Ram Dass: Fierce Grace Reviews

• A hippie guru learns to live with the challenges of old age

  
  By A17FLA8HQOFVIG on 2003-10-02
  This is a documentary about the legendary Harvard professor, Richard Albert, who experimented with LSD in the 60s, then went to India, changed his name to Ram Das, and came back to become a guru for the hippie generation. Now he's about 70, and, due to a stroke he suffered in 1997, is wheelchair bound. "I never expected old age to be like this," he says with difficulty, as his speech is slow now as he struggles to find the right words. The camera takes us right with him on his daily routine. Aides help him dress and drive him to his many therapy appointments and we are witness to his acupuncture as well as speech and physical therapy sessions.

  There's background of course, home movies of him as a child in the 1930s, one of three lively siblings whose father was the president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. There's some footage of him with a fresh face and short cropped hair as a professor at Harvard as he and Timothy Leary saw the mind altering drugs of the time as a major breakthrough in human psychology. And then we see him with his guru in India, taking on the spiritually that was even more powerful than the drugs. He then returned home, bearded and dressed in what his father described as a "bedsheet", and held outdoor yogi sessions for his hundreds of his followers right on the golf course of his family's New Hampshire estate. His book, "Be Here Now" became a best seller and is still in print.

  But now he's an old man, struggling with his physical challenges. Much of the film focuses on him this way, and sometimes it's hard to watch as he's learning to live with his limitations. I was impatient with some of these scenes, in which he struggles to speak; I would have much preferred the film tto be about his history, rather than his present. However, I realize that the film is exactly what he intended it to be and it gives a powerful message. He's now a guru to the aging baby boomers and he's a living example of how to deal with old age with dignity. Aging is a natural part of life and we all have to learn to live with it. Ram Das is a fine example. He's recently written a book, takes on speaking engagements, and finds time to give individuals spiritual counseling.

  I give this film a high recommendation. There's a lot to learn from it. It might not be comfortable to watch, but it
  certainly is worthwhile.
  
  

• A gift of love

  
  By A3TXY9E0HDWMXK on 2004-11-26
  Mickey Lemle's documentary Ram Dass, Fierce Grace, describes the life of Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), author, 60s guru, spiritual teacher, cohort of Timothy Leary, and author of Be Here Now, one of the most influential books of the 1970s. The film begins in the present as Ram Dass deals with the effects of a massive stroke he suffered in February 1997 that left him physically incapacitated and with impaired memory and speech.
  
  Interweaving current conversations, interviews with people in his life, and archival footage, Lemle then looks back at his childhood, the controversy surrounding his research with Timothy Leary in psychedelics at Harvard, his studies in India with Neem Karoli Baba who renamed him Baba Ram Dass (Servant of God), his work with the Seva Foundation in social action projects dedicated to relieving suffering in the world, and his impact as an author and guru to millions of followers. Several examples are shown of his compassion and his ability to feel the pain of others. In an opening sequence, his beautiful "Rachel's Letter"*comforts a family after their daughter was murdered. In the final sequence, Ram Dass listens to a young woman struggling to overcome her grief at her boyfriend's violent death. In a powerfully moving segment, she brings Ram Dass to tears when she tells him about a dream she had in which her boyfriend speaks to her from beyond with a reassuring message.
  
  When Ram Dass received the "fierce grace" of being "stroked", he admits he did not have any unusual spiritual epiphany. He recalls, "Here I am, Mr. Spiritual, and in my own head I didn't orient toward the spirit. It showed me I have some work to do". He has written about the stroke in his latest book, "Still Here" in which he talks about slowing down, and finding out about the "everything" that is out there. For Ram Dass, aging has become a gift. "I was galumphing through life before the stroke", he says. "I'm at peace now more than I've ever been. The peace comes from settling in to the moment". Enhanced by the music of Krishna Das, the documentary is more than just a bio-pic or a meditation on the process of aging, it is an inspiring portrait of a man whose life can be summed up in one word -- service. Ram Dass has said, "What one person has to offer to another is their own being, nothing more, nothing less". In Ram Dass, Fierce Grace, Mr. Lemle has given us Ram Dass' being, nothing more, nothing less. That is a gift of love.
  
