Ep. 311 – Allowing Space for Individual Differences

Ram Dass talks about consciousness, allowing space for individual differences, and letting go of identification with the body and personality, and then taps into the heart of devotional yoga with some chanting to Krishna.Join us online for free virtual access to the Ram Dass Summer Mountain Retreat — four days of live-streamed kirtan, dharma talks, meditations, and workshops streamed live on the Ram Dass Inner Academy. Featuring Krishna Das, Nina Rao, David Nichtern, Acharya Shunya, Raghu Markus, Sharon Salzberg, John Pattern, and Marisa Radha Weppner. Sign up here: Virtual Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain RetreatRam 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 of Here and Now is the conclusion of a talk Ram Dass gave during a retreat at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, in June 1976. Be sure to check out the first part of this talk in Episode 310 – The Mainline Reality Trip.This portion of the talk begins with Ram Dass exploring consciousness, reality, and reincarnation. He talks about opening to the fourth chakra as a way of allowing space for individual differences. As we begin to awaken to being more than just our bodies and personalities, Ram Dass warns us that many people can get trapped in the “phony holy” stage, using himself as an example. “And ultimately,” he says, “you have to find your part to play in your body, in your personality, in your soul, and beyond all of it.” Ram Dass wraps things up by tapping into the heart of devotional yoga with some very sweet chanting to the baby form of Lord Krishna, Gopala.   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“So who you are, in effect, from where I’m sitting, are beings who have taken birth on this plane because you still have stuff in your first, second, and third chakras; there’s still energy that pours out of those chakras and defines reality. But, in addition, you have awakened, at least, to the fourth chakra. And some of you to the fifth chakra, so you actually want God. But to the fourth chakra, where you actually want to live in a compassionate universe, not just intellectual liberalism, but real compassion, of acceptance and allowing space for individual differences.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.