“Let us walk with open hearts, with respect for every life, every path, every faith. May every footprint we leave behind bloom into flowers of peace, so that wherever these steps have touched the earth, there remains a quiet fragrance of loving kindness.” - Tue Nhan Bhikkhu known as the Rev. Nguyen, the vice president of the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center
In a Buddhist tradition of peace activism, on October 26, 2025, a group of Buddhist monks in Fort Worth, Texas embarked on a 2,300 mile journey for peace. The journey leads through ten states. Washington, DC is set to be their final destination. The monks are accompanied by a dog named Aloka. On route to the US Capitol the monks will be stopping at state capitols, historic landmarks and community centers to share their message of peace and invite people to join them for prayer and reflection.
Aloka - an Indian stray dog that marches with the monks became a social media sensation in his own right. In India the dog followed a group of Vietnamese-American Buddhist wandering monks for one hundred days. He was with them despite the hardships he experienced. He was hit by a car and was sick, but rejoined the monks over and over again. The monks adopted him and brought him with them to the United States. Now he bravely and cheerfully follows them on their journey through the United States. The puppy has a distinctive heart shaped mark on his forehead. His name Aloka is quite fitting. In Sanskrit it means light, brightness or radiance and symbolizes knowledge and enlightenment. This name is often associated with hope and guidance suggesting a bringer of clarity and joy to all around them.
Accompanied by Aloka, the monks will follow the practice of self-discipline that involves humility, endurance and spiritual focus. They will be eating one meal a day and sleeping in nature beneath the trees. No community and no individual that comes in contact with the monks will remain unaffected by their motivation, humility and serenity. Their pilgrimage will end on February 13, 2026, with a message of healing, renewal and peace.
The Walk for Peace is a journey that is meant to bring blessings to countless lives in a world that is filled with restlessness and uncertainty.
Our world was never a perfect place but there were at least some short periods of peace in some regions. The new millenium began with a beautiful vision but the New York attack on September 11, 2001, destroyed our hopes for a better, more enlightened world. Belligerent ideologies seemed to be spreading around the world and by 2025 there were more regional conflicts than ever. Many people feared the possibility of another world war. The never ending conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine gave us little hope for peace on Earth in 2026.
In the United States and in many European countries people experience extreme violence on daily bases, often perpetrated by people of different cultural backgrounds that were once invited to live in their communities. Cultural incompatibility and different moral values make harmonious coexistence impossible. Rape, murder, robberies, vandalism, and violent attacks seem to dominate the news cycle in mamy urban centers. Many people live in fear.
At the same time, the social fabric, the respect for life or property, the respect for individual rights and the right to one's own opinion, are completely disappearing. This process began with totalitarian measures imposed on many societies during the COVID pandemic. The decline of civility is appalling. Social media allows the spread of verbal aggression never seen before and allows that aggression to spil to our streets. The belligerence and intolerance seem to be spreading through our societies like cancer and that "cancer" is often exploited for political reasons. Many tormented souls live their aggression out. Mental disease and drug abuse are prevalent and often remain untreated. Financial instability and lack of perspective aggravate the situation.
Can this downward spiral be stopped? Is there hope for our societies? Is there a hope for the world?
A Buddhist would understand the current conditions as a reflection of inner chaos and suffering. Buddha himself believed that true peace comes from within when the mind is free from greed, anger and delusion. It can only be achieved by profound introspection and the practice of mindfulness. This however is impossible in a world where people are slaves to their electronic devices; in the world where people have time to insult and abuse others online but have no time for introspection and self-reflection; in the world where people demand respect for their opinions without acknowledging that others have the same right. People no longer agree that it is all right to disagree and demonize others for having their own mind.
The path to peace begins with a single step within...
Mindful walking and a quality time spent in nature might be the first step to inner healing. There is a beautiful practice in Japan called Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing where a practitioner consciously relaxes and engages with nature focusing all the senses on the experience. The practice is known to improve mood and reduce stress. Quality time spent away from electronic devices and the noise of discord and argument may help calm the troubled souls, induce inner peace and a completely new outlook on things that matter.
Our societies, our world will not change overnight and suddenly become peaceful but each of us has the potential to bring peace to our immediate surroundings, to our homes and the workspace. We can refuse to get triggered, we can refuse to get angry and judgmental.
"What we think, we become" - Buddha
Dominique Allmon
Post scriptum
Today, on January 12, Aloka underwent surgery at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (CVRC) in South Carolina for an injury on one of his legs. In order to heal the veterinarians, who offered their services free of charge, advised that Aloka should not be walking for more than 10 minutes at a time and no more than six times a day till his leg has healed. This sweet puppy needs some rest in order to heal completely. He will be taken care of.
Dominique Allmon©2026
To learn more about the Walk For Peace and to support the monks in their endeavor please click here
Images source X