Be Here Now

Be Here Now Plot Summary

Introduction

In the spring of 1961, Richard Alpert seemed to be living the American dream. A respected Harvard professor holding appointments in four departments, he enjoyed a substantial income, collected luxury possessions, and threw charming dinner parties in his antique-filled Cambridge apartment. Yet beneath this veneer of success lurked a profound emptiness. Despite his academic achievements and five years of psychoanalysis, Alpert felt something fundamental was missing from his understanding of human existence. The theories he taught in psychology didn't quite "make it," failing to address the deeper questions of consciousness and meaning that haunted him. This inner restlessness would launch Alpert on an extraordinary journey of transformation, from renowned academic to spiritual seeker to beloved teacher known as Ram Dass. His path would take him from Harvard's hallowed halls to ashrams in India, from psychedelic experimentation to profound spiritual awakening. Through his personal evolution, Ram Dass would introduce millions of Westerners to Eastern spiritual traditions and create a new vocabulary for discussing consciousness, presence, and the integration of spiritual wisdom into everyday life. His story illustrates the search for authentic meaning beyond material success, the courage to abandon conventional thinking in pursuit of higher truth, and the possibility of finding joy and purpose through service and spiritual connection.

Chapter 1: Academic Success and Inner Emptiness

Richard Alpert was born in 1931 to a prominent Jewish family in Massachusetts. His father was a lawyer who became president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and founder of Brandeis University. From early on, Richard showed remarkable intellectual capabilities. He progressed through the educational system with relative ease, earning his doctorate from Stanford University before securing teaching positions at Stanford, Berkeley, and eventually Harvard. By 1961, Alpert had reached the pinnacle of academic success. At Harvard, he held appointments in the Social Relations Department, the Psychology Department, the Graduate School of Education, and the Health Service, where he worked as a therapist. His research contracts extended to Yale and Stanford, and his income afforded him a lifestyle of considerable luxury. He owned a Mercedes-Benz sedan, a Triumph motorcycle, a Cessna airplane, an MG sports car, a sailboat, and a bicycle. He vacationed in the Caribbean where he enjoyed scuba diving, collecting antiques, and hosting elaborate dinner parties. Despite these outward markers of success, Alpert was plagued by a growing sense of dissatisfaction. "I felt something was wrong in my world," he later explained, "but I couldn't label it in any way so as to get hold of it." This feeling manifested physically—before every lecture, he experienced extraordinary diarrhea and tension. More troubling was his sense that psychology as a discipline was failing to address the fundamental questions of human existence. He observed that psychologists, himself included, were "9 to 5 psychologists" who came to work, practiced their discipline like an insurance agent or auto mechanic, then went home at the end of the day just as neurotic as before. Though he was widely respected and successful by conventional standards, Alpert felt like he was playing a sophisticated game. "My lecture notes were the ideas of other men, subtly presented, and my research was all within the Zeitgeist—all that which one was supposed to research about," he would later reflect. He had become extraordinarily skilled at "bouncing three knowledge balls at once," appearing wise during doctoral examinations while feeling inwardly that it was all a performance, a "hustle" that lacked validity in his core. The disconnect between his professional role and personal fulfillment grew increasingly apparent. In family gatherings, he was celebrated as "the boy who made it," a Harvard professor whom everyone stood in awe of and listened to intently. Yet internally, he experienced what he described as a "gentle horror" at knowing that despite his achievements, he fundamentally did not know something essential about life and existence. This intellectual success had brought him material rewards but failed to satisfy his deeper yearning for meaning and authentic connection.

