ON THE PATH Pathways Walks With the Monks BY MICHELLE ALONSO On February 11, The Walk for Peace — a long-distance initiative by Buddhist monks from the Hương Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas — ended its nearly 2300-mile pilgrimage to Wash - ington, D.C., at the Lincoln Memorial. The women of Pathways were honored to join the crowds who braved the cold to celebrate the 19 monks who walked for 109 days simply to promote peace, compas - sion, and nonviolence. During the concluding ceremony, the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannaka - ra, the troupe’s leader, delivered closing remarks where he invited ev - eryone to live five seconds of their life everyday with mindfulness, and doing so “can change one person, one family, one community, one na- tion and the world.” He then described what each second represents. It is summarized here to remind us we can choose to spend these five seconds echoing their messages, so The Walk for Peace continues on the path. FIVE SECONDS…
MIND-BODY-SPIRIT
We need to be accountable, not only for our actions but for our learning and growth. If we build our house on the rock of authentic memory and presence, we can solve the complex challenges we face today. We remember to remember who we truly are. In this confusing and dissociative time, we must resist false certain- ties and freeze-dried reconstituted memes, from within or without. Our memories and histories are our own, and shape our health, our choices, our courage, and our futures. Memories are tools for building freedom and community. They make us human and carry us forward, if we are alive to their lessons. As we affirm the power of memory, we answer these questions at the core of our being: What beliefs and values have you learned, and how do you under - stand the role your soul was made to fill? How can you use that knowledge to heal and grow strong, embrac - ing the call your experiences have prepared you to answer? What service will help you stand, authentic and whole, fully awake and fully present?
First second: Loving kindness. “If each person takes just one second to ask, ‘Will this hurt anyone?’, the world would already be kinder.” Second second: Compassion. “Compassion does not mean agree- ment. It means not adding more pain. A compassionate world does not aban - don the weak and does not create more suffering.” Third second: Love. “Start with truly loving yourself… Love the person in front of you wheth- er you know them or not. That is how
Let renewed memory guide you home to yourself.
Carol Burbank is a writer, educator, and coach, founder of Story - weaving, LLC, offering creative coaching, writing mentoring, and workshops in Maryland. She writes a regular column on leadership and spirituality for Science of Mind Magazine and teaches at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She can be reached at cburbank@storyweaving. com or her website at www.storyweaving.com.
we create a more loving world.” Fourth second: Harmony. “Harmony does not mean sameness, it means respect without agree - ment and coexistence without fear.” Fifth second: Hope. “Hope that people can return to morality. Hope that violence is not the final answer. Hope that the world can soften… Hope is a vital light that must never go out.” View the Buddhist monks final ‘Walk for Peace’ meditation at Lincoln Memorial in Wash - ington, D.C., available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKibsoF7wPs.
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PATHWAYS—Spring 26—75
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