Directions to Soul Land: A conversation with Ram Dass
The teachings of Ram Dass, formerly Richard Alpert, have had a profound impact on my life and outlook. While I never had the privilege of meeting him in real life, I sometimes wonder what a conversation over tea might look like. What would I ask him? And how would he answer?
Me: I struggle with the idea that there is no intrinsic self, and it's all a manifestation.
Ram: You and many others (laughter). When you were born, you started "somebody" training. Your interactions with others shaped your idea of yourself. You were given a suit, a body to navigate to this world. Kinda like a space suit. You learned how to use your space suit and were rewarded accordingly the better you got at it. You relied on others to see how well it was adjusted. So long as others provided that satisfaction, despite some things "not quite fitting right," you learned to live with your discomfort because everyone is uncomfortable.
Me: Do you ever feel like you struggle to break free from your past? Was it hard to come back from India to your family in New York?
Ram: Absolutely! After meditating and traveling around India, I would come home to my father, who would say something like, "well, that's all fine and good, but do you have a job yet?" And then BAM! All of a sudden, I went from having the heart of Christ and the mind of the Buddha (which is pretty good for a young Jewish kid) to being ANGRY and pissed off. How cool is that?!?
Me: It’s funny you say that because I find myself like that all the time. I’ll meditate, do yoga, then go to work and become agitated with someone at work for their endless complaining or for some nonsense administrative issue and then when I stop and think about it, I’m like “really Chris??-- This is what upsets you??”
Ram: Just sit back and smile at those folks and let the words just wash over you. Trauma and crisis show us precisely what we need to work on. It shows us our weak areas. As humans, we typically expect to get what we want, but how interesting is it when we DON'T get what we want? Even when we try and repress things, we are still "attached". Try giving up sex because you think it'll be good for you, and you end up a horny celibate… it's still gotcha. The goal is to become an observer to recognize your true nature. You identify as a paramedic which attaches you to all things that you believe a paramedic “should be”. When your coworkers violate your expectations, then it frustrates you. You (the essence of you) is more than just your job title.
Me: (Laughing) What does that even mean?
Ram: To recognize that you aren't a body…back to that no intrinsic self idea. The idea is that you are already complete exactly as you are. You haven't done anything wrong; nobody failed in creating you. Your essence is beyond the physical. Unfortunately, it doesn't get recognized by many because they are stuck between two channels on that little TV box in their head.
Me: TV Box?
Ram: Yea! Think of your brain like a TV Box. Channel 1 is the physical. You see everything in relationship to the physical bodies around you. Tall, short, fat, skinny, pretty, ugly, etc. Channel 2 is your psycho-social channel. You see powerful, poor, wealthy, influential, etc. Most people live on those two channels, but I've spent the better part of my life as a cable provider. I'm trying to get people past those two channels to the soul, the light, that's behind all that. The goal is for a person to have cable TV in their brain. This way they can look and one another and say, "Ah..there you are! How'd you manage to get that spacesuit?!".
Me: Fascinating, so how has your life come to reside on "Channel 3 and beyond"?
Ram: Well, I had a stroke in 1997, which left me pretty messed up. I lost interest in the physical as my capabilities started to degrade. I, like many others enrolled in the health care portal, felt like I was getting signed up for some intense Buddhist suffering (laughter). I got a chance to explore the soul land.
Me: What's the soul land?
Ram: Well, as my physical body started to degrade, I gained a renewed appreciation for connecting with souls. My sensory body didn't function the same after the stroke, which left me wide open to connect with people in a whole other way. My guru (Neem Karoli Baba-the Maharaji) once told me to "Love everyone and tell the truth." I think this was only possible once I got past the physical. In the process of connecting, the subtle ego tentacles, the almost imperceptible judgments, and the likes or dislikes about another person remained suspended. I was just loving awareness. (1)
Me: Yeah, I guess I never thought about it that way.
Ram: When I came to my guru in India, I expected to get the secret mantra to gain enlightenment. Like the random "hokum schlokum—you're enlightened." He told me to love people and serve people. Chris, it sounds like you have a real opportunity to do that, don't ruin your chance. I believe you are brought here to this earth realm to learn something. Your process isn't quite complete.
Me: Does the thought of death ever frighten you? Are you afraid to leave this realm and give up the suit?
Ram: No! Goodness, no. Death is safe. Like my imaginary friend Emmanuel told me once: "Death is like taking off a tight shoe." My day has already passed, but I wore this body well.
Me: It’s interesting you put it that way, in medicine a lot of times when someone dies its like “we failed.” Its hard to not take it personally.
Ram: Death isn’t an error when viewed in this way I am suggesting. Remember what and who it is you are trying to save. Sometimes your interaction with people in these rich moments of suffering changes them forever. That single interaction can be the reason why people come to this plane. If trauma is a teacher, and we come to this plane to learn then your efforts are quite pivotal, my friend. Both for yourself and for your patients. The processes of life and death however go far beyond any one individual will. The consequence of coming and going from this plane isn’t ours to bear.
Ram: When you go to India’s people’s bodies are put on display in public. In our culture we hide death. We keep our children away from it and sometimes we go as so far as to lie to the people about to make this profound transition. We tell them “you’re totally fine, you’re going to get better soon and be right back with us in no time.” I am advocating a more candid and honest approach during this most profound tradition. Maybe this might help you in your profession. Be candid about death as a natural part of life. “Miss them do not, mourn them do not.” (Said in Ram Dass’s Master Yoda voice)
Me: I'd agree, my friend.
Me: So I guess our time is up. When my time is up, where can I find you?
Ram: Soul land.
Works Cited/Referenced:
Dass, Ram (with Rameshwar Das) “Being Ram Dass” Sounds True Publishing 2021
Catto, Jamie “Becoming Nobody-A Documentary” Presented by Google Empathy Lab and the Love, Serve Remember Foundation. C. 2020
