The Walk for Peace
By Rev. Master Seikai
Last October, a group of about 15 Theravada Buddhist monks, under the leadership of the Bhikkhu Pannakara, left their home temple in Fort Worth, Texas and began walking what became known as the Walk For Peace, a journey of 2,300 miles. Their intention in undertaking such a long pilgrimage, through the fall and winter months, was not to protest, not to try to convert anyone to Buddhism, not to achieve anything other than show people that peace is something to be lived. As is traditional for Buddhist monks in Asia, the monks received offerings of food, medicine and shelter along their path, but did not ask specifically for anything. Their undertaking was completely unpretentious. After they had finished the walk in February, after 110 days of walking, the Venerable Pannakara wrote the following:
In the early days of this journey, our steps were welcomed mostly by the silence of the road. Very few people knew of the mission then. Often, the only sound we heard was the rush of cars passing by as we walked—drivers moving quickly toward their destinations, unaware of the prayers being offered with every mile. The roadsides were quiet, offering only a few curious glances from afar. Yet, we continued steadily, step by step, with a deep and quiet determination.
Whether there were crowds to greet us or not, whether anyone noticed our presence or passed us by, the purpose remained unchanged: to plant the seeds of peace and mindfulness in every heart we encountered, even if it was just one person at a time.
We did not walk for recognition or applause. We walked because peace is meant to be shared, and because every single step—witnessed or unwitnessed—carries its own sacred meaning. In those early, solitary miles, we learned a beautiful truth: Peace does not need an audience. It simply needs to be lived, practiced, and offered.
From those quiet beginnings on empty roads where only the sound of passing traffic accompanied us, to the moment we stood before thousands at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, the journey taught us that every step matters—especially the ones no one sees.
May this be a reminder for your own life: even when no one is watching, even when the path feels lonely, or when it seems like your efforts go unnoticed—keep walking. Keep choosing peace. Your steps matter more than you know.
May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace.
As the monks progressed across the South, their walk slowly gained national attention and became a fixture of social media, attracting a wide viewership despite the lack of publicity. Dozens, then hundreds, and eventually thousands of people lined the road to pay their respects to the monks, give and receive flowers, ask for healing and blessings, and be a part of something real. The fact that they had a dog, named Aloka (meaning ‘light’ in Sanskrit) who trotted along with them for most of the journey, pushed an emotional button for many people and probably provided a way to connect with a group of people who live outside the mainstream of American society.
Above all, the monks exuded peace, focus and mindfulness. The fact that people turned out in droves speaks to a great hunger that exists in America for these things, a longing for a public expression of pure good, as a counterpoint to the constant expressions of negativity and hate which the whole nation has become acclimated to. The monks were there simply to show that peace is not an idea, it is a reality to be lived by means of mindfulness, compassion and good will. The Venerable Pannakara would often give short Dharma Talks at places where the monks would stop in the evening, and he repeatedly said that they were not bringing peace; rather they were showing people how to cultivate it themselves. He stressed that living a simpler life than Americans normally live would be necessary, and that would have to start with creating some separation between yourself and your lover: the cell phone.
Just walking is one way to practice this. Many of the people I see on the street are talking on their phones while walking and while driving. They are distracted from mindful walking (and driving) by their phone conversations. Walking, in and of itself, is a simple activity which lends itself to mindfulness. Some people like to get out and walk in order to “clear their head” and of course it works. We spend so much time in our heads, thinking, planning, worrying; now we’ve added a powerful new addiction, the hand-held computer. But just walking with your whole being, being aware of your breathing, being aware of your feet and the surface you happen to be on, is a wonderful way to cultivate mindfulness. Anyone can do it, but you have to remind yourself that you are just walking, and bring yourself back to that when the mind gets distracted and busy doing something else.
Recently, Rev. Phoebe wrote the following in one of her weekly emails: Practicing peace begins, as all practice does, with ourselves. To cultivate an attitude of peace we need to not fight… not resist or resent what is happening. This means allowing the fear and sadness that may arise to simply be acknowledged and accepted. From that place of inner peace wise action will suggest itself; acceptance does not mean passive “rolling over”. Then, practicing peace will become acting in a wise and kind manner, soothing upsets, comforting those who are in pain, supporting those who are in need. Even when circumstances are not peaceful in themselves, we can find a small safe place in our heart where peace exists. This place is a refuge and needs to be cultivated so it does not get buried or forgotten.
