Ram Dass - The Practice of Being Here Now

Baba Ram Dass・2 minutes read

The text discusses the importance of being fully present in the moment through various spiritual practices and daily activities, emphasizing the value of mindfulness and heart-centered awareness. It highlights the benefits of integrating task-oriented actions with intuitive wisdom, cultivating a sense of balance and flexibility in life.

Insights

  • Spiritual practices like Tai Chi and mindfulness help individuals stay present in a future-focused culture that often lacks faith and intuition.
  • Embracing a heartfelt, rather than solely intellectual, approach is crucial for cultivating deep presence and inclusiveness in interactions and daily tasks.
  • Balancing mindfulness with flexibility in planning, appreciating the ordinary, and reframing judgment into appreciation are key elements in achieving a harmonious, integrated, and spiritually fulfilling life.

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Recent questions

  • How can one cultivate presence in daily life?

    Cultivating presence in daily life involves engaging in spiritual practices like Tai Chi, devotional love, and mindfulness. These practices help individuals stay in the present moment amidst distractions. Interactions with others, focusing on daily tasks mindfully, and even driving can bring individuals back to the present by focusing on the breath and surroundings. Coming from a heartfelt space rather than the mind, evolving meditation practice towards a deeper heart space, and appreciating the richness of the present moment are essential aspects of cultivating presence in daily life.

  • What is the importance of being fully present?

    Being fully present allows individuals to experience each moment deeply and authentically. By quieting the mind and focusing on the present, one can understand all variables before taking action. This practice helps in appreciating the richness and depth of everyday phenomena, fostering a sense of gratitude and mindfulness. Additionally, being fully present prepares individuals for intense experiences like death, emphasizing the significance of maintaining equanimity and readiness for life's transitions.

  • How can one balance planning for the future with being present?

    Balancing planning for the future with being present involves staying flexible and not overly attached to plans. By focusing on the present moment while also preparing for the future, individuals can maintain a balanced approach to life's demands. This allows for a seamless integration of all activities into the spiritual journey, ensuring that one can fully immerse themselves in each moment while also working towards future goals.

  • Why is it important to appreciate the ordinary moments in life?

    Appreciating the ordinary moments in life can transform them into sacred experiences. By investing in rituals that affirm the beauty of natural moments and slowing down to fully appreciate them, individuals can deepen their connection to the present moment. Shifting from judgment to appreciation, recognizing the inherent value in each experience, and reframing past traumas as learning opportunities can lead to a significant decrease in judgmental behavior and an increase in gratitude for the present.

  • How can one deepen their understanding of interconnectedness?

    Deepening one's understanding of interconnectedness involves recognizing the shared substance and continuous movement of all matter in the universe. By viewing life experiences as part of a soul's curriculum and appreciating the role of others in one's life, individuals can release judgment and blame. Balancing mindfulness practice with play, evolving meditation towards a lighter, more playful approach, and experiencing moments of pure beingness where boundaries dissolve can enhance one's sense of unity and interconnectedness with the world.

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Summary

00:00

Embracing Presence in a Future-Oriented Culture

  • The group discusses the challenge of being present in a future-oriented culture that discourages faith, trust, and intuition.
  • Spiritual practices like Tai Chi and devotional love are highlighted as methods to bring individuals into the present moment.
  • The practice of mindfulness, such as focusing on the breath, is emphasized as a way to stay present amidst distractions.
  • Interactions with others, like eye contact and intense conversations, are mentioned as tools to bring individuals into the moment.
  • Engaging in daily tasks mindfully, like washing dishes, is suggested as a practical way to cultivate presence.
  • Driving is used as an example of how to bring oneself back to the present moment by focusing on the breath and surroundings.
  • The importance of coming from a heartfelt space rather than the mind is discussed, emphasizing a deep heart space of soft presence and inclusiveness.
  • The evolution of meditation practice from a dry to a moist, soft experience is highlighted as a shift towards a deeper heart space.
  • Incarcerated individuals are noted for their ability to find richness and depth in their surroundings, emphasizing the importance of appreciating the present moment.
  • Personal experiences, like observing a spider in meditation, are shared to illustrate the depth and richness that can be found in everyday phenomena.

