For those of us who have devoted our life to walking the Spiritual Path, trying to find that Spiritual Something, whatever that something may be, we know that there are many paths to realization. Like my teacher, Swami Satchidananda used to say, “Truth is One, Paths are Many.”
 
Anyway, and in any case, one of the paths that exists, particularly for those who walk the path of Hinduism, there is the singing of Kirtan, spiritual song. Though you will, of course, find practitioners of this path throughout all religions. But, as far as this piece goes, let me focus on the songs of Hinduism.
 
For those of us who lived through the dawning of the New Age, when Eastern spirituality rose rapidly throughout the Western World, one of the main orchestrators of this was Ram Dass, AKA Richard Alpert, Ph.D. I’m not going to discuss him, here, in this piece. For those of you who know of him, you know of him, for those of you who do not, there is tons of information out there.
 
Anyway, from his seminal book, Be Here Now, many of us were introduced to the man, Bhagavan Dass. The man who led Ram Dass to his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and the rest is history.
 
During the early to later 1970s, Bhagavan Dass would travel around and periodically put on what I would call, a show, of him preforming kirtan. Whenever he was in the L.A. area, I would go and see him.
 
My friend, initially from Hollywood High School, and I, were discovering the path of Eastern Mysticism together. He and I would go to these events. One of these really sticks in my mind in that Bhagavan Dass would do these long very melodic shows. He would literally chant for hours.
 
This one show was held at a church over in the area of L.A. that is now known as Koreatown. It went on and on and on and on, late into the night. People left, but I was enthralled. My friend, who brough his university roommate along, both wanted to leave. I told them they could go, and I would walk home to Hollywood, but they reluctantly stayed, falling asleep. Finally, Bhagavan Dass had completed his set, somewhere around two in the AM. I looked around and there were only like three people left listening, a couple, like my car mates, had fallen asleep. In that moment, I truly understood those who understood that there is an essence in the sound. But, to feel it, you must feel it. Some can, and some cannot.
 
Side Bar: I really suggest you read the book by Bhagavan Dass, It’s Here Now (Are You?), as it really shows the path of person who is drawn to spirituality and the way they must function in common reality while still holding onto their essence; eventually rediscovering their calling.
 
Anyway… Just last night I saw a posting in my feed about how they have set up a Go Fund Me page for Bhagavan Dass. In recent years, he’s apparently had a lot of medical problems and stuff. And forever, it looks like making a living was not easy for him as his years progressed. His wife stated that she hopes to do something nice for his upcoming birthday. Cool! I was going to donate and help them out. But, I checked it out and they’ve already acquired over a hundred thousand dollars. WOW! I wish had a hundred thousand dollar plus birthday gift.
 
Anyway, the point to all of this is that there is a reality within a reality. There is life and there is that separate life. The thing is, no matter how much you wish to exist in that separate spiritual reality, if you are not doing it fully, if you are not living it wholly, then is what you are doing simply pretend?
 
Once, Bhagavan Dass was this being that people really looked up to. He was the essence of that Spiritual Something. What he did with his life directed many people, including myself, to believe that what we sought could be had, could be known. Then, he went and sold encyclopedias for a while. Was a car salesman. He went from being a revered Sadhu to an average citizen. Eventually, he reemerged into his earlier form. Grew his dreads back. Sang kirtan again. But, where does the true essence of a being exist? In the spiritual reality of song—being a guiding force? Or, someone whose wife wants to throw him a hundred-thousand-dollar birthday bash?