Ep. 310 – The Mainline Reality Trip

Ep. 310 – The Mainline Reality Trip

Author: Ram Dass / Love Serve Remember August 12, 2026 Duration: 46:44
Take a trip up and down the subway stairs with Ram Dass as he explores the seven chakras, why this moment in history is ripe for fourth chakra work, and how he escaped the mainline reality trip.Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self.This episode is supported by Omega Institute. Like the Be Here Now Network, Omega believes that personal transformation can change the world—one heart at a time. Discover immersive retreats, workshops, and gatherings in New York's Hudson Valley. Learn more: eomega.orgThis episode of Here and Now is from a retreat at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, in June 1976. Check back soon for the conclusion of this talk.Ram Dass begins with a story of how a trip to the subway provided him with a useful metaphor for the spiritual path. He explores the seven chakras to help us understand who incarnates on this physical plane.Ram Dass digs into why primarily first, second, and third chakra people incarnate onto this plane. He talks about why the conditions that exist in society at this moment make it appropriate for beings with fourth chakra work to take birth.Ram Dass talks about escaping from the mainline reality trip and how the age of technology impacted people’s perception of reality. He touches on rebellion, revolution, evolution, and the state of the mystical experience in America.  The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.Listen to Ram Dass Here and Now ad-free on our Patreon. Anyone can sign up for a free 7-day trial, but the first 500 people to click this link can get a 3-month free trial membership: 3 Months of Ad-Free Ram Dass Podcast“My experience was primarily that I was on the mainline of reality, and that there were all these kind of weird trips on either side, but that I, as a super scientist, rational mind, power, control, house full of antiques, my airplane, my motorcycle, gratification, more and more sex, more better food, more power, more intellect, I was doing the mainline reality trip. And I was hired to tell everybody else what reality was, okay, that’s what a Harvard professor does. And there was no doubt in my mind at all that that’s what reality was, alright, until I took psilocybin.” – 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: 50

Ram Dass Here And Now
Podcast Episodes
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…
Ep. 280 – Evolution and Revolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:54
Speaking at a MAPS conference in the early 1990s, Ram Dass looks back at some of the benefits and mistakes of the work he and Timothy Leary did with psychedelics in the 1960s. You can support this podcast, listen to epis…
Ep. 279 – Across the Decades: Ram Dass on Community and Satsang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:41
Speaking through the decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s, Ram Dass shares his thoughts on Satsang, the community of seekers who come together in the pursuit of truth. You can support this podcast, listen to episodes AD-…
Ep. 278 – Innocence of Consciousness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:48
In this interview from 1977, Ram Dass shares his views on psychedelics and how they can provide a free slate to experience the innocence of consciousness once again. Join the most important psychedelic gathering of the y…
Ep. 277 – Across the Decades: Ram Dass on Service and Social Action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:11
Speaking across the decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s, Ram Dass shares his insights into responding to suffering, the meaning of service, and the confluence of social action and spiritual work.The Ram Dass community g…
Ep. 276 – Approaching the Mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:01
In this exploration of the fear of suffering as we get older, Ram Dass talks about approaching the mystery of aging and death in the same adventurous manner as his friend Timothy Leary.For more on the relationship betwee…
Dancing in the Ocean of Change - Bonus Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:11
In this special bonus episode, Ram Dass offers his viewpoint on how we can dance in the ocean of change as the structure of our culture shapeshifts before our very eyes.This episode of Here and Now is from a talk Ram Das…
Ep. 275 – Working With Truth in Relationships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:00
In this classic Q&A session from the 1980s, Ram Dass talks about soul mates, marriage and open relationships, working with truth in relationships, and much more.In this episode of Here and Now:Ram Dass begins with questi…
Ep. 274 – The Creative Force of the Universe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:02
In this Q&A session from 1993, Ram Dass talks about his passions, the balance of separateness and unity, dealing with turmoil, the creative force of the universe, and more. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to eng…