Grounding Fear and Weaving Freedom Through the Power of Ma Tara
Werk Series: Fall Offering with Lama Rod Owens
Sunday, September 29th, 2024 from 2pm - 6pm EST
There is a difference between werk and work. Both are practices of choosing freedom; however, werk is the practice of choosing freedom by channeling fierceness into the chaos and restoring clarity and fluidity. When we are told to werk, we are being reminded that we have agency to change our relationship to the chaos, manifesting as any form of violence. For my ancestors and community, werk is how we named the chaos and the violence and chose to be in a responsive relationship to them. To know and name the chaos is to find the ground to stabilize ourselves.
~ From The New Saints by Lama Rod Owens
The “Werk” series is a seasonal offering dedicated to deepening our embodied experience of spiritual abolition rooted in Lama Rod’s lineage and diverse teachings. The theme and structure of these offerings will change with the seasons and the needs of practitioners.
Anyone who has previously participated in retreats, courses, events, or practice sessions with Lama Rod is welcome to join.
The Fall Werk offering will center tantric teachings about fear and the ways dualistic confusion blocks our ability to embody the fullness of freedom, power, and awakened care. Through the profound example of Ma Tara, Mother Liberator, Lama Rod will clarify how deity practice in its many diverse expressions can help us abolish conditioned patterns of carceral logic in our own bodies. Through this werk we are invited to ground our practice in liberation as the indestructible foundation we call upon in all situations. Specifically, Lama Rod will emphasize:
- Deepening our exploration of the creative power of Ma Tara and other expressions of deity practice (like Medicine Buddha and Chenrezig) to help us reclaim the integrity of unconditional love.
- Tending our direct relationships with the Land, which have been distorted by forces of colonialism and the carceral state.
- Clarifying our attunement to the ways carceral logic weaponizes binaries, like hope and fear, to undermine even our most sincere commitments to personal liberation and spiritual abolition.
- Refining our capacity to be in our agency in ways that allow us to release dualistic patterns as they emerge, thereby stabilizing the embodiment of freedom regardless of external conditions.
Each offering will include music, in-depth instruction, and attunement with Lama Rod; collective practice of the werk; Q and A; and opportunities for community connection.
Closed Captioning will be available. The recording of this offering will be shared with all registered participants.
Registration for Fall Werk Session
(select the offering below that best matches your ability to pay)
Members of Lama Rod's Learning & Practice Community receive a discount!
$29 for “Fierce” members (69% discount) // $75 for “Fabulous” members (20% discount)
Join here to access the discount codes.
Access the Previous Werk Sessions
The previous Werk sessions are available as recordings. Please see below and select the session you seek to view.
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 prior to September 22nd, 2024, less a $29 admin fee. Beginning September 22nd, we are not able to issue refunds.
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.
Registration Options
(select the offering below that best matches your ability to pay)
Members of Lama Rod's Learning & Practice Community receive a discount!
$29 for “Fierce” members (69% discount) // $75 for “Fabulous” members (20% discount)
Join here to access the discount codes.
Access the Previous Werk Sessions
The previous Werk sessions are available as recordings. Please see below and select the session you seek to view.
Previous Werks
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.
