Lama Rod Owens: Love, Activism, and Becoming a Spiritual Warrior
Photo Credit: Colin Gray
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Embarking on a journey of self-discovery requires sacrifice and, unfortunately, far too many of us lack the time or space to pursue it. But what if we could rely on our communities and one another for support? Joining us today to help us unpack this topic is Lama Rod Owens as we explore love, activism, and what it means to be a spiritual warrior.
Lama Rod Owens has dedicated much of his life to the pursuit of self-knowledge and truth. Not only is he an authorized lama in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, but he also holds a Harvard Master of Divinity degree. In addition, he is the author of three best-selling books; each of which reflects his enduring commitment to community, activism, and spirituality.
Tuning in you’ll learn about Lama Rod’s spiritual journey, the role of love and justice in his activism work, and how collective care can uplift all of us. We also discuss the inspiration behind his latest book The New Saints: From Broken Hearts to Spiritual Warriors and why so much of his work is dedicated to Black men reconnecting to tenderness as a way to disrupt the patriarchy. For all this and more, be sure to tune in for this expansive conversation.
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Key Points From This Episode:
• How Lama Rod became a Buddhist teacher in the Tibetan tradition, the work that he does today, and his passion for community service and activism. [0:00:51]
• Lama Rod’s new book, The New Saints, and the goals he had in mind when he wrote it [0:07:15]
• Unpacking the concept of goodness, how it relates to creating a new economy, and the important relationship between love and justice. [0:11:00]
• Lama Rod’s dharma practice: how he learned to understand love, compassion, suffering, and his relationship with the world. [0:14:15]
• How silent retreats allow you to know yourself, the hard work required to engage in this kind of practice, and advice to those facing difficult obstacles to healing. [0:22:34]
• The need for collective care in order to pursue healing and the sacrifices that come with this journey. [0:30:35]
• Reflections on being a Black lama, learning to handle disappointment from others, and the intensity of holding two opposing truths simultaneously. [0:40:06]
• The impact of white supremacy on Black vulnerability and Lama Rod’s work helping Black men reclaim tenderness as a way to disrupt the patriarchy. [0:48:13]
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Quotes:
“Everyone deserves to be free. Everyone needs to be free. Let's start there and build a practice around that dream or that aspiration.” — @LamaRod1 [0:10:50]
“When you start the work of self-love or self-compassion, you start to awaken the capacity to simply hold space for all the narratives.” — @LamaRod1 [0:18:57]
“We're making choices second to second, about goodness, and about virtue, and reducing harm, and we don't always make the best decision every second.” — @LamaRod1 [0:47:24]
“It's hard to let other people be complex when we can't hold space for our own complexity as well.” — @LamaRod1 [0:48:27]
“So much of my work is really dedicated to Black men who are trying to reconnect to this tenderness as a way to disrupt patriarchy.” — @LamaRod1 [0:52:25]
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Lama Rod Owens: https://www.lamarod.com/
Lama Rod Owens on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lamarod/
Lama Rod Owens on X: https://twitter.com/LamaRod1
Lama Rod Owens on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamarodofficial/
Lama Rod Owens on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamarod/
Lama Rod Owens on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbmQZbvDyLSe5X9AsOn8F0w/videos
BHUMISPARSHA: https://www.bhumisparsha.org/
The New Saints: From Broken Hearts to Spiritual Warriors: https://www.powells.com/book/new-saints-9781649630001
Radical Dharma: Talking Race Love & Liberation: https://www.powells.com/book/radical-dharma-talking-race-love-liberation-9781623170981
Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger: https://www.powells.com/book/love-and-rage-9781623174095
Radical Dharma: https://radicaldharma.org
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