  
  

• Still Here And Dancing The Only Dance There Is!

  
  By A141HP4LYPWMSR on 2005-10-07
  Baba Ram Dass was one of the major spiritual influences in my life during the early '70's. I discovered his books and tapes just about the time I decided to change my college major from Anthropology to Religious Studies. It's books like: 'Be Here Now', 'The Only Dance There Is' and more recently 'Still Here' that continue to break through my rigidity of thought and open my mind and heart to new vistas of understanding and acceptance.
  
  I had the priviledge of meeting Ram Dass back in '76 after a talk he gave at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. During that brief moment in his presence I experienced an unmistakable flow of energy emanating from this ex-Harvard professor, turned subversive LSD user, turned Hindi guru and devotee of Hanuman, the Monkey-God. I felt totally alive, empowered and so bursting with emotion that I didn't get a wink of sleep that night.
  
  Through the years I've met, or stood in the presence of numerous famous spiritual figures from a wide variety of faiths and traditions and I can honestly say that I've never experienced anything comparable to what enveloped me that night in '76 as I looked into the smiling, grandfatherly face of Ram Dass.
  
  Seeing Ram Dass old, infirmed and confined to a wheelchair since his stroke in '97 takes a little getting used to, but once you gaze deeply into those mischevous eyes and see that knowing smile you realize he hasn't changed a bit. At least not concerning the things that really matter. 'Fierce Grace' is a magnificent visual document presenting one mans' commitment to love, endurance and living life "in the moment." His teachings and attitude have remained as clear and consistent today as they were thirty-five years ago; humorous, insightful, deeply personal and above all compassionate.
  
  RAM...........................................................
  
  

• Itself a Transmission

  
  By on 2004-07-03
  Never a Ram Dass fan, I saw this film at home and experienced a totally unexpected elevation of thought, mood and outlook. In my early 50's, I have surrendered many of my earlier life beliefs, preferring to live realistically and in concert with the community as it is. This film reached deeply into my core, brought deep tears and a profound softening, compassion for us all on the planetary journey. For anyone feeling distanced from spiritual energy, this is a must see, as it wakes up the best of what we as humans have to offer.
  
  

• A Place of Grace

  
  By A1AT0GONN4A9NA on 2007-01-23
  I don't know if it was just me or what, but when I was fifteen, I thought I was somehow going to be the one that magically escaped "old age". But then I got to be in my twenties and I still clung to a shred of hope that maybe I could still escape it. After my thirties I knew I was going to be no different than all the others that preceeded me, age was inevitable, but getting old was entirely up to me.
  
  In this exceptional movie, Ram Dass shows us that even though the body may betray us, the Spirit that is within is always willing to make all things new. He is a "true" Spiritual teacher. He lives what he talks about. I was always kind of suspect of those "teachers" who claimed to be so exalted and beyond this world. What makes a "true" spiritual teacher is someone who shows us the we are in the world, but we are not of it...that our limitations are not here to thwart us, but are given to us so that we may get the opportunity to prove that our soul/our spirit is infinitely stronger than any situation we may be going through.
  
  I have to admit, I've done my fair share of pouting the last few years. My body has had its share of trials and tribulations to overcome and after seeing Fierce Grace, I was actually embarrassed about my physical complaining. Ram Dass has faced his physical limitations with an even greater willingness to "serve God". He truly is the embodiment of Love, Compassion, and Service.
  
  We can all learn from this beautiful movie. Do we curse the things that we are given or do we realize that even the so called difficulties that are in our lives are blessings? We really don't know what is for our Highest Good, but there is something that does and it is that something greater that we need to continually surrender to moment by moment by precious moment.
  
  Every moment of our lives has gotten us to right here and right now and where we will eventually end up will be determined by what we predominantly used our time for. Did we use our time helping others or by seeing what we could get from others? Did we use our time for celebrating or for mourning our losses? Did we realize the amount of grace that is available in each and every moment or did we argue that life isn't fair? We may not be able to escape age, but we can use it to our greatest advantage.
  
  This movie is a blessing. You will feel blessed just by watching it.
  
  Peace to all...
  
