It's Here Now (Are You?)
by Bhagavan Das

Paperback - 320 pages (September 15, 1998)
Broadway Books; ISBN: 076790009X

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Synopsis:

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.

Reviews:

james sims, January 10, 2002

G-d is love G-d is me and you G-d is all our everything G-d encompasses all we do. i was once hurt by the world instead of healed, and now i look at bahagavan's picture and tremble in bliss, he is a beautiful and graceful inspiration for an 18 year old american man. praise to all the vessels of good G-d has created, praise all, fall on your knees and feel G-d giving birth to your life. "there is only one"LOVEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Michael Joseph Ferguson, June 16, 2001 Humility and Surrender into all of life

I just finished reading this book this afternoon. Very rarely do I find a book thatis nearly impossible to put down. I felt very warm and deep connection to him and hs travels. It reminded me, again, of the importance of non-judgement. It was so clear in looking at his life as a whole that it was sculpted by Divinity. His life is a reflection of the journey I believe every soul experiences - the bliss of oneness with God, the "getting lost in the world", and the returning with "new eyes". I respect his ability to lay it all out on the table - not holding back much that he could easily be judged for. Truly a sign of someone in touch with something much deeper.

Anteros, August 10, 2000 Great read

This book is the first book that I read that was unpretentious. Many "spiritual" books emphasize the absence of the ego while its author accentuates their own. As long as a person has a body, the ego will always remain. My own spiritual "quest" of many years has lead me to this liberating truth. Bhagavan is an authentic enlightened man because his sincerity and practice shines through his search. He was a lover in search of his love. My impression of Dass' book was that he was trying to put back the poetry in our everyday existence: "sensualizing" life from becoming dead-wood. He is an inspiring man and I wonder what he's doing these days.

Bhagavan Dass' experiences the universal man: reaching the heights of the gods but dying like a human being. LOVE is not spiritual as much as it is natural and even biological. His life is an example of this. All mantras are techniques of remembering to live in this natural state. But eventually all mantras must die away just like all gurus must die away. There are no truths just subtle illusions. Only when we are aware of this does life really begin to function at its best. Gurus don't teach us anything but confusion and cheap philosophical intellectualism. There is more sacredness in the profane than there is in the holy. Same can be said of so-called "holy" people. Bhagavan started as a human being searching for an oasis in the desert and ended up as a human being. This, however, doesn't make him ungodly. It makes him a real compassionate person. In the "spiritual" life everything is backwards: monks don't get enlightened in caves as they would in everyday life. That is why! I gave up the spiritual quest for a good fantasy, and, boy, do I feel better.

Tasha, January 18, 2000 VERY INTERESTING

WOW! Part inspiration, part cautionary tale, part just plain entertaining, this book was a trip in itself. It was such a whirlwind of information, and enlightenment. I truely enjoyed it. It wasn't the usual, he is a guru, he knows all kind of spritual book. He is a human being, makes human mistakes, but kept his devotion to some sort of God through it all. And I believe he will probably continue to make mistakes, but don't we all? There were parts that inspired me so much, like keeping your mantra going, and the reaccuring theme of "love is all there is". It was the ultimate thing through all the chaos, and you gotta repect that no matter how selfish he seems... That's all for now. I will probably read it again so to get it all straight!

A reader , January 24, 1999 Gump das careens around the 60's-90's spiritual circus.
Nice guy, I can relate to the madness, fun reading but rough living it I would think. When you view the origional intelligence as a "oneness" that isn't self aware with it's fingers stirring the pot, it is easy to then think you should follow all those that give the advice that YOU are the it. I tried that but found that the best advice about being here now is to give a nod in the direction of this reccomendation--- love the origional intelligence, that is self aware and is NOT you. Love yourself, and love others. Something kids do easily. Don't focus on god so much, have fun shoveling snow like ram dass did for a few minutes and then just feel your breath and love it all. I do hope you make some big money on this effort. Why not!

A reader from Ithaca, New york , December 19, 1998 Losing your mind in India and finding it feeling funny
After getting to knowing Ram Dass in Be Here now it feels right getting to knowing Bhagavan Das too. It's Here Now (Are You?) brings you peace while reading thru his journey in India, and Nepal. Then...just as his life is becoming your meditation he goes to Sri Lanka and crashes your high. From there, he returns to the United States, and I pray that I can find peace again, as he again is searching for peace. Bhagavan Das is you, and you are him while you are reading this book. It is a good lesson in being a compassionate reader, and realizing this is more than a story of one mans quest for enlightment, it is yours too.

