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Dr. '''Richard Alpert''' (born [[1931]] [[April 5]]), also known as '''Baba Ram Dass''' ('''बाबा राम दास'''), is a contemporary [[spirituality|spiritual]] teacher who wrote the [[1971]] bestseller ''[[Be Here Now (book)|Be Here Now]]''. He is well-known for his association with [[Timothy Leary]] at [[Harvard University]] in the early [[1960s]], both having been dismissed from their professorships for experiments on the effects of [[psychedelic drug]]s on human subjects. He is also known for his travels to [[India]] and his association with the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] [[guru]] [[Neem Karoli Baba]].
 
Dr. '''Richard Alpert''' (born [[1931]] [[April 5]]), also known as '''Baba Ram Dass''' ('''बाबा राम दास'''), is a contemporary [[spirituality|spiritual]] teacher who wrote the [[1971]] bestseller ''[[Be Here Now (book)|Be Here Now]]''. He is well-known for his association with [[Timothy Leary]] at [[Harvard University]] in the early [[1960s]], both having been dismissed from their professorships for experiments on the effects of [[psychedelic drug]]s on human subjects. He is also known for his travels to [[India]] and his association with the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] [[guru]] [[Neem Karoli Baba]].
  
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===Youth and college===
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Alpert was born to a prominent [[Jew]]ish family in [[Newton, Massachusetts]]. His father, George Alpert, was one of the most influential lawyers in the [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] area and the president of [[New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad]], as well as one of the leading founders of [[Brandeis University]] and the [[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]]. The youngest of three boys, Richard as a child was described as being engaging and loved by all—the family mascot. He went on to receive a [[Bachelor of Arts]] [[academic degree|degree]] from [[Tufts University]], his [[master's degree]] from [[Wesleyan University]], and his [[doctorate]] from [[Stanford University]].
  
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Hello! dccddgd interesting dccddgd site! I'm really like it! Very, very dccddgd good!
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===Harvard professor===
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After returning from a visiting professorship at the [[University of California, Berkeley]], Alpert accepted a permanent position at Harvard, where he worked with the Social Relations Department, the Psychology Department, the Graduate School of Education, and the Health Service, where he was a therapist. He was also awarded research contracts with [[Yale]] and Stanford. However, perhaps most notable was the work he was doing with his close friend and associate, Dr. Timothy Leary.
  
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Having only recently obtained his pilot license, Alpert flew his private plane to [[Cuernavaca|Cuernavaca, Mexico]], where Leary first introduced him to ''[[teonanácatl]]'', the Magic Mushrooms of [[Mexico]]. By the time Alpert made it back to [[United States|America]], Leary had already consulted with [[Aldous Huxley]], who was visiting at [[M.I.T.]] Through Huxley and a number of graduate students they were able to get in touch with [[Sandoz]], who had produced a synthetic of the magic mushrooms called [[psilocybin]]. Alpert and Leary brought a test batch back to Harvard, where they conducted the [[Harvard Psilocybin Project]]. The pair was later dismissed from the university in 1963, Leary for his overall conduct and Alpert for continuing to fraternize with, and give psilocybin to, undergraduates. By this time however, Alpert had already become disillusioned with [[academia]] and even described himself as feeling caught in a meaningless game.
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The two soon relocated and continued their experiments unsupervised from a private mansion in [[Millbrook, New York]], which was owned by Billy Hitchcock, an heir to the Mellon fortune. Famous poets, musicians and intellectuals of the time, like [[Allen Ginsberg]], [[Maynard Ferguson]], the [[Grateful Dead]], [[Marshall McLuhan]] and [[Ken Kesey]], came from across the country to be a part of what was going on there. Although they remained life-long friends, the two eventually began to part ways spiritually and philosophically as Leary continued to spread his [[mantra]] of "[[turn on, tune in, drop out]]", while Alpert increasingly found his purpose in the Hindu ideology of serving others.
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===From Dr. Richard Alpert to Baba Ram Dass===
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In 1967 Alpert travelled to India, where he met the American spiritual seeker [[Bhagavan Das]]. As he guided him barefoot from temple to temple, Bhagavan Das began teaching Alpert basic mantras and [[asanas]], as well as how to work with beads. After a few months Bhagavan Das led Alpert to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, or as he is better known in the West, Maharaj-ji. Maharaj-ji soon became Alpert's guru and gave him the name 'Ram Dass', which means "servant of [[Rama|God]]". Under the guidance of Maharaj-ji, Ram Dass was instructed to receive teaching from [[Baba Hari Dass|Hari Dass Baba]], who taught in silence using only a chalkboard. While in India, Ram Dass was also in correspondence with [[Meher Baba]], however he remained primarily focused on the teaching of Hari Dass Baba. Among other things, Hari Dass Baba trained Ram Dass in [[raja yoga]] and [[ahimsa]]. It was these life-changing experiences in India that inspired Ram Dass to write the contemporary spiritual classic ''Be Here Now,'' in which he teaches the harmony of all people and religions.
  
