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It's Here Now (Are You?): A Spiritual Memoir
In his classic book Be Here Now, Ram Dass introduced the world to a young guru named Bhagavan Das. Continuing his own story in It's Here Now (Are You?), Bhagavan Das shares the profound and surreal moments of his spiritual awakening in the East, his fall from grace in the West, and his peaceful reconciliation with the sacred center.
For many years in the early '70s Bhagavan Das moved through India and Nepal, embracing the austere life of a holy man, exploring Hinduism, Buddhism, transcendental meditation, tantra, worshipping the divine mother, and living under the loving blanket of his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. Only twenty-five years old when he returned home to the States as a celebrity, he found himself traveling on the "guru circuit" with Ram Dass, Allen Ginsberg, Jerry Garcia, and Timothy Leary--living more like a rock star than the saint he was proclaimed to be.
In compelling detail, Bhagavan Das explores the tortuous journey that led him from his quest for the sacred to his spiritual death and eventual rebirth. A vivid memoir like no other, It's Here Now (Are You?) is an odyssey that will inspire seekers of any age on their own road to fulfillment.
For many years in the early '70s Bhagavan Das moved through India and Nepal, embracing the austere life of a holy man, exploring Hinduism, Buddhism, transcendental meditation, tantra, worshipping the divine mother, and living under the loving blanket of his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. Only twenty-five years old when he returned home to the States as a celebrity, he found himself traveling on the "guru circuit" with Ram Dass, Allen Ginsberg, Jerry Garcia, and Timothy Leary--living more like a rock star than the saint he was proclaimed to be.
In compelling detail, Bhagavan Das explores the tortuous journey that led him from his quest for the sacred to his spiritual death and eventual rebirth. A vivid memoir like no other, It's Here Now (Are You?) is an odyssey that will inspire seekers of any age on their own road to fulfillment.
325 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 14, 2011
`Too often we underestimate the power of thought. Thoughts manifest. Your life is what you think it is. That's why meditating and disengaging from the thought process helps free the self' - It's Here Now Now p. 63.
It's Here Now (Are You?) is one of the best books I have ever read. Sure it doesn't really hold a candle to classics like The Alchemist or Siddhartha, but why should it? It's not a work of fiction, but it is definitely out of this world: `I didn't know it that night, but we would become close friends for the next six years... our conversation would become telepathic, thought to thought. It was easy to connect with him that way'.
I found out about this book through reading Be Here Now by Ram Dass, which told the story of how Dr Richard Alpert (Harvard psychologist turned LSD guru) had a chance encounter with a 20 year old white kid in India and ended up being sucked into a spiritual transformation and spat out a completely new being, totally freed from his ego. The young white guru was called Bhagavan Das and he ended up writing a very honest account of his experiences in India; he never tries to make himself look good and writes into existence a lot of scenarios that put him in a bad light, which is admirable. Bhagavan Das (Michael Riggs) also shares all of his insights and experiences, and doesn't seem to mind if you believe them or not.
The book is flowing with great advice on how to pursue and embrace a spiritual lifestyle as well: `I think many Westerners are frustrated with meditation because they don't realize that you can't just sit down and meditate. First comes the need to learn to concentrate. One must practice being completely absorbed in something without thinking of anything else. You can't skip this first basic step'. The book is difficult to put down, it's soaking with Hindu spirituality, but even if you're not into that sort of thing it's still interesting to read the story of how some white kid from California escapes to India and becomes a saint pretty much over night, and to top it off there's a lot of drug use and sex on the side.
Bhagavan Das does it all, and you can't help but think of him as a spiritual materialist, snatching from every religion and ritual to find the sweet nectar of enlightenment. But this makes for a really interesting read as he allows you a peek at how spirituality is treated in India through all of its religions. Throughout his journey Bhagavan tastes from every fruit in every tree, even forbidden fruits as he happens upon witches and demon worshippers and becomes fascinated with this `dark energy'. He also shows that at the end of the day he is still a human: `Major Rikki also had a big stack of Playboy magazines, which I eventually gave into reading. I couldn't resist the temptation. As soon as I was given the opportunity, I gave in to all of it. I was masturbating to pornographic magazines, smoking State Express No. 555, and listening to Major Rikki boast about his Military career'.
It's Here Now (Are You) is a great continuation from Ram Das' Be Here Now, and is a great book on its own as well. It is about a single person's journey, and this is something we can all relate to. If you are into Indian spirituality, travel books or just need a good escape then read this book!
