Walking for World Peace: A Living Prayer Across America

Peace is not something we wait for.

Peace is something we practice.

Right now, a small group of monks is walking across America, step by step, from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC.

Their journey spans 108 days and 2,300 miles, and it carries a simple, radical intention, to awaken peace, compassion, and unity in a world that feels deeply fractured.

And you might ask, what does this have to do with animals? How does a long walk change the world?

Photo credit: The Walk for Peace, Aloka and the Monks

Peace Begins Within

The message of the Walk for Peace is quiet, but powerful. If we want a kinder world, we must first become kinder people. If we want peace in our communities and on our planet, we must cultivate peace in our own hearts.

This idea sits at the very core of our mission at Lew Dog Gives.

Change does not arrive through force. It arrives through stewardship.

How we treat animals. How we treat the earth. How we treat one another, especially when no one is watching.

These monks are living proof that inner work creates outer change. Every step they take is an invitation to slow down, soften, and remember what truly matters.

Their walk reminds us that peace does not begin in governments or headlines. It begins within each of us.

Aloka, the Light That Walks With Them

Walking beside the monks is Aloka, a dog whose presence quietly transforms the journey.

Aloka means “light” in Sanskrit and Pali, and his story is one of devotion and belonging. He was a stray who joined Bhante Pannakara during a pilgrimage in India and never left his side. When the monks prepared for their walk across the United States, they made sure Aloka could continue the journey with them.

They did not ask if it was convenient.

They asked what was right.

Aloka is not a mascot.

He is a companion.

He walks the same miles.

He shares the same road.

He reminds us that animals are not separate from our spiritual lives.

They are central to them.

What This Has to Do With Animals, and Everything Else

Animals are often the first to suffer when compassion is in short supply. They are also the clearest mirrors of who we are.

When we choose kindness toward animals, we are choosing humility. We are acknowledging that we are not owners of this planet, but caretakers. Stewards of life in all its forms.

The Walk for Peace reflects this truth beautifully. The monks do not walk alone. They walk with the earth beneath their feet, with strangers who offer water or silence, and with a dog who represents loyalty, trust, and unconditional presence.

This is the world we are trying to build.

A world where compassion extends beyond convenience. A world where love is practiced daily, not preached occasionally. A world where animals are protected, valued, and honored as part of our shared journey.

Photo credit: The Walk for Peace, Aloka and the Monks

The Invitation

The monks are spreading awareness through movement, not noise. Their walk asks something of each of us.

Pause.

Look inward.

Notice where fear has replaced empathy.

Notice where distraction has replaced devotion.

Then take the love and peace you find inside and carry it outward.

To the animals who rely on us.

To the people who are hurting.

To the land that sustains us.

Peace is not passive. Peace is practiced.

And sometimes, it begins with one step, taken with intention, love, and light.

Just like Aloka.

If you want to follow this incredible journey for yourself, visit the Walk for Peace Facebook page, @walkforpeaceusa, or follow Aloka the Peace Dog on Instagram, where daily updates, photos, and reflections from the road are shared as the monks continue their 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Fort Worth to Washington, DC. Their footsteps are a living reminder that peace begins within us and radiates outward into the world. You can track the monks on a live map here.

At Lew Dog Gives, we believe compassion for animals and all beings is part of that same spiritual practice. If this story moved you, please consider supporting our mission to spread kindness, care, and humane stewardship for animals and people everywhere. You can donate directly at Lew Dog Gives and help carry this spirit of peace into meaningful action for those who need it most.