  
• Jai MA! An amazing story of a true Yogi and devotee
  By A1AJFH21P5NX2U on 2003-04-10
  This is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It has the power to really touch the hearts of anyone. Ram Dass's life story is captured and presented in such a real way that he becomes your friend, and anyone can relate to him and his life experiences. The film has great footage from the, Be Here Now, era of the late sixties and seventies all the way up to his life after his nearly fatal stroke. Fierce Grace details many of Ram Dass's career highlights and life achievements. The relationship between an enlightened guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and his disciple Ram Dass is the essence of this story, pure devotion to GOD. Ram Ram. A must see. OM Shanti - Jai Sri Neem Karoli Baba!!!
  
  
• Not just about Ram Dass, but approaches to aging
  By A1NXVGNVR1SBTW on 2005-04-14
  As we all get older, the loss of independence and control that we've spent a lifetime acquiring is a frightening aspect. Beyond the spiritual components in the biography of Richard Alpert's life is a story of his life after the stroke that left him incapacitated; it's ironic that the book he was working on when he was "stroked by God" was a book on aging itself. Ram Dass's current example has become a daily reminder of what each one of us can accomplish with manifest hope and the help of others in our lives. (May we all have a cosmic jester the likes of Wavy Gravy!) Whatever one may think of Ram Dass as a spirtual guide his all-too-human frailty teaches a practical, very earth-bound lesson toward approaching age and disability. Highly recommended.
  
  
• A vulnerable and engaging biography of a spiritual approach to dealing with illness
  By A1J93EGDYK0IWA on 2007-01-18
  I really enjoyed this DVD and thought it was well done. It included a bit of biography on Ram Dass along with deep vulnerable sharing in terms of how his life changed after he had a stroke, the inner struggles involved and where he stumbled.
  
  I have met Ram Dass in person and up to that point, I wasn't a huge fan. However, hearing him talk life, I understood there was more to him than I originally thought. He had a quality of presence, sincerity and empathy that was palpable. Somehow... the producers of this video managed to capture much of this.
  
  When my mom had her stroke, my dad started CPR within 90 seconds and saved her life. However, my dad felt guilty and wondered if he did the right thing by saving her. When I posed this question to Ram Dass in person, he started to cry and after more than a minute, he said.... "If your dad jumping into action was motivated by love... how could it be the wrong choice?" I felt bowled over by the wisdom and empathy of his response and somehow that helped me to shift my relationship to that event as well. I tell this story because I think it illustrates an important point that Ram Dass isn't merely a "hippy guru" struggling with a stroke and old age. He has learned a lot over the years and has much to offer us in terms of understanding old age and illness from the inside. He also models how to approach the inevitable difficulties and existential crisis' of aging with grace and dignity.
  
  
• A MUST SEE DOCUMENTARY!
  By A209IU9ZLCQEIJ on 2003-10-02
  This is such a powerful documentary and my wish is that not only will people buy and watch this movie, but that PBS or HBO will arrange to play it for the television audience everywhere. This film is so well done and can have lasting effects on those who watch it! There is just the right amount of humor so that one can see the larger picture- not only pertaining to Ram Dass's life story, but to OUR story.
  
  
• Absolutely Wonderful and Healing
  By A5M4LEDN6Z4DU on 2004-03-22
  I've watched this DVD twice now. It is even more powerful the second time. I've known about Ram Dass for years and just really got how beautiful a man he is. This is a perfect example of how this medium can be a powerful tool for healing and transformation. The journey of this film is an emotional ride with many delightful moments of wit and interesting history about a man and presence of love on this planet. I highly reccomend everyone to experience the power of "Fierce Grace". While no one would ever wish upon another the harsh lessons of the many people interviewed in this documentary, there is an opportunity for growth and expansion of awareness contained in this slim DVD.
  
  
• A Profound Documentary
  By AKLE1MK48YBKU on 2005-01-18
  With all of the Documentaries that get Academy awards nominations that really shouldn't, this documentary is one that should have.
  
  It is a beautiful film, following the life of a man who devotes himself to service of Humankind and love.
  It shows where Ram Dass has come from, and how he is coping with the results of his stroke.
  
