Become Vegetarian
Today I’d like to discuss something that’s very dear to my heart, a topic that is very sensitive for most people for many reasons but one of the primary reasons being: religion. It’s tricky to talk about it and it’s even trickier to follow through because of the very heavy programming that has been done on us since birth. The topic is: eating animals for food or fun. I have tried to stay away from talking about this topic for a long time but I feel now its time.
If you are already feeling a bit queasy about this, I’m afraid you are not going to like me very much today. I’m not going to be very gentle about this, so please feel free to skip this if you think you are not ready for some radical non-sugar-coated talk. And if you are comfortable or even excited, prepare for some major learning, shifts in your mind and maybe even get ready to become a vegetarian for life.
Before I get into the topic let me touch on something that human beings in general are very concerned about: suffering. One of the most profound realizations I have had on my spiritual journey is that human race as a whole is extremely scared about suffering, is willing to do whatever is necessary to avoid suffering (to the extent of killing thousands of their own kind), but generally clueless about what brings about suffering. Think about it.
All human beings want happiness, health, wealth, freedom, love, peace and success but entirely ignorant about what causes these things or the opposite of them: suffering. Here’s the strangest bit: as a race we have programmed our own minds to such an extent, we cannot even see the cause of suffering even when it’s slapping us right across the face. We keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results. You know what that type of behaviour is called? Insanity!
Let me give you an example: every day we wake up, drink coffee, turn on the tv, watch the news about violence and separation, on the way to office pick up the newspaper, read some more stories about struggles and wars, spend our entire day running the rat race – competing against each other, come back home, drink some alcohol, watch an action movie that shows (in the most hypnotic way) how violence and struggle is glamorous, go to sleep, repeat the whole thing the next day… and expect to have peace, abundance, health, love and freedom in our lives!
It makes no sense but that’s exactly what we, maybe not specifically you, but as a race are doing everyday. The result? Look at the world today…
Coming back to what I started off on, human beings are terrified of suffering, but clueless about what brings about suffering. Its like running around in complete darkness touching a hot stove now, falling into the ditch a while later, spilling boiling water after that, an electric shock following that… absolutely clueless what we are doing, where we are going, messing up our lives even before we could start… with debt… massive debt… financially, environmentally, inter-personally, and most importantly karmically.
So here is a bit of a rude awakening… how long are you going to stay blind to the fact that you are eating dead animals that have experienced the pain of death? How long are you going to pretend that that nice chicken thigh that you bought off supermarket is just “lean meat”? Its not lean meat my friend, its flesh of a sentient being that once lived on this earth, had emotions and feelings, enjoyed freedom and love, and was mindlessly murdered for your eating pleasure. How long are you going to give into the temptation of eating a rib eye steak with mushroom sauce with a bit of fois gras on the side? Have you ever looked into the eyes of a cow that was about to be slaughtered? Have you seen the throat being slit open? Are you still going to tell yourself “but I thought it was done humanely!” How would you like to have your loved ones slaughtered “humanely”?
Here is the problem with eating dead animals (apart from the fact that you are killing helpless sentient beings just like you and me) regardless if it has been killed for you specifically or not: you inherit the pain of death that it has endured. And this pain is a karmic debt that you will have to balance. There is no way out of this.
Now you may ask, how is a cow or a tuna fish a sentient being? Well, here is the only difference between you and a tuna fish, its level of cognitive processing capacity. It cannot analyze, rationalize, communicate or study in the same way that you or I can, but then neither can a human baby. We don’t eat it just because it’s helpless, do we? A tuna fish has many capabilities that you or I cannot even dream about, but they are different capabilities. And it definitely feels the same pain as you or I would feel if a hook pierced through the soft flesh of our mouth and pulled us up in the air. It feels the pain but it cannot communicate in our language. It feels the pain but we are too blind and arrogant to see it. And really what am I talking about, if we can’t see the pain of a cow or a goat being slaughtered, how can we see the pain of a tuna fish. Some people ask me, when I tell them to become a vegetarian, “but you must eat fish right? It’s not meat!”
