Be Here Now – What is your favorite part?

For anyone on the spiritual path, Ram Dass’ Be Here Now is essential reading.

The book fascinated me. From Ram Dass teaching psychology at Harvard, to his extensive use of psychedelic drugs, to his emotions and feelings about dissatisfaction, it was such an interesting read. He pushed my mind and my ego to think about more in this physical form world that we are living in.

My Favorite Parts of Ram Dass’ Be Here Now:

Shoveling Snow

The part about contact highs was awesome. Ram Dass described a story on a very snowy night in Boston where he was at a friend’s house  tripping out on psychedelic drugs. After a full night of partying he walked home to his parents house around 4AM. At the time a major snow storm was coming through Boston. He started shoveling snow. His parents came to the window and gave him the, “You’re crazy, come inside!” look. Instead of coming inside or defending himself, he did a jig in the snow and started making snow angels. His parents started cracking up laughing and Ram Dass began laughing. For that second, or that minute, all egos were no more, and the three of them were One. The greatness of life’s light was beaming in that moment. Ram Dass described contact highs as making someone else happy by making yourself look stupid. I love this because its an exercise or practice that reduces ego. Its a practice that can potentially bring about happiness and love.

Ram Dass and Psilocybin

At another point in the book, RD was tripping out on psilocybin, again. I have never tried this “drug,” but his response to it was amazing. He began to see life form as similar versus different. He described how we always are seeing the differences in each other. How we are better, worse, bigger, smaller, richer, poorer than anything and everything around us. Our egos are constantly talking to us, chatting in our heads telling us to be more, be better, be worse, you’re not good enough, etc. This drug took him to a different place. It made him see Oneness. “Race turned into a color like a t-shirt color.” He was present.

Be Here Now and Presence

The “Be Here Now” part of the book was profound. His guru Neem Karoli Baba said to Ram Dass, “Do not think about the past, do not think about the future, just be here now.” He was talking about being present. Feeling your body, letting go of your thoughts in your head, acknowledging your ego is your ego. Deleting goals, wants, desires, and simply being present. He gave him what I think is great advice and said, “Emotions are like waves, watch them disappear into the ocean.”

I highly suggest reading this book. It was so useful in helping me acknowledge my ego. I can now draw on my ego when I am frustrated and use it as a tool to be present.

What are your favorite parts about Ram Dass’ Be Here Now?