As many of you reading this will know Emmanuel and I were friends of Ram Dass who left his body late last year. We’d like to use this month’s update to honour his memory by Jo sharing a few words about him:
I met Ram Dass when I was just 16 – it is not to understate things to say I would not be who I am or where I am today without him. It was his guidance, support and unconditional love that helped me understand my own spiritual journey and my own mission here on earth. I feel so blessed to have had him in my life and so greatful that this lifetime around I was in the presence of such a teacher, guide, mentor, role model and friend.
It was Ram Dass I turned to, when Emmanuel first came to me. His validation, constant support and encouragement helped me to accept this ‘assignment’ and embrace a lifetime mission that I felt woefully under qualified or worthy enough to do. He helped me overcome my ‘unworthiness’ and he taught me to be a better channel without ‘teaching’ me. He gave me his time and shared valuable insights into what might lie ahead for me on the journey with Emmanuel ahead.
There are few people on this planet who embody their teachings, but Ram Dass was truly one of them. His love was total, for me, for you, for anyone who came into his presence. He truly did unconditionally LOVE me, and I cannot tell you what that meant to me.
Being in that presence of such total LOVE, to be LOVED despite all your own personally perceived flaws, that is a gift that is impossible to describe. Through his LOVE and his belief in me, I have grown & learnt so much. I have learnt to love myself in the way that he loved me. I have learnt to embrace who I am, and allow the truth of who I am to gradually unfold and reveal itself – I have learnt to embrace my human-ness and never hide away who I am or who I have been, to be honest, humble and true to my-self.
What I have always loved about RD was his human-ness – he never professed to being perfect or for having it all worked out – he talked honestly about the mistakes he had made, the learnings he had picked up along the way. He was a true model of a spiritual adventurer and ultimately a teacher. He never stopped learning, there was always more of the mystery to explore, more LOVE to be merged into.
And now he has made the ultimate journey, he has left his body and merged back into LOVE. He now IS the LOVE that he unconditionally gave us all – and it is IN that LOVE that we can still find him. He is still here –
HE IS LOVE.
I feel his presence as I write this. He has not gone away; in fact, I feel his presence more keenly now than ever.
Thank you Ram Dass – Thank you, thank you, thank you.
All my love,
Jo xx