Conscious Aging (by Ram Dass)
I deeply admire Ram Dass and cherish his profound teachings, which he shares from his own spiritual journey. Although he has left his body, I continue to benefit from his wisdom that is shared through the Here and Now podcast and the books he has authored. Ram Dass possesses a remarkable ability to simplify complex life events and make them comprehensible.
One area I’m constantly striving to gain a deeper understanding of is aging and death. As I age, I make an effort to maintain realistic expectations, gracefully embrace my aging process, and come to terms with my mortality. This topic became particularly pertinent as my husband and I navigated my recent retirement. Additionally, I’ve struggled to cope with the deaths of those closest to me. It’s important to note that I have no concrete idea of what constitutes “dealing well” with death. Instead, I’ve pushed away the concept of death and dying, and through the teachings of Ram Dass, I’ve come to realize that my attachment to my losses has been a significant contributor to my emotional suffering.
Conscious Aging: On the Nature of Change and Facing Death is a two-part recorded session featuring Ram Dass delivering a talk at the Omega Institute. At the time of the recording, Ram Dass was 60 years old. He begins the teaching by sharing humorous and relatable stories about aging, allowing him to laugh at himself while simultaneously offering a profound spiritual application for the listeners. His use of humor creates a sense of comfort and openness, enabling the audience to fully engage with the more significant material as the teaching progresses.
Ram Dass offers insightful perspectives on people confronting their own mortality. However, he dedicates a significant portion of his work to exploring the acceptance of losing loved ones. He has spent considerable time with individuals as they were passing away and shares personal, heartfelt examples. As a caregiver, he provided support to his stepmother during her battle with cancer and also to his father. He intentionally sought to work with individuals diagnosed with AIDS and also assisted those who reached out to him, requesting his assistance.
In this two and a half-hour audiobook, Ram Dass provides insightful and rational perspectives on confronting our aging process and exploring attachments to the people we love. It’s important to note that Ram Dass acknowledges the natural tendency to form attachments to others. He doesn’t view this as inherently problematic or wrong; instead, he explains the underlying reasons behind these attachments. By recognizing our thought processes, we gain the ability to navigate our responses effectively.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Conscious Aging. Ram Dass’s captivating and enlightening talk to a group is always a treat to listen to.
I have reviewed other Ram Dass books that you can find below. I also wrote a blog post about my experience at a Ram Dass retreat I attended.
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