David from Waterford, MI , November 23, 1998 One man's story; a world searching for It's Soul
Look at us through the lens of Bhagavan Das and his spiritual journey. He comes along initiating much of the West into, new to us, Spiritual and Metaphysical systems. No stone goes unturned in his mad rush to get higher, to be "more" here now, as if that is possible. And he would have us believe this to be the case. We begin with the angst, the restlessness. With him we leave suburbia behind, only to find it coloring our journey every step of the way. We become lost again and again in forms, in rituals, in escapism, fleeing our own shallowness. Our ideals drive us through the sixties, we become hedonists with Bhagavan in the seventies, power-mongering materialists in the eighties, and Prodigal Children Here and Now in the waning of the nineties. I half imagine our real families await our return, do they not Bhagavan? Children and women left behind, for the sake of my soul, my journey, my enlightenment, my latest fad. So, the irony becomes one where we imagine we can leave behind what is given to us, for us to care for and nurture, so we can "finally get it". Your a long way from Home Bhagavan. May we all learn from your tale of seeking, that is in fact, Our Tale as a Whole, as well. Bhagavan Das, is Freedom found by running away from It Here Now?

Josh from Baltimore.MD , October 30, 1998 The positive energy in this book is delightful to the heart.
Several months ago a friend from California came to visit me in Baltimore,MD. He changed my life because he gave me as a gift this book you the reader are considering reading. As I opened the first page I could not stop reading this magical book. The energy is truly breathtaking. It makes you want to meditate, chant, forward into Yoga postures, and most importantly believe in yourself. You are the universe therefore there is no seperation between you and your next door neighbor across the street or thousands of miles away. Since the Summer I have read this book three times. Each time getting better and better. Please, if you decide to read this book don't be afraid of it. Replace ignorance with enlightment. NAMASTE....................................

A reader from Lake Havasu City, Arizona USA , October 3, 1998 A great read that becomes muddled in the end.
This is a highly entertaining book. I find the personal journey of Bhagavan Das pretty amazing, others may find him a nut. Reading the book will lead you to your own conclusions.

I thought it was a lot of fun and I ate the book up in a day or two. But I really found the denouement muddled. However in defense of an otherwise great read, I must admit that anyone's personal spiritual revelations and experiences would be hard to put into words.

Nevertheless, pick up the book and give it a read. The experience will be well worthwhile.

A reader from Atlanta, GA , September 16, 1998 Be Here Now, Part II, the other side of the story.
I really enjoyed the book and have read it many times. Personally I have been to many of the places Das visited while in India and found his narrative excellent and accurate. Be Here Now influenced my thinking in the 70's although I was really dissapointed by the boring and repetitous stories that Ram Dass told in person in public. Reading Bhagavan Das side of the story answered many questions I had at the time. Personally I don't agree with creating karma in relationships and then abandoning them in the name of Kali Ma, a theme that was recurring with Bhagavan Das. I also question the veracity of some of the narratives in the book and if they were influenced by a distorted perception because of substance induced prisms. There are some allegations that are hard to swallow such as the holiness of the Ganges river water and that it carries no bateria forever. I will like to have that allegation laboratory tested because it puts up a red flag to the truthfulness of most of the contents of the book, if Bhagavan Das really believes this absurd tale.The episode with Neem Karoli Baba where he knew of Ram Dass mother's passing away because of spleen disease, which is the basic foundation story which leads to Ram Dass conversion as a follower of Neem Karoli Baba and Bhagavan Das subsequent notoriety because of the mention in Ram Das book, creates more doubt in my mind as to the real powers of their guru. This single episode of Omniessence can be explained by many means and puts doubt about the veracity and authenthicity of the lineage. I have been fortunate to meet a few realized masters in India and Nepal, North and South America, and have also met many frauds. I am also familiar with the tendency to exagerate in India and towards the agrandising and self serving undocumented story telling that pervades, a trait that is passed on with each generation. I still believe in the power of faith and that miracles do happen and hope that Bhagavan Das continues his spiritual quest and rises above the prisms and distortions of his dogmatic devotional path, and provides us with guidance to take us to a new form of "clean spirituality" for the 21 St century. Bypassing and leaving behind all these deity worshipping and absurd and outdated religious icons. The title for the book obviously is an intent to capitalize on the readers of Be Here Now and the short philosophical attempts at the end could be expanded in his next book. In summary I really enjoyed the book and reread many times, and wish Bhagavan Das will take the next step, with the all the risk that comes with it and does venture in new territory and uncharted waters and leaves his confortable present day role behind in life, and emits authentic, challenging and new insights on the spiritual path, that we can all use.

A reader from Greenwood , September 9, 1998 So unpredictable, it's gotta be true!
Couldn't put it down! I'm not sure what I'd say about Das himself... Definitely an inspiration. He's thrown himself into life with tremendous courage, and described it with courageous honesty. And, yes, you can fault him, as you can any fallible person, maybe more so. But you know this only because he's honest enough not to edit out the ugly stuff. He went to the edge, looked over, and jumped...several times! And here he tells us about it with gusto and and style. You gotta love it!

A reader from Los Angeles , August 7, 1998 This book is a spiritual hoot, a most interesting journey
If you are a spiritual seeker, this book is not to be missed. Bhagvan is willing to try any discipline authentically.

A real page turner!