Netflix’s ‘Ram Dass, Going Home’ Is A Profound Portrait Of A Spiritual Icon

Capturing the legacy of a person as well-lived as someone like Ram Dass seems nearly impossible; the researcher, spiritual teacher, and author has impacted people all over the world with his teachings, and at the age of 87, his life could fill a miniseries. Netflix‘s half-hour long Ram Dass, Going Home, however, takes a unique approach to depicting the man and creates something totally beautiful and unique in the process.

Directed by Derek Peck, Ram Dass, Going Home doesn’t attempt to encapsulate Ram Dass’ entire life; instead, we meet him right where he is, patiently experiencing his world and understanding the value of living in the present. There’s no conflict to resolve, no dramatic stakes at play. We are here to learn from a man who continues to show an extraordinary amount of grace and joy despite what’s been thrown at him. Nearing the end of his life and having experienced a stroke some 20 years ago, Ram Dass is cared for by many, but this doesn’t halt his spiritual practice and contended existence. We see the world through his eyes, and the film makes you more acutely aware of your surroundings and the life that is hiding in even the most surprising of places.

There’s a delicateness to the way the film has been put together, an overwhelming amount of respect for Ram Dass, his spirit, and the vibrancy of the life around him. His home in Maui provides the perfect backdrop for such a serene, meditative film, and Ram Dass seems at peace with whatever may lie ahead of him. There’s an effortless flow to Going Home, a poetry that many documentaries strive towards and few ever achieve. Perhaps it’s the fact that Ram Dass makes such a good subject, or the vision of the filmmakers, or the perfect harmony of both of these things working together so well, but it’s undeniably effective.

What works best about Ram Dass, Going Home is its commitment to showing him as a human being; it’s not a larger-than-life, drawn-out 30 minutes of praise, but rather a chance to see him as a down-to-earth, genuinely compassionate man, one who has spent his life trying to help others find peace in their souls. The film doesn’t particularly have a mission, but love runs as a thread through every second and shot, making you feel just a little bit fuller, just a little more centered, and a lot more present by the time it’s finished.