Chapter 2: Psychedelic Awakening and Ego Dissolution

The turning point in Alpert's life came through his friendship with Timothy Leary, a charismatic fellow Harvard psychology professor whose office was just down the hall from Alpert's empire. The two became drinking buddies and began teaching courses together, including a practicum on "Existential Transactional Behavior Change." Alpert found Leary intellectually stimulating, appreciating his openness to new ideas and willingness to take risks in thinking. In March 1961, Alpert had his first experience with psilocybin, a psychedelic substance that Leary had been experimenting with after encountering sacred mushrooms in Mexico. The experience profoundly altered Alpert's perception of reality. During this session, he had a powerful vision of himself as separate from the various identities that constituted his self-concept. He witnessed the figure of himself as a Harvard professor standing eight feet away, then as a social cosmopolite, and then as each of the different aspects he knew to be himself—cellist, pilot, lover, and so on. With each appearance, he realized he could let go of that aspect of identity. Most significantly, when he saw himself as "Richard Alpert-ness," his basic identity, he experienced a moment of panic about letting go. But as he surrendered this final aspect of self, he heard an inner voice asking, "Who's minding the store?" In that moment, he realized that despite the dissolution of all external identities—even his bodily awareness—he remained fully conscious. "Not only that," he later explained, "but this aware 'I' was watching the entire drama, including the panic, with calm compassion." This experience gave Alpert his first taste of a consciousness that existed beyond his ego identity. He discovered what felt like a more authentic self that was "wise, rather than just knowledgeable." The distinction was profound—instead of accumulating information about reality, he had experienced reality directly. Following this awakening, he felt extraordinary joy, running out into the snow and laughing as the flakes swirled around him. When he returned to his parents' home at dawn and began shoveling snow, his concerned parents called him an idiot, but internally he felt an unprecedented sense of clarity and autonomy. Over the next several years, Alpert and Leary conducted extensive research with psychedelics, administering substances to hundreds of volunteers and documenting their experiences. Through this work, they identified what appeared to be a hierarchy of consciousness states that people could access. The most common experiences included heightened sensory awareness and a sense of interpersonal connection where differences between people became background rather than foreground. Higher states involved experiences of unity and pure energy. While the Harvard experiments began as legitimate research, the university administration grew increasingly concerned about the professors' methods and personal involvement with the substances. By 1963, both Leary and Alpert were dismissed from Harvard. For Alpert, this professional rejection became another opportunity for growth. When reporters at the press conference looked at him "as if he was a prizefighter who had just lost a major fight," he found that internally he felt peaceful, thinking "What I'm doing is all right." This represented a significant shift from seeking external validation to trusting his inner knowing.

Chapter 3: Journey to India and Meeting Maharaj-ji

By 1967, Alpert had grown disillusioned with the psychedelic experience. Despite hundreds of sessions with various substances, he kept experiencing the same frustrating pattern: he would ascend to magnificent states of consciousness only to come back down to ordinary reality. The ephemeral nature of these experiences left him wondering if there was a way to access higher consciousness states without chemical assistance. When a wealthy acquaintance invited him to journey to India, Alpert accepted, partly out of curiosity and partly because he had reached a crossroads in his life. He had no more job at a respectable institution, and the psychedelic path seemed to be leading nowhere permanent. As he later described it, "I had shot my load." He brought along a supply of LSD, hoping to find holy men who could explain what the substance was really doing and perhaps reveal the "missing clue" that would help him integrate his experiences. For months, Alpert traveled through India visiting various temples and ashrams, but the experience felt superficial. He had seen the inside of a Land Rover, taken photographs, drunk bottled water, and eaten canned goods, but remained "a westerner traveling in India." By the time he reached Nepal, he had fallen into a deep depression. He had given LSD to several spiritual teachers, but their responses had been disappointingly ordinary—some got headaches, others said it was good but not as good as meditation, and some simply asked for more. Everything changed when Alpert met an unusual American traveler in Kathmandu. Bhagwan Dass was a 23-year-old from Laguna Beach, California—a tall, blonde, bearded Westerner wearing Indian holy clothes. From their first interaction, Alpert sensed that Bhagwan Dass possessed an authenticity and spiritual grounding that he had been seeking. "It was just like meeting a rock," Alpert recalled. "It was just solid, all the way through. Everywhere I pressed, there he was!" After several days of conversation, Alpert made a momentous decision. Rather than continuing his first-class journey around the world, he would follow this young American spiritual seeker back into India on a temple pilgrimage. This meant abandoning his comfortable lifestyle—going barefoot, wearing a dhoti, sleeping on the ground, and experiencing dysentery and physical hardship. It was a dramatic shift from professor to pilgrim. Bhagwan Dass became Alpert's first spiritual teacher, instructing him in practices of presence. When Alpert would begin to tell stories about his past or worry about the future, Bhagwan Dass would interrupt: "Don't think about the past. Just be here now." This simple instruction—to remain fully in the present moment—became a cornerstone of Alpert's developing spiritual philosophy.

