Richmond Walks for Peace

You are invited to join us for a silent walk for peace along the James River — a gentle pilgrimage through nature, presence, and responsibility.

We will gather at Pump House Park (1708 Pump House Dr. Richmond, VA 23221), cross the Boulevard Bridge, follow the Buttermilk Trail, continue to Belle Isle, and return together. (James River North Bank and Buttermilk Loop Trail, difficulty is moderate, 475 elevation gain, the surface is mostly natural. It should take 2 to 2.5 hours. Wear sturdy shoes).
Distance: approximately 6–6.5 miles, walked mindfully and leisurely.

This is a silent walk.

Not to suppress thought — but to let the inner chatter soften.

To listen more deeply.

To tune into your breath, your body, the birds, the river, and your connection to the living world.

Before we begin, you are invited to turn off your phone — to set aside the hum of the world — and tune instead to the quieter currents within.

Let the mind settle.

Let the body lead.

Let the river, the birds, the trees, and the ground beneath your feet become your teachers.

Silence gives space for the inner voice to be heard — the one that knows how to listen, how to belong, how to remember its place in the living web.

You are welcome to wear orange, if you wish, as a gesture of solidarity with the monks walking for peace whose presence and devotion inspired this gathering.

We walk not to fix the world from a distance,
but to take responsibility for our part in it —
to carry peace in our nervous systems,
to let it move through our steps,
and to offer it back to the Earth and to one another.

After the walk, silence may gently lift. Those who feel called are invited to gather at a nearby coffee shop — to meet fellow walkers, share reflections, or simply sit together in quiet companionship.

Come as you are.
Walk with the Earth.
Listen for what is alive within you.
Let peace take root.

There is no cost. All are free to attend.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Laura Giles - Surviving to Thriving