01/29/2026
A few years ago, I was approached to host a monk who was passing through town.
Swami Sankarananda was making a pilgrimage the same way the Peace Pilgrim did for 28 years (1953-1981). Prior to taking his vows, he ran a billion dollar company in California, but was struggling on the inside. He opted to do a week long (I believe) meditation retreat which was the catalyst to him changing his life.
Due to the color of his orange robes he got stopped by police a lot on the sides of the roads to make sure he wasn’t an escapee. He only carried a few things with him, I remember one being a toothbrush and a bottle for water, but I don’t remember the 3rd item (it wasn’t a knife).
The Peace Pilgrim was a name I forgot about until he mentioned her. A woman, Mildred Norman, wore a blue T-shirt with ‘Peace Pilgrim’ across the chest. She began during the Korean War and would speak of peace. She would accept food and drink, but her work was walking and sharing the message of peace.
Swami has the same goal.
This week, amid dismal news, my friend posted the Mr. Rogers quote about ‘looking for the helpers.’ Very shortly after reading that, I came across a new group of Buddhist monks and their dog Aloka making the walk from Forth Worth, Texas to DC. 2,300 miles in 120 days and with record-breaking weather to boot!
I invite you to follow their journey and let this be a reminder, not only to look for the helpers, but to be one.
Walk for Peace
This Live Map is for seeing the exact route and stop locations for today.This map is updated in every 15-60 minutes. It only shows the approximate location of the journey. The best spots to visit us are at the stop locations (at lunch and night rest).
