Be Here Now by Ram Dass: A Guide to Living in the Present

Be Here Now was published in 1971 by Ram Dass. It became one of the most famous spiritual books of its time and helped bring ideas like meditation and yoga to many people in the West.

The book is about one simple message, the one in its title. Be here, in this moment. Not lost in the past. Not worried about the future. Just here.

It is not a normal book. The middle part is printed on brown pages, full of hand-drawn words and pictures. Some pages are more like art than text. This playful style is part of why readers love it.

Along the way, Ram Dass tells his own story, shares what he learned in India, and gives practical tips for living a more peaceful, loving life.

The book has four parts. Here is what each one covers:

1. 1Journey: The TransformationRam Dass tells how Richard Alpert, a Harvard psychology professor, lost his sense of meaning, traveled to India, and met the teacher who changed his life.
2. 2From Bindu to OjasThe famous hand-drawn section. Each page holds a short teaching, a picture or a line to think about.
3. 3Cookbook for a Sacred LifeA practical guide to meditation, yoga, breathing, diet, mantras and daily life as spiritual practice.
4. 4Painted Cakes Do Not Satisfy HungerA list of spiritual books for further reading, from many traditions.

The title of the last part is a gentle joke. Reading about spirit is like looking at a picture of cake. It is nice, but it will not fill you up. You have to practice.

• The present moment: All we ever really have is now. Much of our suffering comes from living somewhere else in our heads.
• The teacher: In India, Ram Dass met Neem Karoli Baba, whom he called Maharaj-ji. This teacher gave him the name Ram Dass, which means 'servant of God'.
• Love, serve, remember: Ram Dass often summed up his teacher's message this way. Love everyone, help others, and remember what is sacred.
• Letting go: The book invites you to loosen your hold on the ego, the part of you that needs to be special and in control.
• Many paths: Ram Dass draws on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and other teachings. He respects them all.

Under all the colorful pages, the message is very simple. Slow down, open your heart, and pay attention to this moment.

What we liked:

• Honest story: Ram Dass is open about his doubts, his mistakes and his search. That makes his story easy to trust.
• Beautiful and playful: The hand-drawn pages are fun to flip through, and you can open the book anywhere.
• Full of heart: The whole book feels warm and loving, never preachy.

What could be better:

• Dated in places: It was written around 1970. Some parts, including talk of psychedelic drugs, feel very much of that time.
• Hard to read in a line: The middle section has no normal story. Some readers find it confusing at first.
• Some advice is old: Parts of the diet and health advice are not up to date. For health questions, talk to a doctor.

You do not need to travel to India. Try these small practices:

1. 1Start with a quiet minuteSit for one minute each morning. Just notice your breath and the sounds around you.
2. 2Return, again and againWhen your mind wanders, gently say to yourself, 'Be here now.' Then come back.
3. 3Do one thing at a timeWhen you eat, just eat. When you walk, just walk.
4. 4Serve someoneDo one small kind act each day without needing thanks.
5. 5Read a little, practice a lotOpen the book to any page, read one idea, and then live it for the day.

Ram Dass was born Richard Alpert in 1931. He became a psychology professor at Harvard University. There he worked with Timothy Leary on research into psychedelic drugs, and both men were later let go from Harvard.

In 1967 he traveled to India, where he met his teacher, Neem Karoli Baba. That meeting changed the rest of his life. He came back as Ram Dass and spent decades teaching about love, service and awareness.

In 1997 he had a stroke, and he later wrote and spoke about aging, illness and grace. He spent his last years in Maui, Hawaii, and died in 2019. His teachings are still shared widely today.