Starting in late October, a group of Buddhist monks made a 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. in a Walk for Peace, passing through multiple states before arriving in the nation’s capital on Feb. 10—all to raise awareness for peace in daily life and foster national unity during times of division.
Inspired by this movement, Tina Santana—owner and founder of The Agape House, a Wheaton-based holistic healing center—recently hosted “A Gathering for Peace” at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Elmhurst.
Santana said she and The Agape House hosted the event to provide a space for people to “take a moment and call in inner peace for the local community, our country and our world.”
“I’m a holistic healer, and very cognizant of what’s going on in the world, with people feeling divided, lost, hurt or angry,” she said.
Attendees were invited to meditate, pray or sit in silence “just to feel a small sense of comfort, even if only for a little bit,” Santana added.
In addition, sound healers and Reiki practitioners were available for those who wanted to participate. Sound healing is a therapeutic practice using vibrational sound from instruments such as gongs, tuning forks and singing bowls to reduce stress, alleviate pain and promote deep relaxation. Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that reduces stress and promotes deep relaxation, aiding the body’s natural self-healing abilities.
Santana said The Agape House plans to host a similar event in the future.
Participants received a bracelet as a token of the event, along with a flower which Santana said they could keep or lay on an outdoor mandala.
A raffle also was held, with proceeds benefiting the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago, and Neighborhood Working for Peace—a nonprofit organization which provides essential mental health resources to those in need.
