Nowhere to Stand - Ram Dass Full Lecture 1986
Our concepts of who we are help us to navigate our world, but they are often overvalued and have the potential to trap us in form. These traits create an image with which we identify, and subsequently struggle to maintain as we are presented with life's inevitable changes. In this talk, given at the University of Vermont, Ram Dass begins by asking the question, 'Who am I?'. Are we the vast array of personality traits that arise in our day to day lives? Can we pinpoint exactly who or what we are within our body, mind or spirit? These questions, as Ram Dass explains, continuously led him back into the void, as every answer he had was ultimately untrue. He eventually learned to identify with the creator, rather than the creation, and his sense of separateness began to dissolve.
We often fail to recognize that we too are a part of the lawful unfolding of nature. From a higher perspective we can sometimes see that it's all perfect, but that attitude is difficult to maintain in the presence of real suffering. If we attempt to live in either of these extremes, then we're standing, 'somewhere', and there's nowhere to stand. Our incarnation isn't an error, and where we are is exactly where we are supposed to be, in this moment. We can't push away our humanity, as freedom comes through form, not in spite of it.
Recorded at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT on October 30, 1986.
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Пікірлер: 411
Im 17 years old as of listening to this. My mother has 32 chronic illnesses that limit her day to day life dramatically. Its been like this for 4 years now and before listening to Ram Dass and Alan Watts I used to despise the fact that the universe would let someone so caring and compassionate and as loving as my mother get sick and rely on prescription medication just to keep her heart pumping. I used to get so angry and frustrated at her for existence being so sad and tragic that I was constantly scared of when she was gonna die and what was gonna happen to me and our house afterwards. Then I started thinking “I hope one day god finally takes her into the kingdom of heaven so her suffering ends”, but now after listening to this all I want to do is help her everyday. I have been since i was 13 but I used to see it as “her body doesn’t function fully so I have to pick up the slack” and now I see it as my karma and my vehicle for becoming free. After hearing about Ram Dass taking care of his father I want to do nothing more than give her unconditional love and support and I dont know where Id be without listening to him and Alan Watts but I am here now and I hope to anyone reading and watching this video you too can become free. Peace and Love to all of you.
@alexanderreichenfeld6859
Жыл бұрын
beautiful
@bethwitrogen7091
Жыл бұрын
Much much love 💕 & grace to you and your dear mother. You have a gift at a young age because you’re an old beautiful soul blessing this world with your understanding. Thank you ❤
@prabhatsgupta
Жыл бұрын
Love you my friend.
@anupkapoor5287
Жыл бұрын
What a beautiful soul you are, God bless ❤
@alexiarohdin879
Жыл бұрын
I love this ❤️
I've listened to Ram Dass since the early 1970s. But now that I'm 72, his words (coming round again) are more relevant "now" than ever. It's Ram Dass "again for the 1st time." It's always the 1st time.
@Singletrack316
2 жыл бұрын
I just found him! I'm 33! Love him so much!
@Bjarku
2 жыл бұрын
So what you’re saying is Ram Dass has taken your spiritual virginity multiple times? 😅 Also thank you for making me feel young for the first time in years! I thought I was old at 32. Must have been amazing to have been there in the 70s listening to him
@LoriBCarty
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for saying this!Me too!! full circle! I'm 65, but got his book "BE Here Now, when I was14! at a very young age, I went to Kesey's Oregon Country Fair, a number of years, and beganmetaphysical exploration! It is amazing to come back and listen to him after all the life experiences.
@hawkarae
2 жыл бұрын
I have been awake for five years. I'm 51 and my mind and body are my own for the first time in my life. I'm so grateful and so determined to bring my dormant gifts to full light as we all must. Thank you for sharing a piece of your human experience. ☯️💟☮️
@aeondecker9210
2 жыл бұрын
I hope you can help me both my parents died within 2,5 months of Each other due to cancer and Corona. I didn't know they kept it secret. I am up to my eyeballs in debt and can't drive because of a fractured spine. I am trying to find out how i belong and why i am here. I have no relatives or aquentencences,so how did you get trough the rough time, Ram Dass and allan wats make a lot of senses but i can't get out of hell? That what it feels like
“If you are busy thinking you are somebody, going somewhere, doing something that’s going to amount to something… Suffering.” This statement is GOLD. Really resonates with me.
