Ram Dass
Born 1931 · Age 94
American psychologist turned spiritual teacher and writer who popularized Eastern spirituality and yoga in the West; author of Be Here Now and founder/co-founder of several service organizations.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth of Richard Alpert (Ram Dass)
Born Richard Alpert in Boston to Gertrude (Levin) and George Alpert.
Graduated Williston Northampton School (cum laude)
Completed secondary education at Williston Northampton School, graduating cum laude.
BA in Psychology from Tufts University
Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Tufts University.
MA in Psychology from Wesleyan University
Completed a master's degree in psychology at Wesleyan University.
Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University
Received a Ph.D.; doctoral thesis on 'achievement anxiety'.
Taught at Stanford University (one year)
Served as a faculty member at Stanford for one year after completing his PhD.
Joined Harvard University faculty (assistant clinical psychology)
Accepted a tenure-track assistant clinical psychology professorship at Harvard, working across several departments and the Health Service.
Joined Harvard Psilocybin research with Timothy Leary
Began intensive collaborative research into psilocybin, LSD and other psychedelics as potential therapeutic/spiritual tools.
Visiting professorship at UC Berkeley (returned 1961)
Served as a visiting professor at UC Berkeley; returned to Harvard in 1961 and intensified research into psychedelics.
Co-founded International Federation for Internal Freedom (IFIF)
Co-founded IFIF to pursue studies in the religious use of psychedelic drugs; served on its board.
Assisted Walter Pahnke's 'Good Friday Experiment'
Helped run the first controlled, double-blind study of psychedelics and mystical experience (the Marsh Chapel / Good Friday Experiment).
Published 'Identification and Child Rearing'
Published first book (co-authored) on child rearing and identification issues (Stanford University Press).
IFIF disbanded and renamed Castalia Foundation (Millbrook)
The IFIF's New York activities were reorganized into the Castalia Foundation, centered at Millbrook, hosting retreats and publishing Psychedelic Review.
Millbrook communal retreats and Castalia activities
Hosted weekend retreats at Millbrook, ran the Psychedelic Review, and experimented with methods to access higher consciousness.
Dismissed from Harvard
Controversial psychedelic research led to dismissal from Harvard (Leary and Alpert parted ways with the university).
Relocated to Millbrook (Hitchcock Estate)
Moved with Timothy Leary and collaborators to Millbrook, NY to continue psychedelic exploration and form a communal/intellectual colony.
Published 'The Psychedelic Experience' (with Leary & Metzner)
Co-authored a manual based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead for guiding psychedelic trips.
Co-authored 'The Psychedelic Experience' audio and print influence
The 1964 manual became influential in psychedelic and spiritual circles (later reissued and referenced widely).
Co-authored 'LSD' (with Sidney Cohen & Lawrence Schiller)
Published a book on LSD and its effects; part of Alpert/Ram Dass's scholarly output on psychedelics.
Recorded 'The Psychedelic Experience' audio (reissue later)
Audio material associated with The Psychedelic Experience produced (recording later reissued).
Gave talks at League for Spiritual Discovery (NYC)
Gave talks in Greenwich Village at the League for Spiritual Discovery during the late 1960s.
Given name 'Ram Dass' by Neem Karoli Baba
Received spiritual name 'Ram Dass' and began formal study with his guru (studied intensively for ~4 years).
Studied at Kainchi ashram; practiced bhakti and yoga
Spent years studying devotional (bhakti) practices and other spiritual disciplines under Maharaj-ji.
First trip to India; meets Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji)
Traveled to India, met Bhagavan Das and Neem Karoli Baba, who became his guru and gave him the name 'Ram Dass' (servant of God).
Returned to United States as Ram Dass (changed public persona)
Returned to the U.S. transformed (long beard, robes, barefoot), shifted away from psychedelics toward teaching Eastern spirituality.
Recorded 'Here We All Are' live (Vancouver, summer 1969)
A 3-LP live set recorded in Vancouver (later released as part of his audio teachings).
From Bindu to Ojas manuscript edited at Lama Foundation
Presented manuscript while staying at the Lama Foundation; community edited and laid out the text that became Be Here Now.
Be Here Now sales milestone (2,000,000 copies)
Be Here Now sold around two million copies over time, becoming extremely influential in Western spirituality.
Donated Be Here Now proceeds / copyright to spiritual causes
Proceeds initially sustained the Lama Foundation; eventually book copyright and half its proceeds were donated to the Hanuman Foundation.
Publication — Be Here Now
Published Be Here Now (originally via Lama Foundation). The 416-page manual became a seminal New Age classic.
Published 'Doing Your Own Being'
Released 'Doing Your Own Being' (book of teachings and practice material).
Donation pattern begins: regular giving of royalties and teaching proceeds
Over his life Ram Dass donated book royalties and teaching income to foundations; estimated annual donations ranged $100k–$800k.
Death of Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji)
Ram Dass's guru, Neem Karoli Baba, died on September 11, 1973.
