Ram Dass, whose name means "Servant of God," was originally known as Richard Alpert. Dass received his Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University, and has taught at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of California. He began his studies in consciousness research with Timothy Leary at Harvard University in the 1960s, and today is a respected spokesman on the integration of Western culture with Eastern philosophies. In 1973, Dass founded the Hanuman Foundation, which has nurtured projects designed to increase spiritual consciousness in the West. He is also a founding member of the Seva Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to compassionate action. Dass is the author of the landmark books "Be Here Now!," "Grist for the Mill" (with Stephen Levine), and "How Can I Help?" (with Paul Gorman).

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Excerpted from "Cultivating the Heart of Compassion"
By Ram Dass
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