So once again, here is the spiritual problem with killing animals and eating them: you are inheriting the pain of death that will reflect in your own life. Take a HONEST look at your life, if it’s filled with disappointments and broken dreams, emptiness and dead ends, struggles and fight, here is one powerful contributing factor that maybe causing it. Stop killing sentient beings and stop being the direct or indirect cause for it and watch your life turn around. Yes, there may be years of negative karma to be balanced, but the hands of the Writer who writes our script is strict but infinitely generous. Reverse the process today, balance out some debt by contributing to sustaining life and eliminating pain. You will be surprised by the miracles that follow. All it takes is a shift in our consciousness.
If you believe in reincarnation, here is a Buddhist concept that you may find helpful…
In Buddhism it is said that each of us has had countless past lives before we were born into this one. And in our countless past lives, every single sentient being has served the role of our father, mother, enemy, lover etc. Which is why in Buddhism, all sentient beings are called Mother Sentient Beings: they have been your mother at some life time in the past. Try to remember that the next time you are picking up a roast chicken from the supermarket.
Now you may not believe in past lives and you may not believe in karma. You may still be stuck in your ego mind prison of name, bank account and job description that you have created in this life time. That’s fine Mr/Mdm Asst. Executive Vice President, I know all this spiritual talk sounds all gibberish to you but surely you care about the food that’s not only making you overweight and ugly, but also killing your children by slowly clogging up their coronary arteries. Wouldn’t you be interested in knowing what food is slowly washing away the calcium from your bones and thickening your blood with insoluble fat? If you don’t care about the “dumb chickens”, you must surely care about your own chance of dying one fine foggy morning from massive cardiac arrest without being able to spend those free air miles to Bahamas…
For those of you who need a little more convincing about the medical aspects of eating animals vs becoming a vegetarian, about what food is truly a balanced diet, what food can actually KILL you and your loved ones and what food can heal you and help you live a healthy, lean, thin, energized life – I know of no better teacher than Dr Klaper of the Institute of Nutritional Education and Research.
Dr. Michael Klaper has been a physician for 37 years and a vegan since he was 34 years of age. Among many other interesting posts, Dr. Klaper has served as advisor to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (N.A.S.A.) project on nutrition for long-term space colonists, so you know you are learning from a professional here. A gifted teacher, humorous lecturer, and the author of successful books and video’s on cholesterol-free nutrition, Dr. Klaper has contributed to the making of the award winning PBS television production, “Diet for a New America.”
Here is a funny quote from Dr Klaper that I love: “Nobody has ever been found face-down 20 yards from the Burger King because they couldn’t get their Whopper in time.”
So sit back, relax and enjoy this fantastic, information filled, paradigm shifting 1 hour lecture…
I hope this gets you to think and seriously reconsider not only your own diet choices but also that of your family and loved ones. A small shift in your consciousness can create a ripple effect into all eternity, touch lives in unknown places through undreamed of ways. The world needs your help today. Do something about it. Become a vegetarian. Stop killing sentient beings.
Here are some free resources for making your transition to becoming a vegetarian easier:
Another free vegetarian recipes site
I hope you will spread the word around and share this with as many people as you can in whatever way you can. You never know whose life you will end up saving.
With lots of love,
Shafin
Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com
Well, I agree with you as even in Hinduism it has been emphasize on non killing of sentient for food consumption. It's not issue of religion but than the pets who live with us we will slaughter them for our hunger and it is similar to other animals as well.
I have enjoyed many of the articles on your site, and have enjoyed receiving your e-mails, but this article is over the top. Healthy human beings require meat in their diets. I, personally, require 4 to 5 thousand calories to perform the work I do. I also make my living by providing healthy natural beef and do custom slaughtering for many of my town friends who rely on me for grass fed beef. I will be submitting my "unsubscribe."
This video is over 10 years old! But WOW we haven't got the message yet.
What the good doc had to say I KNOW ALREADY – how scary that I don't do it!!
Thank you for this, and reminding me about what is REALLY good for me.
I am very impressed by this film. I knew that some of the things are bad for the human body. I was wonder some time back, what is compatable with the body.
I have be weighing the some weight for far to long. I tried to lose weight, but was not getting anywhere.
