Walk for Peace, Dharma in Motion
A profound demonstration of moving meditation is the Walk For Peace. As we are moving toward the beginning of the Year of the Horse, this is an extraordinary example of ordinary physical activity with focused intention, moving thousands of people’s bodies, minds, and spirits toward a shared value, in this case, peace. This group of 19 Theravadan Buddhist monks of Vietnamese, Thai, and Cambodian descent affiliated with the Huong Dao Temple in Fort Worth, have been walking for over 90 days in a planned 120 day walk for peace. They began in Texas, including their faithful dog Aloka, walking to the final destination in Washington DC, a place in great need of compassionate, peaceful leadership. These monks are spiritual and cultural ambassadors connecting with local people, families, nature, community leaders, law enforcement, government officials, several walking barefoot for many miles, braving extraordinary weather and conditions. Especially today, as major snow and ice storms are walloping a large swath of the continent from the middle to the east, north east, and south.
Day 93, North Carolina 1-27-26
There’s a Walk For Peace wiki that is worth reading! Including when Buddhist monk Phra Ajarn Maha Dam Phommasan survived a major car crash causing loss of limb on November 19, 2025.
When we find ourselves getting down because of the chaos and negativity in the world, and didn’t catch ourselves before collapsing into a depressed puddle on the couch with a pint of ice cream, please consider other options for your body. Qigong as moving meditation infuses the body with spiritual cultivation and applies to all activities of life so that we do not collapse when challenged. It takes discipline and perseverance, kind of like going to the gym. Which feels good during and after, yet it’s easy to self-sabotage and not start at all, especially when we’re very smart and clever. There are even self-care recommendations that say that the only way to restore energy is to completely withdraw, stop listening, and go to sleep – which is good advice but only at the correct dosage. 7-9 hours of sleep per night is restorative, but inducing a coma to wait out uncomfortable realities is a bypass that doesn’t help anyone.
Better to be informed at the right dosage, apply discipline regarding time and quality of media consumption (avoid doomscrolling). Then take appropriate actions, even small ones. Consult and collaborate with others so you don’t feel so alone. When it seems overwhelming to call up your senator, governor, congressperson, or other actions, just think of each step these monks are taking every day. You really do have enough energy to punch those buttons, write those letters, meet with local leaders. You can support fellow humans in Minnesota during this intense and volatile time. Spiraling into despair only cedes power to the already powerful, plus it sucks for you/us (I'm no stranger to despair either).
Often it is activity that can brighten our energy, mood, and purpose.
We don’t need to be heroes, please don’t be. We need daily activities that accumulate into healthy relationships and healthy social ecosystems.
The Walk for Peace is not a vanity walk. These monks have names and families and wholly human stories, let’s not fall prey to romanticism. It requires a tenacious body, mind, and spirit to persevere through the suffering of this pilgrimage. For us at home, continue to practice and apply your training in solidarity with those with their feet on the street. Training is also so we can be agile when difficult conditions arise, not collapse, lead from kindness and the wholeness of our true nature.
Most of us can’t join them, but you can help support their mission, health, and wellbeing, give what you can and follow them on this journey! And, actively nourish your local community, building peace and healing in small, medium, and large ways, the ways you know how. Activism isn’t only bull horns and aggression. Follow the Dao with appropriate action with the appropriate timing. There are many ways to create a more peaceful present and future for generations ahead. Be a kind neighbor and friend. Let’s walk together, forward movement begins with a single step.
Day 77, South Carolina 1-10-2026
Aloka with Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara. Photo by @kevinblackwellphoto
Walk for Peace, donation
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