Chapter 4: Transformation Through Divine Love

After months of traveling with Bhagwan Dass, Alpert experienced the most significant encounter of his spiritual journey. At a small temple in the foothills of the Himalayas, he was introduced to Neem Karoli Baba, affectionately known as Maharaj-ji, an elderly Indian guru wrapped in a plaid blanket. Though Alpert had not been seeking a guru and was actually skeptical of the concept, this meeting would transform his life completely. As Alpert stood somewhat aloof while Bhagwan Dass prostrated himself before Maharaj-ji, the guru looked up and asked if Alpert had any medicine with him. When Alpert produced his cache of psychedelics, Maharaj-ji specifically requested a powerful dose of LSD. To Alpert's astonishment, the elderly man immediately swallowed 915 micrograms—three times what would be considered a very strong dose—with absolutely no discernible effect. This inexplicable immunity to the substance's potent effects was Alpert's first hint that he was in the presence of someone extraordinary. What happened next penetrated to Alpert's core. Maharaj-ji began telling him private details about his family that no stranger could possibly know. Most strikingly, he accurately described the circumstances of Alpert's mother's death from spleen disease the previous year—something Alpert had thought about while alone under the stars the night before. This apparent mind-reading ability overwhelmed Alpert's rational faculties. His mind "went faster and faster" trying to find a logical explanation until it reached an impasse. In that moment of cognitive surrender, Alpert experienced something profound: "I felt this extremely violent pain in my chest and a tremendous wrenching feeling and I started to cry. And I cried and I cried and I cried. And I wasn't happy and I wasn't sad. It was not that kind of crying. The only thing I could say was it felt like I was home. Like the journey was over. Like I had finished." This emotional breakthrough was accompanied by a spiritual awakening. When Maharaj-ji looked at him with complete acceptance and love despite knowing everything about him—including all his shameful secrets—Alpert felt truly seen and unconditionally loved for perhaps the first time in his life. The guru's love washed away his guilt and shame, allowing him to see himself as a pure soul rather than a collection of neuroses and achievements. Following this transformative encounter, Alpert was instructed to stay at the temple. Without being asked for money or commitment, he was given clothes, a room, and food. He began to adopt the practices and lifestyle of an ashram, rising early for meditation, wearing simple clothing, and focusing on spiritual development rather than intellectual pursuits. Most importantly, he learned to approach life through the heart rather than the analytical mind. Under Maharaj-ji's guidance, Alpert received a new name: Ram Dass, meaning "servant of God." This renaming symbolized his rebirth into a spiritual identity distinct from his former self. The professor who had defined himself through achievements and possessions was giving way to a being centered in presence, compassion, and service.

