Share <Embed>

Buy New

$10.30

List Price: $17.17
Save: $6.87 (40%)

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

This item ships to France. Want it Saturday, May 11? Order within and choose AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping at checkout. Learn more

Deliver to France

Buy Used

$9.77

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Deliver to France

Used: Good | Details

Sold by Rockbridge Regional Lib VA

Fulfilled by Amazon

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 3 images

Follow the Author

Ram Dass

Be Here Now Paperback – October 12, 1971

by Ram Dass (Author)

927 customer reviews

in Karma Buddhism

See all 2 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle Edition with Audio/Video

"Please retry"

$5.70

—

Paperback

"Please retry"

$10.30

$9.95

$5.00

“We’re talking about metamorphosis
We’re talking about going from a caterpillar to a butterfly
We’re talking about how to become a butterfly.”

In March 1961, Professor Richard Alpert – later renamed Ram Dass – held appointments in four departments at Harvard University. He published books, drove a Mercedes and regularly vacationed in the Caribbean. By most societal standards, he had achieved great success... And yet he couldn’t escape the feeling that something was missing.

Psilocybin and LSD changed that. During a period of experimentation, Alpert peeled away each layer of his identity, disassociating from himself as a professor, a social cosmopolite, and lastly, as a physical being. Fear turned into exaltation upon the realization that at his truest, he was just his inner-self: a luminous being that he could trust indefinitely and love infinitely.

And thus, a spiritual journey commenced. Alpert headed to India where his guru renamed him Baba Ram Dass – “servant of God.” He was introduced to mindful breathing exercises, hatha yoga, and Eastern philosophy. If he found himself reminiscing or planning, he was reminded to “Be Here Now.” He started upon the path of enlightenment, and has been journeying along it ever since.

Be Here Now is a vehicle for sharing the true message, and a guide to self-determination.

With over 150 pages of metaphysical illustrations, practical advice on how to implement a yogic regiment, and a chapter dedicated to quotes and book recommendations, Be Here Now is sure to enrich your emotional, physical, and spiritual life.

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Ram Dass

157

Paperback
$14.17
Terence McKenna

226

Paperback
$13.59
Paramhansa Yogananda

2,350

Paperback
$15.05

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's easy to dismiss Be Here Now as the relic of a whacked-out '60s acid tripper. Paging through the center section of the book, with its inch-high print and psychedelic drawings, you come across lines like:

Magic Theatre
For madmen only
price of admission
your
mind

Then you turn to the first page of the book, and you are suddenly sucked into the story of a Harvard psychiatrist who has reached the pinnacle of success, discovers the mind-expanding powers of acid, and ends up trooping through India with a 23-year-old holy man from Laguna Beach, California. In the story, you see all the trappings of your own life and begin to wonder if India might hold the answers after all. Before booking your ticket, turn to the last section of the Be Here Now, "Cookbook for a Sacred Life." Ram Dass saves you the trouble by proffering a sober introduction to the basics of Hindu religion. Although he still can't resist CAPITAL LETTERS, he has done his homework, presenting a whole range of concepts and practices having to do with yoga postures, meditation, renunciation, dying, and sexual energy. So, for the most part, Be Here Now stands the test of time, and if you can entertain the center section in a retro kind of a spirit, it might be just what you're looking for: "The opposite of craving is saying, baby, this is the way it is, yeah, OK, here and now, this is it. I ACCEPT THE HERE & NOW FULLY." --Brian Bruya

From the Inside Flap

A Lama Foundation Book. Describes one man's transformation upon his acceptance of the principles of Yoga and gives a modern restatement of the importance of the spiritual side of man's nature. Illustrated.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product details

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Lama Foundation (October 12, 1978)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780517543054
ISBN-13: 978-0517543054
ASIN: 0517543052
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 0.9 x 7.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 927 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1 in Karma Buddhism
- #5 in Spiritualism
- #6 in Chakras (Books)

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Be the first video

Your name here

Important information

Ingredients

Example Ingredients

Directions

Example Directions

927 customer reviews

Review this product

Write a customer review

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Hannah J Benko-Storm

Extraordinary book

June 15, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is the closest thing I have to a "Bible". I have bought it 6 times now. Everytime I buy it I eventually end up giving my copy to someone who needs it. I was walking through a busy bookstore one day back in 2010, and I was staring at the Religion & Spirituality section for about 15 minutes not knowing where to begin. Some random guy came up, pulled Be Here Now off the shelf, handed it to me and simply said "This is a good place to start." He walked away and I couldn't find him again looking through the store. Weirdest thing ever. But seriously, this book has blown my mind wide open. There is nothing else like it. The way that Ram Dass marries his illustrations to the text in this flowing piece will keep you reading. He basically combines teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam in such a way that it blows your mind and helps you see how everything is connected. I hope to give 1000 copies of this book away. The world needs it. It's especially great for people like me who can be rather ADHD because it is so illustrative in the main portion. I would recommend it a million times over.

