lisätietoja)

As a student of Ram Dass’ teachings, this is an excellent book that addresses dying. Ram Dass and Mirabai engage in thoughtful spiritual conversations about the fear of dying. They often remind the reader to love everyone, tell the truth, and give up material attachments as we navigate through this incarnation. Ram Dass offers spiritual insight into how to be present for a dying person, how to grieve losses, and how to create space for our own dying. This is a book I intend to re-read often as I encounter future losses and prepare for my own death as I age. The audiobook is narrated by Mirabai and includes a couple of audio clips from Ram Dass’ past talks. The ending of the book offers several meditations. Namaste… (lisätietoja)