What the Venerable Monks taught us...

Here at Santosha Yoga, we were so inspired by the Walk for Peace!!!! 

At our February 2026 Wisdom & Chill, we tapped into the wisdom that’s being actively shared by the Venerable Monks as they complete their 2,300 mile walk from Texas to Washington, DC. We are deeply inspired by their message that we all have the ability to OUTSHINE the darkness and negativity with our own inner light. 

We hope you’ve been staying warm and taking care of your hearts & minds… 

Cultivating Peace from Within

If you haven’t already, we highly recommend that you take a few moments of your day to let yourself be inspired by the Venerable Monks who continue to Walk for Peace. 

How can you Nurture Your Own Peace, right from your own cozy home?

This might be quite simple. 

• 3 deep breaths

• Looking out the window at nature

• Practice being consciously aware of your tea as you drink it

We’ve found the best way to continue our own Inner Peace and to support the Walk for Peace inside our own hearts & minds is to get onto our Mats, with a Santosha Yoga instructor right there with us, live via Zoom for:

• Yoga

• Yoga Nidra Meditation

• Both Meditation and Movement together

Lessons in Justice and Compassion

“I have decided to stick with Love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” 

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Many of us only think about MLK on the Monday holiday in January… and that’s ok – anytime we take a moment to pause and reflect has deep value in the moment and throughout our days! 

And also: we think that All Year Long is a great time to celebrate Dr. King’s contributions to justice and peace. He incorporated the wisdom of sacred texts, the example of Ghandi, and his own deep spiritual practice into his activist work. This integration is so needed right now. 

The Journey of the 2,300 Mile Walk

And we hope you’ve been seeing the Walk for Peace this winter in the United States. The Buddhist Monks and their amazing dog Aloka have helped many folks to think about their inner peace. 

Why are the monks walking?

In a written statement, Bhikkhu Pannakara, spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace, said, "We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us."

"The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole," Pannakara's statement continues.

The monks are walking 2,300 miles and crossing 10 U.S. states as part of their journey from Texas to Washington, DC.

"This walk is more than a journey — it is a heartfelt offering to the community," Dr. Neeraj Bajracharya, general secretary of the Nepalese Buddhist Association of Texas, said in a written statement. "Walk for Peace invites all people, regardless of faith, culture or background to come together in the spirit of compassion, mutual respect and understanding."

Why We Walk

In a blog post titled "Why we walk," the monks wrote: "Our walking itself cannot create peace. But when someone encounters us — whether by the roadside, online or through a friend — when our message touches something deep within them, when it awakens the peace that has always lived quietly in their own heart — something sacred begins to unfold."

The post continues: "This is our contribution—not to force peace upon the world, but to help nurture it, one awakened heart at a time."