In this 1996 broadcast from KPFK Los Angeles, Ram Dass takes over Talk Radio From the Heart and answers questions about romantic relationships, racism, finding a guru, and more.
Talk Radio From the Heart
The day is December 31st, 1996, and Ram Dass has taken over the Talk Radio From the Heart program on KPFK Los Angeles. He begins with a little introspection on the past year, and how the concept of time has changed for him throughout his life. He talks about a book he’s been working on about aging, and how it has him thinking more about honoring his body.
“I would like to do what I can to live what years remain in as healthy a condition as possible. I feel I owe it to the temple to take care of it. And then, I mean, it will break down. And I hope my awareness will be of good cheer in that process. Because there’s as much to learn from the breakdown as there is the functioning perfectly. And there’s as much use of that experience as a vehicle to come into freedom of awareness as any other experience.” – Ram Dass
Romantic Relationships (13:53)
Ram Dass takes questions from callers about being attached to the fruit of our actions, finding fulfilling romantic relationships, and spirituality as a cure for racism. He talks about playing all our roles in life impeccably, how relationships often open us up to deeper places within ourselves, and how spiritual practice can help us see individual differences without being preoccupied with them.
“When you say, ‘I’ve fallen in love with him or I’ve fallen in love with her,’ another way of saying it is, ‘He or she is the key to opening my heart so that I can come into a place of love.’ And often, when you love somebody, it changes your perception of the world, and you actually feel differently towards everything when you’re in love.” – Ram Dass
Finding a Guru (28:40)
Ram Dass answers questions about the importance of finding a guru and about the beauty and pain of spending time with people who are dying. He talks about how gurus are more like mirrors for people to see where they are on their spiritual journey. Ram Dass ends this episode by going to a commercial break, so be sure to check back soon for the continuation of this Talk Radio From the Heart broadcast on Here and Now.
“When you meet another person and it moves into such an intense presence, a minute is a lifetime. There’s no time, there’s no measure any longer.” – Ram Dass
