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Buddhist Peace Walk

Today I went for a long walk with some Buddhist monks. They're walking from Texas to Washington D.C. on a peace walk1. This was day 73 for them. I went early so that I could accompany them on a rural road to their planned lunch break and then followed them into South Carolina. I wanted to show my support, get some steps in, and mostly make my dog happy.

Irs with buddist monk
the monks seem to enjoy meeting Iris

I'm not a Buddhist, but Buddhism has some good stuff going for it... like Hermann Hess and Lisa Simpson. My first gig in college was at the art department slide library was because I took a particularly keen interest in a Far Eastern Art history class. My professor could tell and nominated me for the position which I kept for several years.

I noticed one monk yesterday who was seemingly 'over it' - doubling down on the suffering part and kind tilted my head sideways like 'oh well'. I got there early enough to walk a couple of miles down a country road in the opposite direction to meet them. I turned around to follow then passed them so I could lead them back to the old Methodist church for a planned lunch break.

The crowds gathered everywhere, police escorts, and so on... and a fella with a big sign and megaphone advertising damnation. The first dude I met was on a bike back up the country road so he stops to harass the damnation dude. And because I'm leading em everyone on both sides of the road has their phone cameras up filming me so I'm waving and letting iris greet anyone she chooses as if I'm on route. Some of the monks came to greet iris... soft and nicely and she responding in kind made them smile. I walked around and chatted with anyone Iris wanted to greet.

Met the pastor of the church hosting the event afterword. I stood with him while he explained to the lead monk organizer fella how it was an honor in such a small town and how his church is now non-denominational and how he was embarrassed of Mr. 'advertising damnation'. I got stuck behind them on the way out so I followed em across the state line into South Carolina. It was solid turnout on the sides or the roads all along the backcountry route.

I listened to the monk tell his fable. I admire the wisdom and message. I never used the 🙏🏼 hand gesture but I watched a lot of folks do it. I think it's mostly just a spectacle for the majority. I think most were there to support the message of peace and some were there as adherents. Regardless of your beliefs, blessed are the peacemakers.

I do like to use the ✌🏼 symbol, but mostly in it's inverse form2. Iris was there to bless them as much as anything. She got a lot of smiles outa folks. +1 karma3 bonus points all around.



I don't make time for holy rollers
Oh, though they may wash my feet
And I won't be their soldier

I don't make time for holy rollers
There's only you and me
They do not make me complete

--- Spoon - "Inside Out"4 - They Want My Soul5



Footnotes​

  1. Dhammacetiya Peace Walk - https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/ ↩

  2. V sign - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign ↩

  3. Karma in Buddhism - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Buddhism ↩

  4. Inside Out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpT5SBg1Mmk / https://vimeo.com/127059759 ↩

  5. They Want My Soul - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Want_My_Soul ↩