Mariana Restrepo

FAQ About Mariana Restrepo

• What is Mariana Restrepo's address?

  Mariana Restrepo is located at
  Asheville, North Carolina, United States

• What is Mariana Restrepo's job title?

  Mariana Restrepo is a
  My formal practice began in the Theravada tradition. I attended a Thai Buddhist monastery in South Florida. As I began to learn more about other forms of Buddhism, I gravitated toward Vajrayana. I spent a summer studying Sanskrit in Nepal. Then I pursued graduate studies in Buddhism. My academic focus was on issues of transmission, legitimation, and adaptation of “traditional Buddhism” in the West, particularly the construct that we call “American Tibetan Buddhism.” After completing my master’s degree, I moved to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and became the coordinator of a newly started Karma Kagyu retreat center. Moving from Miami to Tennessee, I experienced as much culture shock as I had as a teenager moving from Colombia to the U.S.—if not more. Intellectually, I continued to explore my hybrid Buddhist identity; Southerner was now more firmly part of the mix. As my practice deepened, I found myself with a group of men and women entering the traditional three-year retreat at a major Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Upstate New York. Head shaved, jewelry put away, I donned robes and once again entered a foreign world. But about halfway through the retreat I was faced with a difficult choice and made the decision to leave. I embarked on a year-long pilgrimage through India and Nepal with one of a handful of retreatants who’d also left. At the end of that year, we got engaged. We moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where we now live with our toddler son. In Asheville, I have been facilitating a lay-centered Tibetan Buddhist group and I’m in the process of starting another dharma group for Spanish-speakers. I also attend and help out at one of the city’s main Buddhist centers. In conclusion, I’ve been heavily involved with Buddhist communities, ranging from diverse sanghas in South Florida, to Buddhist centers in Appalachia, to a major monastery in the Northeast. This has given me the opportunity to meet Buddhists from all walks of life, learning about the many expressions of Buddhism here in North America and exploring my own Buddhist identity. So, now, here I am back in the South, still Buddhist, still Latina, and still asking questions about the American Buddhist experience and all its complexities. I’m thrilled to be working with Lion’s Roar on this initiative to make the Buddhist conversations in the West more diverse and inclusive. My vision is to facilitate a platform for Latinx Buddhist voices to join the conversation and be heard. I can be reached at [email protected] Lions Roar

• What industry does Mariana Restrepo currently work in?

  Mariana Restrepo currently works in the
  Lions Roar

• What is Mariana Restrepo's area of expertise?

  Mariana Restrepo specializes in
  My formal practice began in the Theravada tradition. I attended a Thai Buddhist monastery in South Florida. As I began to learn more about other forms of Buddhism, I gravitated toward Vajrayana. I spent a summer studying Sanskrit in Nepal. Then I pursued graduate studies in Buddhism. My academic focus was on issues of transmission, legitimation, and adaptation of “traditional Buddhism” in the West, particularly the construct that we call “American Tibetan Buddhism.” After completing my master’s degree, I moved to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and became the coordinator of a newly started Karma Kagyu retreat center. Moving from Miami to Tennessee, I experienced as much culture shock as I had as a teenager moving from Colombia to the U.S.—if not more. Intellectually, I continued to explore my hybrid Buddhist identity; Southerner was now more firmly part of the mix. As my practice deepened, I found myself with a group of men and women entering the traditional three-year retreat at a major Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Upstate New York. Head shaved, jewelry put away, I donned robes and once again entered a foreign world. But about halfway through the retreat I was faced with a difficult choice and made the decision to leave. I embarked on a year-long pilgrimage through India and Nepal with one of a handful of retreatants who’d also left. At the end of that year, we got engaged. We moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where we now live with our toddler son. In Asheville, I have been facilitating a lay-centered Tibetan Buddhist group and I’m in the process of starting another dharma group for Spanish-speakers. I also attend and help out at one of the city’s main Buddhist centers. In conclusion, I’ve been heavily involved with Buddhist communities, ranging from diverse sanghas in South Florida, to Buddhist centers in Appalachia, to a major monastery in the Northeast. This has given me the opportunity to meet Buddhists from all walks of life, learning about the many expressions of Buddhism here in North America and exploring my own Buddhist identity. So, now, here I am back in the South, still Buddhist, still Latina, and still asking questions about the American Buddhist experience and all its complexities. I’m thrilled to be working with Lion’s Roar on this initiative to make the Buddhist conversations in the West more diverse and inclusive. My vision is to facilitate a platform for Latinx Buddhist voices to join the conversation and be heard. I can be reached at [email protected]

• Which languages does Mariana Restrepo speak? 

  Mariana Restrepo speaks the following languages:
  No languages available.

• Which industries has Mariana Restrepo previously worked in?   

  Mariana Restrepo has prior experience in the following industries:
  Clear Light Mindfulness , Florida International University , Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong Buddhist Teaching And Retreat Center , Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong Buddhist Teaching And Retreat Center , Florida International University , Florida International University , Florida International University National Science Foundation , Miami Dade College

• What is Mariana Restrepo’s work experience?  

  Mariana Restrepo has the following professional experience:
  Lions Roar , Lions Roar , Tibetan Spirit , Clear Light Mindfulness , Florida International University , Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong Buddhist Teaching And Retreat Center , Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong Buddhist Teaching And Retreat Center , Florida International University , Florida International University , Florida International University National Science Foundation , Miami Dade College .

• How can I find Mariana Restrepo on LinkedIn?  

  You can view Mariana Restrepo’s
  LinkedIn profile at LinkedIn URL.

• What are Mariana Restrepo’s work email addresses?  

  Mariana Restrepo’s work email addresses are
  [email protected] .

• What company does Mariana Restrepo work for?  

  Mariana Restrepo works at
  Lions Roar