Founded Hanuman Foundation; initiated Prison-Ashram Project
Created the Hanuman Foundation (nonprofit educational/service organization) and initiated Prison-Ashram Project to support spiritual growth in prisons.
Published 'The Only Dance There Is'
Released 'The Only Dance There Is' (book).
Published 'Grist for the Mill' (with Stephen Levine)
Co-authored 'Grist for the Mill', a spiritual text published in 1977.
Co-founded Seva Foundation
Co-founded Seva Foundation with Larry Brilliant and Wavy Gravy to combat curable blindness and support public-health projects internationally.
Published 'Journey of Awakening' and 'Miracle of Love'
Released 'Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook' and 'Miracle of Love: Stories about Neem Karoli Baba'.
Featured on ABC Australian radio documentary 'And When I Die, Will I Be Dead?'
Appeared on a radio documentary exploring death and near-death experiences; material later adapted into a 1987 book.
Reconciled with Timothy Leary at Harvard reunion
Reunited with Timothy Leary at a Harvard reunion marking 20 years since their firing; they reconciled publicly after years apart.
Published 'How Can I Help?' (with Paul Gorman)
Released 'How Can I Help? Stories and Reflections on Service', focusing on karma yoga and service.
Living/Dying Project (Dying Center) established
The project, initially called the Dying Center in Santa Fe (first US residential facility for 'conscious dying'), later based in Marin as the Living/Dying Project.
Explored Judaism seriously (age 60)
At about age 60 he began seriously engaging with his Jewish roots and integrating Jewish mystical ideas into his view.
Published 'Compassion in Action'
Released 'Compassion in Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service' with Mirabai Bush.
Published recordings and live teaching sets (various releases)
Throughout the 70s–90s Ram Dass released many recorded teaching compilations and live sessions used widely in spiritual communities.
Film: 'A Change of Heart' (PBS documentary)
Hosted and was featured in 'A Change of Heart', a one-hour PBS documentary examining social action as meditation.
Launched 'Here and Now with Ram Dass' radio pilots
Began a radio program with seven pilots in LA and SF; planned national launch for the following year (did not proceed due to health).
Reunited with Leary as Leary neared death; helped with dying process
Reunited with Timothy Leary again before Leary's death in May 1996; supported Leary in dying.
Discussed bisexuality publicly (1990s)
In the 1990s Ram Dass spoke openly about his bisexuality and relationships with both men and women.
Suffered a near-fatal stroke (hemiplegia, expressive aphasia)
Experienced a major stroke leaving him with right-side paralysis and expressive aphasia; he later described it as 'fierce grace'.
Published 'Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing and Dying'
Released a book addressing aging and mortality from a spiritual perspective.
Film: 'Ram Dass, Fierce Grace' released
Biographical documentary directed by Micky Lemle chronicling Ram Dass's life and spiritual journey.
Reissue: 'The Psychedelic Experience' audio reissued on CD
Earlier audio material associated with The Psychedelic Experience reissued by Folkways.
Suffered severe illness during India trip; curtailed travel
Nearly died from a second stroke/infection on a trip to India; after recovery he stopped extensive travel.
Moved to Maui, Hawaii
Relocated to Maui and began hosting regular retreats there and limited travel; used Skype and webcasts to teach.
Released 'Cosmix' (video-enhanced CD collaboration)
Collaboration mixing Ram Dass messages with DJ Kriece; released on Waveform Records.
Learned he had fathered a son (revealed late)
At about age 78 he discovered he had fathered a son during his mid-20s at Stanford; the son later took a DNA test confirming paternity.
Published 'Be Love Now' (with Rameshwar Das)
Released 'Be Love Now', continuing his teachings on devotion and loving awareness.
Published 'Polishing the Mirror'
Released a memoir/summary of his teaching, 'Polishing the Mirror: How to Live from Your Spiritual Heart'.
Documentary: 'Dying to Know: Ram Dass & Timothy Leary'
A dual-portrait documentary exploring their lives, teachings, and approaches to death.
Documentary 'Dying to Know' festival screenings & press
The film about Ram Dass and Timothy Leary received festival attention and renewed interest in their lives and death teachings.
Continued retreats and webcasts from Maui
Hosted semi-annual retreats and taught via live webcasts and podcasts from Maui until late 2019.
Documentary: 'Ram Dass, Going Home' released
A documentary portrait focusing on Ram Dass in his later years directed by Derek Peck.
Published 'Walking Each Other Home' (with Mirabai Bush)
Released a book of conversations on loving and dying.
Final collaborative album (East Forest x Ram Dass)
Released collaborative album featuring Ram Dass's final recorded teachings.
Attended consecration of Hanuman Mandir in Taos, New Mexico
Traveled off-island for the first time since moving to Maui to attend the consecration of a Hanuman temple in Taos.
Death of Ram Dass
Died at his home in Maui, Hawaii on December 22, 2019.
Posthumous publication 'Being Ram Dass'
A posthumous book compiling teachings and reflections was published in 2021.
Key Achievement Ages
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