Ep. 236 – The Relationship Between Karma and Grace

Ep. 236 – The Relationship Between Karma and Grace

Author: Ram Dass / Love Serve Remember October 9, 2023 Duration: 43:41

In this Q&A session, Ram Dass answers questions about how to love without emotional attachment, the relationship between karma and grace, and how he defines responsibility.

Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/ramdass

In this recording from 1976, Ram Dass answers questions from a lively Los Angeles audience:

  • How to love without emotional attachment? Ram Dass explores the various levels of love, dealing with attachment, and working with the karma that exists in our life space.
  • What is the relationship of karma and grace? Ram Dass talks about how he perceives grace and the ways it intersects with our karma.
  • What’s his view on vegetarianism? And who is God? Somehow, those questions are connected.
  • How does Ram Dass define responsibility? A responsible being lives in the Tao. 

“And what grace turns out to be is all the forces that exist in the universe that are free agents, that are available to support the process of your going back into the source. All the gurus, all the beings on astral planes, all of the elements, all of the forces in the universe.” – Ram Dass

Discover the transformative practice of teaching mindfulness in a new FREE 30-page ebook by Senior Buddhist teacher and Emmy award-winning musician, David Nichtern

With its blend of humor, wisdom, and accessible approach, The Art of Teaching Mindfulness ebook is a must-read for anyone interested in sharing the life-changing practices of mindfulness with others.

Already downloaded by over 15k people, visit dharmamoon.com/ebook to get YOUR free copy of The Art of Teaching Mindfulness!


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.


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. 252 – An Imaginary Playmate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:49
In this Q&A session, Ram Dass talks about dealing with disturbances in meditation, letting go of identifications, seeing the guru as an imaginary playmate, being too formless, and more.This episode is brought to you by B…
Ep. 251 – Resting in ‘I Am’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:20
In this classic talk, Ram Dass explores resting in ‘I am,’ a place where we can see the perfection of all things, including suffering, and how we can balance that place with an open heart.This episode is brought to you b…
Ep. 250 – Eat It Like It Is [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:14
Who are you? What are you doing here? In this classic talk about identity and attachment, Ram Dass asks where you could possibly stand in a world filled with pain and suffering to ‘eat it like it is?’This episode is brou…
Ep. 249 – Balance and Tension [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:34
In this exploration of suffering, death, and love, Ram Dass talks about resting in change and handling the balance and tension of inhabiting multiple planes of reality simultaneously.Want to participate in the discussion…
Ep. 248 – Patterns of Interdependency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:00
Speaking to issues of ecology, politics, and social action, Ram Dass shares stories of compassionate action and explores patterns of interdependency we can recognize in the world.Want to participate in the discussion abo…
Ep. 247 – Dreams Within Dreams Within Dreams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:08
In this Q&A session, Ram Dass talks about transcending dualism, the significance of clairvoyance, how reincarnation is part of our dreams within dreams within dreams, and more.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp.…
Ep. 246 – How to Be Responsive, Not Reactive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:29
In this classic talk from 1987, Ram Dass explores working with suffering, keeping our hearts open, finding the intuitive heart space, and being responsive rather than reactive. This episode is a continuation of the talk…
Ep. 245 – Taking Off Our Spacesuit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:31
In this essential talk from 1987, Ram Dass uses his life experience to guide us through the process of taking off our spacesuit of identity and embracing the curriculum our lives offer us.Want to be part of the discussio…
Ep. 244 – A Love Song Between Form & Formless [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:22
In this deeply meditative recording from 1976, Ram Dass talks about going beyond form and intellect and then is joined by Krishna Das to chant a love song between formless and form.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterH…
Ep. 243 – The Blueprint for Liberation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:48
In this essential talk, Ram Dass leans on the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, Ramana Maharshi, and Groucho Marx to explore identity, change, and how incarnation is the blueprint for liberation.Today's podcast is sponsored by…