Ep. 287 – The Secret of Compassion

In this powerful lecture on responding to suffering, Ram Dass draws on the wisdom of the Buddha, Trungpa Rinpoche, and Wavy Gravy, and offers his insight into the secret of compassion. The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox. This episode of Here and Now comes from a lecture Ram Dass gave at the Omega Institute on June 28th, 1983. Ram Dass talks about how suffering is everywhere. He examines the different kinds of reactions to it, including denial, pity, cynicism, or trying to “do something about it.” Ram Dass invokes the wisdom of the Buddha and Wavy Gravy to provide a path for us to open to suffering, and offers some insight into the secret of compassion. After a brief review of the Four Noble Truths, Ram Dass explores the concept of being nobody. He discusses the predicament of identifying with anything in form and how we aren’t who we think we are. We exist behind form. In the final part of the talk, Ram Dass introduces the rascally Trungpa Rinpoche, sharing stories of their early meetings. He recalls a dialogue between Trungpa and Wavy about responding to suffering and how they were representing two parts of the same dance. Sponsors Of This Episode: Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp . Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self. This episode is also sponsored by Magic Mind . Go to magicmind.com/ramdass or use the code RAMDASS for up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one-time purchases at checkout. You can support this podcast and listen to episodes AD-FREE on our Patreon . Sign up for a free 7-day trial: patreon.com/RamDassPodcast About Ram Dass: Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. “Because part of the secret of compassion is being able to embrace darkness into light. It’s being able to embrace suffering into yourself. It’s being able to acknowledge and allow. And then, the impeccable warrior hears what to do about it.” – Ram Dass See Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at .

You can listen to Ep. 287 – The Secret of Compassion online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ep. 287 – The Secret of Compassion is an episode from Ram Dass Here And Now by Ram Dass / Love Serve Remember.

This episode is 01:05:00 long.

This episode was published on Sep 23, 2025.

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