I listen to this once every few months to keep me level headed
@foreveryactionthereisacons1683
3 жыл бұрын
Absolutely 💯 it's grounding when you get caught up in the "stuff" of being a human.
@colbyirezumi6176
3 жыл бұрын
Dirtyzen has made this into a beautiful chill step on SoundCloud
@Ra-thesunking
3 жыл бұрын
That’s a good idea 💡✨💖🙏
@jarijansma2207
3 жыл бұрын
Your comment helps me keep a level head, even though im at the point where im watching this lecture daily/weekly
@dylanh4462
3 жыл бұрын
“Level headed” just another identity we throw around.
The comment section here just feels like a holy place, no judgment or anything toxic, just beings coming together who have a better understanding of reality from listening to Ram Dass and have no desire to create any unnecessary suffering. 🙏🤲📿✌️🕉️
May all beings everywhere be happy, may all beings everywhere be peaceful, may all beings everywhere be free. May all beings everywhere awaken to the light of their inherent divinity, consciousness, oness, truth.
Thank you Ram Dass, you've finally taken off your tight fitting shoe. The love you spread through your sweet words will live on in the hearts and minds of all who encountered you. One day I know I will join you, as will everyone reading this comment. I only hope that we can live as fully, as freely, in peace and joy as you did. With love, forever as one.
@ViragoRiver
2 жыл бұрын
You can be with him today! He didn't go anywhere and you won't either! Talk to him if you like.... I do. He's here. ♡
I discovered Ram Dass only after he left this body , but I feel his love and presence still and his words calm my busy mind and I can just breathe and ease into being.
@kaelandavison7942
2 жыл бұрын
Ram Ram
@groves19881
2 жыл бұрын
Same here brother, about the day he shed his body I started my path... Much Love from OhiO Namaste 🙏🏼🍄🙏🏿🌹 Ram Ram
@stdrum-nb6qr
2 жыл бұрын
Shut up
@stdrum-nb6qr
2 жыл бұрын
Ram Dum
@libraohmshiva9676
2 жыл бұрын
Same for me he never seems to be far away when I need a little grounding I’m especially feeling him the last few days 🙏❤️ namaste we are one
This is one of my favorite RD lectures. and ive listened to RD almost everyday for years. I love them all. We love you Baba Ram Dass.
@gethinthomas9535
4 жыл бұрын
This is my favorite and he has many great ones
@Kaeyeimiya
4 жыл бұрын
Me too and I also listen constantly :)
@imagineaworld
4 жыл бұрын
I wish there was a recording of the one where someone shouted "ram dass my heart hurts!" He said that hit him really hard.
@Kaeyeimiya
4 жыл бұрын
Imagine A World oh wow... if you ever find it, please find me too and show me!
@deletedelete4870
3 жыл бұрын
Every day? I just seem to click a random video and I get another solid brick in my beliefs but I'm not ready to listen every day!!!
I just spent 5 full days on retreat with Ram Dass and he is still just so beautiful to be around. He is so full of love for everyone.
@juanvaldes5041
7 жыл бұрын
Betsy Stevens what was the retreat like?
@betsys76
7 жыл бұрын
Ram Dass has a retreat and many people come from around the world. We have talks with Ram Dass and other teachers like Jack Kornfield. We sing kirtan with Krishna Das and we go to Maui where he lives. You can sign up on the Ram Dass website. RamDass.org
@joywalk
7 жыл бұрын
I was at the Thanksgiving satsang before the retreat! I couldn't afford the retreat unfortunately.
@WKBBBUB
3 жыл бұрын
Is there anything like this still going on (after covid, of course)? I would ove to get my name on a wait list or something.
@xsuploader
3 жыл бұрын
@@WKBBBUB a bit late since he died
I’m new to him, I chose to be limitless and he found me yesterday. One of his videos came across my feed 2 years ago and I didn’t bite, until I made a choice and he came back yesterday. When the student is ready to learn the teacher will appear ❤️🤗
@kkeithf
2 жыл бұрын
So many people have said this, that they heard of him but ignored, then showed up later, it's hilarious.