 
===Back in the West to spread the message===
 
===Back in the West to spread the message===

Latest revision as of 08:21, 25 October 2012

Dr. Richard Alpert (born 1931 April 5), also known as Baba Ram Dass (बाबा राम दास), is a contemporary spiritual teacher who wrote the 1971 bestseller Be Here Now. He is well-known for his association with Timothy Leary at Harvard University in the early 1960s, both having been dismissed from their professorships for experiments on the effects of psychedelic drugs on human subjects. He is also known for his travels to India and his association with the Hindu guru Neem Karoli Baba.

Youth and college[edit]

Alpert was born to a prominent Jewish family in Newton, Massachusetts. His father, George Alpert, was one of the most influential lawyers in the Boston area and the president of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, as well as one of the leading founders of Brandeis University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The youngest of three boys, Richard as a child was described as being engaging and loved by all—the family mascot. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University, his master's degree from Wesleyan University, and his doctorate from Stanford University.

Harvard professor[edit]

After returning from a visiting professorship at the University of California, Berkeley, Alpert accepted a permanent position at Harvard, where he worked with the Social Relations Department, the Psychology Department, the Graduate School of Education, and the Health Service, where he was a therapist. He was also awarded research contracts with Yale and Stanford. However, perhaps most notable was the work he was doing with his close friend and associate, Dr. Timothy Leary.

Having only recently obtained his pilot license, Alpert flew his private plane to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where Leary first introduced him to teonanácatl, the Magic Mushrooms of Mexico. By the time Alpert made it back to America, Leary had already consulted with Aldous Huxley, who was visiting at M.I.T. Through Huxley and a number of graduate students they were able to get in touch with Sandoz, who had produced a synthetic of the magic mushrooms called psilocybin. Alpert and Leary brought a test batch back to Harvard, where they conducted the Harvard Psilocybin Project. The pair was later dismissed from the university in 1963, Leary for his overall conduct and Alpert for continuing to fraternize with, and give psilocybin to, undergraduates. By this time however, Alpert had already become disillusioned with academia and even described himself as feeling caught in a meaningless game.

The two soon relocated and continued their experiments unsupervised from a private mansion in Millbrook, New York, which was owned by Billy Hitchcock, an heir to the Mellon fortune. Famous poets, musicians and intellectuals of the time, like Allen Ginsberg, Maynard Ferguson, the Grateful Dead, Marshall McLuhan and Ken Kesey, came from across the country to be a part of what was going on there. Although they remained life-long friends, the two eventually began to part ways spiritually and philosophically as Leary continued to spread his mantra of "turn on, tune in, drop out", while Alpert increasingly found his purpose in the Hindu ideology of serving others.

From Dr. Richard Alpert to Baba Ram Dass[edit]

In 1967 Alpert travelled to India, where he met the American spiritual seeker Bhagavan Das. As he guided him barefoot from temple to temple, Bhagavan Das began teaching Alpert basic mantras and asanas, as well as how to work with beads. After a few months Bhagavan Das led Alpert to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, or as he is better known in the West, Maharaj-ji. Maharaj-ji soon became Alpert's guru and gave him the name 'Ram Dass', which means "servant of God". Under the guidance of Maharaj-ji, Ram Dass was instructed to receive teaching from Hari Dass Baba, who taught in silence using only a chalkboard. While in India, Ram Dass was also in correspondence with Meher Baba, however he remained primarily focused on the teaching of Hari Dass Baba. Among other things, Hari Dass Baba trained Ram Dass in raja yoga and ahimsa. It was these life-changing experiences in India that inspired Ram Dass to write the contemporary spiritual classic Be Here Now, in which he teaches the harmony of all people and religions.

Back in the West to spread the message[edit]

After his return to the United States in 1969, Alpert founded several organizations dedicated to expanding spiritual awareness and promoting spiritual growth, including Hanuman Foundation. Since then he has embraced a wide variety of spiritual traditions and practices, including guru kripa (grace of the guru); bhakti yoga focused on the Hindu spiritual figure Hanuman; meditation in various schools of Buddhism including Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Zen; karma yoga; and Sufi and Jewish studies. In February 1997, he suffered a stroke which left him with expressive aphasia, however, he understands his stroke as an act of grace and continues to travel giving lectures, as his health permits. When asked if he could sum up his life's message Ram Dass replied, "I help people as a way to work on myself, and I work on myself to help people... To me, that's what the emerging game is all about."

For a long time, Ram Dass has acknowledged his bisexuality [1]. In the 1990s, he became more forthcoming [2] while avoiding labels and pointing out that who we are "isn't gay, and it's not not-gay, and it's not anything—it's just awareness." [3]

Works[edit]

Books[edit]

Films[edit]

  • Ram Dass, Fierce Grace (a 2001 biographical documentary about Ram Dass by Lemle Productions)

External links[edit]

Template:ModernDharmicWriters

This article is based on a GNU FDL LGBT Wikia article: Dass Ram Dass LGBT
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