More than thirty years ago, an entire generation sought a new way of life, looked for fulfillment and meaning in a way no one had before. This was the Woodstock generation, and they were led on their quest by one man, the man who was “there” before everyone else: Ram Dass. He changed the way we thought about life; he left his teaching post at Harvard to embody the role of spiritual seeker; he showed us all how to begin to find peace within ourselves, in one of the greatest spiritual classics of this century, the two-million-copy bestseller Be Here Now.
Now we find we again need Ram Dass. As we enter the latter stages of life, the big questions of peace and of purpose have returned, this time demanding answers, and our friend Ram Dass has also returned to offer a helping hand. He again blazes a new trail, inviting us to join him on the next stage of the journey. This part has been particularly difficult for him: as he was finishing a draft of the manuscript, he was stopped in his tracks by a massive cerebral hemorrhage that he was not expected to survive. But survive he did, with his humor intact and a bigger heart than ever.
In Still Here, Ram Dass helps us explore the joy, pain, and opportunities of the ripening seasons of our lives. Writing with his trademark humor and wisdom, sharing stories from his own life, and meditation exercises to integrate the teachings into daily life, Ram Dass offers us a new perspective of the territory that lies ahead. It is a perspective on aging, changing, and dying that he hopes will make the tumultuous process a little easier on all of us.
“Back then, when we were young and easy, Ram Dass taught us to be fully present in our lives. Here and now we’re not as young and it’s not so easy and he’s still teaching us to age with courage and compassion.”
—
“Ram Dass continues to share his ongoing journey with us, to our great benefit, as usual. He is wiser, more sober, more humble, and funnier than ever. There is so much to laugh about and cry about, to learn from, and to celebrate together.”
—
“There are many things one could say after reading a book as wonderful and profound as this one, but they all add up to the same thing: Thank you Ram Dass, thanks a lot.”
—
