The Walk for Peace: 2,000 Miles on Foot Across America, One Step at a Time
A sacred interview with Dr. Dong, by Kerry Romano Zall.
I had the pleasure of speaking directly with Dr. Dong, and from the very first moment, I could feel the energy through the phone. Steady. Intentional. Calm.
Somehow, with ease and grace, I moved past the gatekeeper and straight into conversation with him, an answering that felt guided rather than coincidental.
A Living Prayer in Motion
Dr. Dong shared that he is not a monk himself, but the organizer and steward of The Walk For Peace, a long-distance, mindful pilgrimage undertaken by Buddhist monastics, the Sangha, who walk peacefully across the United States.
Rooted in the principles of compassion (karuṇā), loving-kindness (mettā), and mindfulness, the walk is a living spiritual practice. Each step is intentional. Each step is prayer. Each step is an embodied expression of peace, non-violence, and interconnection.
As he spoke, I shared how deeply moved we are at Corporate Hippie Connection, and how honored we would be to feature the monks on the February cover of The Oracle. When I mentioned the release date, February 14, he paused.
That, he shared, is the very day the monks return to Texas.
A moment of quiet recognition passed between us. One of those moments where timing feels less accidental and more aligned.
What the Walk Actually Is
On October 26, 2025, a small group of monks began walking from the Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
They walked not with banners. Not with demands. Not with slogans. They walked with compassion, with loving-kindness, with mindfulness.
Over more than one hundred days and over two thousand miles, their feet touched frozen roads, warm sidewalks, quiet fields, and crowded streets. They passed through small towns and large cities, meeting curious eyes, open hearts, and sometimes silent longing.
They did not preach.
They were present.
And in that presence, something remarkable happened. People discovered that peace is not far from us. It grows where compassion is practiced.
Why the United States
Dr. Dong explained that The Walk For Peace was created here in response to a growing need for healing, unity, and inner stability amid social division, historical wounds, and modern stress.
The United States, with its vast diversity of cultures, beliefs, and histories, becomes not just a backdrop but a living classroom. By walking through towns, cities, open fields, and historic sites, the Sangha honors both the pain and the resilience embedded in the land, planting seeds of reconciliation, understanding, and mutual respect.
Along their journey, the Sangha engages with local communities through peaceful gatherings, dialogues, blessings, and even silent presence. A powerful reminder that peace begins within and radiates outward to families, communities, and society.
Their walk is not performative. It is devotional. A gentle, steady offering to the land and the people they encounter.
Aloka
Naturally, I asked about Aloka, their beloved companion dog, and what his name meant.
Dr. Dong simply replied, "Light."
After we hung up, curiosity led me deeper. Aloka is a Sanskrit term meaning light, illumination, and brightness. A guiding light that represents clarity, knowledge, and spiritual awakening. Not a blinding force, but a gentle illumination that reveals the way forward.
Of course.
The Three Practices
Compassion begins when we allow ourselves to feel with others. On the road, this meant acknowledging not only the suffering of others, but our own vulnerability. A warm meal offered. A moment of listening. A hand placed gently in greeting. These are not small acts. They are the seeds of peace.
Loving-kindness, mettā, extends compassion without condition. It wishes well without asking anything in return. Along the walk, this was offered quietly, through a gentle smile, a shared breath, a bracelet tied around a wrist. A reminder: walk with us in spirit. Loving-kindness softens the heart. It dissolves fear. It reminds us that we belong to one another.
Mindfulness is the art of being fully here. It transforms ordinary actions, walking, speaking, listening, into sacred practice. It quiets the noise of judgment and allows wisdom to arise naturally.
How Peace Actually Spreads
When peace is cultivated within individuals, its effects ripple outward.
Individuals who live with compassion build healthier relationships. Families grow steadier. Communities become more resilient. Fear loosens its grip. Care takes root.
And over time, nations are shaped not only by laws and policies, but by the character of the human heart.
On a global scale, peace from within teaches us to see one another not as strangers, but as fellow travelers on the same fragile planet.
The Walk For Peace does not promise instant change. It offers something deeper. A living example.
As Dr. Dong put it: peace is not a distant horizon, not something to be built by others, somewhere far away. Peace begins in the quiet chambers of our own hearts.
The core message is simple and profound. Lasting peace is not imposed. It is cultivated. Step by step. Heart by heart.
Editor's Note
This feature arrived not by strategy, but by synchronicity.
In a world moving faster than our nervous systems can process, The Walk For Peace reminds us that healing does not rush. It walks. It listens. It bows to the land and to the human heart.
At The Oracle, we believe peace is not a destination. It is a frequency we choose to embody. This collaboration reflects that truth. It is devotion in motion. It is agape love with feet on the ground.
May this story invite you to slow down, soften your breath, and remember that every step you take carries impact. Peace is not something we wait for. It is something we practice.
It begins with a breath. A step. A kind word. A mindful response.
Peace begins inside us. And when it does, the world slowly learns how to reflect it.
To witness more of their journey, follow along at @walkforpeace.usa.
This piece first appeared in the February 2026 issue of The Oracle, the issue devoted to agape love, with the monks on the cover. Read the full issue here.