16:09

Embracing the Present Moment for Future Success

  • The speaker describes studying an M&M, taking half of it to savor the sweetness, and feeling overwhelmed by the richness of the experience.
  • They reflect on the concept of being fully present in each moment, emphasizing the importance of quieting down to understand all variables before taking action.
  • Planning for the future is discussed, highlighting the need to be flexible and not overly attached to plans to avoid disrupting the flow of the present moment.
  • The story of a monk's last meal before a devotee's death is shared, illustrating the significance of one's state of mind at the moment of death.
  • The process of dying is described in Tibetan Buddhist terms, emphasizing the importance of maintaining equanimity and preparation for the moment of death.
  • The speaker encourages practicing being present in the moment to prepare for the intense experience of death, likening it to a profound acid trip.
  • The idea that being fully present now is the best preparation for the future is reiterated, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the present moment for future success.
  • The concept of losing one's sense of humor in the pursuit of being fully present is mentioned, highlighting the challenges and rewards of being in the moment.

32:00

Balanced Life Design: Integrating Effort and Relaxation

  • In the Buddhist tradition, human birth is considered precious for liberation work, urging constant effort without wasting time.
  • The speaker, however, doesn't feel the urgency for spiritual practice, preferring a patient and relaxed approach to personal growth.
  • Spiritual progress involves intense effort followed by periods of relaxation and engagement with the world, leading to a seamless integration of all activities into the spiritual journey.
  • Being kind to oneself involves being gentle, appreciating one's current state, and understanding that personal growth is an unfolding process.
  • The tendency to dwell on the past or future stems from dissatisfaction with the present and attachment to past experiences or future fantasies.
  • Planning for the future while being fully present in the moment is possible, ensuring a balanced approach to life's demands.
  • Integrating work, home, spiritual, and personal life requires understanding the mind's tendency to time-bind, leading to a lack of integration and reduced effectiveness.
  • Fully immersing oneself in each moment, without mental distractions or future planning, enhances the quality of interactions and experiences.
  • By stepping back to assess the various aspects of life and their alignment with personal goals, one can create a fulfilling and balanced life design.
  • Achieving peace with the design of one's life allows for full presence and engagement in each activity, leading to a harmonious and integrated existence.

49:00

Cultivate awareness, balance tasks, embrace flexibility, find freedom.

  • Cultivate spacious awareness to see the whole picture before acting.
  • Practice being fully present in the moment for the best gift to yourself and others.
  • Integrate task orientation with a receptive, intuitive approach to life.
  • Task-oriented actions are based on preferences but not identified with them.
  • Balancing task-oriented strategies with intuitive wisdom can lead to inconsistency.
  • Design your life for flexibility to change midstream when needed.
  • Surround yourself with people and work that allow for flexibility.
  • Freedom is internal, not external, and involves being free within form.
  • Continually ask how to deepen appreciation of the ordinary to make it sacred.
  • Invest in rituals that affirm the beauty of natural moments and slow down to appreciate them fully.

01:05:36

Shifting from judgment to appreciation in life

  • Training oneself to shift from judgment to appreciation is a process that has shown improvement over time.
  • Recognizing the heaviness of judgment and choosing to appreciate instead has led to a significant decrease in judgmental behavior.
  • Understanding that individuals act based on their inherent nature and past experiences, rather than intentionally causing harm, can aid in releasing judgment.
  • Viewing life experiences as part of a soul's curriculum, where interactions serve as learning opportunities, can help in reframing past traumas.
  • Appreciating the role of others in one's life, even if negative, can lead to a sense of freedom from judgment and blame.
  • Relationships are seen as conscious choices that reflect deeper levels of understanding and awareness.
  • Balancing mindfulness practice with play is essential in spiritual growth, with the ability to maintain mindfulness even during playful activities.
  • The evolution of meditation practitioners shows a progression from strict mindfulness to a lighter, more playful approach.
  • Language is seen as a tool that can sometimes hinder the experience of pure beingness, where boundaries dissolve and a sense of unity prevails.
  • The merging of identities and dissolution of forms into awareness is likened to the interconnectedness of all matter in the universe, emphasizing a shared substance and continuous movement.

01:22:31

"Ram Dass's Healing Encounter with Rosie"

  • Ram Dass recounts an experience with a dying woman named Gene who felt overwhelmed by sensory stimuli. He guided her through an exercise to expand her awareness inward, helping her find peace before she passed away.
  • Ram Dass shares a story about swimming with dolphins named Joe and Rosie. Initially hesitant, he eventually forms a deep connection with Rosie, feeling healed and relaxed by the encounter.
  • During the swim, Rosie intuitively understands Ram Dass's need to breathe, allowing him to surface and take breaths before continuing their underwater interaction.
  • The experience with Rosie the dolphin leaves Ram Dass feeling a sense of ecstasy and connection, despite initial reservations about the appropriateness of the encounter.
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