News from the Ram Dass Media Library
Scroll down to read details ...
1. EVOLVING WISDOM ... a CD treasury! – 3-album historic
collection of Ram Dass lectures
2. NEWS OF RAM DASS ... and watch for new Ram Dass photos in March
3. SATSANG GATHERINGS ... getting together with those who share our hearts
4. WITH MAHARAJJI ... the passing of Jivanti Ma and Didi Ma
5. DIVINE REALITY ... new edition available
1. RAM DASS: EVOLVING WISDOM ... Some of Ram Dass' deepest
teachings over the course of the past four decades have been brought
together in this historic CD collection. With his characteristic blend of
stories, humor, and honesty, Ram Dass shares with us the unfolding of his
own spiritual journey – and ours.
Volume 1 ... The Early Years (1967-1974) – includes
"The Core Book Darshan," "The Meninger Lectures," and "Yogas of the Bhagavad
Gita: Karma and Reincarnation."
Volume 2 ... The Middle Decade (1975-1985) – includes "Roger Williams
College: Karma and Reincarnation," "Honoring Life's Seasons," "Dying Into
Life," "The Nature of Reality" (with Amit Goswami), and "The Abode of the
Message."
Volume 3 ... The Ripening Years (1986-2004) – includes "Karma and
Compassion," "Generosity of the Heart," "Aging and Change," "Facing Death,"
"The Advanced Course," and "Dancing with Shiva."
There are six CDs in each of the three volumes, which offer
a panorama of Ram Dass' teachings. Through them we watch the ripening of
Ram Dass' wisdom and the deepening of his faith.
2. NEWS OF RAM DASS ... Ram Dass is approaching his 75th
birthday, in April of this year. He is happy to be living in
semi-retirement now, on the island of Maui. After so many years of
busy-ness and traveling around, Ram Dass is content to settle in at home for
awhile. He has a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and a loving
caregiver – Kathleen Murphy, whose photos you see on the Tape Library
website.
Ram Dass loves having the access to the warm ocean waters
that Maui affords him. The island's park service provides wheelchairs with
big balloon tires that can navigate the sand beaches down to the waves, and
Ram Dass has been going into the ocean and swimming almost every week. (His
one-armed swimming is quite a feat!)
As to programs: Ram Dass isn't planning to return to the
mainland this year, but there may be another retreat or two on Maui.
Meantime, there are regular satsangs held on Maui, usually on the last
Sunday of each month. For information, e-mail Kathleen at
kmmmurphy@msn.com.
(We're hoping to post some new photos of Ram Dass soon;
check the website in early March.)
3. SATSANG GATHERINGS ... We have news of a few groups that
are meeting regularly, and some others that get together from time to time
for special events. (If you're part of a group that isn't listed here,
please tell us about it so we can announce it in our next newsletter.)
PORTLAND is one of the cities that has regular satsang
gatherings. There are weekly meetings each Thursday night at 7 PM, with
kirtan, meditation, and discussion. For information, call 503-234-8833, or
e-mail
hridayaprema@yahoo.com.
TAOS, NM, is the home of the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram and
Hanuman Temple, where daily aartis and weekly kirtans are scheduled. For
details, visit the website at
www.nkbashram.org.
In the SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA there is a wealth of satsang
connections, although no regular gatherings are held at present. One of the
best resources is the Open Secret Bookstore in San Rafael (http://www.opensecretbookstore.com);
Open Secret regularly hosts Uma Reed, Geoffrey Gordon, and other devotees
for kirtan, Maharajji stories, and sacred celebrations.
In the RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC, Jon Seskevich organizes frequent
workshops and satsang gatherings, bringing in speakers such as Sharon
Salzberg and musicians like Jai Uttal. For more information, visit
http://FlyingMonkey.ws.
In CLEVELAND, the Baba Neem Karoli Satsang will be
gathering on April 30th for a benefit to support local anti-hunger
programs. Jai Uttal and Daniel Paul will be featured in an evening of
kirtan and chanting. Details are available at
www.unityofgreatercleveland.org.
In the MIDWEST, a group of people who came together for the
2004 Wisconsin retreat have continued to meet in cyberspace. They call
themselves the Wiskarma e-Group, and some members get together for
celebrations and satsang from time to time. To subscribe to the group,
e-mail
wiskarma-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Finally, in ANN ARBOR, MI, there is great interest in
forming a new satsang. If you'd like to join, please e-mail Mary Jo (Mjbelong@aol.com);
she would love to hear from you.
4. WITH MAHARAJJI ... With sorrow, we share with you news
of the passing of two of our beloved elders, Jivanti Ma and Didi (Kamala)
Ma. Jivanti Ma was Siddhi Ma's beloved friend for fifty years, and the two
of them were always side by side. There seemed to be such a radiant joy in
Jivanti Ma's presence, as if she knew the most delightful secret. She is
with Maharajji now, as she has yearned to be. Didi (Kamala Mukerjee) was
the wife of Dada Mukerjee, author of By His Grace. Dada and Didi considered
their home in Allahabad to be "Maharajji's house," and Didi served with
complete devotion everyone who came there. Ram Nam Satya Hai.
5. DIVINE REALITY ... As those of you who have tried to
order it know, Divine Reality, the beautiful book of stories about Maharajji,
has been out of print for some months now. Prema, one of Maharajji's
Kainchi devotees, has been patiently coping with the many, many lilas of
having the book reprinted in Delhi, and we have just received a very small
number of copies, shipped here by air. It is a beautiful edition, with a
wealth of delicious colored photos. Please order immediately if you want
one of these copies. A larger supply will be coming by sea, but they are
not expected to arrive until sometime in May.