It's Here Now (Are You?) is one of the best books I have ever read. Sure it doesn't really hold a candle to classics like The Alchemist or Siddhartha, but why should it? It's not a work of fiction, but it is definitely out of this world: `I didn't know it that night, but we would become close friends for the next six years... our conversation would become telepathic, thought to thought. It was easy to connect with him that way'.
I found out about this book through reading Be Here Now by Ram Dass, which told the story of how Dr Richard Alpert (Harvard psychologist turned LSD guru) had a chance encounter with a 20 year old white kid in India and ended up being sucked into a spiritual transformation and spat out a completely new being, totally freed from his ego. The young white guru was called Bhagavan Das and he ended up writing a very honest account of his experiences in India; he never tries to make himself look good and writes into existence a lot of scenarios that put him in a bad light, which is admirable. Bhagavan Das (Michael Riggs) also shares all of his insights and experiences, and doesn't seem to mind if you believe them or not.
The book is flowing with great advice on how to pursue and embrace a spiritual lifestyle as well: `I think many Westerners are frustrated with meditation because they don't realize that you can't just sit down and meditate. First comes the need to learn to concentrate. One must practice being completely absorbed in something without thinking of anything else. You can't skip this first basic step'. The book is difficult to put down, it's soaking with Hindu spirituality, but even if you're not into that sort of thing it's still interesting to read the story of how some white kid from California escapes to India and becomes a saint pretty much over night, and to top it off there's a lot of drug use and sex on the side.
Bhagavan Das does it all, and you can't help but think of him as a spiritual materialist, snatching from every religion and ritual to find the sweet nectar of enlightenment. But this makes for a really interesting read as he allows you a peek at how spirituality is treated in India through all of its religions. Throughout his journey Bhagavan tastes from every fruit in every tree, even forbidden fruits as he happens upon witches and demon worshippers and becomes fascinated with this `dark energy'. He also shows that at the end of the day he is still a human: `Major Rikki also had a big stack of Playboy magazines, which I eventually gave into reading. I couldn't resist the temptation. As soon as I was given the opportunity, I gave in to all of it. I was masturbating to pornographic magazines, smoking State Express No. 555, and listening to Major Rikki boast about his Military career'.
It's Here Now (Are You) is a great continuation from Ram Das' Be Here Now, and is a great book on its own as well. It is about a single person's journey, and this is something we can all relate to. If you are into Indian spirituality, travel books or just need a good escape then read this book!
May 2, 2022
The book is fascinating, and his life story is fascinating, but as a person... I remember a while ago going to his website, and thinking, "This guy doesn't seem very spiritual." It seemed like someone trying to sell something. (There are others in the bhakti world who I feel the same way about.) But as I read this book, it came across like someone with a big ego being like, "Yeah, I know I'm good looking and amazing and so cool and wonderful, everyone wants me, blah blah blah." But his life story is so interesting. Many of us have heard of BD from Ram Dass - basically, Bhagavan Das spends his life in pursuit of spiritual connection, and he connects with Neem Karoli Baba, Amma, Jesus, old American Indian medicine man (Little Joe), and many others. His story is living in the charnel grounds interspersed with greed and drugs and being a used car salesman. He is very down on Ram Dass, which was surprising considering he made him famous...which he said he didn't want, but at the same time, you see him taking advantage of it. Overall - he's a human, not a guru, not a saint, a person with a very interesting life story, taking from different spiritual paths. His story is of interest, the writing isn't super amazing, but this would be of interest to many (even if you think he's a bit obsessed with getting sex and seems a bit high up on himself...or maybe that's just pure honesty?).
March 17, 2012
Totally fascinated by his experiences in India. I've had the blessing of being in his presence and meeting with him personally. As I read, I heard his voice. The path to growth is not painless, and as Baba's story unfolds it is very clear how misaligned Western society has become. Read this book. Immerse yourself in the message.
February 16, 2008
if I were actively smoking weed, I think this book would have made all the sense in the world
June 17, 2019
Whatever your judgements about Baghavan Das's character, this book is a highly readable and fascinating subjective history and insider's view of the celebrity hippie / East meets West culture that emerged out of the 60's.
