Speaking across the decades from the 1960s through the 1990s, Ram Dass shares his thoughts on expanding the boundaries of consciousness through the use of psychedelic chemicals.

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This episode of Here and Now is a compilation of Ram Dass exploring the use of psychedelic chemicals.

• We begin in the mid-1960s, back when Ram Dass was still Richard Alpert. In this interview with the CBC, he talks about how the psychedelic experience can help us see past individual differences.
• The next stop is 1968 and the famed WBAI radio talks. Ram Dass details his first experience with psychedelic chemicals and the process he went through of losing his attachment to his social roles.
• We move on to 1977 and a radio interview at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Ram Dass touches on the role of these chemicals in the spiritual awareness of people, recreational versus sacramental use, and the importance of set and setting.
• Up next is a retreat in 1989 where Ram Dass answers questions from a breakout group. He gives a brief history of psychedelic chemicals and talks about how they can provide a fresh look at the universe, expanding the boundaries of consciousness.
• The final stop is a psychedelic conference at Chapman University in 1994. Ram Dass reflects on the impact that psychedelics had on his life and how they influenced his work with death and dying.

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“And the predicament is that as you develop a model of who you are and how the universe works, it’s extremely hard to get out of that, which is called the ego, really. It’s very hard to get out of that. And what the chemical allows you to do is set that aside for a moment and see the universe from a different vantage point and find places in yourself, which is why it was used in religious traditions, find the deeper parts of your being that lie behind your thinking mind.” – Ram Dass

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In this talk from the 1980s, Ram Dass explores different forms of yoga—hatha, dhyan, jnana, bhakti, tantra, and more—and answers questions from the audience.

Get your copy of All In This Together, the latest book from Jack Kornfield! Let this new book be your guide, as Jack reveals how to navigate our human experience with wisdom and care. Inside you’ll find a beautiful collection of stories, inspiration for conflict resolution, and powerful teachings on healing, justice, and human kindness—anchored in the teachings of the Buddha and poetry from luminary voices like Mary Oliver. Click here to learn more!

This episode of Here and Now comes from an event in Irvine, CA, called “Living Consciously in the 1980s.”

• Ram Dass talks about how it’s only when we realize we aren’t who we think we are that the journey of awakening begins. Fortunately, there is help along this path in the various types of yoga, or methods for coming into the One.
• Ram Dass explores different forms of yoga, including hatha yoga (energy), dhyan yoga (meditation), jnana yoga (wisdom), bhakti yoga (devotion), and tantric yoga (senses). He says we should work with whichever form calls to us, or we can be a “chicken soup eclectic” like he is.
• Finally, Ram Dass answers some questions from the audience. He talks about intuition, the darkness that comes before spiritual growth, social identities, dealing with attachment to your child’s predicament, and more.

The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.

About Ram Dass:

Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.

“What I’m saying to you is, which yoga is appropriate for any human being, only that human being can figure out. And you can only figure it out by trying and testing and looking and quieting your heart and opening. One of you, it will be perfect for you to study and read holy book and Vedic tracts and things. For someone else, it’ll be absolutely perfect to start to work with the energy. For someone else, it’ll be perfect to do tantra. And it is not better or worse. These are merely different strategies. And some you will be sort of like I am, sort of like a chicken soup eclectic. And I do sort of play with all of these at a kind of superficial level.” – Ram Dass

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