Now I know what I have to do. I have been eating the orgaic foods and the meats and dairy products. I wasn't gaining anymore weight but I was'nt loosing any weight either.
So, I know what I need to do now. I need to eat a total vegetarian diet.
Thank you for this insight. It has been very helpful.
Rebecca McLaury
Albany Oregon
thank very much for this valuable information, it is a great job done, but guess what…….I'm a vegetarian since 25 years a go.
I honor you and I honor all people that is behind, working to make this information available, congratulations to all of you.
I watched a movie called Food Inc on my TV about three weeks ago. On this movie they were showing how the food we eat is processed which included all the meat products. I wonder if some were only knocked out and not really dead when they cut them up. Also, a farmer was killing chickens for market. He had those funnels with a hole at the bottom and putting the chickens in them. He cut the viens in their necks and let them die. The chickens that were next were next to this so they could see everything. They were making a lot of noise and I actually could feel their fear and trama as they watched the ones before them get killed. So, this greatly affected me and I eat meat products. If you see animals being killed and don't feel anything you have been programed to be like this. Check the movie out and see what I mean if you dare.
I too have been considering cutting down on my meat intake. I'm trying to find balance but questions keep popping up in my mind. For example; Why are we unable to eat meat when some species of the animal kingdom rely on it solely for their survival. judging by the animal Kingdom shows i have seen and witnessed the killings they were not without suffering. I would love to hear some feedback on this.
There is sentient life in all livings things, plants included. Have you read The Secret Life of Plants.? Surely if we had the ears to hear we would hear the shrieks of all of the plants that the animals eat as well as the aborting by ingestion of potential plants in all of the so-called dormant seedlings found in each seed which the vegans so cheerfully eat.
My view is that Plants are the most highly evloved of the Sentients, having the ability to transform the Light and Earth contributions of water and minerals to create the Life matter needed to sustain the rest of us. If we bless all food and eat it as a "communion" with the Creator who is in all matter,food included, perhaps that would raise our conciousness more than self-righteously eliminating one transformative stage because of "so-called cruelty to animals".
Domestic animals are there to serve us, even as the minerals and trees serve to build homes , vehicles and all the we use to sustain life.( All of the above are extensions of our bodies)
Thoughtful post on a very, very complex subject. I've thought about these things many times, myself. I've researched nutrition for over 25 years, and have been into spiritual re-discovery for over 15 years. I've found that there are no easy or pat answers, and that there are a lot more questions.
Perhaps you have more direct insight on questions such as these?
1) If we're not designed to eat animals, why do our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, chimpanzees, routinely form hunting packs to knock monkeys out of trees to tear apart and eat? (Videos on YouTube).
2) If all animals are sentient beings (I also believe that they are and that they even have souls of a different type) will the predators of the animal kingdom have a karmic debt to repay for doing what the Universe designed them to do?
3) It's been scientifically proven that plants are alive, and have feelings too (search "do plants have feelings" on YouTube or read "The Intention Experiment" for some quick proof). They can move, and they produce amplified electrical impulses when harmful thoughts are projected at them. Should we stop eating them? What's left to eat?
4) How do we get Vitamin B-12? It's been proven that the form of B-12 required for human health cannot be gotten from plants. One of the best nutritionists in the world, David Wolfe, admits to eating ants to meet his B-12 requirements. By the way, he leans very heavily towards a vegetarian diet, as well.
Just a few pieces of "food for thought"
I enjoyed what you said but you did not go far enough, because of all the
chemicals and pollution in the water and plus the additives in foods it's
a wonder your not talking about that also. I learned a long time ago why
people are suffering and that is what we eat is killing us as a human and
that is for profits. When our water air and ground is polluted you talk about one thing it would seem to me that you would take this to another level
and that is WE ARE KILLING OURSELF AS A RACE BECAUSE OF PROFITS.
Plants have feelings too. They feel pain, joy, etc much as we do. How can I harvest my salad humanely? How the plants scream and cringe as I approach, I hear the parsley groan as I lop off a sprig. Oh woe is me, must I go hungry and ultimately perish to spare all living things suffering?
