What is Marcha Por La Paz? Conscious of the ability to shape our own realities through the vibration of our hearts, through our thoughts and our actions, we propose a question:
Which dreams are you giving life to, contributing to the best possible version of yourself and the world around you? March 15, 2017 a group of 12 people of different nationalities departed Santiago de Compostela and began to walk towards Rome and Jerusalem, marching for more than 18 months and 6,500 km. This is the path of ‘Santiago de Compostela’ in reverse, united by the ‘Via Francigena’ forming part of an ancient network of paths woven through Europe, now known as ‘Jerusalem Way,’ connecting Santiago, Rome and Jerusalem. This historical system of pathways, traveled for thousands of years, was precisely built for pilgrims to bring with them on their journey the most important message: the message of Peace.
‘Santi-Ago (śāntiḥ: peace in Sanscrito) – Rome (Spanish: Roma=Amor backwards, meaning Love) – Jeru–Salam (Salaam: peace in Arabic)’
This march for PEACE is to make a statement: *‘to change the world, you must have the courage to change yourself. To have peace, you must be peace.’ We march for the union of humanity through LOVE and RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY and FREEDOM; we are many, but together we are ONE people marching… Living and creating from our hearts, flowing through the inevitable changes of life, planting seeds of consciousness within ourselves and others centered on the capacities of sharing, listening, loving, dreaming, gratefulness, and acting like the brothers and sisters that we all are. This is our experiment for trying to be the peace we wish for in the world, while also creatively collaborating within a group with many different backgrounds and experiences, sharing the love we all have access to in many different ways. The goal is that through our journey of self-discovery, freedom, and unity, we can inspire movement towards a more conscious and harmonious world. We are aware that there are other groups and individuals working for the same mission; NOW is the time to unite and take responsibility for our own actions and the health of our planet…
We invite everyone to this positive collaboration to inspire those
who are ready for a global change. Our daily activities and practices are constantly changing, as this is more than just a march:
-Art, Music & Expression
-Time in Nature
-Connection & Collaboration
-Meditation & Yoga
-Responsibility and Respect
Why Walk? This pilgrimage is more than just a long walk. There are physical and emotional elements between yourself, others and the ever-changing environment that create a unique experience leading to personal and spiritual growth. Walking the same paths that have been traveled thousands of years has a symbolic meaning. It connects the past to the present, while creating a new space within oneself for growth. This continuous movement through the roads, towns, beaches, valleys and cities leads to constant learning and expansion; truly experiencing what we see and live in each space we pass through, sharing special moments with different people every day, and making us increasingly understand the magic that exists between the exchange of experiences with others from different cultures and their ways of living… being part of the great process of learning to harmonize with ourselves, other beings and nature. Physically, walking in nature has been shown to increase creativity, reduce stress and increase blood flow, among other positive side effects. Walking brings a self-awareness to yourself, generating physical and mental consciousness that is so important for the inner peace; creating a connection with nature and the environment around you allows one to experience life in a healthier and harmonious way! It’s time to take charge of our own light, to empower ourselves and understand that every moment we are designing our experience and futures with every thought, feeling and action. By uniting our energy and vision, we can truly transform our dreams and ideals into reality.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
“A dream that you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.”
-John Lennon