Speaking at the Maps Conference in the early 1990s, Ram Dass looks back on some of the benefits and mistakes of the work he and Timothy Leary did in the 1960s in psychedelics.
Ram Dass is here, and now brought to you by Betterhelp. Try online therapy at betterhelp.com/ramdass and head down the path to becoming your best self. This episode was done by Talk Ram Dass, a Talk Ram Dass at the Maps (Interdisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Research) conference in the early 1990s. It soon followed Timothy Leary’s speech. Ram Dass reflects on the interesting position between his desire to make a good look at this map gathering and become a responsible researcher. And I feel that what happened is much deeper than that. “What we’re doing now is trying to find ways to bring more people by trying to legalize our games in society. However, the underground process that has continued to be used in society and has fallen into mainstream consciousness is irrelevant to whether we’re talking about it in our research.” Ram Dass talks about some of the benefits that emerged from the pioneering research on psychedelics he did at Harvard University in the 1960s. This includes opening people to therapeutic possibilities, wisdom from the East and changing our perception of reality. Ram Dass ends by talking about some of the mistakes he made along the way, such as how he was too involved in the innovative aspects of psychedelics rather than evolutionary elements. But in the end, when it comes to psychedelics, the demon is already out of the bottle. “The truth cannot be suppressed,” says Ram Dass. “It cannot make laws out of existence. Psychedelics are healthy pseudo-forms of society, they must be respected, and they are respected.” The episode concludes with a live performance of “Sit Abourd the Fire” performed by East Forest. 2023 LSRF RAM DASS Legacy Retreat. This soundscape weaves wisdom from Lambdas, centering on identity, inner work and Interconnections. “Sit Around the Fire” was composed by East Forest and John Hopkins for the album Music for psychedelic therapy. The Ram Dass community meets regularly and engages in meaningful discussions about podcasts. We invite you to share your curiosity, insights and wisdom. Sign up for a general fellowship and receive event invitations directly in your inbox.
“I think we were a bit confused about evolution and revolution. I think we played around with the revolutionary aspect of psychedelics. For me, the more interesting issue is the evolutionary aspect. I think we evolved more with wisdom. It was the only way we could do that.” – Lambdas
About Lambdas:
The spirit of Lambdas has been a guided light for generations, taking millions of people on their journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the practice of unconditional love bhakti, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Lambdas shared a small part of his leading figure, Maharaj Ji, with all those who listened to him.
Listen to more episodes of Lambdas here, and now it’s the podcast: Ram Dass talks about his early years and present in his life, and the psychedelic experiences that have changed everything, so we’re back to the beginning of our journey. 1. How does our perception shape our experiences of suffering? Ram Dass explores many of the roots of his suffering here and in his current EP. 132. We all touch on the state of transcendence. Ram Dass explores how to get in touch with the Way of Awakening in this and in the current EP. 164. RamDass helps us break down the history of psychedelics and understand the risks and rewards of chemicals that change these awareness here and in the current EP. 183.