Other reviews might criticise the author's "name-dropping" the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Ram Dass, Chogyam Trumpa, and others, but that's part what makes the narrative so interesting. And it's not like Baghavan Das paints himself in a particularly flattering light. For all the austerities and pilgrimages he performs, all the transcendental, ecstatic experiences he relates, there is as much partying, womanizing, toxic relationships, neglectful parenting, and materialism.
These very human flaws, failures and painful lessons enrich the spiritual experiences and teachings rather than detract from them. On a personal note, I have this book to thank for getting me back into meditation and devotional practice.
For the right reader, this book can be highly readable and inspiring, in addition to offering unique glimpses into niches of later 20th century American culture.
Other reviews might criticise the author's "name-dropping" the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Ram Dass, Chogyam Trumpa, and others, but that's part what makes the narrative so interesting. And it's not like Baghavan Das paints himself in a particularly flattering light. For all the austerities and pilgrimages he performs, all the transcendental, ecstatic experiences he relates, there is as much partying, womanizing, toxic relationships, neglectful parenting, and materialism.
These very human flaws, failures and painful lessons enrich the spiritual experiences and teachings rather than detract from them. On a personal note, I have this book to thank for getting me back into meditation and devotional practice.
For the right reader, this book can be highly readable and inspiring, in addition to offering unique glimpses into niches of later 20th century American culture.
July 27, 2022
”We need to break through the money, sex and power trips we’re on and find our way back to our hearts.”
That’s quote from the book and it feels like it was written for the author himself. Because he definitely has been on all those trips and might still be on. So there’s that. But who am I to judge? No matter how glorious spiritual experiences one has, temptations can cause one fall again and again. I am sure that if I had been in the same situations than Bhagavan Das I would have most likely fallen often as well.
If you can read the book without letting those trips bother you there is some good content as well.
That’s quote from the book and it feels like it was written for the author himself. Because he definitely has been on all those trips and might still be on. So there’s that. But who am I to judge? No matter how glorious spiritual experiences one has, temptations can cause one fall again and again. I am sure that if I had been in the same situations than Bhagavan Das I would have most likely fallen often as well.
If you can read the book without letting those trips bother you there is some good content as well.
March 10, 2024
The second most pivotal book I’ve read in my life. From the way it was written, I walked Bhagavan Das’s journey with him, hand in hand. The perspective is perfect from start to finish. I’ve never clung to every word on every page from first to last, as I had in this book. It’s a book to help you relate to the pitfalls of the modern world and helps you understand the necessity of self grace during this messy journey of life. Bhagavan Das’s effort in writing this book is evident by the end of the story. The vulnerability, the truth, the journey, it changed my life and I recommend this in the highest regard! You won’t regret it
August 18, 2018
Be Here Now by Ram Das was incredible, and the deeper insights into the life of Bhagavan Das were amazing. This book was seriously a trip. My ego experienced some turbulence through identification with his struggles and experiences, and it brought me to higher states of permanent devotion to the path of Questing for Truth. I will permanently keep this on my bookshelf and will recommend it to many friends!
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September 16, 2024Baghavan Das is an absolute nut. It was a wild read, I think he’s actually a little crazy and by many measures would be considered a bad person. That being said I feel akin to him and he made me see the Eastern world in a completely different light. This book introduced me to Buddhism, Hinduism, Neem Karoli Baba, and Ram Dass. I am thinking about life very differently now. I am grateful for this book, even though a lot of its contents were hard to accept.
March 23, 2019
Very fun read. Das really expanded what I thought spiritually possible.
May 17, 2019
Awesome !
January 2, 2020
Read it with an open mind, and possibly pack a bowl first.
May 23, 2020
He had some amazing experiences on his trip to India. He was pretty up in himself the whole time which took away from the potency of the book.
May 1, 2023
This is book distills all the issues of the western enlightenment seeking boomer generation really well. A fine example of the pov of a ' spiritual 'seeker'.
November 16, 2024
I feel rather indifferent about this one. It’s either an amazing autobiography of a westerner who came to India and became truly enlightened, only to become disenfranchised once reintroduced to American culture - or it’s a load of ol’ toff about a guy who was trying to find obsessions in everything he could get his hands on.
It was interesting to me because he crossed paths with a lot of people I’m familiar with (Ram Dass, Maharaji, Allen Ginsberg to name a few) and it seems like he was in the eye of the hurricane for most of the events of the roaring 60’s and 70’s. But if you don’t care about those people or that time…this book is about a man who became eerily obsessed with religion and deities in human form that he sounds like a disgusting hippie.