Chapter 5: Be Here Now: Teaching and Spreading Awareness

Upon returning to the United States in 1969, Ram Dass found himself in a unique position. Having experienced profound spiritual awakening in India, he now stood with one foot in Eastern mysticism and the other in Western psychology. This dual perspective allowed him to translate ancient spiritual wisdom into language that resonated with contemporary Americans seeking meaning beyond materialism and traditional religion. Ram Dass began giving talks about his transformation. Initially speaking at colleges and in living rooms, he found that his message struck a deep chord, particularly with young people disillusioned with conventional society. Unlike many gurus or teachers who claimed special status, Ram Dass spoke as a fellow seeker who had simply gone further down a path available to everyone. His Ivy League background gave him credibility with the educated middle class, while his countercultural associations and psychedelic history connected him with the hippie movement. His lectures combined personal storytelling, humor, psychological insight, and spiritual teachings. Rather than promoting a specific religious doctrine, Ram Dass emphasized practical methods for quieting the mind, opening the heart, and living with greater awareness. He spoke of meditation, service, conscious living, and the possibility of experiencing the divine in everyday life. Central to his teaching was the concept of "being here now"—fully present in the moment rather than lost in regrets about the past or anxiety about the future. In 1971, Ram Dass published "Be Here Now," a revolutionary book that combined spiritual teachings with innovative graphic design. With its distinctive blue cover and square format, the book became a spiritual landmark for a generation. Its accessible presentation of Eastern philosophy, meditation techniques, and consciousness exploration resonated with seekers who might never have picked up traditional religious texts. The book sold over two million copies and continues to influence new readers decades later. Beyond writing and speaking, Ram Dass founded several organizations dedicated to applying spiritual principles to social concerns. The Prison-Ashram Project brought meditation and yoga to incarcerated individuals. The Dying Project (later known as the Living/Dying Project) developed approaches to conscious dying, helping terminally ill people and their families approach death with awareness and equanimity. The Hanuman Foundation supported various initiatives connecting spirituality with social action. Throughout this period, Ram Dass remained committed to his own spiritual practice while adapting to his role as a teacher. He navigated the challenges of public attention without falling into the traps that had ensnared other spiritual figures. When followers tried to put him on a pedestal, he would remind them of his humanity and imperfections. "I'm not a guru," he would say. "I'm a fellow explorer who's gone a bit further down a certain path and is sharing what I've found."

Chapter 6: Path of the Heart and Spiritual Service

As Ram Dass continued his spiritual journey, his teaching evolved from emphasizing techniques and experiences to focusing on the path of the heart. While his early work had been influenced by the yoga of knowledge and meditation practices, he increasingly recognized love and compassion as the essence of spiritual life. This shift reflected both the influence of his guru, Maharaj-ji, whose primary teaching was "love everyone, serve everyone," and Ram Dass's own maturing understanding. "The most important aspect of love is not in feeling but in action—the continual practice of compassion," he often said. This perspective led Ram Dass to define spiritual growth not in terms of mystical experiences or psychic powers, but in one's capacity to love unconditionally and serve others selflessly. He encouraged followers to see every interaction as an opportunity to practice presence and compassion, whether dealing with family members, coworkers, or strangers. Ram Dass distinguished between the emotional heart, which loves conditionally and seeks reciprocation, and the spiritual heart, which loves without attachment or expectation. He described the spiritual heart as "the place where we point to in our chest when we say 'I am.'" This "heart-mind," as he sometimes called it, is the seat of pure awareness and unconditional love—the connection point between individual consciousness and universal being. Service became increasingly central to Ram Dass's teaching and personal practice. He viewed service not as sacrifice or duty, but as a natural expression of recognizing our fundamental interconnectedness. "Helping out is not some special skill," he explained. "It is not the domain of rare individuals. It is not complicated, or difficult. It means simply that people need each other, and that we can all help each other." Through his foundations and personal example, Ram Dass demonstrated how spiritual awareness could inform social action. He worked with organizations serving the homeless, advocated for environmentalism, supported the hospice movement, and developed programs for conscious aging. Rather than seeing activism and spirituality as separate domains, he viewed them as complementary aspects of a life aligned with truth and compassion. In 1997, Ram Dass experienced a severe stroke that left him with partial paralysis and aphasia. This profound physical limitation became part of his spiritual teaching. Rather than hiding his disability or viewing it as a failure, he incorporated it into his message, demonstrating how suffering could be transformed through presence and surrender. "The stroke was giving me lessons, and I realized that was grace," he explained. Despite physical challenges, he continued writing, teaching, and speaking, albeit at a slower pace and with assistance. This period of physical limitation deepened Ram Dass's empathy for suffering and his appreciation for vulnerability. His message became less about achieving spiritual states and more about meeting life's challenges with an open heart. "We're all just walking each other home," became one of his most quoted expressions, capturing his view of the spiritual journey as a shared human endeavor grounded in love and mutual support.

