Dear Friends
Like many, we have been following and being inspired by the progress of the Peace Monks (and Aloka) as they make their way from Forth Worth to Washington, DC. We are writing to let you know that our sanghas in the DMV are making plans to welcome the monks with our own peaceful, mindful presence when they arrive in DC.
At present, a member of each of our local sanghas has come together to form a “Peace Walk Welcoming Committee.” As we learn more about their progress, we will choose meeting location(s) and keep you informed about suggestions for where and when to meet so that we can practice as a sangha on the day of their arrival.
The sanghas and their representatives, who will be your primary points of contact, are as follows: Still Water (Lori Perine), WMC (Nigel Twose), Baltimore & Beyond (Marisela Gomez), Flowers of Peace (Tom Livingston), True Names (Jeff Johnson), OHMC (Sunil Misra), Sugarloaf Mountain (Joyce Bailey), MPCF (Jill McKay), WakeUp DC (Alyssa).
Our Sangha Presence as we Welcome the Peace Monks
We intend to support the wish of the monks who over and over again remind us that they are not practicing for us, but to encourage us to practice peace and compassion in our own lives. Let us bring the teachings of our dear and respected teacher, Thay, in our hearts as we come together in Washington DC to welcome the monks.
It is possible that the day will bring us challenges - changes of venue, large noisy crowds, or inability to hear the monks, etc. May we accept the conditions that arise with gratitude. Let us support each other and those around us with equanimity and hold fast to our intention to maintain peaceful silence, to walk mindfully, and to offer our collective presence for all beings that they may be safe, happy and peaceful.
Route, Timing, and Meeting Location
We are currently not sure when and where the monks will arrive in DC, and we may not have final information until a day or two before their arrival. We are not even certain about the actual date of their arrival just yet.
Route: Based on information we have read, they plan on being in Arlington prior to entering DC. They have mentioned ending their walk at the White House, but it is not clear if that means the Mall, the actual White House, or some other location such as the Capitol. If they are staying in Arlington the night before, they might come via the Key Bridge or the Memorial Bridge. We may not know which bridge until one or two days ahead of time.
Date: On their map, they show February 11 as their intended arrival date, but we have been told February 12 is now expected - subject to weather.
We know that they are expected to visit the the Van Hanh Meditation Center in Centreville VA on February 8. It will be helpful for us to know if they arrive there on that date. Here is a link to a FaceBook event announcement: https://facebook.com/events/s/walk-of-peace-monks-visit-van-/2219364418473261/
Timing: TBD. Friends in North Carolina have reported that the monks arrived several hours later than advertised at their location in Siler, NC. Furthermore, the crowds were larger than expected, so the location for the dharma talk was changed at the last minute. We should be flexible and prepared for changes and delay (impermanence!).
Meeting Location(s): As there are still several unknowns about the actual route, the ending point, and whether they have a Permit for a specific location on the Mall (we are trying to find out), we cannot finalize our own meeting points just now. Again, none of this may be clear until one or two days prior to their arrival.For now, we are considering two locations:
a meeting point for those who would like to walk in mindful silence with or in close proximity to the monks (maybe a mile or less)
a final gathering point for those who prefer to wait in silent meditation for the monks to arrive and to be joined by their fellow sangha members.
Keeping in Touch
Please keep in touch with your sangha representative as listed above, and let them know if you plan to attend so that we can know who to expect. For WMC, please write to wmcsangha@gmail.com
With gratitude for all the conditions that are making it possible for us to participate in this beautiful event.
With love to all
Peace Walk Welcoming Committee
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Links to inspire and help plan for the Walk for Peace:
The official Walk for Peace website:
https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/
Live Map:
https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/live-map/
Walk for Peace FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/walkforpeaceusa/
Walk For Peace Beautiful song