Sorry people, Humans are made of meat and have to consume protiens
in order to be healthy and strong.Musle tissue is dirived from amino acids.
Dead animals happen to contain the best combination of bioavalebile protiens.Lets face the facts.Try feeding a lion, or any other carnavore
vegetables and you will have one sick kitty. We are omnivores.Meaning we eat everthing.That means meat also.,Ask any good doctor who has dealt with vegans,just how healthy they are.Ever hear of pernicous anemia?And yes, the meat Ind. does treat animals badly.Thats why I
advocate hunting your own food if you can. Google" Wesson A. Price" for
better, and more info on nutritional health.Less than 10,000 years ago our speices ate mainly meat ,berries,roots and some fruits and vegies.(Remeber, most of the grains, fruits and vegies didden't exist untill
about 6,000 years ago. Most anthropoligist will admit that humans were healther as hunter gatherers than farmers. But don't take my word for it.
look it up.Yours in health, Karlos
Very true. Plants definitely have intelligence of some sort, although its poorly understood at this point the nature of their consciousness. They are definitely able to react to stimuli intelligently but how far they actually "feel" is anyone's guess. I'd like to ASSUME that they do feel pain and they do feel fear, even if at a minimal level.
So whats left then for us to eat? Fruits and nuts of course. A natural, wholesome, gift from the universe to us. Linda Goodman (a high mystic and the world famous astrologer) suggests a 15 year plan, where you go from leaving heavy meats in the first 5 years, total vegetarian in the second 5, vegan in the 3rd, and switch to a complete fruit based diet from the 15th year. Its definitely possible. Is it a "balanced diet"? No definitely not, far from it. But is your life all about a balanced diet? Or do you have higher spiritual goals? If you do, going beyond food is another step up the ladder. Its simply something we use minimally to keep us alive, thats it.
Plants have intelligence and they have life. But we have to start somewhere. The journey of a thousand miles begin with the very first steps. Let us begin today. You don't have to become a vegan or a fruitarian right today, but you can begin by becoming the direct cause of saving a few lives by saying NO to animal killing.
Here's a comment I received on facebook that I think is pertinent here…
Shafin, Loved the write up on vegetarianism, may not have been music to the ears to some, but what you bring up is, sadly, reality. Being a vegetarian by birth (born into a vegetarian family), the standard argument I face from the non-veg brethrens is : plants have life too. Yes but just the water element being prominent in them (as compared to … See Moreanimals that have water, air, fire and earth elements predominant) their propensity to feel the pain is much lesser. Animals are just one level below the human race – the top notch of all living forms, having been given the Sky/Ether element that gives us wisdom and the capacity to rationalize. The more elements we destroy, the more pain, and the more we sin. Spiritually, leading the life of a vegetarian is a superior way of life and connects us far better with the creator, making the journey back home a lot more feasible. Many of us do not give importance to giving back to the universe in which we live. Isn’t not taking a life one way of giving back? Many thanks for sharing your views and for calling a spade a spade ~ Lalitha Chellappan
Hope this helps. And do keep the discussion on. A lot of valuable stuff is coming out of this.
Hi Shafin,
For over 30 years I am not eating meat.. All members of the vegetable kingdom are also sentient beings and are susceptible to pain and trauma of all kind. However, I've read the book "The secret life of Plants", and it says there that when you approach a plant, ask it's forgiveness and thank it for it's contribution, it "looses consciousness", so to speak, and does not feel anything. I really recommend this book. And by the way, from other people who commented to this article, please know that fruits are also included in the vegetable kingdom.
The thing is that once upon a time, a man would hunt an animal, eat it, and they won't hunt until they are hungry again. Nowadays, The markets are stocked with so much meat (of all kinds) they are trying to convince us that meat (or milk or anything else) is good for you and you need to consume more for your health benefits, and herein lies the problem. There are so many issues about foods, but I'm sure you will pursue it further.
Sorry, to be a carnavore. I have feelings for animals that we kill and eat, as well as for plants. I am sure that plants have feelings too. I observed it.
I made a few atemps to become a vegeterian. It didn't work for me. After a few month I was so hungry for meat, that nothing really matter.
