On October 25, 2025, a group of Buddhist monks from Fort Worth Texas left their home on a walk for peace to spread the Light of Dhamma, the path to enlightenment, to Washington D.C. I only recently became aware of this when Facebook postings started to appear, announcing the visit of the monks to my home county.
Led by the loyal peace dog Aloka, the monks have walked through towns and cities across the southern U.S. and the response has been incredible. It turns out that the simple message of peace and spiritual blessings still hold the power to transform people’s lives.
This event is very symbolic of the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune which began last summer when the two planets came within 15 minutes of exactitude. When the Walk for Peace was announced in August 2025, they were still only one degree apart, in Aries. By the time the walk began both Saturn and Neptune had retrograded back into Pisces, the sign of spiritual transcendence. When their walk ends at the end of February 2026, Saturn and Neptune will be in exact conjunction at 0º Aries.
As one of the traditional visible planets, Saturn’s realm is the personal. Setting goals, creating structures, developing mastery, facing obstacles and learning endurance – these are the domain of Saturn. As an outer planet, Neptune’s role is transformational: Inspiring creativity, experiential spirituality, transcendence of the limitations of the material world. Under the conjunction of these two planets, the yearning for an experience of the divine (Neptune) becomes a daily practice (Saturn). We face hardship and obstacles, and gain otherworldly rewards of peace, and a bliss that transcends time and space.
There is much to say about the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune and it’s not always so magical. This combination of planetary energies coincided in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the beginning of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the biggest oil spill in history. The previous conjunction in 1952-1953 coincided with the detonation of the hydrogen bomb in late 1952 and the Great Smog in London, a dense fog combined with coal dust that killed thousands of people.
Saturn and Neptune last conjoined in Aries in 1703, and I think it’s hilarious that this was the year that the “Company for Quenching of Fires” was formed in Scotland. (Saturn = organizing a company, Neptune = quenching with water, in Aries = fires.)
The upcoming conjunction of Saturn and Neptune is unique in that it occurs at the 0º point of Aries. Sometimes called the World Point, this is the very first degree of the very first sign of the zodiac – a point of initiation into something completely new. Here we have the structures of Saturn being transformed by Neptune in the initiatory sign of Aries, against the background of all three outer planets in new signs.
Let us hope that the beautiful and inspiring message of the monks’ Walk for Peace sets the stage for a more enlightened adventure into this Saturn/Neptune experience.
I am use to seeing massive crowds when Americans come out in opposition and protest. I don’t know that I have ever seen or experienced anything like the crowds that have come out to walk with the Venerable Monks in thanks, support, love and solidarity. I have hope.
It has been amazing and has inspired me to go back to a regular practice of meditation which is perfect for the conjunction of Saturn (discipline) and Neptune (spirituality).
Interesting and wonderful to see all the badges of every Police dept.they traveled through, giving respect and gracious gratitude to the Police for protecting and guiding the Monks then having their badge on the shawl of the leader Monk which is an honor. I feel it is a kind of protection and inclusion not only for them but for the Police. The Police don’t often have positive attention for all they do putting their life on the line for the communities they serve. It is an amazing and unexpected development of positive support. I feel deeply everytime I see that display. And all the people who are drawn to witness this act for peace that is rigorous and inspirational throughout the south. Now the Lead Monk has a respiratory illness but getting better. I guess Saturn is in the mix , the organizational efforts have pulled together to support them in every way as a gift that keeps on giving. It inspires so many growing day by day. Now the teenagers in my school are aware of it and my family and friends, it took so long for it to be known. One Monk lost his leg because of it, other attacks happen not so much now with protection. Even a dog brings energy to this immense effort of heart and soul. I remember hearing Monks marched through Viet Nam and Cambodia after terrible events happened there to bring healing and peace. To revive the spirit of people who gave them what little they had to fill their bowl. Thank you very much for having information on your wonderful site about this event happening right at this moment. I will miss it when it is over, I feel inspired when I see and read about it everyday.