Ram Dass delves into the paradox of suffering and the path of service and love. He discusses better living through chemistry, the power of mystical experiences, and how we are all touched by grace. Ram Dass explores the limits we place on ourselves, the importance of giving up anger, and ends with an exploration of love.
Embrace imperfections while staying centered in spirituality for a fulfilling life.
Psychological transformation through releasing anger and embracing universal love.
Cultivate love in all interactions to serve as a conduit for spiritual awakening.
Deep dives
The Power of Therapy and Self-Focus
Therapy can help individuals shift their focus from comparing their lives to others on social media to concentrating on their own desires. By altering negative thought patterns, therapy aids in boosting self-esteem and developing healthy coping strategies for a better quality of life.
The Paradox of Acceptance and Action
Ramdass shares insights on the paradox of living a spiritual life, emphasizing the importance of accepting life's imperfections while actively engaging from a place of centeredness. He delves into the concept of embracing both blissful expansion and via negativa, which involves acknowledging separateness and pain while remaining centered in spiritual consciousness.
The Journey of Letting Go and Embracing Love
Ramdass narrates a transformative personal experience where letting go of anger and embracing love led to profound realizations. By relinquishing anger and practicing selfless service, individuals can deepen their spiritual connections and experience a shift towards universal love and compassion.
Finding Love Through Spiritual Devotion
Engaging in spiritual practices centered on devotion opens the path to experiencing love towards oneself and others. By nurturing love in various forms such as friendship, servitude, or lover-beloved relationships, individuals can expand their capacity to dwell in a state of unconditional love, fostering connection and spiritual growth.
The Transformative Power of Love and Beingness
Through cultivating a state of pure love and beingness, individuals can transcend their ego-based identifications and open themselves to divine grace. By embodying love in all interactions and environments, one can serve as a conduit for spiritual awakening, spreading love and wisdom throughout the world.
Ram Dass explores the paradox of suffering a spiritual person lives with, the perfection of it all, better living through chemistry, how we’re touched by grace, and the path of service and love.
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This episode of Here and Now continues the talk from Here and Now Ep. 254—The Up-Level. It was recorded at a meeting of the San Francisco Christian Community in 1978.
Ram Dass begins by explaining the paradox a spiritual person lives with when it comes to suffering and the perfection of all things. He touches on karma and righteousness.
Ram Dass talks about how he came into spirituality through his experimentation with psychedelics and better living through chemistry. He explores the power of the mystical experience, motivations for service in the face of suffering, and the limits we place on ourselves by defining who we are.
Ram Dass touches on our attachment to our methods, and how we’re all touched by grace. We can fight it all we want, but we can’t fall out of grace. He tells the story of how he began to give up his anger and ends the talk with an exploration of love. For Ram Dass, his path was simply one of service and of love.
“We have been touched. We have been touched by grace. That’s what we’re doing here. That’s why we’re in this room rather than at movies or out getting more and more sensual gratification at a punk rock concert or whatever. The reason we are here is because we’ve touched something. That is the grace, that is the thing. It has happened.” – Ram Dass