Today I eliminate the cow and pigs from my diet, (the big animals are more intellegent), and eat only poltery – some stupid argument to calm my guilty soul.
Yet, if my kids would be hungry and ask for meat, I would, probably, kill a beast with my hands without any feelings of guilt. Thank god, I don't have to do it.
Netta.
Really good, people should follow, in stead they will find fault in this and try to pacify them self. Any how what is good should be followed.
I have a slightly different perspective… I definitely believe that most of the developed nations are eating way too much meat which is causing the body to become too acidic. Not too mention the effects the factory farms are having on the environment.
A human's diet should consist of mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, healthy fats, etc. However, I also believe that some meat is needed in the diet as well as eggs and fish. I am totally against the factory farms and modern food industry, but I still think that there are certain vitamins and nutrients that are contained in meat and lacking in plant based foods.
A lot of people will become vegetarians and then become ill if they do not eat a wide diversified diet of whole foods and make certain to get all of the essential aminio acids the body needs. Yet most people go on this "vegetarian trend" and start eating processed soy products and other crap that is marketed to this trend. This leads to illness and food allergies.
I have been debating this myself and stumbled across this article that helped put things in a different perspective.
http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Ethics-of-Eating-…
Let's not forget that anything you eat (except fruit or seeds) is ending the life of something whether it is a plant, an animal, or some other form of consciousness. Keep an open mind and study all perspectives before making up your mind.
Thanks,
Brandon
Well we could evolve to become Breatharians and use the elements as the plants do, to create body energy and metabolize.
Yes, Breatharians do exist, and they choose to eat or not, depending on the occasion. I do know of one whom I have met, and watched him not eat at a banquet but rather circulate and extend benevolence upon the guests. I was probably the only one who noticed only because I knew he was .On another occasion, I dined with him and his family and he did eat.
And by the way, plants are so sensitive they react violently when one of their kind is ravaged in the next room, and even at the thought of doing so. The rule is, the more evolved the being, the more sensitive!
My friend says that plants do have life as the animals.AM lost for words to counter her retort.please help about the life in plants.THANKS SHAFIN FOR YOUR GUTS TO CHALLEGE THIS SOCIALLY ACCEPTED HABBIT.
Dear Shafin,
Thank you for being gutsy enough to publish this article on
Vegetarian. I loved it.
Regards
Sudhakar
Thanks for the article as it made my thoughts on the efforts towards becoming a full vegetarian more stregthened.
I've being a vegetarian only for temporary periods or on certain days. I have been off on meats except fish for some time. There have been occassions (very rare) where I've had chicken due to various reasons (specially when I dine with my family members who are all meat eaters, and when I go out for dinner). Giving up meats have been a gradual process for me and I know that one day I would achive this objective.
Provocative post – thank you!! You ALWAYS make me think (not sure if that's always a good thing or not, though, lol!!)
Few comments…
Both sides tend to have the same argument with the other – and until the meat eaters talk to the spiritual gurus and the vegetarians sit down with a real farmer, neither side has a point – and both sides need to read the studies from their own side as well as the other first hand instead of taking the word of some third or fourth party.
With the lion and the lamb, are we talking about the same Bible that in the Old Testament has the Mosaic Law which gives rules for eating meat, cooking meat, and the same for dairy and honey? Is it also the same Bible that in the New Testament talks about Christ's miracles at a wedding with wine from water, loaves and fishes for the feast?
Can we, in the same piece, claim those who eat meat are less spiritual when quoting people who ate meat and wrote on vellum and parchment as well as clay tablets and copper?
Meat eaters are just as bad – they will tell me that soy is in the top 10 food allergens on the planet, that it is linked definitively in the studies to everything from cancer to ADHD, etc. But they don't seem to know there are other forms of plant proteins.
They will talk about fat soluble essential vitamins and minerals which require saturated fat to digest, but forget about coconut oil as a plant-based saturated fat.
They will talk about how cholesterol is required for growth, for nerve health, for cellular repair and hormonal balance, and that cholesterol in the blood is more about repairing the body than about hardening the arteries, and the fact that heart problems, cancer, mental disorders and diabetes have all increased since the wholesale introduction of soy to the world diet, but they can't tell me why.
