Baba Ram Dass, a 1960s spiritual leader who was a pioneer in LSD experimentation, has died at the age of 88.
Ram Dass died peacefully late Sunday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, where he was surrounded by loved ones, according to a post on his Instagram account.
“We are grateful for the heart to heart connection we have cultivated here and appreciate all the love that has poured out today,” the post said.
No cause of death was provided, but Dass had battled health issues over the years, including a stroke in 1997 that left him paralyzed on the right side of his body.
Ram Dass, who was born Richard Alpert, became known as a professor at Harvard University, where he conducted experiments with hallucinogenic mushrooms and LSD that eventually got him and a colleague kicked out of the college in 1963.
“It was a little too sensational,” Ram Dass said in a 1998 interview. “We were the starters of it.”
He later headed to India in 1967 and was introduced to his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, who taught him about yoga and meditation, as well as Buddhism and Sufism.
Neem Karoli Baba gave him the name Ram Dass, which is Hindi for “servant of God.” However, he was often referred to with his honorary title of Baba.
In 1967, he returned to the US and founded the Hanuman Foundation to introduce inmates to spirituality. He also launched the Love Serve Remember Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving his teachings.
The spiritual guru also authored several books, including his 1971 bestseller “Be Here Now,” which is about his trip to India.
With Post wires