Be Here Now, Ram Dass’ monumentally influential and seminal work, still stands as the highly readable centerpiece of Western articulation of Eastern philosophy. It explains how to live joyously 100 percent of the time in the present, whether your outer circumstances are luminous or mundane. He founded the Love Serve Remember Foundation, whose mission is to preserve and continue the teachings of Ram Dass' guru, Neem Karoli Baba.

On February 19, 1997, Ram Dass suffered a near-fatal stroke, which left him paralyzed on the right side of his body, with expressive aphasia limiting his ability to speak, along with other challenging ailments. Although the aftereffects of the stroke vastly altered his day-to-day life, he resumed teaching.

Before he passed away in December 2019, Ram Dass resided on Maui, where he shared satsang and, kirtan, and where he could amplify the healing process in the air and waters of Hawaii. His final projects included a documentary entitled Becoming Nobody and a musical collaboration with East Forest.