Be Here Now
1971 AD published
Alpert returns to America as Ram Dass and stays at the Lama Foundation as a guest.
He had helped Steve Durkee (Nooruddeen Durkee) and Barbara Durkee (Asha Greer or Asha von Briesen) co-found the countercultural, spiritual community in 1967, and it had an ashram dedicated to his Dass's guru.
During thiss visit, he presents a manuscript he had written, entitled From Bindu to Ojas. The community's residents edited, illustrated, and laid out the text, which ultimately became a best-selling book when published under the name Be Here Now in 1971.
The 416-page manual for conscious being was published by the Lama Foundation, as Ram Dass's benefit for the community.
Be Here Now contained Ram Dass's account of his spiritual journey, as well as recommended spiritual techniques and quotes.
The proceeds from the book helped sustain the Lama Foundation for several years, after which they donated the book's copyright and half its proceeds to the Hanuman Foundation in Taos.
Be Here Now is one of the first guides for those not born Hindu to becoming a yogi. For its influence on the hippie movement and subsequent spiritual movements it has been described as a "countercultural bible" and "seminal" to the era.
The first section of the book inspired the lyrics to George Harrison's song "Be Here Now", written in 1971 and released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World.
Lattitude: 36.3939° N
Longitude: 105.5767° W
Region: North America
Modern Day United States
Subjects Who or What published?
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Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) American spiritual teach...
Events in 1971 MORE
