Beloved guru Ram Dass tells the story of his spiritual awakening and gives you the tools to take control of your life in this “counterculture bible” (The New York Times) featuring powerful guidance on yoga, meditation, and finding your true self. October 12, 2021 will mark the 50th Anniversary of Ram Dass’ publication, a classic on mind, body, and spirit.
BE HERE NOW
by Ram Dass
Harmony, October 1971
When BE HERE NOW was first published in 1971, it filled a deep spiritual emptiness, launched the ongoing mindfulness revolution, and established Ram Dass as perhaps the preeminent seeker of the twentieth century. Just ten years earlier, he was known as Professor Richard Alpert. He 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.
Ram Dass served on the faculty at Stanford and Harvard Universities. In the 1960s, he traveled to India, where he met his guru, and over the course of his life pursued a variety of spiritual practices, including guru kripa, devotional yoga, karma yoga, many forms of meditation, and Sufi and Jewish studies. Many of his books, including BE HERE NOW, are international bestsellers and classics of their kind. He died in December 2019.
Taken in the night and delivered to the flying city of Highgate when he was a small child, Milo Quick has never known another home. Now almost thirteen, Milo survives one daredevil grift at a time, relying only on his wits, speed, and an unfailingly loyal band of friends. War is coming to Highgate. As a massive armada surrounds the city, a small ship, the Halcyon, slips through the blockade. Led by a charismatic captain, the unconventional crew of the Halcyon has come to collect Milo for a bounty. But they too are being watched. As threats begin to close in on Milo, the truth will soon be revealed that he is not the true prize they seek, and that the stakes go far beyond the borders of the city, and time, as he knows it. In his debut novel for young readers, Jason Sheehan cleverly weaves together multiple points of view, creating a richly imagined world filled with danger, heart-racing adventure, and no shortage of wit.
Cities are dust, histories lost, and time stands still.
With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club. Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.
In a desert outpost of the turbulent Shi Empire, Ahn lives as a dishwasher and thief. When her magic finally manifests, she becomes the most powerful weapon in the empire, but also a target of the ruthless priests loyal to the Dragon Throne. Instead of being burnt at the stake, Ahn is saved by a mysterious priest and taken to the Imperial Palace where everyone seeks to use her powers for themselves. Meanwhile, his own family murdered and his birthright hijacked, Altan must find this new powerful girl who will be the tool for his vengeance. Altan and Ahn begin an uneasy alliance but soon, the truth and depth of Ahn’s dark powers make them both question whether they’ll be able to survive the journey, let alone restore the empire.