Mindfulness, monks, and managing pain: What a Walk for Peace can teach us

Sometimes the most profound lessons arrive in the most unexpected ways, such as a group of Venerable Monks on a Walk for Peace. On October 26, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas, 19 Buddhist monks began what is projected to be a 2,300-mile pilgrimage on foot. One step at a time, they are walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. to raise “awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion.”

(Photo above: Venerable Monks on the Walk for Peace, arrive in Liberty, NC, for a lunch break and talk to a large crowd, before walking east through our state on their way to Washington, DC. Photo: Paul Weiss.)

Recently, Angie and I had the privilege of being in the presence of these Venerable Monks and attending their talk at Truist Point Stadium in High Point, NC. Yes, a baseball stadium filled, not with hot dogs and the sound of managers arguing with umpires, but with stillness, compassion, and a whole lot of mindful breathing. It was both humbling and inspiring.