Who Is Ram Dass …Now to Me?

by Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.

I’m sitting in the wake of Ram Dass passing, glued to Youtube for three days now. I can’t take my eyes off of his eyes. And I can’t stop listening to his voice as I take in the meaning of his message. I’m in awe of the life story of this fellow psychologist and spiritual seeker/teacher.

The last clip I listened to this morning was about how we judge and distance ourselves from others based on our perceptions. That’s exactly what I did with Ram Dass in the 70’s. I am compassionately ashamed of myself.

He had been portrayed as a maverick experimental psychologist studying my greatest love “altered states” via my greatest aversion “drugs to get there.” And I tuned him out…just exactly as he says in his lecture. I made a judgement and distanced myself from this brilliant man. Why?

Here’s why…

In 1972, I awakened to “altered states” through learning Transcendental Meditation as a Psychology major in college. It became my daily mental shower, the fueling of my success, my source of ecstasy and my connection to God.

I used to say, “I’m experiencing what people are paying money on the streets to get in order to be high.” I said that over and over and over to anyone who would listen.