The Fruits of Peace

We all want peace. We want to feel whole, healthy, calm, and easeful, and we want that for others as well. However, the modern world challenges our ability to truly feel peaceful. 

The Squeeze of Stress

Stress. Even the word itself can evoke a nervous system shift, an ancient response designed to protect us from potential invaders to our well-being. The thing about stress is that it feeds on itself. Like a snowball, the body's responses to stressful influences can easily grow and compound, and it can feel like everything is going downhill. This downward spiral makes you feel squeezed from all sides, amps up our hypothalamus into overdrive, and causes hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to flood throughout our body. For the short term, these hormones can be very helpful in escaping from real danger. But in the modern world, we are suspended in a mid-stress loop--a low-level but constant feeling of potential danger. This loop is generated largely because we are inundated with bad news from all of our media sources. We are forever bathed in varying levels of stress hormones. 

Medical research is clear: long-term stress causes a whole host of pathological effects, such as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, headaches, obesity, anxiety, and depression. Fortunately, in the same way that stress can compound, it can also be reversed. Practices such as mindfulness, compassion, walking, proper rest, and whole foods nutrition activate our parasympathetic nervous system and bring us back into balance. 

Walk for Peace

On October 25, 2025, 25 Theravada monks left their Dhammacetiya monastery in Fort Worth, Texas. They traversed 2,300 miles on foot and, 108 days after they departed from Fort Worth, they arrived in Washington, D.C. on February 10, 2026. They were a steady, stalwart line of orange snaking through multicolored cities and crowds, treelined suburbs, and snow-covered rural roads. Along the way, they met all kinds of adversity, from rabble-rousing spectators to illness to subzero temperatures and snowstorms. And yet, their mission and countenance of peace were unwavering.

Their message was simple: "Make today your peaceful day." They embodied this message in every mindful step, walking for miles each day until it was time to eat and rest, and then walking again. They practiced mindfulness as they walked, ate, and engaged with large numbers of people, inviting everyone to join them. At their once-daily mealtime, they used their bowls (shown hanging in the picture above) to receive offerings of nutritious foods. And every evening, their leader Bikkhu Pannakara gave a dharma talk about the importance of coming back to your true peaceful nature.

Orange: The Color of Peace

The robes worn by Theravada monks are a vibrant orange hue. There is a practical reason for this: in the very early days of Buddhism, turmeric and saffron were the most available sources of dyes. Historically, orange also represented the fire of the Buddha's teachings, as it was warm enough to burn away delusion and ignorance. It also represents brightness along a dark path and protection from factors that could dissuade monks from pursuing this path. Ultimately, the orange robes of the monks are powerful symbols of lovingkindness and peace.

Orange: The Fruit of Peace

The message of the Walk for Peace was clear: practice peace every day, and this wounded world will begin to heal. The daily grounded presence of the monks for over 108 days on social media and throughout ten states showed us how to do it. These ways of naturally showing peace--rather than just preaching it--are often referred to as the "fruits" of mindfulness practice. We can be told something over and over again, but when someone sees the effects of peace in action, it has the greatest impact.

Speaking of fruits, a very common snack that the monks were offered on their journey was the orange. Easy to eat, transportable, and packed with immune-  and mood-promoting qualities, the oranges that the monks enjoyed throughout their long autumn- and winter journey gave them on-the-go energy in an organic package that perfectly matched their vibrant orange robes.

Taking Peace Forward

 

Now that the Walk for Peace has ended, many have asked how to continue their own journey of peace and well-being, especially in the face of troubled times. Consider joining a mindfulness meditation group, connecting with the Walk for Peace Facebook page, and taking steps towards creating a more nurturing environment for yourself and your family. Carve out more time for self-care, including rest, moderate exercise, enough sleep, and whole foods. Eat an orange every day to keep your spirits up and your immune system strong, and let the orange color of the fruit remind you of the monks' robes. Give oranges and citrus fruits to others to keep up the practice of generosity and nurturing. Gifts of citrus fruits are also a wonderful way to open the doors of communication, allowing us to both hear and be heard when we need it most. 

May the fruits of peace, love, and kindness ripen for the whole world. May today be your peaceful day,

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/others/the-sacred-hue-why-monks-often-wear-orange/articleshow/112225324.cms