@betsys76
2 жыл бұрын
He always said he was the lure for Maharajii
Here in 2020... RIP Ram Dass
@binathere2574
Жыл бұрын
He's not dead. Just left his body
Can we talk about the camera guy around the 44:30 minute mark tho? I love how the person zones out on the flower 😂 this is all that it’s about.
Been trying to wrap my head around this paradox for a decade now. Beautifully articulated, and yet still, it’s like trying to grab water. But perhaps to just sit in the mystery is enough, you don’t have to get wrapped up in the game nor give it away. Just play.
@lightprocessor
3 жыл бұрын
i almost prefer it in this state. in a way it's the crux of what makes life interesting at all; it reflects the strange, shifting, contrasting, and ultimately mystical nature of our relationship with being... and i'd like to think that the whimsy of such phenomena, in of itself, is the meaning of life. almost as if the mere existence of this rich, superdimensional question inherently provides a plausible basis for the rich, superdimensional answers we seem to 'tap in' to every now and then. like the question itself is chaos, which implies divinity. but even then, that's trying to grasp, isn't it? as you said... just play.
@jasonandrewsteele8908
3 жыл бұрын
The silence between the moments you can hold onto its like a 4dimensional tessaract that you have inside you. If you only live in your heart then only outpouring comes out Thats all Ram Dass did was outpouring his channeled soul's heart with love so that more people would do it too. Once you find it , only outpouring comes out from there. You stay in your heartbut play the role of human in the culture where embedded.
@dintoons1
3 жыл бұрын
Yup. Good to simply Play!
@ViragoRiver
2 жыл бұрын
That's the whoooooole game. Play with it. Neither grab at nor push it away. ♡ Loving you!
@thomaswhigham5610
2 жыл бұрын
@@ViragoRiver you’re very loving!
I love you Ram Das; your body may be gone, but your heart and soul and beautiful words are still with us, and at a time in the world's evolution when we need it most. Namaste.
Years ago I met Steve Jobs. He said to me, “Buy a copy of Be Here Now and read it often.” I did and do; I’ve turned on many friends to BHN. I look forward to hanging out with RD and SJ whenever and wherever that will happen.
our generation is truly blessed by this loving, witful spirit, there may be hope for us yet!
This video always brings me back to myself no matter how far away I've gotten. It's medicine for my soul ❤
@justinbaxter8709
5 жыл бұрын
Jenni Free Range London same here :)
@davidhubbard4761
4 жыл бұрын
Sitting here in Southern Louisiana and listening again for the umpteenth time and grateful for the realization that I just think I’m somebody going somewhere and that’s there’s nowhere to stand.
I wish we had speakers/intellectuals around today like Ram Dass. The fact that Jordan Peterson is considered a "public intellectual" is just sad. I miss Ram Dass...Terence McKenna...Allen Ginsberg... sigh
The first time I heard Ram Dass' voice, I got the chills like I've been familiar with him beyond this lifetime. Now 10 years later every time I listen to him I get more out of what he is saying than the time before.
I like that just before the 45 minute mark the camera operator gets distracted by the gorgeous flower arrangement
@EnjoyTheShoah
2 жыл бұрын
44:44
This whole lecture is something special. Touchs on all the right stuff. 🙏🖖
In my opinion everyone I know needs to hear this
Ram, Ram, Ram. We love you and greatly miss your wisdom, now more than ever. See you on the other side, Baba.
Love how he said we’re gonna skip the beginners cours and he just went straight into. Feel like I’m in my fav class and I’m a teachers pet
Here the day before my 57th, a week before Christmas 2021. Needing so badly to listen to this voice and hear this message. …Struggling to bear witness to our sisters and brothers submit to fear and sacrifice their children to pure evil or be captured up in the tyranny and forced into camps. Hopefully people will read this in the future and be relieved we awakened and made it through the darkest days of human history.
This is one of my favorite lectures from Ram Dass. Thank you for sharing these messages with the world. 🙏✨
30:50 “The game wasn’t to get high, the game was to become Free” 🙌🏽
this man is amazing, I love you Ram Dass
@lahtreljackson5322
8 жыл бұрын
.
