You Are the Medicine: Embodying the Foundations of Healing


Half-Day Medicine Buddha Retreat
with Lama Rod Owens

July 16th, 2026 from 11am-3pm ET

Virtual

Every week for the past 6 years, Lama Rod and many spiritual friends around the world have been gathering to practice and pray together. In fierce commitment to embodying our collective power to heal this word and abolish all forces perpetuating harm, cruelty, and spiritual incarceration, we call this “Medicine Buddha." Through the blessings of this ancient and profound lineage of practice we remember that we are the medicine and that phenomenal reality is always trying to help us heal, get free, and care for others.

Please join for this special opportunity to receive the empowerment of this practice through attunement to the prism of Lama Rod’s lineage, embodiment, and direct experience. Whether you’ve never heard about Medicine Buddha and want to learn more, or if you’ve never missed a session over years of shared practice, all beings drawn to the possibility of true healing and liberation in these painful times are welcome to join. No experience required! 

Registration Options

(select the offering below that best matches your ability to pay)


All Members of Lama Rod's Learning & Practice Community receive a discount! 
$29 for “Fierce” members // $75 for “Fabulous” members (20% discount)

Join here to access the discount code.

Ma Tara Self-Guided - Standard Price

$69.00 USD

Ma Tara Self-Guided - Pay-It-Forward

$118.00 USD

FAQs:

Who can participate in this offering?
Anyone who has previously participated in retreats, courses, events, or practice sessions with Lama Rod is welcome to join.


What if I can't attend the live session? 
The live session will be recorded and posted on the course platform for you to watch later.

 

How long will the recordings be available once I register? 
The recordings will be available indefinitely.


Is there a refund policy? 
Refunds are available less a $19 admin fee 1 week before the start of the event on July 9th. No refunds will be available after the start of the event.

  

Is there financial assistance available? 
Through the support of those who give at the Pay it Forward level, we have a limited amount of scholarships available. Email [email protected] if you are in need of financial assistance. If you are able to contribute to our ability to offer scholarships, your generosity by choosing the Pay it Forward supports our ability to offer more financial support.

What does the registration fee support?

Registration fees support Lama Rod and his team for the extensive labor, seen and unseen, and spiritual devotion that allows his work to remain accessible and sustainable. These resources help cover ongoing operational costs, such as the online platforms and services that are used to offer digital programs, team compensation, and the legal and accounting requirements of the United States, as well as physical spaces, materials, and nourishment for events when applicable.

As Lama Rod writes in The New Saints, he seeks to make the tradition of the Buddha relevant to our experiences in the present moment. This means inviting offerings and exchanges that honor the material needs of his energetic presence and livelihood — not in a conditional nor transactional way, but reflecting a tradition of reciprocity and universal balance similar to how you might leave food upon an altar for an ancestor. Giving and receiving are practices that embody the ethic of care that grounds Lama Rod’s work.


Therefore, your registration fees are one of the ways that Lama Rod is sustained so that he can continue his free and by-donation offerings such as Free Radicals, Medicine Buddha, and partnerships with organizations and schools to support their efforts. These offerings reflect our team’s commitment that no one be excluded from the teachings based upon their financial means. Those who register at the Pay-It-Forward price further increase accessibility by making financial assistance possible for those who need scholarships. Barter offerings and work exchanges are also welcome in some instances. Lama Rod believes that we can be well resourced while practicing an anti-capitalist ethic and is deeply grateful to be in a reciprocal relationship with you.

Having trouble with your registration? 

Email [email protected] and we're happy to help. 

About the Teacher

Lama Rod Owens is a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. An international influencer with a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Author of The New Saints: From Broken Hearts to Spiritual Warriors, Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation through Anger and co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation, his teachings center on freedom, self-expression, and radical self-care.

A leading voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers with over 11 years of experience, Lama Rod activates the intersections of his identity to create a platform that’s very natural, engaging, and inclusive. Applauded for his mastery in balancing weighty topics with a sense of lightness, the Queen has been featured by various national and international news outlets. 

Highly sought after for talks, retreats, and workshops, his mission is showing you how to heal and free yourself.