The Walk for Peace will bypass Annandale

The Buddhist monks on a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace are in Northern Virginia and nearing the end of their journey.

The group consists of 24 Buddhist monks from the Theravada tradition, representing Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Cambodia, along with their dog, Aloka. They are walking from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to spread a message of inner peace, loving-kindness, mindfulness, and compassion.

The monks had originally been scheduled to pass through Annandale, but their journey has been shifted to Route 1.

“While the Annandale area was part of the initial discussion, Route 1 provides wider shoulders for the walking group and easier access for support vehicles during this cold snap,” says Siraphop Ratanasuban, a local resident who has been monitoring the journey.

On Sunday, Feb. 8, the monks are traveling from Woodbridge to Alexandria. Their lunch stop will be at Chùa Hoa Nghiêm Pagoda on Backlick Road in the Fort Belvoir area. Visitors will not be allowed at that location.

Community members, however, will be welcome during their overnight rest stop, 6-8 p.m., on Feb. 8 at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, 2001 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria.

Related story: Buddhist monks on a months-long Walk for Peace will pass through Annandale

The Walk for Peace will officially end on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with a concluding ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, 2:30-4 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 11, the public is invited to a dedicated meditation session with the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara at the Smith Center at George Washington University. The event will be livestreamed on the Walk for Peace Facebook page.

“When thousands of hearts meditate together in the same moment, our loving-kindness ripples outward, touching hearts, healing wounds, and planting seeds of peace everywhere,” the Walk for Peace organization states.

“The bitterly cold weather, with a wind chill near 0 degrees on Saturday, has been their toughest challenge,” says Ratanasuban.

Aloka, the peace dog, as well as the monks, are wearing extra layers to keep warm, he says. They have adjusted to the freezing temperatures by shortening the walking intervals and spending more time in support vehicles during the highest wind gusts to prevent frostbite.

“The monks remain in high spirits despite the wind,” Ratanasuban says. “Their resolve to reach the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial has only strengthened as they see the local community coming out to support them in the cold.”