The Practice of Activism with Lama Rod Owens

8 snips

Feb 13, 2024

Lama Rod Owens, a fugitive activist, discusses struggle and resistance as spiritual practices. They explore discomfort, safety, and the role of meditation in activism. They redefine allyship and engage with discomfort to grow. The importance of setting intentions for liberation and the significance of responsibility and accountability are also discussed.

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INSIGHT

Grief of Societal Change

Lama Rod Owens discusses the grief associated with societal change and the disruption of self-identity.
This grief necessitates substantial labor to redefine ourselves and build a more equitable future.

INSIGHT

Embracing Discomfort for Liberation

Those ready for change demonstrate fierceness and a commitment to liberation.
They acknowledge their weariness of existing systems and embrace discomfort as a path to freedom.

ADVICE

Practicing Fugitivity

Develop internal awareness and set boundaries; divest from experiences hindering liberation.
Embrace "fugitivity," intentionally disobeying restrictive laws and norms.

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What do struggle and resistance look like as spiritual practices? What does it take to push for change in a violent and antagonistic world?

Our guest in this week’s episode (which was recorded last summer) is Lama Rod Owens, in his words, “a fugitive” – disobedient and on the run in a culture where it’s not safe to be Black, not safe to be Queer, not safe to be an activist speaking truth to power. Sometimes, not even meditation spaces feel safe, especially where meditation is touted as a way to get comfortable and tune out the world.

But Lama Rod is not interested in comfort. He’s interested in disruption. This is the real Dharma, the real “Work” – awakening from the status quo in order to become a brave force for collective freedom.

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Lama Rod offers a beautiful meditation on connecting to our sources of support and love and, from that place, exploring a personal memory of discomfort. How exactly were we uncomfortable? Were we really unsafe, or was that our trauma speaking, or our confusion, or our conformity – our desire not to rock the boat?

There’s an important link here: the clearer we can be about our own discomfort, the less it will influence us, and the better able we’ll be to stand up to injustice.

Lama Rod is a brilliant writer and thinker, part of the next generation of Buddhist teachers and leaders. His most recent book is The New Saints. Good to be connected.

Even though we recorded this episode in the summer of 2023, it continues to be powerful medicine now. Share in the comments how Lama Rod’s practice connects with you!

And now: Join us for The Afterparty… 👇

The Afterparty

In this one, we have a lively chat about escapism vs practice, art as protest, figuring out your ecological service niche, and how Tasha alchemizes her fear and discomfort before performing in front of 10,000 screaming fans.

The Afterparty will eventually move behind ye olde paywall, but for now, it’s free for all :)

If this episode tickled your adventure-loving fancy, consider sharing it with a friend

Thanks for tuning in! See you next week.

Love always,

🧘🏽‍♀️ Tasha & Jeff 🧘🏼‍♂️

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