Ram Dass is best known for his 1971 best-seller, Be Here Now. In the 1960's, Dass was well-acquainted with the famed “father of psychedelics,” Timothy Leary. His association with Leary and LSD, as well as his book, gained him popularity and he became a cultural icon.
Ram Dass was born Richard Alpert on April 6, 1931 in Newton, Massachusetts. His father was an influential lawyer in Boston and one of the founders of Brandeis University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dass was a bright, cheerful, upbeat child, well-liked by all. He graduated with a B.A. from Tufts University, a Master’s from Wesleyan and a PhD from Stanford. After his schooling, he gained a professorship in the Social Relations Department at Harvard University and also worked as a therapist.
Dass’ life changed drastically after he flew a private plane down to Mexico to meet his good friend Dr. Timothy Leary. Leary introduced him to teonacatl, or magic mushrooms. Dass consulted the well known author Aldous Huxley about this drug and Huxley introduced him to a friend of his who was producing a synthetic form of the psychedelic mushroom called, psilocybin, or LSD. Leary and Dass brought a supply of LSD back to Harvard and began to experiment with the drug. They called their experiments with LSD the Harvard Psilocybin Project. Both Leary and Dass were dismissed from their posts at Harvard due to these experiments.
Ram Dass and Timothy Leary continued to experiment with LSD, independent from the university setting, and introduced many famous musicians, artists and intellectuals of the time to this dangerous, mind altering substance.
In 1967, Dass traveled to India and met an American spiritual leader named, Bhagavan Das. Das introduced him to the Hindu guru Maharaj-ji who later gave him the name Ram Dass, which means “servant of God.” During his time in India he was inspired to write, Be Here Now, a book about teaching people of all religions to live harmoniously.
Upon returning to the States in 1969, Dass founded the Hanuman Foundation which promotes spiritual growth and awareness. He continued on his own journey of spiritual growth studying bhakti yoga, meditation, karma yoga and Sufi and Jewish studies.
Today, despite a stroke he suffered in 1997 which left him weakened, Dass travels nationally giving lectures. His popularity as a spiritual guide has brought him many followers. He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in 1991.