  Truly a remarkable work.
  
  
• Fierce Grace
  By A16CQJ5T6N9031 on 2005-09-09
  Recently, as I was recovering from pneumonia and feeling pretty depressed, a friend recommended I get a copy of Fierce Grace. As I watched clips of Ram Dass both before and after his stroke, I realized what suffering really was and that the human spirit always---even in the depths of pain, disease, or sorrow---has choices. When Spirit smacks us in the head with some kind of difficulty in our lives, we can either wallow in our suffering and fade away or we can accept the "fierce grace" Spirit has extended to us and grow. The message that healing is not a return to the way things were before we get sick or go through some kind of trauma, but rather the growth of spirit and consciousness that we can undergo as we come through difficulty stuck with me. My physical illness is gone, but I am not the same. For anyone facing a difficult time in his or her life, I highly recommend viewing this DVD.
  
  
• A must see for the strokee community
  By A1L4ALEMS8IYNV on 2003-04-14
  All the first reviewer wrote is completely true. This film gives a wonderful bio of Ram Dass. But his graceful path through the STROKE EXPERIENCE is a must for strokees to view. there is much he has learned from this "fierce grace" from "BEING STROKED"...that could help others through the aging process and esp through the understanding of stroke as a strokee and as a loved one. I wish all of the 700,000 who experiences STROKE this year could have this dvd placed in their hands asap.
  I give it 5 stars. I intend to enjoy each part of THIS FILM for a long time. THANK YOU RAM DASS FOR YOUR LIFE BEFORE STROKE AND AFTER.
  NAMASTE'
  Love, Light, Rainbows
  and Blessings
  Mary Simpson
  
  
• OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm
  By A2EXA0SWACAFO9 on 2003-04-13
  Once again Ram Dass leads the way! He is at his most open, his most giving and humbled in this wonderous film of the journey of his life. old home movies,many stories, comments by friends such as Huston Smith, Ralph Metzner, Larry Brilliant, Krishna Das and Bhagavan Das. This film inspires, as does all of Ram Dass' work.
  Thank you Ram Dass, Namaste`. i bow to the God within you. Love,
  *Ladybear~
  
  
• Genuinely moving
  By A3BSSQ45R4DP6H on 2005-11-14
  I bought this DVD when it first came out and I think I've watched it at least every four or five months since then. This film carries so much human truth and longing, and does it in such a simple, unassuming way that I don't think I could ever really tire of it. Populated by a cast of real-life characters as colorful as any you'll find (not least of all Ram Dass himself), suffused with tenderness and sincere spiritual feeling, this film is a source of sadness, laughter, and somehow, tremendous comfort. And the music is lovely. I really couldn't recommend this any more enthusiastically.
  
  
• What it basically comes down to is "service" to humanity!
  By A3KXV8AFQ550DY on 2007-01-12
  My first introduction to Ram Dass (aka Dr. Richard Albert) came in December of 1984. I was managing a bookstore in my hometown in North Carolina, and an elderly lady came in one night just before closing. My mother had died of cancer several months before, and I was in a state of severed depression about my life and where I was headed. The lady walked around the store for a number of minutes, and then came up to the counter and laid a cassette tape down it. Now, I didn't know who this lady was. I'd never seen her before, nor did I ever see her again. She said that she wanted me to have the tape and that it would help to ease my emotional pain and suffering. I didn't know how she knew about that and felt somewhat embarrassed by her comment. I didn't want the tape and attempted to give it back to her. That was when she mentioned my mother and said that I was being watched over by her. I didn't know what to say. The lady left the store. Against my better, I listened to the tape that night. It was a lecture by someone that I'd never heard of. The man's name was Ram Dass, and he was speaking to a group of people about living and suffering, and how all of this is nothing more than another method for learning about ourselves as spiritual beings. There was a truth to his words that touched something deep within me. I could hear the honesty in his voice as he talked about his own life and the struggles that he had to work through. I have no doubt that the tape saved my life that winter. Afterwards, I began to search for more tapes by this unusual gentleman and discovered a wealth of information in both tape and book form.
  
