In this radio interview from the mid 1970s, Ram Dass talks about what makes him a karma yogi, and how every experience in our lives is grist for the mill.
Karma Yogi
Raghu Markus introduces this episode, which is taken from a radio interview from the mid 1970s. Ram Dass talks about the concept of karma yoga, which is taking what we do everyday and using it as a conversion vehicle, and why he lives his life as a karma yogi.
“My work is my work on myself. My understanding of my responsibility as a human being is to alleviate suffering in all sentient beings. And each of us has to find the way in our hearts that we do that. That we have to understand that whatever we do, the way in which we do it is really kind of important. The way we do it is a function of how conscious we are about ourselves. And my work to serve other people… it all becomes my work on myself. I’m a karma yogi, so I do what I do, but I do it in order to come to God.” – Ram Dass
Consciousness Trips (21:00)
Ram Dass is asked about identity, consciousness trips, and anxiety. He talks about how attachments create suffering, getting into the flow of the universe, and how we’ve gotten away from the harmony of our bodies.
“The anxiety still comes and goes, but the difference is now that instead of my being anxious, there is anxiety. In other words, every experience I have is grist for the mill.” – Ram Dass
Joseph Goldstein talks about working with anxiety on Mindrolling Ep. 327
Finding the Truth (31:25)
Ram Dass shares stories of Gandhi and Huey Newton in response to a question about finding the truth in one’s self. He ends the interview with a discussion of how the Love Serve Remember album came together.
“Find your part in the drama and do it consciously.” – Ram Dass