Ram Dass you have changed my life! I love you! Thank you. Wish I could have listened to you speak in person 💜
I'm just now at almost 51years old listening to Ramdass and reading his book being Ram Dass.
I've been listening to a number of different Ram Dass talks over the past few months. I think this may be one of my favorites.
Everytime I see or hear Ram Dass I feel noting but Love . Ram Ram Ram 108 love everybody and tell the truth . One love
If this isn’t it then there isn’t any 🤣
When I took mushrooms for the second time in my life I read Be Here Now at a friends house. I remember as soon as they hit I just thought to myself, I was trying to look for something externally like I was trying to go somewhere but it all just "clicked" and I realised that it was all right "here". I was telling my friend what I had just realised and he had NO idea what I was saying although he knew it was deep. I didn't even know who Ram Dass was at the time just that I was tripping on mushrooms and I had his book at my fingertips.
@enkhlenzoriglon14
3 жыл бұрын
Great idea. I’m gonna take mushrooms now and open up his book
@Blades729
3 жыл бұрын
@@enkhlenzoriglon14 I wish I could take them, but here in Florida it's impossible to find. I envy you my friend, been looking and no luckm
@scutty4022
3 жыл бұрын
@@Blades729 go out one field with cows somewhere I’m sure you’ll find them 😅🐮💩
@young-stove
3 жыл бұрын
@@Blades729 there are places in Florida where magic mushrooms grow nearly year round, do some digging around online you’ll find what you’re looking for
@Blades729
3 жыл бұрын
@@young-stove thank you I did find some
Listening to this in 2021 and everything he says is still relevant 💜 much love everyone
@binathere2574
Жыл бұрын
Truth is always relevant.
"Nothing is so fatal to an ideal as its realization." -schopenhauer
I love you Ram Dass ❤️
I love this man
My favourite lecture from him, touches on a lot of things you can forget so easily
"He who perceives Me everywhere and everything in Me, never loses sight of Me..nor do I ever lose sight of him"...from the Gita...
I love Ram Dass so brutally honest and direct 💯💯 SHARE
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you ALL that have brought this beautiful message to all of us. I cannot thank you enough ✨💖🙏
Thank you for always being there for me Ram Dass. Love you X
"if you get caught in thier "stinkerness" it's YOUR problem".... amen, RD, amen.
32:00 addiction free 16:59 suffering = clinging to the thoughts in our mind 18:50 I Am
@chillmorgs
Жыл бұрын
Thank u PaPi
Love Love Love!!! Ram Dass Rocks the truth with grace, clarity, elegance, and thank God....HUMOR!! Xoxooxoxo
@conda35
7 жыл бұрын
Kathleen Belle DeVizia a beautiful soul
@bellebeauty67
7 жыл бұрын
Timmy Watson INDEED!
He really did a good job of teaching people.
yes, even when im doing “extremely well” i know im being controlled again by other people’s standards
I love Ram Dass's sense of humor.
@cecilesuperfree1042
2 жыл бұрын
me too
I love his descriptions on 9:30: he’s doing a bit about how we endlessly want to have everything and have it go our way, and you get to see the human side of Ram Dass get pulled into the squeak in the sound system. He interrupts himself to do so non ironically. Sub ek, one perception. THAT.
Woah yeah so many moments of deep recognition during this lecture. All the things that I deep down intuited were missing from other teachings now seem more resolved.. I think I'll listen to this man for years Something interesting happens here, part of me wants to praise him and look up too him as The Man to follow, but the reason he'd be an idol is for helping me look beyond men and idols... But I'd still idolise his teaching over others..?!? Haha what a weird and silly series of predicaments this experience confronts us with hahah, juicy stuff for sure A'ight, have a nice evening, Blessings and honour to all (Form and void)
Ram, my friend. Always here when I need you. Thank You
beautiful spirit. We miss you but know you are still with us.
I had a dream with Ram Dass not so long ago. It lasted a second but I woke up with a feeling of peace that I can’t explain. I just love him ❤️
Love you forever Baba ji.
Om namo shivaya thank you maharaji
Baba Ram Dass, what a joy you are, what a gift! Thank you for all the humble teachings and presence, I am full of gratitude for all you have done, been and shared - do, are and share - up to this point.
