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Last Revised: JUNE, 1993

GRANMA NUDGE

ON RAM DASS

by MARY MOORE

Different Realities: Last night I went with my friend Camilo to see and hear Ram Dass. He said some good and witty stuff and seemed like a very decent, well balanced man. While I've always had some problems around the concept of "non-attachment" (it is easily misinterpreted and gives those with privilege more reason to stay in denial), I certainly didn't disagree with most of what he had to say. Much of his work is with the dying, the blind and the poor and he is clearly a compassionate person. I like his matter of fact "your life is to serve-your life is your message" philosophy and I especially like his attempts to bring the "spiritual meditaters into the "real" world while pointing out that political activists could use some spiritual meditation. That's something some of us stuck between the New Age and the Old Left have been saying for some time!! (See S.C. Free Press 4/93)

He also talked alot about different planes of consciousness--different perceptions of "reality" that we all carry around. One sure can't argue with that! It only takes a cursory look around this beautiful but beleaguered planet to see how true that is. So I started thinking about all these different realities--levels of consciousness-that we are all experiencing-and how very different they really are. Before I went to hear Ram Dass I had a short visit in my shop from my friend Miguel who had just returned L.A. where he spoke to a large group of students at U.C.L.A. regarding the latest flap over Chicano studies. He said the crowd was made up mostly of black and brown faces with some yellow and a small smattering of white. "These are the faces of the future" he told them. And a few hours later here I am at the Luther Burbank center listening to this very mellow and well adjusted white man talking to an enraptured and inspired crowd of overwhelmingly white faces about non attachment and different levels of consciousness. Please understand this is not a putdown of Ram Dass. I think he will understand what I'm saying. Although I liked what he had to say and I respect his work and motivation to ease suffering I was not inspired by it.

I did however feel inspired a month ago at the incredible outpouring of love and respect directed at Cesar Chavez upon his passing. I felt overwhelming inspiration at even being in the same room with Rigoberta Menchu knowing what her "reality" has been like and how she has responded to it. It may not be inspiration but I will admit to being very "attached" to my outrage as Geronimo's parole bid is denied for the twelth time and Clifford Dann is escorted to jail for nine months for attempting to defend his home and tradition

These of course are only two recent injustices in the long line we encounter daily when we stay "attached". How does one unattach the feelings of outrage while keeping ones eyes and heart open to the realities of the world? Where is the badly needed analysis in the words of Ram Dass when he talks about the very good work he does with the blind, the dying and the poor? Where is the analysis that explains WHY we have such discrepancies between the very rich and the very poor? When does he tell us about those who make their money from this imbalance? Who are they that keep this planetary system of exploitation going and just how extensive is it?

As I looked over the audience of Sonoma county good people I wondered if anyone else's reality included these thoughts and questions. I surely hope so because the source of my inspiration comes from those who use love and compassion in their work but never do unattach from being outraged at the very real injustices in this world and who use that very valid outrage to continue the struggle against them.Return to Granma NudgeReturn to Columns PageReturn to Sonoma CountyFree Press Home Page