Ram Dass who passed away yesterday was a tale of transformation – a nice Jewish boy from an affluent New York family, to Harvard professor, to a man who inspired many, millions of people as a teacher or a guide to living in this full-on world.
The title of his best-selling book (he wrote many books), Be Here Now was as clear and simple a teaching as you can get. He said “You are loved for just being who you are, just for existing. You don’t have to do anything to earn it. Your shortcomings, your lack of self-esteem, physical perfection, or social and economic success – none of that matters. No one can take this love away from you, and it will always remain.”
As a blessed life would have it, he died on the first night of Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights – one light merging into more. Whether he was our teacher or not, let’s offer our gratitude for the great things he brought into the world.
Photo credit: Image from Becoming Nobody press photos.
