Ram Dass

American contemporary spiritual teacher, the author of Be Here Now. Ram Dass' spirit has been a guiding light for four generations, carrying along millions on the journey.

In India, he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, affectionately known as Maharajji, who gave Ram Dass his name, which means "servant of God."

He first went to India in 1967. He was still Dr. Richard Alpert, an already eminent Harvard psychologist and psychedelic pioneer with Dr. Timothy Leary. He had continued his psychedelic research until that fateful Eastern trip in 1967, when he traveled to India. Everything changed then - his intense dharmic life started. On his return from India, Ram Dass became a pivotal influence on a culture that has reverberated with the words "Be Here Now" ever since.

In 1970, Ram Dass' Be Here Now became the counter-culture bible for thousands of young people seeking enlightenment in the midst of the darkness of Vietnam. It was a pioneering bridge from the psychedelic 60s to eastern spirituality, and over the years has sold (and continues to sell) more than two million copies. With Be Love Now Ram Dass completes his trilogy that began with Be Here Now in 1970 and continued with Still Here in 2004.

Ram Dass has pursued a panoramic array of spiritual methods and practices from potent ancient wisdom traditions, including bhakti or devotional yoga focused on the Hindu deity Hanuman; Buddhist meditation in the Theravadin, Mahayana Tibetan and Zen Buddhist schools, and Sufi and Jewish mystical studies. Perhaps most significantly, his practice of karma yoga or spiritual service has opened up millions of other souls to their deep, yet individuated spiritual practice and path.

More information at www.ramdass.org