Everyone's opinions are fully documented, annotated, peer-reviewed, published in leading journals and yada yada yada.
The cliches are endless, but neither side has convinced me as yet. There is too much money being made on both sides, too many instances of lies, self-serving interpretations of data, and too much crap going on in both the animal and produce industries.
We must be talking strictly dietary choices here, as if we were talking about consumption issues, the vegans wouldn't be able to eat anything, wear much of anything, or live anywhere in the industrialized world at all. After all, more than 90% of organic produce (besides being owned by the likes of Kraft and Cargill) is fertilized with fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, bat quano and organic livestock manure.
I can cite easily 10 studies for vegetarianism, 10 against, and 10 for a meat and milk-based diet, and probably one or two that would say anyone eating anything but fruit is less than ethical, too. And as a layman I could shoot holes in each and every one of them. BUT – it wouldn't do anybody any good if I based my opinions on second, third and fourth-hand evidence rather than actually reading them – there would be no valid argument.
The Bible would also suggest that not only should we not judge one another (that is for God alone), but also that there is a season unto every purpose under heaven.
Are we saying that most indigenous people and everyone born before the 20th century when dietary choices became political issues are far less spiritual than we are?
Why would God create an entire phylum of animals that produce eggs whether fertilized or not? While frogs and some species of fish lay eggs that are fertilized after they leave the mother's body, all birds produce eggs whether there is a male to fertilize them or not. Those that are fertilized produce offspring. Those that aren't become food or fertilizer.
Is it any more spiritual to get a vaccination than to eat eggs or ground beef? (Chicken eggs and blood from cattle are both used in production)
Is it more spiritual to drive a car or eat ham? (Brake fluid uses pig's blood)
Is it spiritual to paint your house, use glue, ride a bike, drive a car, wear shoes with rubber soles, tape something together? (All among the more than 1500 industrial uses for milk – even more if you count commercial uses – and not including the manufacturing processes that currently use milk as well.)
The only reason for anger or defensiveness on either side of ANY issue is because there is doubt, and doubt causes fear. When you KNOW, there is no doubt, and you can look away and not feel emotional.
Until the meat eater spends a year in an ashram and the vegetarian/vegan spends a year on a REAL farm (not some vertically integrated, best-practices following corporate hell hole that the media and government CALL a farm! and you'd reduce methane "emissions" to nearly zero, too.) – both can argue all they want and it won't change a thing.
It is the W. A. R. syndrome – nothing more… We Are Right.
Very interesting~!
Animals are not ours to eat, wear or experiment on. Animals are our Angels, helpers, protectors..
To be vegan is the best way to protect the precious animals and our planet.
I don't know, I don't want to be ironic, but even vegetables are living organisms. I agree that meat can damage our body but you don't have to make it such a big deal. Humans are killing humans for centuries, let
alone animals
For anyone who's skeptical of the benefits of a vegetarian diet, all I can say is this: Don't knock it until you've tried it. I heard all the fanciful claims about vegetarianism, too, so I decided to try it for 30 days and see if I got anything out of it. It worked so well for me that I've never looked back, even progressing on to veganism to see if that would give me a further boost (it did).
What's the worst that could happen if you tried going veg for 30 days? What's the best that could happen? Isn't it worth finding out for yourself?
have u seen the documentary film "Food Inc." its in dvd format,meat was ok to eat 30 years ago,,perhaps..now ,are you really eating meat?
once in a great while I eat a very small pc. of chicken /salmon,eggs,very relunctantly..after seeing this film..ugh
Shafin, please answer this Q.
I'm a restaurant owner. Means I provide meat for other people to eat.
So, is this burdening me also?
If so, then there is no use for me to become vegan.
I would not like to close my restaurant down:-)
Sue that was a simply well-informed awesome response. Thank you for taking the time to round the debate. Many spiritual cultures (aboriginees, latin american tribes) depend on meat as a valuable addition to their diet, and yet they seem very right-brained and in touch with nature and the circle of life.
