by Dave Davis
It seems that most folks that I’ve been speaking with lately find themselves in a place they never could have imagined. The issues, invariably, seem endless. So much to absorb, process, and hopefully release. Clearly, there may be the temptation to simply ignore what’s going on both externally and internally by losing oneself in some type of distraction or indulgence, but what I think is most needed at this time is the complete opposite.
Now, more than ever, I feel it’s imperative that we look inside and see what truly matters to us and how committed we are to achieving a necessary means to that end. How faithful are we to living an authentic life — one in which we are able to successfully filter out the toxicity that has permeated our lives, and allow one’s inner Being to flourish?
As author and spiritual healer Charlotte Kasl says: “To be loyal to your journey is to care for yourself and remember that, at your center, you are a luminous essence capable of compassion and love. Our journey is to know the rhythm, tone, and pulse of our essential inner world.”
I sincerely believe that once we’ve tapped into our true source, we are capable of anything and have an obligation to share our abundance with others.
Pictured Above: Bhikkhu Pannakara leading a group of Buddhist monks on the Walk for Peace in Greensboro, North Carolina on Jan. 19, 2026. |. Wikipedia Creative Commons, Anonymous photographer
Nowhere has this been more evident than in the offerings, kind words and support given by the thousands of well-wishers who’ve lined a 2,300-mile route through 10 states (Ft. Worth, Texas to Washington D.C.), witnessing the “Walk for Peace” – currently underway by some twenty or so monks and their canine escort, Aloka. Not surprisingly, the 4-year-old rescued stray (who joined the monks on a similar trek in India), appears to have attained ‘Super Dog’ status here in the States.
The timing of the months-long event could not have been more opportune. The purpose of their mission is quite simple: to promote peace, compassion, mindfulness, and nonviolence. The reaction by the multitude of onlookers in each town along the way has been incredibly heartwarming. They often bring scores of multi-generational attendees to tears. As a former preschool educator, I’ve been especially moved by the young children who’ve presented the monks with artwork, hand-crafted items, and long-stem flowers as gestures of appreciation.
Additionally, what I’ve found to be rather remarkable has been the reaction to this inspirational journey from those viewers online (yes, in the age of technology, even monks know the impact that social media has on its ability to draw innumerable eyes to a particularly momentous undertaking!)
The lead monk, a soft-spoken, affable individual named Bhikkhu Pannakara, has been documenting the group’s travels and encounters on a daily basis — posting videos to a dedicated Instagram account (@walkforpeace.usa).
The dialogue posted in the ‘comments’ section is particularly revealing, as folks from all walks of life have been expressing rather unexpected, deep-felt emotions, which rise to the surface in the genuine interactions between the monks and those who’ve come to greet them.
Sadly, the trek hasn’t been without incident, as some three weeks into the journey, an inattentive motorist driving a pickup truck struck a police escort vehicle, pushing it into several of the walkers. One monk was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, while another, Bhante Dam Phommasan, needed to be airlifted to a medical center in Houston, Texas, and subsequently would require his right leg to be amputated.
In an interview not long after the unfortunate incident, Bhante Phommasan said he very much looks forward to joining the others in the nation’s capital come mid-February, when the walk is scheduled to conclude.
I don’t think any of us would have blamed the group if they decided to call it quits after such a devastating episode so soon into their campaign. Yet the primary purpose of this incredibly taxing adventure is to raise awareness by promoting compassion, mindfulness, and peace across this country during an extraordinary period of national division. If that’s not staying ‘Loyal to Your Journey,’ then I don’t know what is.
