**Be Here Now**is an illustrated #book, published in 1971, that turned the spiritual consciousness of the Christian West eastwards. With its metaphysical illustrations, practical advice on how to implement a yogic regiment, and a chapter dedicated to quotes and book recommendations, Be Here Now is an experience designed to enrich the reader's emotional, physical, and spiritual life. @Trevor Soares gifted me a copy of 'Be Here Now' at a time when its messages were meaningful. It's part autobiography, part psychology, part hippie philosophy, part Indian mysticism, and part comic book.

Background

In March 1961, Professor Richard Alpert held appointments in four departments at Harvard University, published books, drove a Mercedes, and regularly vacationed in the Caribbean. By most societal standards, he had achieved success... and yet he couldn’t escape the feeling something was missing.  Psilocybin and @LSD changed that. During a period of experimentation, Alpert peeled away each layer of his identity, disassociating from himself as a professor, a social cosmopolite, and lastly, as a physical being. Fear turned into exaltation upon the realization that at his truest, he was just his inner-self: a luminous being that he could @trust indefinitely and @love infinitely. And thus, a spiritual journey commenced. Alpert headed to India where his guru renamed him Baba Ram Dass—meaning “servant of God.” He was introduced to mindful breathing exercises, hatha yoga, and Eastern philosophy. If he found himself reminiscing or planning, he was reminded to “Be Here Now.” He wrote 'Be Here Now' as a vehicle for sharing the true message, and as a guide to self-determination.

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