Peace, doesn’t sell. We may click on kindness, but overall cash follows cruelty. If it bleeds, it leads. That famous practice (allegedly started by an editor of The Miami Herald in Miami, FL) for “real” media. Take away any guardrails media used to have in place (things like verifying content before publication, being mindful of impact of what they publish) and go to the cesspool of “citizen” journalism and there are no guardrails. So what happens if we just stop? Literally, stop. In October 2025 a group of monks set out, on foot, from Fort Worth, TX. Their message - peace. Their intention - to walk 2300 miles across the United States, ending up in Washington, DC. Their journey - the Walk for Peace - took them along the southern part of the US. They took a left in Georgia and headed up through the Carolinas and through Virginia to DC. Led by a 44-year-old former Motorola Engineer turned Buddhist Monk, the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, nineteen monks made this journey. They spoke little and only when it mattered. In their silence, the message. Oh and they had a dog with them - Aloka the Peace Dog. I had the great privilege of seeing them twice when they were near and then in Richmond, VA. At the first gathering I set my phone to record and then put it away to pay attention. This week’s episode is an only slightly edited version of what I heard. (I edited out addresses from local law enforcement.) So this week, a special edition of Talk Unleashed. Words of peace, and a perspective on your cell phone that will hopefully make you laugh. Even more hopefully make you think. And most of all, consider changing some behavior. It's also worth noting, they had arrived at a church for capacity of 400. More than 2000 people showed up, so rather than admit some folks and keep others out, we all stood outside, they set up a speaker and Pannakara came outside. Note just how quiet people are. How respectful. It. Is Possible. In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. #walkforpeace #venerablemonks #bhikkhupannakara #leadership #alokathepeacedog #dogbehavior #baddogbehavior #dogtraining #shiftingbehavior #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash
