Ram Dass Here and Now Ep. 183: Psychedelics, Understanding the Risks & Rewards

On this episode of Here and Now, Ram Dass breaks down the history of psychedelics and helps us in understanding the risks and the rewards of these consciousness-altering chemicals.
A History of Psychedelics
In response to a question about the risks and rewards of using psychedelics, Ram Dass begins with a primer on the history of these consciousness-altering chemicals. He explores how psychedelics have been used in religious rituals throughout history, and brings us into modern times with Albert Hoffman’s discovery of LSD. He talks about how psychedelics allow people to come out of their egocentric predicament and see the universe freshly.
“The predicament is that as you develop a model of who you are and how the universe works, it’s extremely hard to get out of that… What the chemical allows you to do is set that aside for a moment and see the universe from a different vantage point.” - Ram Dass
Intuitive Validity (19:05)
Ram Dass illuminates how psychedelics became a cultural phenomenon in the 1960s, and how these chemicals also became a threat to the social structure. He touches on some details from his time at Harvard, including the historic Good Friday Experiment, and what eventually led to him being fired. He talks about the consequences of psychedelics being made illegal.
“When I had the chemical, I touched a part of myself that made me question the whole social structure and not be willing to play by the rules anymore. Because something was more intuitively valid to me; the part of me that I met was more intuitively valid than the part of me that had been part of the social game. In other words, I met something behind my own ego.” - Ram Dass
Understanding the Risks and Rewards of Psychedelics (34:20)
Ram Dass explores the importance of set and setting for psychedelic use, and how the profound spiritual transformation that can be born from these chemicals is similar to psychological death. He shares his view on why psychedelics are no longer as necessary for altering consciousness as they once were, and why younger people should not use them.
“When you’re taking a chemical in a society that has made it illegal, first of all, you have to realize that there is an attendant paranoia to the whole phenomenon because of the social structures. Because, as I said, it’s set and setting; it’s where your mind is at, and it’s also the environmental conditions in which you take it.” - Ram Dass
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Ram Dass Here and Now Ep. 183: Psychedelics, Understanding the Risks & Rewards: • Ram Dass Here and Now ...
Chris Grosso - The Indie Spiritualist - Ep. 124 - Grace and Grit with Sebastian Siegel: beherenownetwork.com/ram-dass...
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[@realmacdan]

Ram Dass starts talking at 6:00 🙏

[@Lioness_of_Gaia]

Thanks.

[@vanessapetrea2490]

Thank you!

[@sarojbhattarai2551]

I seriously cannot handle deep truths of this kind continuously because I am fully receptive to everything he says without any doubt. I have to listen to him again and again to remember this because this is like a divine shower. Thank you guru baba ram daas. Please help me in my awakening process 🙏 I love you ❤️

[@groves19881]

Namaste 🙏🏼🍄🙏🏿🌹 Much Love from OhiO USA Ram Ram Ram🙏🏼🍄🙏🏿🌹

[@beneskra1923]

Death of old thought schemas can be overwhelming. Try to embrace the humor of your situation because you are not the only one experiencing a loss of where to stand

[@luckym1580]

Why is it we can really start to wake up, and live very consciously for a while .. then later on just switch off and go back to our old ways

[@alanoctavioespinoza4151]

@@luckym1580 because of the mind things like Facebook or whatever distraction you have in life will take you to your old path unless you are really determine and focus each day to make changes in your life and live how ever you want to.

[@luckym1580]

@@alanoctavioespinoza4151 that's right bro! All this crap is like cancer to mindfulness! It takes 23 minutes to get I to a Flow state, a deep mediation/concentration.. then one fucking pop up and bam! I have to restart

[@devinagrace1999]

Excellent. An honest, mature discussion about drug use, without demonizing anyone.

[@grigoir]

Agree

[@8525bleach]

Or sending people to hell🤣

[@chrisward1056]

5:57 Ram Dass starts talking.

[@sugiekane]

Thank you 😉

[@ConsciousFilmmaker]

Thank you! It's so frustrating that we have to sit through these intros on all the BHN Network Ram Dass's recordings. There is nothing that can be said which will add or detract from RD's words.. It's a waste of our time at best, and an act of stupid ego at worst. Just give the talk a title, and allow the man's timeless message to be heard. We don't require the intro. No further "elucidation" is required.

