Meditation Retreat for Young Adults
Event Details
July 31st – August 3rd
In a world struggling through injustice, uncertainty, and collective grief, the time has come for a new kind of spiritual warrior—one who leads with love, stands in their truth, and walks with compassion. “Each of us can be a new saint,” says Lama Rod Owens. “In our pain, our trauma, and all our complexity, we all can—and must—awaken the virtue of our compassion for the benefit of our communities, our planet, and our own souls.”
Inspired by Lama Rod’s book The New Saints, this retreat invites us to reimagine sainthood not as beings of stained glass or carved stone, but through a lived presence and deep commitment to awakening amid the chaos of modern life. Through spiritual teachings, contemplative and somatic practices, ritual, and honest community, we’ll explore how to show up for ourselves and each other with courage, accountability, and radical presence.
This retreat is for anyone ready to reclaim their power and live into their calling—not as saviors, but as sacred disruptors rooted in love. We’ll ask: What does it mean to be a new saint in the midst of it all? How do we become sanctuaries for others while not abandoning ourselves? This work reinforces the truth of our interdependency—allowing us to be of service to the collective well-being, and to call on the support and strength of the countless beings who share our struggles and hopes.
About the Teacher
Considered one of the leaders of the next generation of Dharma teachers, Lama Rod Owens has a blend of formal Buddhist training and life experience that gives him a unique ability to understand, relate and engage with those around him in a way that’s spacious and sincere. His gentle, laid-back demeanor and willingness to bare his heart and soul makes others want to do the same. Even when seated in front of a room, he’s next to you, sharing his stories and struggles with an openness vulnerability and gentle humor that makes you genuinely feel good about who you are, with all your flaws and foibles, you’re lovable and deserving of happiness and joy. He invites you into the cross sections of his life as a Black, queer male, born and raised in the South, and heavily influenced by the church and its community.
