On October 26th, 2025, twenty Buddhist monks gathered in Fort Worth, Texas, to begin a long distance pilgrimage on foot to promote global peace, compassion and nonviolence. The walk will cover 2,300 miles. As you read this, they are in North Carolina on their way to Washington, DC. They will be making a statement at the Capitol, suggesting that we all recognize Buddha\u2019s birthday as a federal holiday, promoting mindfulness in a divided nation, offering spiritual guidance through meditation.<\/p>\n
Three of them are walking barefoot with bandages feet that signify the pain and sacrifice that they
enduring to embody their message. They are mostly being received kindly, and when
they are not, they offer loving kindness to their detractors. They say that their walk is not a protest. It\u2019s a prayer in motion.<\/p>\n
On November 19th, a truck struck their escort vehicle and pushed it into two monks walking on the roadside. One of them had to have his leg amputated and still, he maintained a non-blaming attitude, even toward the person who caused his injury. He said he didn\u2019t mind the sacrifice if it spread the message of peace in the world. \u201cI accept everything that happened,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a small price to pay for a greater purpose. May it inspire others to find peace in their hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is breathtaking forgiveness and acceptance. It is so far beyond me, I can\u2019t begin to understand where that kind of acceptance comes from, but I\u2019m using it as a reminder to turn to forgiveness whenever I can. It represents a powerful way to see and demonstrate the act of holding onto the light in the presence of
darkness.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to walk across the country to carry the light in a dark world. We can all do it right here and right now. We can do it alone or in a group of likeminded people and even some who aren\u2019t likeminded. We can speak up without aggression. We can keep our calm in chaos and remember what we stand for. If you\u2019re like me and you can\u2019t hold onto peace for long periods of time, let\u2019s use it as a reminder to keep returning to the peaceful path we\u2019ve chosen.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for a reason to practice acceptance and compassion, just turn on the news.
Negativity and suffering are there in spades. We can\u2019t fight it physically, but we can fight it spiritually. Think about monks mediating in a cave for months on end. They don\u2019t consider what they\u2019re doing as lazy or nonproductive. Their work is in the being, not the doing. They are consciously creating an
atmosphere of light and compassion and projecting it into the world. That\u2019s a fulltime job.<\/p>\n
I recall a saying: \u201cThe inmates are running the asylum.\u201d<\/p>\n
When insanity is running rampant like it is these days, maintaining composure and purpose is a mighty task. Holding onto the light and calming the mind during trying time requires great strength of will and acceptance. When I refer to acceptance, I\u2019m not suggesting we pretend what\u2019s going on is okay. I believe that it isn\u2019t. But I\u2019m suggesting a different kind of acceptance when we embrace the truth and find our place in it. If we stop and breathe into what we\u2019re feeling, blaming can transform into
compassion. Negativity can become hope. Rage can become peace and determination. In the words of the walkers: \u201cWrite it down in the morning. Say it out loud. Today is going to be my peaceful day.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sounds good but how do we get there? For me, it\u2019s about slowing down long enough to feel my
unrest and anger. I try not to run away from it. I have to feel it fully and admit it\u2019s there before I can work with it. I even try to appreciate it, not because I\u2019m a glutton for punishment. Quite the contrary. I\u2019m hungry to be peaceful and I see my obstacles as teachers.<\/p>\n
Most peaceful compassionate people have undergone great hardships. Spiritual teacher Ekhart
Tolle says, \u201cThe down cycle is absolutely essential for spiritual realization. You must have failed deeply or experienced some profound loss or pain to be drawn to the spiritual dimension.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each step the monks take brings us increased awareness of peace and unity in a warring and
divided world. I feel grateful to them for reminding me that there is a loving and hopeful way to deal with the current politics. I can go down the hopeless spiral or I can hold onto the light.<\/p>\n
My work is to do what I can to stop the negative stories in my mind, to stop the blame and the
sense that the world isn\u2019t fair. I don\u2019t know what a fair world looks like. I only know that this is my world and if I don\u2019t want to suffer, I have to find a way to accept it as it is and do the work to stand up for what I believe is right.<\/p>\n
The monks are not other worldly. They are human beings having a human experience, just like us. They are tired and their feet have blisters, but they believe that peace is possible and they are sending that belief out to everyone. They carry the message and they are the message. I want to be the message, too. In the spirit of these courageous human beings who are undergoing great sacrifice to demonstrate a better world that we are capable of creating, whomever you are and whatever you
believe, I wish you peace in your heart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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