  Twenty-two years later, Ram Dass is once again in my life in the form of a documentary by Mickey Lemle called Ram Dass: Fierce Grace. The documentary was done in 2001 and deals with the major stroke that Ram Dass had in 1997, as well as flashbacks to his early years as a child, a Harvard professor, a spiritual seeker in India, a guru to the baby boomers of the sixties, and as the best selling author of Be Here Now. Ram Dass has always said that his message was simply his own personal journey through life. That was what he had to share with others who sought a clearer understanding about life and why we're here. During the documentary, we get to see Ram Dass and how the stroke has changed his own life with numerous sessions of therapy, learning to talk again and to be able to find the right words to express his thoughts, and still being here to help other people on their own special journey of inner discovery. We also get to see the early years of Ram Dass, especially with his spiritual guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and with his father after he returns home from India. It was enlightening to see his father, who was very upper class, deal with his son returning from a third-world country, dressed in a white robe and having a long beard, with hundreds of people flocking to their home in New Hampshire to listen to this "servant of God" speak about his own journey toward understanding. Some how, on a deeper level, his father knew that he was doing something that would help others. As the DVD ends, Ram Dass talks about his new journey, which deals with aging and strokes and still being here and a new way to find true grace in his actions.
  
  Though I'd seen pictures of Ram Dass over the years and had listened to countless cassette tapes, I'd never seen him in person. This DVD is probably as close as I'll ever get to him. It was certainly an eye-opening experience, and it made me realize that there was vital information here that I needed to know because I'm now 56 and dealing with the aging process and my own unique journey. It was also fun to finally see Wavy Gravy. I've heard so much about him over the years and his acute sense of humor. And yes, he did make me laugh. I do wish, however, that the documentary had been longer. There's an extra twenty minutes of scenes in the Special Features, but it was still too short. I could've easily sat through another ninety minutes, listening to Ram Dass talk about perception and reality and how each person has chosen a particular path to follow with its own challenges and mellow drama and methods for achieving self-realization. There were a number of scenes in the documentary that will have you crying. The biggest one deals with the parents of Rachel, a young teen who was raped and murdered. Ram Dass wrote them a letter with regards to their tragedy, and it helped them to over-come their rage and helplessness at what had happened to their daughter. When the mother of Rachel reads the letter, it definitely brings you to tears. Another scene has Ram Dass listening to a young woman as she talks about the murder of her boyfriend and how she's trying to understand why this has happened. What she has to say brings Ram Dass to sudden tears as her words touch his heart. Needless to say, Ram Dass: Fierce Grace has an important message to deliver to those who are ready to hear it. As Ram Dass says, when you're ready, all it takes is a simple word or action to open the door to your awareness. Then, you're able to walk through it with better clarity as to why we're here and the many different roles that we play throughout our life. This is powerful stuff, but if you're not ready, it'll be meaningless to you. Namaste, Ram Dass!
  
  
  
• Very informative, Interesting & Useful
  By A1HJLNL7RD9YGB on 2004-04-22
  I urge everybody to reexamine Ram Dass, intelligently not stupidly, as a better alternative to the Neo-Christian Taliban, and as an intelligent method to dealing with emotional grifters who've misappropriated his methods.

  Before I chanced upon this on OPB, I saw Ram Dass books at garage sales and thrift stores all over the west coast. I wish more would get reacquainted with the REAL Ram Dass--he definitely is better than the competition, or the stank his abusers have caused.

  Now, I always thought Ram Dass was some sort of guru-for-money-60's-guy, but after this, I see not. He's very intellectual, and encourages self-examination, thoughtfulness and kindness.
  As with any lifestyle, beware the radical stupid followers. This is the same with any religion. They ruin it for the leader and the rest of society.
  I admit that I had to overcome some prejudices against the Ram Dass generation.
  The Me-Generation out here has misappropriated Ram Dass's ideas to retool ethics to where everything they do is "enlightened", no matter how narcissistic, abusive and neglectful---and they really mess up other folks around them and their own children. They've turned into no-better than any other religious addiction.