He kept sleeping with girls 20-30 years younger which he plays off as some ‘hippie free love’ (nope - you’re a nonce) and abandoned his daughter when her mother died (absolute 🔔-end) just so he could keep living the hippie dream well into his old age.
Shave your beard and join society like the rest of us, don’t you know that there’s self-service checkout now at most supermarkets!
However, 70% of this book was really captivating so for that I’ll give it a fair rating.
It was interesting to me because he crossed paths with a lot of people I’m familiar with (Ram Dass, Maharaji, Allen Ginsberg to name a few) and it seems like he was in the eye of the hurricane for most of the events of the roaring 60’s and 70’s. But if you don’t care about those people or that time…this book is about a man who became eerily obsessed with religion and deities in human form that he sounds like a disgusting hippie.
He kept sleeping with girls 20-30 years younger which he plays off as some ‘hippie free love’ (nope - you’re a nonce) and abandoned his daughter when her mother died (absolute 🔔-end) just so he could keep living the hippie dream well into his old age.
Shave your beard and join society like the rest of us, don’t you know that there’s self-service checkout now at most supermarkets!
However, 70% of this book was really captivating so for that I’ll give it a fair rating.
November 4, 2025
The first half of the book, where Bhagavan Das lives as a yogi in India is very interesting and, given the kind of personalities he gets to meet there, also kind of enviable. Most of the time he operates within higher planes of consciousness, meditates and just IS, all very inspiring and so on. However, once he gets back to the US, he falls into a more degenerate lifestyle than most Americans but does not seemed in the least bothered by it and still maintains a spiritual facade. The fact that he holds on to the title of a saint while having sex with every 18-year-old he lays his eyes on is none of my business after all. The issue that I feel should be addressed, however, is the fact that he conceived a child with a woman, then left her for another woman. Some time after, the first wife overdosed on cocaine and was discovered by the then 9-year-old daughter, causing her a trauma that will affect her for the rest of her life and will likely take a toll even on her children. What happens to the girl after was I suppose too unimportant to mention but there are no hints of mr. Das taking her in with his other two kids so she might as well have been placed into an orphanage.
The fact that someone can cause so much suffering to their own child (maybe the wife would not have od'ed had he not left, maybe you shouldn't have the urge to snort coke when you live with an enlightened yogi) only because he cannot keep his dick in his pants (all the while using cheap rationalizations that it's just Kali taking on forms of different women so he, as her servant, must have sex with any girl that happens to embody her at the moment), barely acknowledge it and go on as if nothing had happened while calling himself a yogi the whole time is just unfathomable to me. If 7 years in India couldn't teach you how to take care of a child, then maybe it's not worth the trouble..
The fact that someone can cause so much suffering to their own child (maybe the wife would not have od'ed had he not left, maybe you shouldn't have the urge to snort coke when you live with an enlightened yogi) only because he cannot keep his dick in his pants (all the while using cheap rationalizations that it's just Kali taking on forms of different women so he, as her servant, must have sex with any girl that happens to embody her at the moment), barely acknowledge it and go on as if nothing had happened while calling himself a yogi the whole time is just unfathomable to me. If 7 years in India couldn't teach you how to take care of a child, then maybe it's not worth the trouble..
April 1, 2016
I am not sure what to think of this book.
There is a definite holiness I feel pervading the book, much like I feel when reading one of Ram Dass's better books.
On the other hand, I don't feel like I learned much from this book.
I also felt turned off by several things the author did. His constant sexual focus, although supposedly channeled spiritually, seems like it could've just been an excuse to get freaky without consequence (he doesn't seem to challenge his motives at all). He also seems fairly pretentious (never considering other peoples sides) and does some pretty horrible things to people (introducing people to drugs and kicking them out of his life when they go to far) without much mentioned remorse. I realize no one, even a saint, is perfect but usually they are more humble/remorseful.
All in all I think this is a good book, but probably not one I will read again.
There is a definite holiness I feel pervading the book, much like I feel when reading one of Ram Dass's better books.
On the other hand, I don't feel like I learned much from this book.
I also felt turned off by several things the author did. His constant sexual focus, although supposedly channeled spiritually, seems like it could've just been an excuse to get freaky without consequence (he doesn't seem to challenge his motives at all). He also seems fairly pretentious (never considering other peoples sides) and does some pretty horrible things to people (introducing people to drugs and kicking them out of his life when they go to far) without much mentioned remorse. I realize no one, even a saint, is perfect but usually they are more humble/remorseful.
