After fasting near the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and celebrating the Buddha’s enlightenment in LA, our friends from Nipponzan Myohoji end twelve days of action for a nuclear-free Mother Earth with a 12-mile walk from the gates of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant into the city of San Luis Obispo. The walk will start at 9 am at the gates to the plant with blessings from Fred Collins and the Northern Chumash Tribal Council. All are invited to join (for part or all of the day’s walk). Please join if you are able to be in the area.
More news: The monks’ fast at the San Onofre plant coincided with important actions taking place there to keep the plant closed. There’s an excellent article with photos of their opening walk Nov 30 (which Senji says drew 100 or more people) http://www.ocregister.com/articles/san-379301-monks-plant.html
and also a lovely interview with Brother Gilberto on http://www.nuclearhotseat.com/2012/12/
12/12/12 Walk for a Nuclear Free Future
Join a 12-mile Peacewalk from the gates of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to the courthouse in San Luis Obispo on December 12, 2012. This walk concludes 12 days of fasting and walking in the vicinity of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant in southern California.
Walk for a Nuclear Free Future
Start time: 9am, gates of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Avila Beach
Join three Buddhist monks, one nun, and their supporters from the gates of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Facility near Avila Beach to the courthouse in San Luis Obispo.
The 12-mile walk is a one-day event concluding twelve days of fasting and walking in areas endangered by Southern California’s nuclear plants. The day will begin with blessings from the Northern Chumash Tribal council. Each step is a prayer for the victims of nuclear contamination around the world, for the safety of all who live and work near nuclear facilities, and for a future on Mother Earth that is free of nuclear threat.
This is an interfaith activity. All are welcome to join for all or part of the day’s walk. “We have a duty to pass on to the next generation a safe, clean, peaceful future and the possibility of happiness.” –Brother Senji Kanaeda
Contact Senji Kanaeda senji@nipponzan.net 206-780-6739.
More information:
The route:
- 9am start at gates to Diablo Canyon (“blue line”) with blessing from Chumash people
- Follow Avila Beach Drive a little over 3 miles to first rest stop at hotsprings/spa
- Left (at spa) on San Luis Bay drive
- Follow to Ontario Rd, and continue north
- Follow Ontario parallel to the freeway until it crosses under the freeway
- Ontario becomes South Higuera St.
- Follow Higuera all the way to downtown (6-7 miles from freeway crossing)
- Left on Morro St. for two blocks.
- Right at Palm to City Hall on your left
Bring your own water and food. Rest stops and a lunch stop will be chosen every three miles as we walk.
People joining us en route can call 206-780-6739 for current location.
The monks are members of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order, founded in 1917 in Japan, with approximately 150 members world-wide. This order dedicates itself to non-violence, peace and a nuclear free future through daily prayer and frequent peacewalks. While walking, they use small drums and chant the opening lines of a Buddhist teaching, The Lotus Sutra, which affirms the sacredness of all beings. Order members have walked and chanted at Hiroshima, Fukushima, Three Mile Island, Rocky Flats, and many nuclear sites and power plants in the United States. They will be coming to SLO following a fast outside the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station near San Diego. Those walking on December 12 will be:
Brother Gyosen Sawada (age 61), Nipponzan Myohoji Los Angeles Temple
Sister Gyojun Yasuda (64), Grafton NY Temple
Brother Gilberto Perez (69), Seattle Temple
Brother Senji Kanaeda (54) Seattle Temple
Na mu myo ho ren ge kyo
