The Harvard Divinity School-educated lama and yoga teacher blends his training in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism with pop culture references.
Instead of traditional maroon and gold Tibetan Buddhist robes, Lama Rod Owens wore a white animal-print cardigan over a bright yellow T-shirt with an image of singer Sade, an Africa-shaped medallion and mala beads — the most recognizable sign of his Buddhism. 'Being a Buddhist or a spiritual leader, I got rid of trying to wear the part because it just wasn’t authentic to me,” said Owens, 44, who describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.
He felt the way that God had been presented to him was too rigid, even vengeful. So, in his words, he “broke up with God.” His new religion, he said, became service. He trained as an advocate for sexual assault survivors, and volunteered for projects on HIV/AIDS education, homelessness, teen pregnancy and substance abuse. “Even though I wasn’t doing this theology anymore, what I was definitely doing was following the path of Jesus: feeding people, sheltering people.
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Meet Lama Rod: A queer, Black Buddhist who wants to free youLama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. The Harvard Divinity school-educated lama and yoga teacher blends his training in Tibetan Buddhism with experiences from his life as a Black, queer man. He was raised in the South by his mother, a pastor at a Christian church.
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Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering.Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.
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Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering.Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.
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Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering.Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen
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Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering.Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen.
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Jack Black's School Of Rock 2 Hopes Forget The Best Part Of The OriginalBrandon Zachary is an experienced entertainment journalist who has written for Screenrant, CBR, and That Hashtag Show.
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