All in all I think this is a good book, but probably not one I will read again.
October 12, 2007
The first 2/3rds of this book are glorious to read, no punches pulled. Once Das got back to the States, I wasn't as interested. Even so, what a good book.
A quote from the book:
Food was a big deal because it was the only thing happening in my space. So when the food came, I was in awe of it. There was so much love in the meals this man brought to me. The life force in the food and the sacredness of the preparation of the food had become God. This was the first time I experienced food as God.
.... a paragraph and two weeks later:
But by dusk, I became deathly sick. I had dysentery and could barely move.
A quote from the book:
Food was a big deal because it was the only thing happening in my space. So when the food came, I was in awe of it. There was so much love in the meals this man brought to me. The life force in the food and the sacredness of the preparation of the food had become God. This was the first time I experienced food as God.
.... a paragraph and two weeks later:
But by dusk, I became deathly sick. I had dysentery and could barely move.
May 6, 2012
This book transports you to the extraordinary world of the hindu mystic. It is the classic tale of a man who sought and found grace lost it in a big way and seeks his way back to it again. It was a very brave book to write and I am not quite certain if his way back to grace again is the real thing or just the clever stchick of a horny old man to pick up young groupies, after all lust was his downfall.
July 13, 2014
This book is a rare treasure because you hear a profoundly adventurous life of a modern American seeker. As a hybrid between an autobiography and spiritual autobiography, you follow the saga of a man who will inspire, provoke, and piss you off, while still hoping he rediscovers the divinity within when out of touch with this essence. Along the way many of the famous poets, gurus, and hipsters pepper the journey. A must read for those on the direct path.
April 15, 2008
I found this book really compelling up to about the halfway mark. By that point the shininess of all the spiritual acrobatics wore off and the author's ego and his need to impress with repeated anecdote after anecdote of each ashram/guru/new practice became overwhelming. The incessant name dropping and spiritual war stories left me cold in the end, it was all I could do to finish the book.
July 1, 2010
I can't wait to read this book again. I just finished it and I'm ready to begin again. But I've passed it on to a few friends so I'll wait. An incredible memoir of a man's spiritual journey. I became interested in him when I heard him sing kirtan and went to a meditation workshop with him. His story is incredible and inspirational.
April 17, 2014
This book is extremely enlightening and not in a way where Bhagavan Das is my guru, but that his experiences are overwhelmingly powerful. I admire him for his honesty and his bravery in being so open about his spiritual journey. I found myself tickled at all of the sanskrit words, Hindu and Buddhist teachings that I recognized and found new meaning in. An exotic and entertaining read!
January 15, 2009
Wow. This book was so interesting. I loved reading about the different religions and the counterculture that was going on during the 60's and 70's. I definitly think he was a bit hypocrytical and a bit of a jerk but really fascinating guy.
January 23, 2009
Pretty wild stuff. In the 70's, Be Here Now by Ram Dass, was like a bible to me. But this guy, whew! Very interesting. My daughter loved the book. Its been a while since I read it. Maybe I'll read it again.
September 10, 2010
A most engrossing yarn by a fellow who was willing to do anything to achieve a direct experience of God. Ghost-written (by a very skilled writer) from audio recordings of Baba's personal narrative, this work--more than any other spiritual memoir in my experience--defines "page-turner."
August 3, 2012
i loved the first part where he was studying in india and nepal etc...once he went back to u.s., he lost me a bit. but he's a wacky mystic, and i got lots of wacky, powerful mystical ideas....the first part is well worth the read.
October 13, 2013
Fascinating story of a man who went to India on his own to find God when he was 18. Bhagavan Das embraces the spiritual quest, becoming a renunciate and living as an Indian Sadhu (Holy Man). Bhagavan Das meets his Sat Guru Baba Neem Karoli and is initiated on the paths of Nada and Bhakti Yoga.
October 25, 2022
A wild adventure that had me scratching my head as to what was real and what was imagined. I think there is far more to life than we typically experience. This wild man put himself through near madness and came out the other side.
July 26, 2007
What a fun story of an amazing person. If you are into the spiritual path and like reading about people from the late 60's early 70's and there experiences, then I recommend this book. What a life!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews