“Nothing comes from violence, and nothing ever could.”-Sting, “Fragile”
Over the next few months, we will begin to examine the 5 tenets of Jivamukti Yoga. Jivamukti Yoga was created by my teacher’s teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life www.jivamuktiyoga.com. Jivamukti means living liberated; being free while on this planet and in this physical body. “Take from me all that is not free.” –Bhagavan Das
One of the 5 tenets of Jivamukti Yoga is ahimsa meaning non-violence. We can practice ahimsa in a variety of ways: managing our thoughts during road rage, refraining from using swear words or simply committing to compassion. His Holiness the Dalai Lama says: “If you seek enlightenment, or even if you seek happiness, go to the cause. Nothing exists without a cause. The root cause of happiness is compassion.”
October is World Vegetarian Month. The benefits of a vegetarian diet are vast and wide. What a perfect way to practice ahimsa. Consider the following benefits from the North American Vegetarian Society:
-Reduces the risk of major killers such as heart disease, strokes and cancers while cutting exposure to food borne pathogens;
-Provides a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops;
-Saves animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter;
-Conserves vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources;
-Preserves irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats;
-Decreases greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming;
-Mitigates the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture.
Contemplate ahimsa and how it plays out in your life. Maybe you chose one day a week for the month of October to be meat-free. Maybe you chose one full week to be meat-free or maybe the entire month. Thomas Edison said: “Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” If a meat-free diet is not appropriate for you at this time in your life, maybe you simply practice compassion. The Dalai Lama says: “Everybody is praying eagerly about that.”
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ahimsa
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3 comments:
Great post. You know, I should write a book called "The Reluctant Vegetarian". I love meat. I was raised in a household that believed no meal was complete unless it had meat. I just got off the phone with my ailing mother and I couldn't believe that I was singing the praises of raw broccoli and organic oatmeal. (I sold her on increasing her oatmeal intake, btw.)
The point is this: going veggie is hard. Especially for adults who have formed their eating habits and worldviews. It's still somewhat surprising when I hear self-identified liberal people vehemently defending their right to eat meat. They will evoke God, Darwinism and the principles of human dominion over all of Earth's creatures all in the same argument!
It is easy to defend what is comfortable for you in your life. It was hard to accept that stopping my meat consumption was not only the right thing to do be in full accordance of my feminist principles, but it was also better for my health.
I've learned to appreciate that vegetarianism isn't always about saving little piggies and chickies, sometimes it's about doing right by your own body. If you obsess over your weight and workout everyday, yet consume meat, how exactly are you taking care of yourself? It's like ordering a double cheeseburger, fries and a DIET coke: It's self-defeating. If you talk about workers' rights and corporate thievery, yet eat meat, you are supporting an industry that abuses its workers as much as it does animals. Are you anti-immigrant? Who do you think kills and packs the meat that you buy from the store. Concerned about what you feed your children? Then stop feeding them chicken tenders as a quick meal options. Care about earth's sustainability? Recycling is only part of the equation, curbing meat consumption is another one.
Like kicking the smoking habit, it takes time, will power and commitment. You don't have to do it all at once. You can use Vegetarian Month, New Year's resolutions, your birthday, etc. as a starting point. Phase out one animal at a time (that worked for me). Practice yoga! Join a supportive environment. Try new vegetarian-friendly restaurants...the opportunities to modify your life for the better are endless.
Trust me: I still dream about Chicken McNuggets, but I know that being a compassionate, progressive, healthy human being involves some sacrifice; and truly the benefits I get in return far outweigh what I have to give up.
Veggies equal world peace.
Hey, I respect your views but there's nothing like a good pot roast! Ha! I'm a meat and potatoes girl too!
As a young girl in catholic school, I could not wait for Lent to end, which meant no more "Egg Fooyung" Chinese: 芙蓉蛋.
Sorry Grandma, not one of my faves.
Seriously though, I love my veggies too! Maybe someday...
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