Hi my fellow beings on this journey on the earth plane. Not sure what to say, so obviously typing as it flows forth. Been a vegetarian (this time around) for at least six years. I was living in a place where vegetarian food was much more readily available, then arrived at this place about 7 months ago, where the availability of vegetarian food is sparce (at best). Through perseverance I've found some places to source vegetarian food. My flat-mate (a lady), stocks the deep-freeze with dead animals and then turns her body into a graveyard for the dead animals by consuming the stuff. I find this practice of eating meat rather strange. I even tend to be more vegan than vegetarian. I have absolutely no reason to be vegetarian, some eastern monks (when I tell then I'm vegetarian for no reason) they say I'm blessed and fortunate. I simply just don't eat meat, no reason.
Must admit the smell from an abattoir is horrific, sickening and shocking. Have to purchase my food (veggies) from shops which have dead cut-up animals on open display (like a horror movie). I've come to realise in life, that I know nothing, that there are possibly no answers, yet I continue to ponder the thought of breaking through the space/time continuum into that endless unfathomless bliss of SOMETHING, you too can go there….., it bids you welcome in its strange way. I'm so amazingly fortunate, but one day (maybe soon), you can dance with me there. In the LIGHT that IS!
'Don't forget to BE AWESOME', i.e. just BE YOURSELF, honour the Divinity which you are and walk boldly amidst the turmoil, transformation is only a shift in perception away. Go silently amidst the apparent turmoil. Within simplicity lies power which supercedes all these trivial stuff. Remember the fire of your being, your INFINITE nature and merge the MOMENTS of each day into eternity.
Here is one of the problems that plague human kind – they are terrified of suffering but have absolutely no clue as to the causes that create suffering. Here are some questions you can consider:
What is more important to you? Making some money or being happy? The financial comfort of owning a restaurant or real comfort of living a happy life? What would you rather have? True happiness or an empty life filled with money, dysfunctional relationships and unfulfilled desires?
I will not tell you what to do or which way to take. But do take an honest accounting of your life and ask yourself "am I truly happy?" If you are keep doing what you are doing. If you are not, maybe its time to break free of your nightmare of unfulfilled desires and do somethings differently.
Is it going to be easy? Nope.
~Shafin
Dear Shafin, i am avegetarian all my life recently iwent for a alternate cure for mylong suffering leg pain they se adviced me tostopall allopat imedicine stop milk and milkproduct like yogurt.iam normal weigt but ihad inherited high colestrol even my mother wh owas abag bones35kghad colostrolbut for me after tis treatment my dl ldl ciolostrolas come downso tobe a vagan is better than a vegetarin usha
We have to exist. We can't survive on stones and water. Plants are made of the basic element, water. Animals from basic elements of earth, fire, water and air. Reptiles, birds and fish live on the other three elements.The main thing plants, nuts, seeds, grains and fruit do is lighten our load of karmas by using only the water element. The difference of wearing a shirt rather than a 100-pound weight of animal consumption. And the load we incur with taking on the suffering of the animals. Yes. That load is also lighter. The plant does suffer and we can spiritually pray about that. Its debt is paid by praying.
Awesome response Sue. The only right way here is if we align with what is right for each of us in our own heart. I don't sit in judgement of what others eat or believe. We are all here to experience and take that back with us when we go home.
If they have emotions…how then can we eat them?
Mayette Pineda- Garcia
Dear Shafin,
Thank you for writing on the topic. Its true that when we kill the animals they get all the negative emotions e.g. fear, anger etc. which becomes toxins in their bodies, and its remains there when they die, and it comes in to us when we eat it.
I do agree that we have to survive, but priority should be for veg food only when the opitons are around.
Thnk you so much for this. I am now a vegetarian, and have been for over three years.
You mention that animals suffer when being killed for meat. Many years ago I trained to become an Evvironmental Health Officer. Part of that training included meat inspection – inspection of animals just killed to make sure that it was fit for human consumption. Yes, I have looked into the eyes of cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens just before thaey were killed, and YES they do know what is about to happen to them.
I married a girl who was already a vegetarian. She put me under no pressure whatsoever, but the fact of her being a vegetarian reminded me of my experiences as a meat inspector.