[@velvetgardenia]

Thank you, I like Sitar, but I'd prefer to cut to the point

[@bridpentony]

Oh how I wish Ram Daas was still with us to advise and guide now in 2023

[@slimeballsake]

he still is, this wisdom is timeless

[@vikasit_vikas]

Thank you so much ram das ji , blessed to have maharaj ji and you with me , ram ram 🙏❤️

[@tonymiyoro]

Ram Dass' words at the beginning of the podcast were on the final episode of the midnight gospel.

[@hughdat]

I’ve watched that show so many times over and never noticed. Good ear mate.

[@groves19881]

Duncan is actually the first person for me that spoke on Ram Dass and taught me about him on Rogans Podcast.🙏🏼🍄🙏🏿🌹 Namaste

[@sangeetakhedkar6561]

Brilliant,profound,and lucid as always.Thank you.

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@voidmoon.]

Thank you so much Ram Dass.. Namaste! Ram Ram 🙏🏾❤️🌺

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hey there E. Circus. I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@nadiajellyfish2699]

Always profund and clear. Thank you Ram Dass

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hello N. Jellyfish! I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@rajeshsantoshmolwande8471]

Jay Gurudev Baba Neem Karoli Maharaj ki Jay ❣

[@deannaworld]

Wonderful to come across this!

[@618Prospect]

Yes I agree :))

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hello Deanna, I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@mercedesgutierrez9575]

This guy is truly a genius

[@psychologicalsuccess3476]

Absolutely not, just god like all of us

[@jackstrawFW]

THANK YOU 💚🤙

[@attheranch873]

This was excellent, thank you so much for posting it!

[@marcosluna7792]

Thank goodness for Ram Dass. Much love from down home

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hi Marcos, I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@kstar6508]

Brilliant.

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hi K. I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@grigoir]

Epic

[@sugiekane]

Great talk, thanks 😊

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@TheAdrianna10]

Love !!!

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hello Lindsey, I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@Iamolivialondon]

brilliant

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Hello Olivia, I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@beingnv]

Dope Love

[@unclemartha4112]

quite good. is that the complete talk??

[@jacobr.1369]

I'm still here 🖐

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Right on, Jacob, me too. Miraculously. You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@nermakblackmuzik]

Fall down seven times stand up eight

[@spiritlevelstudios]

48:42 doubled up error. TLDW: Richard suggests that young people shouldn't trip, because the house of ego, which will come crashing down, hasn't been completely built just yet. We need some foundational stability before we cut loose and meet god, lest we find ourselves without a clear path to integration.

[@BeHereNowNetwork]

thanks for the note! we were able to edit that out and update it right here on KZbin and update the other audio uploads.

[@spiritlevelstudios]

@@BeHereNowNetwork no problem, thanks for uploading 🙂

[@dominikah8530]

Hasn't it been on before?

[@MrReedTea]

I recommend you go on your trip for a few days before actually tripping. Get all the shit outta the way. :)

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

Sounds like Mr.ReedTea knows Timo's Set and Setting advice. Hey, btw, you might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@orlandoguitron4795]

22:57

[@mikhail113]

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@the-cleric4821]

❤️💊🍄🌵🌿👽

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

🤠💪🤸‍♂👣🦍🪨

[@mercedesgutierrez9575]

I wouldn't compare marijuana to LSD very risky

[@nogaei1]

Where are you NOW?

[@wasamoongwa8377]

Here

[@MASLoveStation]

Yes. .. Osho says. . "Here and Now " Is any body know here ? About Osho ??? No. .. It's 👉PLANDEMIC ..❗❗

[@psychologicalsuccess3476]

You are genuinely being schizophrenic, you're not listening, you are not a grown being yet.

[@DjangoPorter]

ur statement is do contradictive

[@bensilverstein5883]

It's all God

[@Mayan.Embodiment]

I love him too! You might like to learn about the Mayan Embodiment astrology for Baba Ram Dass on my channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaYp5KpjLWthJo

[@slumpkiid3570]

And it's all good