I love and deeply appreciate your refreshing honesty 😘🥰😍 Who cant relate for fckssake?!
I showed this to my Mormon mom and she was so freaked out lmao.
@reighfried36952
6 жыл бұрын
She thought his talk was creepy, while I was hoping she would learn something. But what happens just happens.
@selflit
4 жыл бұрын
Its simply lower plane of development you should recognize as such and appreciate it for what it is I mean you can call it however u want, but these days this normative way of thinking is often called mythical literal fundementalism
@iamhereblossom1588
4 жыл бұрын
@@selflit speaking of judging others on a ram dass video seems very out of place.
@selflit
4 жыл бұрын
@@iamhereblossom1588 why dass himself was speaking in these terms in his earlier teaching
@dawsonstokes7400
3 жыл бұрын
@@selflit Yes, but not used to make believe you are superior to another person. We're all on different levels, most of them completely different.
Glad I found you Ram Das ❤️
@lingeshsawanth253
4 жыл бұрын
May be he found u...!😊
i discovered you too late but you are a wonderfull man so lucky to be able to still hear you speak
@john-carlosynostroza
3 жыл бұрын
He would tell you that you discovered him at the perfect time😌. enjoy!
I love this man. Thanks for being such a great friend Ram. Ram. Ram. Ram
listening to Ram Dass calms my anxiety, then I am ok for days. Then anxiety appears again, then I go seek his videos again. Wonderful cycle
This guy is a freaking legend I can barely believe he came up with all of this talk on the fly… what a bloody channel right here…
I would love to of met this man, so mature and knowledgeable but all with a comedic edge. Beautiful
I love his voice ❤️
Ram Dass you are a genuine good soul and you no need to search for your creator instead your creator needs to look for you and create more like you, good humans.
'The way to FREEdom lies through form, not inspite of form.' Hits me in the solar plexus every time. 🙏🙏
Glad to see you here. How far we've come. I love you. What a laugh huh?
OMGOODNESS!!! needed to hear this! Thank you! So very helpful!
few weeks ago i chanted rah rah rah rah on a psychedelic in the dark and started having an extremely powerful experience very weird things started happening voice got really deep and the words started flowing together creating this intense electrical current through my body and almost started to feel my soul starting to astral project out of my body i stopped and said HOLY SHIT! I read your book Ram Dass be love now and remember you said if you wanna be with God remember the Mantra RAH and it REALLY works
He is the beginning to many awakenings. Truly has been sort of a guru through the web for me. When I think I wish I could have known you. I'm being silly because I do know him because I am him and he me and ect. Lovely truthful soul. May the road rise to meet you all
Simply beautiful !
Thank you for posting this and making this knowledge accessible! Watching him speak is an honor, even in a video.
Funny that I'm just now finding this guy. He's speaking my language.
one of my favs for sure!!! good laughs
Thank you Richard!!!
Forever grateful with Baba Ram Dass
I love you much Ram Dass... We need you... Thank you to teach me
Love this
this video wasn't available for the longest time! thanks for putting it up again 🙏
@Kaeyeimiya
6 жыл бұрын
OM city oh my god I missed it so much!!! It's my soul medicine!
Oh I see...1968. My last time with Ram Dass was in1994 or 5 in Europe.
Jai Neem Karori Baba ki....jai Ram Dass ki...
i have loved u for years & years now & will always love u ram dass 💘
I just understood what Maharaj-ji was chanting... That was this Grace! Ram Ram Ram Das
The ending is powerful. Needed that
Oh how I love Ram Dass ♥♥♥
This is wonderful. I'm glad this is up.
Pure bliss when you speak. Thanks again.
love it
Love this lecture . Just arrived at the perfect moment 🙏
So powerful.. Full of grace
The inspiration of my life.
Filled with awe and the simplicity and the perfection. Then u come down and you know u have to...
BRILLIANT. God Bless
Never heard of this guy before but I think it’s still very relevant now and will always be ☺️
so smart. man i wish i had something this intelligent in school
@ATMfromNJ
2 жыл бұрын
Ring the bell, school's back in. Life!
Very strong teaching! ❤
Very appropriate for 2020