Be Here Now 2026

January. Start your year with spirit and insight. Discuss ‘Be Here Now’ by Ram Dass

January 10 – 17, 2026. 10 Hours with study time.

Ram Dass’s Be Here Now is a seminal guide to spiritual awakening and present-moment consciousness, combining memoir, practical teachings, and artistic inspiration. It documents the author’s transformation from Harvard psychologist Richard Alpert, through his psychedelic research, and finally to his spiritual rebirth as Ram Dass under the guidance of his Indian guru, Neem Karoli Baba, affectionately called Maharaji.

Over the course of four weeks, we will read this amazing book together, and discuss and practice methods from his “cookbook for a sacred life,” including yoga, meditation, and reflections. 

The enduring message of Be Here Now is to find peace and purpose in the present moment rather than in external achievement or future planning. The book encourages open exploration of consciousness, the integration of Eastern philosophy and yogic practices into daily life, and the cultivation of compassion, presence, and self-awareness as a path to spiritual fulfillment.
We chose Be Here Now for our first book of the year because it is one of the first books to bring Indian philosophy and practices to the Western mainstream in a way that is firmly in touch with the spiritual essence of Yoga, which has largely been lost in the current Western consumerist wellness market. Be Here Now is grounded in accessible teachings on meditation, non-attachment, service, love, and contemplative techniques—celebrating the mystical, profound spiritual concepts of Yoga for new and seasoned seekers alike.