  In his film, I saw the followers dancing around in awkward and unnatural ways totally alien to Indian culture---but seen every where on the west coast. I call it the Dance-of-Milkfed-Wannabes-Rebelling-Against-Super-Square-Background-But-Still-Clueless-&-Dancing-Like-Windmill. (Indian music and dancing, I've always found to be pleasant and graceful.) So many folks here are overly desperate to be cult followers, and get all glassy-eyed and irrational about the obsession of the month.

  In the city where I live, you see the exact same hippie dance, where the attention-ho seems to think arm-flailing like a zombie in inappropriate places shows everybody they are enlightened, even though nobody else is dancing, there's too many breakables, and other people looking on in horror & snickering.
  
  That and watching 20-year-old hippie infants, who've been told by Mommy & Daddy that everything they do is wonderful and natural, sit in cafes, pick their noses and eat it, plus eat with their mouths open & food falling out. I cannot believe that was a kindness by their parents---why would they make the kid so repulsive?

  Anyway, his stuff is good, it's a good way of thinking, and it's a good way to deal with the abusers of his system or any other system.
  
  

• Ram Dass: Guru to the baby boomers
  By AGMWFPUDCGS9K on 2006-11-06
  I went to see Ram Dass in Santa Fe, New Mexico just before his stroke in 1997. I had recently gotten interested in his books and they were giving me a much needed perspective on how to live my life during a very challenging time. Many hearts were broken when the news of his stroke were released.Now he comes back to show us how to grow old. He is such a wonderful example. I don't think that he would consider himself an enlightened being. Perhaps highly awakened. But that's the key to being on The Path, accepting exactly where you are now with all of your hangups and negativity. His outstanding book "Be Here Now" has been the catalyst for many spiritual aspirants. Anyway "Fierce Grace" is absolutly wonderful. Very well produced and edited. It takes through Ram Dass's childhood and then through his years experimenting with hallucinogens to his search for a more "natural" high which eventually brought him to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. The DVD brings me to tears a few times. Some from sadness, some from the fact that it touches that spot in me that holds it all, sadness, fear, ecstasy, love, all of it. Ram Dass has helped many to find that place and this film is such a well deserved tribute to him.
  
  
• OOOOOMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm
  By A2EXA0SWACAFO9 on 2003-04-06
  Once again Ram Dass leads the way! He is at his most open, his most giving and humbled in this wonderous film of the journey of his life. old home movies, many stories, comments by friends such as Huston Smith, Ralph Metzner, Larry Brilliant, Krishna Das and Bhagavan Das. This film inspires, as does all of Ram Dass' work.
  Thank you Ram Dass, Namaste`. i bow to the God within you.
  
  
• Truly Amazing!
  By A3VU1IK7M2HNMD on 2003-12-31
  Truly Amaving and Moving. It touches you.
  I hope more people are able to see it.
  
  
• Excellent from all perspectives
  By A3Q48PSPNUAIMU on 2006-02-26
  This documentary is an excellent blend of past and present... showing scenes of Ram Dass' early years and his various explorations, as well as his present reality (since his stroke) and the interesting journey of how he got here. I was entertained, fascinated, spiritually challenged, moved, and educated by this DVD and the story of this insightful teacher.
  
  
• Outstanding
  By A3QPTDHNP7K3CY on 2007-01-19
  This DVD transports the viewer to a sacred space where the events in life make sense from a higher perspective. Ram Das still has the great gift to move people to their higher purpose in life. This is a DVD which I will watch whenever I need to be reminded of this higher perspective. Not only does this include a biography of Ram Das' life including his present struggles with aging after his stroke, but it also includes three incredible people who share about their tragedies and how they use their experiences to attain a higher perspective.
  
  
• BRILLIANT!
  By A3LBTRYI0S5TBR on 2007-04-12
  This is one of the most moving and meaningful documentaries I have ever seen. Mickey Lemle has done a magnificent job of blending all of the significent aspects of Ram Dass' life together into a beautiful tapestry that is at once touching, profound, insightful, hilarious, and heartbreaking. Ram Dass' characteristic willingness to be totally vulnerable, open, and honest, to explore the spiritual challenges inherent in the after-effects of his life-changing stroke, and to continue to share his own magical blend of extraordinarily wise, compassionate spiritual truths is refreshing, delightful, and heart-warming. BRAVO! Thank you for creating this precious gem!
  