We like to think that if only everyone would practice peace, the world would be at peace, but of course we also know this is a dream. But the fact that not everyone practices as we do does not mean that we should despair and not even try ourselves. Peace exists when it is practiced, a tiny place of peace is a reality and makes the world a better place.
Finding that small, safe place in our heart where peace exists is the key to practicing peace. We need to awaken a longing within ourselves to find that still place in the center of our being; this usually includes a growing suspicion that much of what gets said in this world is untrue or distorted, and for that matter, that much of our own thinking is untrue. How can the mind question itself? Because we have the ability to reflect upon ourselves, and to allow a deeper mind than our conventional thinking mind to be part of our inner reality. Intuitively, something within us knows that there is something more, something deeper than the noise of this world; the problem is the noise is so loud it drowns out the quieter, deeper mind. Thus, we have to make an effort to create some quiet and simplicity in our lives, and to stick with it, even when times are difficult.
Right now this nation and the world as a whole have entered into a period of turmoil. We know intellectually that change is a constant, and yet when we are confronted with change that we don’t like, we resist it. But the Law of Change is the final authority in life. We cannot dam it like a river, we cannot really change its course, however hard we may try. We are left with a choice between a futile struggle against change versus learning how to accept, accommodate, and flow with change as it happens. How else could we possibly be able to flow with the tide of change unless we had an inner refuge, a still place to which we can retreat no matter what our external circumstances may be?
In Buddhism it is taught that being at peace would be our natural state of being if we did not entertain greed, anger and delusion in our minds. This means we shouldn’t look for peace from external circumstances, but work at letting go of the mental clutter which gets in the way of it. I have two acronyms which I use a lot to pull my mind up out of dark or critical thinking: LAMP and ALF. LAMP stands for Loving kindness; Acceptance; Merit; and Patience. Just reciting those four words to myself clears my mind right away and brings it back to the naturally peaceful state that we can all find. First you have to be aware of what your mind is doing, and there is no shortcut for that; you simply need to practice meditation and learn to observe your own mind as it is. Using a mantra, or in this case, an acronym, adds an extra layer of mental activity to just sitting still and observing. It is what I would call skill-in-means for brain management; sometimes we just need something positive to focus on and return to a hundred times when the mind is distracted. And, as I said, right now we are going through a period of turmoil and need something to help ourselves reconnect with the peaceful mind. ALF is a variation of LAMP, the words being Acceptance; Love; and Forgiveness. I find this especially helpful for self-critical thinking; I need to forgive myself for whatever old pain resurfaces in my mind. I need a way to break the habit-energy of my mind going down old well-worn grooves which are inherently painful.
I came across this posting from Venerable Pannakara in January, as the Walk for Peace was in its latter stages, and saved it because it was such a perfect expression of this aspect of cultivating peace for ourselves:
The Weight We Were Never Meant to Hold
So many of us move through life carrying emotional weight that was never meant to stay with us forever. Old regrets resurface in quiet moments. Words once spoken replay in our minds long after their time has passed.
We also carry the pain left behind by others—broken trust, unmet expectations, moments that changed how we see ourselves.
Over time, these experiences pile up and turn into a heavy load. One that slows our steps, clouds our hearts, and makes the journey feel harder than it needs to be. Yet there is a gentle way to set this weight down: forgiveness.
Forgiveness does not deny the pain or excuse what happened. It is a conscious choice to say:
“I will no longer allow this to shape who I am. Holding onto it only causes me more harm.”
• When we forgive ourselves, we loosen the grip of shame and self-blame.
• When we forgive others, we release the bitterness that quietly drains our peace.
As we let go of the belief that suffering must be permanent, something softens inside us. Our breath deepens. Our hearts feel lighter. Peace is not something we have to force—it naturally emerges when we stop carrying what was never ours to keep.
