All Roads Lead to Ram

Sruti Ram is a beloved figure in the mystical and yoga community, a name among names and a disciple of Neem Karoli Baba. During his 40-year close association with Baba Ram Dass, Sruti Ram traveled across the United States participating in meditation retreats that attracted thousands of participants. He is a renowned Formal Meditation Master who lectures on many subjects, including de-mystifying Hinduism, devotional love, meditation practices, the mysteries found in the Epic Ramayana Story, and how to live in the modern world under the influence of spiritual Love. He has appeared as a lecturer, chant leader or kirtan leader at the Omega Institute, Bhaktifest, the Mahakal Temple in India and other venues from Florida to New Mexico to India to California. His kirtans have drawn thousands.

Sruti Ram’s life story is one of astonishing transformation. As a city boy with a hungry soul, he felt called by angels, yet kept his feet firmly on the sidewalks. Always drawn to a higher path, he forged a parallel career as a brilliant New York City fashion stylist on call to top designers. But he was endlessly called to a spiritual purpose—which took him, ultimately, to a secret temple sanctuary in India. There, he experienced a shattering, startling, and complete transformation. George Palmer, flashy New Yorker, became Sruti Ram, the Hindu Priest.

Sruti Ram quickly ascended as a spiritual leader in New York City, with hundreds of eager devotees flocking to his light. Wrapped in the wisdom of his teachers and with a true scholar’s ability to channel ancient teachings for modern followers, he grew into a remarkable mystic and teacher. But at his peak, he was called once again to leave his fame behind for the quiet and peace of the Catskill Mountains. He became a driving force in Woodstock’s vibrant kirtan scene, known as the father of Woodstock kirtan. This joyful voice for his powerful, generous spirit has taken his music and his enlightening teachings all over the world. Whether as part of Sri Kirtan with Ishwari or performing on his own, his passionate, heart-opening performances are profound experiences for all attending. Sri Kirtan’s second CD, Live Your Love, reached #10 on the Billboard World Music Chart.

“Sruti Ram is a fearless adventurer —a believer in miracles, mysticism and magic. His wondrous life proves that for the sincere seeker, the one who cultivates the highest intention, all roads lead to God, eventually but inevitably.” — Sharon Gannon, founder, Jivamukti Yoga

“Sruti Ram reveals the road less travelled and the life of commitment to the journey within. One feels the unfolding of life’s magic that arises not from mental planning rather trusting the heart to show the way of true happiness in life. I admire Sruti Ram’s devotion to follow a spiritual path as an authentic way of life in a society focused too much on material concerns.” — Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, founder of Blue Spirit Costa Rica and the Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY

“This is a lovely, deeply engaging book! Sruti Ram shares, with elegant grace, the evolution of his own journey to India … and, ultimately, into the Heart of God. His quest began with a deep inner yearning felt by so many of us growing up in the West in the late 1960s and early 1970s. We sensed that the most effective paths for responding to that yearning were known and practiced in India. Sruti Ram’s book takes us to the origins of the ‘yoga revolution’ that has now spread far and wide in our culture. It reveals—in a beautifully warm, accessible style—how one lovely man found what we are all seeking. That inner journey often involved traveling 12,000 miles and immersing ourselves in the sacred, ancient practices of Mother India. This is the story of what it was like to ‘find’ yoga, meditation, and spirituality decades before there were yoga studios and classes on every corner. The ironic realization is that—ultimately—the Path we are all seeking lies not in some exotic land—or even in the local yoga center. The journey ‘hOMe’ begins, and unfolds, within each and every one of us, as we transition from living in our judging minds … to living in our compassionate Heart … through Love, sincere practice, and Devotion. Namaste.” — Ramananda John E. Welshons, Author of One Soul, One Love, One Heart: The Sacred Path to Healing All Relationships, When Prayers Aren’t Answered, and Awakening from Grief