Women’s Satsang: Friendship & Service with Dassima Murphy

Ram Dass said, “The most important aspect of love is not in giving or the receiving: it’s in the being.”

Mark your calendars and be IN the love of community with the Ram Dass Women’s Satsang. This month we are joined by Dassima. She was Ram Dass’ chief caregiver, personal assistant, and manager of his house and staff for fifteen years from 2005 until his death in 2019. She devoted her life and service to this friendship, and is joining the Women’s Satsang to share personal stories from their time together and to highlight the themes of friendship, service, and devotion.

Dassima served as Ram Dass’s primary caregiver and assistant for the last 15 year of his life. Her time serving Ram Dass was the most meaningful and fulfilling period of her life.

She still resides at the Ram Dass’ house on Maui, where she serves as president of Hanuman Maui: The Ram Dass Loving Awareness Sanctuary. When Ram Dass dropped his body in 2019, his energy and heart-space remained. Hanuman Maui was formed to preserve his house and property as a spiritual sanctuary. They continue to share Ram Dass’s legacy on Maui through kirtan, meditation, personal retreats and special events.

Originally from the Philadelphia area, Dassima worked as a Director of Human Resources till 2005. During that time, she dedicated herself to the Zen tradition, regularly hosting group practices and attending meditations retreats.

She first encountered Ram Dass in the early 90’s and dedicated all of her free time to attending his retreats and contributing to the Ram Dass Tape Library. After decades of dedicated study to Ram Dass’s teachings, it was the honor of her life to care for Ram Dass and deepen her experience of devotion through selfless service.

For those who identify as Women, whether CIS, Trans, or non-binary.

Women’s Satsang Mission Statement

The Women’s Satsang has been formed to help cultivate heart connection and allyship among people within the Ram Dass Community who identify as women, whether cisgender, non-conforming or non-binary women. As an autonomous group, our purpose is 

• to deepen into the teachings of Ram Dass and Neem Karoli Baba from a female perspective

• to foster connection and mutual empowerment within the Ram Dass Community, and 
• bring forward the wisdom of women for the benefit of all beings and the earth.

Our Values include:

• Lovingkindness

• Honoring relationality and inclusivity

• Allowing for ambiguity and mystery

• Celebrating the light as well as the dark, embodiment as well as ascension

• Blessing the web of interbeing that connects us all

• Respecting people over performances