On this latest episode of Awakening Now, Lama Surya Das shares on the many aspects of Ram Dass that he has experienced. As a friend, mentor, and spiritual pioneer, Ram Dass has been an inspiration to Lama Surya Das. As a teacher at the forefront of the Be Here Now movement and counter-culture of the sixties, through Ram Dass' own practice and exploration, he has helped millions of seekers find there own truth: "Ram Dass is an axial personality, as Carl Jung called it, someone who brings the divine fire down and transforms it into human language and discourse... a person that brings together the past, present, future and the timeless." Show Notes: 3:30 - Lama Surya Das discusses Ram Dass in the sixties and his first encounters with him at Syracuse and India. 6:00 - Ram Dass as a spiritual pioneer and the greater impact of his teachings, helping to bridge eastern and western approaches to spirituality 9:00 - "Fierce Grace" the movie, and Ram Dass' perspective on being grateful for everything, even having a stroke 10:10 - On how Ram Dass helps us to see past holy teachings and practice and get a sense for the spirit behind the law 14:00 - The clarity of Ram Dass' being helps us to connect to a higher source. 21:17 - Ram Dass' embracing of his humanity, showed us how to walk the spiritual path ourselves, beyond any "-isms" and seek our own truth.