  
• Psychedelic Lovers Should View This
  By on 2003-09-22
  This is an ongoing glimpse of Dr. Richard Alpert's transformation as Ram Dass, now going through the experience of 'being stroked' and dealing with the ramifications. There's a good chunk about psychedelics in this, a very brief capture of Dr. Timothy Leary's face, and Ralph Metzner also shows up for a few friendly words.
  All in all, this is a piece of the puzzle to Ram Dass and his era. I recommend this DVD to a select audience whom have already become acquianted with the book BE HERE NOW, and perhaps GRIST FOR THE MILL. And of course, you should be familiar with yoga and LSD25, otherwise this will probably have little meaning to you.
  
  
• Mickey Lemie slips us a Mickey Finn
  By A3TADMRLTVK2YG on 2005-12-28
  Somebody put something in my drink, or was it this snooze-fest of a film. This guy directs like a dead-beat trying to avoid creditors. What a disgrace to Ram Dass's legacy. Please avoid this film like the plague.
  
  
• A True Cultural Symbol--Unfortunately.
  By A34PAZQ73SL163 on 2005-12-31
  I was hoping that this would be a documentary about the life of Ram Dass, but, alas, it is not. The film is a study of the would-be prophet after his stroke, and shows his struggle with language and aging as it makes illusions to his earlier life. It showcases the way in which he continues to inspire and be admired by thousands. We see him interact in with therapists and give speaking engagements. Numerous interviews are held with those who know him. I must note that, even though I don't give a darn for its subject, the movie is very well-crafted.
  
  However, I can only give it a tepid recommendation because there is no critical evaluation of Ram Dass-or at least a person interviewed who does not think he's great. This is needed as, contrary to unconventional wisdom, Dass is not a profound man. His observations, then and now, were a stringing together of banal clichés involving words like "love, consciousness" and "spirituality." If you're the type of person who regards taking acid as "a religious experience" then you'll be receptive to a guy like this. For those who have had enough of sixties emotionalism, you might not want to see the hailing of this vapid fellow for ninety minutes, but that's what Fierce Grace amounts to. Dass finds nobility in most of the things he does and with the film he hopes to show baby boomers what age has in store for them, but that spoiled generation may be the only one in history who regard death as not being absolutely necessary or that maybe it doesn't apply to them. For the rest of us, we understand that oxidation and returning to ash are inherent to our existence.
  
  
• Fierce Grace is full of Grace.....
  By A1ASLHCGAAA71I on 2006-11-10
  If you already love Ram Das, you will laugh and cry with him and your heart will be filled by the beauty of his world. If you are new to Ram Das, Welcome...this will be the begining of a wonderful journey!
  
  
• Stroke of genius
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2007-01-22
  This documentary-biography is presentations by Ram Dass helping us cope with aging and bringing us his experience with a stroke.
  
  The presentations not well focused; however it is much better than many of the sound bite presentations produced now days. There is no way to come from ground zero and bring you to today's view in the few minutes of this presentation. In many ways this viewing this can be quite emotional.
  
  This also helps fill in his life from childhood as Richard Albert and the many people he came across that changed his views through out life. We also get introduced to his books as "Be Here Now" and "Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying".
  
  The DVD I viewed has many scenes tat did not make it into the original film. Do not over look the extras.
  
  
  
  
• lost opportunity
  By A15S085Z2SZGIY on 2005-12-28
  I would love to have seen this subject handled by a more insightful and skilled filmmaker. It's regrettable that this tedious mess will be part of Ram Dass's legacy.
  
  
• HOW COULD YOU!!!
  By A3DRDW2WNSYJFF on 2005-12-28
  Having followed the philosphy of Ram Dass since the late 70's, I can't begin to express my disappointment at the director's shabby work here. Was this a hatchet job on Dass or was the filmmaker really this out of touch with his teachings? Either way it's a shame that this unfocused piece of rubbish actually made it to DVD distribution.
  
  

• Remember, Be Here Now
• Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying
• A Spiritual Journey
• The Only Dance There Is
• Here We All Are