Chapter 7: Living in Loving Awareness

In his later years, Ram Dass distilled his teaching to its essence: loving awareness. This concept unified the two fundamental aspects of his spiritual path—the awareness practices he had learned through meditation and yoga, and the heart-centered approach inspired by his guru. Loving awareness, as Ram Dass described it, is "being conscious and heart-centered simultaneously," allowing one to perceive reality clearly while responding with compassion. "I am loving awareness" became Ram Dass's personal mantra and central teaching. He explained it as a practice of identifying with the witnessing consciousness rather than thoughts or emotions, while simultaneously bringing love to everything in one's field of awareness. This approach wasn't merely a spiritual technique but a way of being that transformed ordinary experience into a sacred encounter. Ram Dass continued living on Maui, Hawaii, where he established a spiritual community and welcomed visitors from around the world. His home became a place of pilgrimage for those seeking his guidance and blessing. Despite his physical limitations, he maintained a daily spiritual practice and continued to embody the principles he taught. Visitors often remarked that his presence communicated more than his words—his gentle gaze and radiant smile conveyed the loving awareness he spoke about. Technology allowed Ram Dass to extend his reach during this period. His lectures were recorded and distributed online, podcasts featured his teachings, and social media accounts shared his wisdom with new generations. Rather than resisting these modern platforms, he embraced them as vehicles for spiritual connection, recognizing that the essential message of presence and love remained relevant regardless of the medium. Throughout his later life, Ram Dass faced the reality of aging and mortality with remarkable grace. Rather than fearing death, he approached it as the next stage of his spiritual journey. "Death is not an end, but a transition," he often said. He viewed the dissolution of the body not as a tragedy but as a release from limitation, comparing it to "taking off tight shoes." This perspective informed his work with the dying and his own preparation for death. Even as his physical condition declined, Ram Dass maintained his characteristic humor and lightness. "I'm not interested in being a 'good' person," he would say. "I'm interested in being a real person." This authenticity—the willingness to acknowledge his struggles while continuing to aspire toward love and awareness—made his teaching accessible and his example inspiring. On December 22, 2019, at age 88, Ram Dass died peacefully at his home in Maui. True to his teaching, he approached death as he had approached life—with presence, acceptance, and an open heart. His final message to his followers was characteristically simple: "Learn the path of the heart, not the path of the mind. The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master."

Summary

Ram Dass's extraordinary journey from Harvard professor Richard Alpert to beloved spiritual teacher exemplifies the possibility of profound transformation available to each person. His life demonstrates that our greatest fulfillment comes not from external achievements or experiences, but from awakening to our true nature as loving awareness. Through his teachings, he showed that spiritual growth isn't about escaping ordinary life but about bringing greater presence, compassion, and service to our everyday existence. The essence of Ram Dass's legacy lies in his integration of Eastern wisdom with Western psychology, creating a spiritual approach that is both accessible and profound. His message transcends religious boundaries, speaking to the universal human yearning for meaning, connection, and love. For those feeling trapped in the limitations of ego-centered existence, Ram Dass offers a liberating vision: that we can shift our identification from our transient thoughts and emotions to the eternal awareness and love that is our true nature. His teachings continue to resonate with seekers of all backgrounds, inviting each person to discover that the love and wisdom they seek is already present within their own heart.

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Ram Dass

Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), was one of America's most beloved spiritual figures, making his mark on the world giving teachings and promoting loving service, harmonious business practices, and conscious care for the dying. His spirit has been a guiding light for four generations, carrying millions along on the journey, helping free them from their bonds as he has worked his way through his own.

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