Ep. 227 – Awareness Without Identification

Ep. 227 – Awareness Without Identification

Author: Ram Dass / Love Serve Remember June 5, 2023 Duration: 45:18

In this Q&A session from 1993, Ram Dass explores an array of topics, including psychedelics as a method, assisted suicide, dealing with suffering, and awareness without identification.

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In this episode, Ram Dass answers questions about:

- Psychedelics as a method

- Assisted suicide

- Emptiness and form

- Dealing with suffering

- The relationship between the One and the many

- Liberation and service

- Awareness without identification and attachment

- The concept of criticism

- Pushing against form and separateness

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“The term attachment has to do with where the awareness is, what it’s identified with. Like, at this moment, your heart is beating, but you’re not beating your heart; your awareness isn’t connected with your heart beating, it’s just going on. And as your awareness draws back, and you find a way to start to remain in awareness without identification, then the phenomena of the universe continue to happen, but the awareness is no longer identified with the act. It’s what the Gita calls breaking the identification with being the actor. It doesn’t mean that the actions aren’t happening.” – Ram Dass

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The voice of Ram Dass carries a unique and enduring warmth, a blend of profound spiritual insight and grounded, often humorous, humanity. Ram Dass Here And Now is a curated archive of this wisdom, drawing from a rich tapestry of lectures recorded over four decades. Each episode is a focused journey into themes of consciousness, love, service, and the intricate paths of awakening, all filtered through Ram Dass's distinctive heart-centered perspective. The podcast is presented by the Love Serve Remember Foundation, with longtime friend and director Raghu Markus providing contextual introductions that connect these timeless talks to our contemporary moment. Listeners will find themselves immersed in conversations that weave together Eastern philosophy, particularly from the Hindu and Bhakti traditions, with practical Western psychology, exploring how spiritual principles manifest in everyday life, relationships, and societal challenges. It’s less a formal lecture and more an intimate, meandering dialogue with a wise elder, offering reflections that feel both ancient and immediately relevant. This isn't about dogma, but about the shared, often messy, human experience of seeking meaning and connection. To spend time with this podcast is to encounter a gentle guide, one who points persistently toward the present moment, toward compassion, and toward the recognition of our shared essence.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 307

Ram Dass Here And Now
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 290 – The Balance Between Emptiness and Compassion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:56
Ram Dass talks about finding a balance between emptiness and compassion, then answers questions from the audience, including on how to deal with fear around current events. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to eng…
Ep. 288 – Opening to Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
Ram Dass explores facing fears of the future as we age, opening up to the mystery of death, and seeing dying as a window of opportunity for awakening.Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online thera…
Ep. 287 – The Secret of Compassion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:00
In this powerful lecture on responding to suffering, Ram Dass draws on the wisdom of the Buddha, Trungpa Rinpoche, and Wavy Gravy, and offers his insight into the secret of compassion. The Ram Dass community gathers regu…
Ep. 286 – The Pull of God Versus the Pull of Humanity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:34
In this often fierce talk from Ram Dass, he reflects on the pull of God versus the pull of humanity and how we can find the balance between keeping one eye on God and one eye on the world. The Ram Dass community gathers…
Ep. 285 – Across the Decades: Resting in Awareness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:44
Speaking across the decades from the 1970s to the 2010s, Ram Dass shares his wisdom on the importance of resting in awareness. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.…
Ep. 284 – Every Human Being Has a Right To Be Fed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:35
In this recording from 1979, Ram Dass gives a talk at a benefit for a food bank, emphasizing that every human being has a right to be fed. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions abou…
Ep. 283 – Your Karma Defines Your Dharma [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:55
In this recording from a 1992 retreat, Ram Dass talks about dealing with change, using the stuff of your daily life to get free, and how your karma defines your dharma. You can support this podcast, listen to episodes AD…
Ep. 282 – Of Miracles and Maharaj-ji [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:21
In this recording from 1978, Ram Dass reads stories about his guru, Maharaj-ji, and his many miracles. We invite you to set aside your analytical mind and simply enjoy these miracles of love. You can support this podcast…