Be Here Now Summary

“Be. Here. Now. This moment is all there is.” Ram Dass challenges us to rethink the way we understand life, self, and spiritual fulfillment.

1: The Dissatisfaction of Success

Ram Dass, formerly Harvard psychologist Richard Alpert, realized that conventional success – academic achievements, material wealth, and status – left him feeling incomplete. His inner yearning for deeper meaning prompted a transformation.

Despite having a remarkable career and material comforts like apartments, motorcycles, and even a plane, something was missing. All that external success couldn’t fill an internal void of dissatisfaction. It was this emptiness that drove him to psychedelic experimentation and, later, to his spiritual awakening.

Through substances like LSD, he glimpsed a profound sense of interconnectedness and heightened awareness. But these fleeting moments of euphoria soon vanished, leaving him longing for lasting fulfillment.

This journey of discontent and temporary highs ultimately led him on a physical and spiritual path to India, seeking answers. On his travels, he met teachers and practices that gave him the tools to dig deep.

Examples

• Exploring psychedelic drugs introduced him to altered states of consciousness.
• His material success contrasted starkly with his internal unhappiness, driving his pursuit of spiritual truth.
• A chance encounter in India introduced him to Neem Karoli Baba, his life-changing guru.

2: Meeting Neem Karoli Baba

Meeting Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaji) was a turning point for Ram Dass, where skepticism transformed into awe and openness. This figure revealed a truth that transcended reasoning.

When Maharaji revealed intimate details about Dass’s life – such as his mother’s death and its cause (her spleen) – the experience left him stunned. Logic couldn’t explain this knowledge, forcing Dass to accept something beyond his existing paradigm of understanding.

Maharaji didn’t teach through long lectures but through his presence and simple teachings. He embodied unconditional love, showing how spirituality could be practiced as an everyday way of living, rather than an abstract concept.

Examples

• Maharaji’s knowledge of Dass’s deceased mother convinced Dass of the power of higher consciousness.
• The guru’s simplicity underscored that deeper truths don’t require complexity.
• Maharaji’s loving presence demonstrated spiritual principles in action.

3: The Concept of “From Bindu to Ojas”

The phrase “From Bindu to Ojas” serves as a metaphor for spiritual evolution. It represents moving from ego-driven individual consciousness (Bindu) to a higher, unified state of energetic essence and vitality (Ojas).

Dass explains that attachment to material things and egocentric identity leads to suffering. Liberation lies in shedding these attachments and acknowledging that all existence is one interconnected unity.

The ultimate goal is to recognize divinity within ourselves and others. By cultivating love, compassion, and service, we align with this unity, enabling us to live from a more profound center of being.

Examples

• The metaphor suggests going beyond surface-level desires to embrace the divine essence within.
• Living with service and love connects us to universal energy.
• Dass uses the view of life as a dance where all are interconnected partners.

4: The Illusion of the Ego

Our attachment to ego – the understanding of ourselves as separate, individual entities – causes most of our pain. Ram Dass urges us to look beyond this narrow identity.

The ego clings to labels and roles, driving comparisons, fear, and desires. Letting go of this self-centered lens frees us to experience the world as it is: interconnected and unified.

Spiritual practices help quiet the mind and dissolve the ego’s grip. The result is an ability to live in the present moment, which Dass sees as the ultimate truth.

Examples

• The ego perpetuates cycles of dissatisfaction through its endless wants.
• Meditation and mindfulness quiet the ego, fostering presence.
• Realizing “I am not separate” shifts one’s worldview to unity-consciousness.

5: The Profound Power of Breathing

Breathing, a seemingly simple act, is a gateway to greater awareness. Ram Dass highlights how conscious breathing techniques connect us to universal life energy, or "pran."

Certain exercises like “Sheetali” calm the nervous system, focus the mind, and prepare practitioners for deeper spiritual states. Learning to breathe consciously can turn everyday moments into meditative opportunities.

Dass compares the breath to a bridge, allowing people to transition from mental busyness to inner calm and introspection.

Examples

• The Sheetali practice involves breathing deeply through a curled tongue, promoting calmness.
• Conscious focus on breath creates a meditative state anytime, anywhere.
• Yogi breathing models efficient, mindful respiration that minimizes stress.

6: Practical Wisdom of Mantras

Mantras are words or phrases imbued with spiritual significance, repeated to steady the mind and deepen connection.

Dass recommends embracing mantras in everyday actions, turning mundane moments into opportunities for spiritual grounding. Mantras like “Om Namah Shivaya” can evoke protective and transformative qualities.

Rather than “doing” a mantra, Dass suggests letting the mantra “do” you. Words repeated enough times sink from the head into the heart, becoming a natural embodiment.

Examples

• The sacred syllable “Om” harmonizes one’s vibrations with the universe.
• Repeating “Rama” helps integrate light, love, and wisdom energy.
• Silent or spoken mantras can accompany daily activities like walking.

7: Being Present

Much of our suffering stems from being stuck in the past or yearning for the future. Ram Dass emphasizes the importance of “being here now” – fully inhabiting the present moment.

Presence means embracing life as it unfolds, without wishing it to be different. It allows us to connect with the flow of existence, rather than resisting it.

By focusing on now, we discover that all we seek – peace, fulfillment, love – already exists. Awareness of this truth becomes the source of liberation.

Examples

• Practicing mindfulness brings attention back to the current breath, sound, or sensation.
• Accepting “what is” reduces anxiety about what’s to come.
• Presence unveils wisdom and joy inherent in ordinary moments.

8: Serving Others as a Spiritual Practice

To Ram Dass, living a life of service is one of the most natural ways to embody spirituality. Service connects us to others and to the divine.

Helping others doesn’t just benefit them – it dissolves the ego and strengthens the realization that we’re all interconnected. Serving with love becomes an act of worship and gratitude.

Acts of kindness – whether big or small – create ripples of positive energy in the world and cultivate inner peace.

Examples

• Volunteering shifts focus away from self-centered concerns.
• Supporting a struggling friend reaffirms human unity.
• Service as devotion aligns the self with divine love.

9: Overcoming the Fear of Death

The spiritual journey also involves facing death without fear. Dass highlights how viewing life as a constant, infinite process removes much of the dread associated with mortality.

If we are not separate individuals but interconnected parts of universal existence, then death becomes less a loss and more of a transition. Mindful presence further diminishes fear by keeping us immersed in living fully and authentically.

Instead of lamenting inevitabilities, embracing the endless dance of change leads to liberation and peace.

Examples

• Meditation on impermanence transforms fear into acceptance.
• Stories of near-death experiences reveal death as a transformative stage.
• Spiritual texts describe life as a cycle rather than an end.

Takeaways

1. Start a daily breathing practice, like "Sheetali" during quiet moments, to center your mind and harness universal energy.
2. Choose a meaningful mantra and integrate it into daily activities, letting it guide you into spiritual harmony.
3. Embrace the present moment through mindfulness practices, viewing each task and interaction as an opportunity to fully "be here now."