Ram Dass Here and Now Ep. 184: Tools of Balance

In this episode of Here and Now, Ram Dass explores our obsession with personality, the possibilities of a compassionate society, and how we can all become tools of balance.  ================ This episode of Ram Dass’ Here & Now Podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. BetterHelp is a professional counseling service done securely online. A convenient and affordable way to find the particular expertise you need – wherever you are worldwide. BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/ramdass Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health. ================ Show Notes: Obsessed with Personality Raghu Markus introduces this Ram Dass dharma talk from 1993. Ram Dass begins the lecture by talking about how America is a country that seems to be obsessed with personality, which leads to pervasive feelings of victimization. He reflects on the growing awareness that straight materialism is not an identity with happiness. “We got so busy being individual, ‘what do I need, what do I want,’ that we threw over a lot of the web, the framework – the extended family, the community – we threw it over in our zeal to be individual. And we ended up having to deal with a tremendous amount of pathology arising out of alienation.” – Ram Dass A Compassionate Society (17:38) Ram Dass steps into the realm of 1990s government and politics, exploring how the newly elected Clinton administration needs involvement from spiritually-minded individuals, and how he senses the possibility that society can be compassionate. He looks back at the last time he felt this breath of change, the 1960s, and the cultural polarization that wound up occurring. “I remember, we used to have charts on the wall, Tim Leary and I, as to how soon everybody would get enlightened. I mean, 10 years was like the maximum…” – Ram Dass Tools of Balance (37:21) Ram Dass explores how things were different in the 1990s versus the 1960s, and how a more compassionate society will allow us to regain a sense of common good. He touches on honoring diversity, how change gives rise to fear, and embracing the paradox of life. Ram Dass ends with a powerful message about how we can all become instruments of balance in this world. “If you get too focused on individual differences, you lose it. Because behind all the different faces is the One. If you only see the One and don’t see all the different faces, you lose it. If you only see the unity and don’t see the uniqueness, you miss the mark. What a challenge for us, to keep the balance, and to see our lives as instruments for bringing that balance back into the social fabric.” – Ram Dass ================ Ram Dass Here and Now Ep. 184: Tools of Balance:    • Ram Dass Here and Now Ep. 184: Tools of Ba...   Ram Dass – Here and Now – Ep. 184 – Tools of Balance: https://beherenownetwork.com/ram-dass... ================ Make sure not to miss a single video podcast from Be Here Now Network! Click here to Subscribe:    / @beherenownetwork   ================ Be Here Now Network Podcasts, Courses, and Articles to help you live a Life in Balance. Heart Centered wisdom from Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Krishna Das + many more! Get a Free Guided Meditation from Sharon Salzberg when you first sign up at: https://beherenownetwork.com/ ================ Follow Be Here Now Network: Facebook:   / beherenownetwork   Twitter:   / beherenownet   Instagram:   / beherenownetwork   ====================================