238 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Rob Szarka

The Kindle Version Mostly Works

April 26, 2017

Format: Kindle Edition with Audio/VideoVerified Purchase

The original book is, of course, a classic; you should read it in some form. I want to offer a few comments about the Kindle edition for those considering what format will work best for them.

The core of the original book is closer to a comic book, or a series of posters, than a traditional book. If you want to experience the book in its original form, there is probably no substitute for a printed copy. But the Kindle version does take a very reasonable approach to dealing with the challenge of reproducing the original artwork: it includes graphics of each page and then, in a separate section, a transcription of the words on those pages. Although placing two graphics on each "page" of the Kindle book makes this a bit awkward to navigate, for some readers this version may be easier to read than the original: the printed book used dark backgrounds in some sections that make the text difficult to decipher, whereas the graphics and transcription in the Kindle version stick to white backgrounds. So, if reading red type against a brown background is not your idea of a good time, try the Kindle version.

The Kindle version does also include two guided meditation videos that may interest some readers. Unfortunately, these do not work in the Kindle Android app; I assume you need to have actual Kindle hardware to use them. In any case, I can't comment on these.

Bottom line: reading the Kindle version is a distinctly different experience of the book, but it's a reasonable choice for many, and possibly of interest even to those of us who already own the book in print.

66 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

D. Dickinson

Great book. Opened my mind to spirituality in a ...

July 31, 2017

Format: Kindle Edition with Audio/VideoVerified Purchase

Great book. Opened my mind to spirituality in a way that other books on meditation didn't or couldn't. I got the kindle edition and I didn't have any issues with the formatting. Might go out and get the print edition to have as well and be able to lend to friends and family.

It's an eclectic book. Part auto-bio, part art book, part spiritual practice advice/tips. On the practical portion it covers meditation, pranayama, asanas, diet, mantra, as well as other 'religious' practices. The emphasis is on discovering our connection to the universe, to the creator and source of everything, God if you will.

The book isn't preachy, although a sense of urgency does permeate the book, because after all your only have "NOW" and the only way to take advantage of the NOW is to be HERE, be present and fully engaged. Yesterday's gone and tomorrow (next minute even) is not promised.

43 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Veena S

Beautiful book. I came across it in a hotel ...

January 30, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Beautiful book. I came across it in a hotel room in New Zealand, thoughtfully provided instead of the usual bible. This book is far more useful and appropriate for contemporary life than any religious text. The format is a little quirky (and some pages hard to read) but I love that it can be opened at any page for thought-provoking content and spiritual advice. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to open their eyes and change perspectives on the world.

38 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Kindle Customer

Perfection

March 22, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Everyone should take the time to read this. Based on hallucinations and deep experimentation with the mind. Ram Dass and Timothy Leary dived into the fringe science of our unconscious mind. I absolutely love this book, I love the way it is made. Maintaining the quality of the time it was written. Ram Dass and Alan Watts are the two authors that deserve to be known worldwide. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

22 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Julian P. Lazaro

Excellent.

October 15, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A truly life changing book that I found in a bookshop when I was about 16. Studied it, sometimes with friends, throughout college. This resulted in some really profound and memorable experiences. Gave it away to a friend I thought needed it years ago but she wasn't smart enough to value it unfortunately.
In modern globally conscious society this is a great way to introduce children to spirituality and religion. Ram Dass found a very clever balance of thinking that is really inclusive of most spiritual traditions throughout the world, and that's what I think is the most valuable thing about this book. Sometimes it's Christian, then Buddhist, Sufi, and in the end it's very philosophical. Fools will just look at the pretty pictures, and there a lots of them - super awesome illustrations. But there is real depth here.
Now that I've grown up a whole lot of this book is just silly, but I appreciate how thought provoking it was to me as a kid. At a time when I was too smart for my own good but had nothing really worth thinking about, it was awesome to finally be hit with ideas that would leave me completely confused for hours or days. I owe a lot to this book.
So about a year ago I said screw it, I'd like to send a message of thanks to Mr. Alpert / Ram Dass. I contacted his people, wrote a heartfelt message just saying dude thank you for your awesome book can you please let him know what a great book he created. And I got some PR turd who said if you'd like to speak with the holy Ram Dass you can send a check for like $10,000 for entrance to his spiritual retreat in Hawaii. So yeah, the guy sold out and became an ass, but it happens. Anyway I bought another copy and it's a great coffee table book.

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Be Here Now

Set up a giveaway

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: human form, apple company, the golden ratio, be amazing

Buy New

$10.30

Buy Used

$9.77

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Be Here Now Paperback – October 12, 1971

Customers who bought this item also bought

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the Inside Flap

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

927 customer reviews

Review this product

Customer images

Read reviews that mention

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Buy New $10.30

Buy Used $9.77

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Follow the Author

Similar authors to follow

Be Here Now Paperback – October 12, 1971

Customers who bought this item also bought

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the Inside Flap

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

927 customer reviews

Review this product

Customer images

Read reviews that mention

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Buy New

$10.30

Buy Used

$9.77