You are allowed to forgive yourself for being human. You are allowed to forgive others for the same.
Release gently, with compassion for yourself and for those who are still learning. When you lay down the burdens you were never meant to carry, you may discover that a steady, quiet peace has been waiting for you all along.
May you—and all beings—walk in health, happiness, and peace.1
The central message of the Venerable Pannakara’s teachings is that peace is something within our capacity to enjoy, but to do so we need to actively work on ourselves; this is what Buddhist teachers are always emphasizing, trying to inspire people to take that step. Just thinking about it is not enough. The Buddha said that “thinking and speculating are like standing outside of a gate; to practice is like entering the gate and living a peaceful life within the enclosure.”
The central practice of entering the gate is that of compassion and love. Again, in the Buddha’s own words: “Never does hatred cease by hatred here in this world; hatred ceases by love. This is an eternal law.” It is an eternal, unalterable law. Acceptance of things as they are, acceptance of people as they are, acceptance of the truth of suffering—we cannot bypass these practices. They are the entrance to the gate. We can think about and philosophize about them forever, but nothing changes until we act upon them, choosing to act out of love for all living beings and for ourselves.
I believe everyone profits from some kind of small daily ritual which brings the mind back to a place of peace and acceptance, however momentary it may be. It could be as simple as going outside, if you have a yard, and talking to whatever is growing there. I do this every morning when I go outside and practice tai chi: I address the hills, mountains and trees and reaffirm my intention to be happy and at peace. Although many people would consider such a thing to be pretty nutty, it isn’t. It’s good way to connect briefly with the earth, ground ourselves and renew our intention to be at peace in a distracted world. Another ritual I have, in the evening before going to bed, is to make bows to my altar, which has three of Buddhism’s bodhisattvas on it, and chanting a dharani nine times. This puts my mind in a good place before going to sleep, which is an important thing to do lest we carry the worries and upsets of the day into our sleep and dreams. What a small ritual does is to make practice a regular habit; it doesn’t matter how small it is, the value comes from your devotion to it and the repetition of doing it every day, come what may.
Peace builds slowly if we make a daily effort to bring it into our lives. ‘Even though drops of water are minute, they gradually fill a large container’ is a sentence from one of our scriptures, and it’s undeniably true. Just as Venerable Pannakara was talking about every step that they took on their very long walk having sacred meaning, we can do the same thing in our lives if we cultivate a little bit of discipline and devotion to practice. Many people whom we talk to about meditation tell us that they find it hard to find time in a day to do it because their lives are so busy. The solution to this problem is to make your day a little bit less busy. Five or ten minutes is not a long period of time; it really is more a matter of priorities and what you choose to spend your time doing.
Many people wish they could do something to help the world, something that will make a difference. And as a matter of fact, engaging in some small daily ritual, or having a daily practice of meditation is that something—it is our offering to the world. It is effective even though no one is watching or we feel lonely; when we practice together with others, it is that much more powerful.
The Walk for Peace clearly had a galvanizing effect on a lot of people. Because it was a living expression of peace—of monks putting peace into action—people could see it with their own eyes rather than just reading about it in a book. After the Walk ended, Ven. Pannakara remarked that what was most moving to him were the people who came up to him and thanked him for giving them a reason to live, and said they otherwise would have probably taken their own lives. The pure loving kindness expressed by the monks each day as they walked along rural highways was enough to pierce through the gloom of despair that so many people live under. Just giving people a little bit of hope that there is something worth living for in this fraught realm of existence was a priceless offering.
Venerable Pannakara offers this prayer and mantra we can all take to heart:
Today is going to be my peaceful day
I choose calm over chaos. I choose patience over pressure. I choose kindness—especially toward myself.
No matter what comes my way, I will breathe, pause, and respond with peace. I will protect my energy, guard my heart, and move gently through this day.
Peace is not something I wait for—it’s something I create. Today is mine. And today is peaceful.
The Teaching of the Buddha comes in many ways, from the time of the Buddhas himself (2500 years ago) till this day in writings, talks and examples of how to live a peaceful and harmonious life.
Articles by monks and lay practitioners are under Older Articles.
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