You Are the Universe: Ram Dass Maps the Journey

by Amy Buetens, Julie Weinstein

You Are the Universe is an impactful guidebook, chronicling the unconventional journey and self-discovery of Ram Dass, one of the world’s most beloved spiritual teachers.

Sourced from five decades of recordings, Ram Dass shares his life story and transformative teachings in his own words with honesty and humor. He offers teens and adults of all ages life-altering inspiration for understanding universal truths, navigating their unique paths with compassion and awareness, and living a meaningful life.

Vibrant hand-drawn and water-colored images illustrate Ram Dass’s captivating story of transformation. You Are the Universe offers an accessible perspective on our world through Ram Dass’s eyes, and explores timeless answers for today’s most urgent questions.

EXPERT Psychologist and spiritual teacher Ram Dass dedicated his life to educating others on the keys to spiritual fulfillment and happiness, drawing wisdom from a lifetime of experience.

STRENGTHEN THE MIND AND THE Ram Dass offers advice for teens on how to approach anxiety, engage in social justice, and find their path through the example of his experiences and wisdom.

GORGEOUS ILLUSTRATED With beautiful watercolor illustrations, this book is a perfect gift for both those familiar with Ram Dass's teachings and those new to his philosophy.

INTRODUCTION TO Sourced from the archive of Ram Dass’s recordings, You Are the Universe explores his most vital teachings and introduces young people to spirituality in an easy to read and approachable way.

A MUST-READ You Are the Universe sets the stage for Ram Dass’s iconic spiritual growth manifesto Be Here Now .

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels

216 pages, Paperback

Published December 6, 2022

Reviews

[Jonathan Martinez Peña · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es muy interesante el mensaje de Ram Dass. La ilustración del libro es muy buena, creativa y diferente. La recopilación del contenido esta muy bien hecha y coherente. Vernos como almas, estar aquí y ahora, y el ejemplo de una vida consagrada al camino espiritual hacen de este libro una referencia útil para quienes buscamos información en un llamado del alma. Gracias Ram Dass

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another one of those books that is just infinitely quotable; wisdom and love have always expressed themselves from the words of Ram Dass, and this collection added a true magic to it. The artwork in these pages is wonderful, moving from watercolors to pages turned every which way and full page art pieces, and none of them felt out of place. It, in a lot of ways, does this book an injustice to condense it or summarize it, but the truth is, the essence of this book is about love. How all is love, how all can be loved, and how a practice of moving towards love is the right path to actualization and peace. But, like I said, it is so much more than that, and I would recommend this book to anybody as an adornment for their coffee table. Super glad I stumbled across this one.

5/5 Stars

P.S. there were a billion quotes I could have picked from this, but here's one that I enjoyed:

"I had an interesting time with that, because in Buddhism one of the things is 'may all beings be happy' and in the metta meditation we were doing, it's 'may we be enabled to carry out our lives in peace and happiness.' And as long as I kept happiness as the polar opposite of sadness, it was like keeping love as the polar opposite of hate. And then it turns out there's a semantic issue of which level are you using the word at. And to the extent that happiness means 'being in harmony with what is,' meaning 'being peacefully in relationship to everything that is,' I finally realized that happiness isn't based on the situation being this way or that way; my happiness is one that embraces my sadness. Finally, my love is one that embraces my own hate."

[Natalie Whitling · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You Are the Universe: Ram Dass Maps the Journey" is a profound exploration of spirituality and self-discovery. Ram Dass, a celebrated and well-respected spiritual teacher, invites readers to embark on a transformative journey, blending Eastern philosophy with modern insights. After his death in 2019, his writings and lectures were thoughtfully arranged and illustrated into this powerful book that delves into the interconnectedness of life, encouraging a shift in perspective towards a more expansive and interconnected understanding of existence. With wisdom and compassion, Ram Dass navigates complex concepts, making them accessible for readers on their own personal quests for meaning. Divided into 3 sections (Ram Dass's life story, a heavily illustrated exploration of the soul & ego, and a toolbox for methods to become a more loving & self-aware individual), this book serves as a compelling guide for those seeking a deeper understanding of the universe and their place within it. After all, we are all born into a body - a "space suit", as the book suggests. After a while, we don't seem to notice the suit very much. Ram Dass encourages you to look further inward and remember that you are not just a space suit, but a soul on a journey made of love & gratitude.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous graphic novel that Buetens and Weinstein created out of Ram Dass's books and lectures; really beautiful, powerful. I think he would appreciate this. Makes many of his topics more accessible to younger audiences (and good for kids of all ages).

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really solid, easy to access. Not a lot of supporting info- densely packed meaningful teachings that I want to read again and unpack more. Read on kindle- lots of beautiful art that would be better on paper in color.

[Kheva Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, thank you, Ram Dass. I am loving awareness.

[XY · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book full of wonderful illustrations and inspiring, thought-provoking words by Ram Dass. Highly recommend it.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork is stunning!

[Rm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Laxmi Duggirala · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully presented life and teachings of Ram Dass ji 🙏

[Audrey Kittock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful and is such a great guide to life! ❤️

[Dizo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring book, it has lots of lessons, it’s good if you want to start in the spiritual world

[Abi Ainley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly presented, infinitely engaging :)

[Paul Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful intro to the works of Ram Dass. Loved the illustrations and the content.