Ep. 245 – Taking Off Our Spacesuit

Ep. 245 – Taking Off Our Spacesuit

Author: Ram Dass / Love Serve Remember February 19, 2024 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 discussion about this episode of Here and Now? Join us for the SoulPod Meet-Up on February 27th at 3 pm EST.

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

This episode is also brought to you by Magic Mind, a matcha-based energy shot infused with nootropics and adaptogens designed to crush procrastination, brain fog, & fatigue. Use the code RAMDASS at checkout to get up to 50% off your subscription: Magic Mind

This episode of Here and Now is from a classic talk given in April 1987.

  • Using his journey as a guide for this talk, Ram Dass explores the spacesuits of ego and identity we wear in our lives. He tells us how ill-fitting this spacesuit felt for him, and the feeling of freedom he found when he was first able to take it off. 
  • Ram Dass describes how he began to chase the high of not wearing the spacesuit through the use of mind-altering chemicals and spiritual practices. Eventually, though, those things became a different kind of suit he was wearing. Through the advice of a wise friend, he realized he needed to take the curriculum that everyday life has to offer and not just live with his head in the clouds.
  • Once the object of the game shifted from getting high to getting free, Ram Dass chose to stop pushing away all of the things that brought him down. Instead, he embraced the many forms of suffering in the world, working with prisoners, AIDS patients, and people going through the process of dying. To get free, we need to embrace it all, the good and the bad.

As I took off the suit, I felt at home, I felt present. It felt extremely familiar to me, even though as an adult in society I didn’t remember having been in this space before. I was always constantly checking everybody to see if I was enough ‘somebody’ so that I would be allowed to exist.”

 – Ram Dass

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. 301 – The Process of Listening and Tuning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:38
Ram Dass explores the process of listening and tuning that takes place on the spiritual journey as we find the practices that align with our unique karmic predicaments. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage…
Ep. 300 – Subtle is the Path of Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:43
Take flight with Ram Dass as he shares stories about love, power, and the very subtle teachings of his guru, Maharaj-ji. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ra…
Ep. 299 – Listening for Your Unique Manifestation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:30
Ram Dass answers questions about spirituality and money, being indecisive, ego trips, listening for your unique manifestation in life, and more. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a…
Ep. 298 – The Web of Human Caring [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:53
Ram Dass explores living in times of great change, the cost of individuality to our compassionate hearts, and the importance of building and being part of the web of human caring. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by…
Ep. 297 – Cultivating a Spiritual Perspective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:35
Ram Dass explores how the process of karma yoga is about cultivating a spiritual perspective that allows us to see any situation on multiple planes simultaneously. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Giv…
Ep. 296 – The Delight of Simplicity feat. Daniel Goleman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:36
In this 1970s interview, Ram Dass sits down with psychologist Daniel Goleman to discuss why people aren’t happier, the power of meditation, and the delight of simplicity. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHe…
Ep. 294 – Different Forms of Yoga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:35
In this talk from the 1980s, Ram Dass explores different forms of yoga—hatha, dhyan, jnana, bhakti, tantra, and more—and answers questions from the audience. Get your copy of All In This Together, the latest book from Ja…
Ep. 293 – Where Souls Meet, With Kirtan by Jai Uttal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:14
In this special December treat, featuring kirtan from Jai Uttal, Ram Dass speaks about opening to change and merging with the Beloved.The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the…
Ep. 292 – Coming Home to Being Human [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:30
Speaking to a room full of Buddhists and psychotherapists, Ram Dass explores the impact that Eastern traditions have had on his life and his extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human. Ram Dass Here & Now is b…