The first section is a short autobiography, describing Alpert's successes as a psychologist, his research with Timothy Leary into psychedelics at Harvard, and his subsequent anxiety when this research did not resolve his spiritual questions. He then describes his first journey to India and his initiation into a Guru-chela relationship with Neem Karoli Baba, and spiritual renaming as "Baba Ram Dass", or "servant of god". Ram Dass closes the first section of the book with this passage:
Second section
The second section, the largest, is a free-form collection of metaphysical, spiritual, and religious aphorisms, accompanied by illustrations.
Third section
The third section is a manual for starting on a yogic or spiritual path, and includes various techniques for yoga, pranayama, and meditation, as well as quotations from respected teachers of many religions and spiritual traditions.
Fourth section
The last section, entitled "Painted Cakes Do Not Satisfy Hunger", contains a list of recommended books on religion, spirituality, and consciousness. The book lists are divided into "Books to hang out with", "Books to visit with now & then", and "Books it's useful to have met".
Publishing history
The book has remained in print since its initial publication in 1971, and has sold over two million copies. The work was originally distributed in pamphlet form by the Lama Foundation, then published as a book in 1971. Its original title was From Bindu to Ojas, with illustrations by Lama community residents. In 1971, when Be Here Now was first published by the Lama Foundation in New Mexico, some preliminary copies were sent to India. That original edition underwent several revisions as noted later by Ram Dass in Be Love Now : "When it was read to Maharaj-ji, he told me to change some of the parts about Baba Hari Dass, who had been my sadhana tutor..." Those changes, introduced after "Hari Dass was no longer involved in the intense physical work and management of the Nainital temples", were presented without a critical revision. In 1977, the Lama Foundation gave the copyright and half the proceeds from the book to the Hanuman Foundation in support of its spiritual and humanitarian projects. The book is currently published by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of Random House. A french version was published in 1975, and is available on the web since 1997.
Cultural influence
Be Here Now is one of the first guides for those not born Hindu to becoming a yogi. For its influence on the hippie movement and subsequent spiritual movements it has been described as a "countercultural bible" and "seminal" to the era. In addition to introducing its title phrase into common use, Be Here Now has influenced numerous other writers and yoga practitioners, including Steve Jobs, Wayne Dyer, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. The first section of the book inspired the lyrics to George Harrison's song "Be Here Now", written in 1971 and released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World.
Sequels
Ram Dass wrote two sequels to Be Here Now. The first was Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying, and the second was Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart.
