Ram Dass Claims Martial Artists Access Open Hearts Through Belly Chakras Not Meditation

What was said

"I've met a lot of high-level UFC fighters, and what one quality they all have is they're the most gentle, sweet, open people, and they have this weird radiance. And it always fascinated me because the closest I'd ever come to that was at the Ram Dass retreats and meeting people who have a real solid practice."

Duncan Trussell observed that elite UFC fighters radiate the same gentle, open-hearted energy as advanced spiritual practitioners. Ram Dass explained this by noting that martial artists naturally inhabit the first three chakras—grounding and centering—which creates a stable foundation for the heart to open, bypassing traditional meditation paths. This challenges the assumption that only contemplative practice leads to compassion.