ASHLAND, Va. β Hundreds of people lined Henry Street outside Randolph-Macon College Tuesday evening to welcome the Buddhist monks as they continued their Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington, D.C.
The monks, who began their journey in Fort Worth more than 100 days ago, stopped in Ashland, Virginia, where the college opened its doors to host the monks for the night.
"We are the center of the universe. So, center the universe, and they're walking for peace. So, them coming here and Randolph-Macon opening for them to stay the night, kind of gives Ashland the name of peace," one Randolph-Macon College student told CBS 6.
The visit drew excitement from longtime residents who appreciated seeing the community come together.
"I've lived in Ashland for 13 years or so, and every time there's always a big event like this, it's always super exciting to see the community come together," a local swim team member said.
Inside the college, the focus shifted from celebration to conversation about inner peace and mindfulness.
Kendra Grimes with Randolph-Macon used poetry to reinforce the monks' message, asking attendees: "But after this evening, the question remains, will we seek deep peace or just stay the same?"
The Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara emphasized the importance of starting with personal peace before extending it to others.
"The world that I'm talking about is our inner world, our shell, our family. If we cannot protect our world this world, our family's world, we cannot protect anybody's world," Pannakara said.
The monks shared practical advice about mindfulness and concentration, encouraging people to focus on one thing at a time rather than multitasking.
"Without focus, without concentration, it's very difficult for us to do anything," Pannakara explained.
They also taught simple breathing techniques for maintaining calm.
"Add awareness to that breath going in and that breath going out, that's all you need. Take a deep breath. That's it, until you stay calm," Pannakara said.
The monks expressed optimism about their mission's impact, believing their message of love and compassion can create lasting change.
"We shower back there with love and kindness and compassion and peace, this world will be the better place for our future generations and our shelves to live. Do you believe in that? I truly believe in that, because peace has been bloomed since I started from Fort Worth, Texas to here tonight," Pannakara said.
The monks will continued their journey on Wednesday with a lunch stop at Tikhon Orthodox Church in Ruther Glen, Virginia, and an overnight stop at Wright's Chapel United Methodist Church, at 8063 Ladysmith Road in Ruther Glen, Virginia. Wednesday's visiting hours are scheduled from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
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