I ate meat as a child as I didn’t know any other option. I grew up in England. When I started practicing yoga in 2004, I chose to be vegetarian, and felt lighter, and had more energy. I had already begun to study about energy, and hands on healing in the form of Reiki. I had a plant based diet on and off for a few years. Now I am committed to being vegan, since being with my kind, caring partner Anders in 2015. We do our best to live more ethically. We would like to grow more of our own vegetables yet don’t have a big garden, so have a local organic veg box. Our children are vegan. They are strong and healthy.
There is a peace in my soul, knowing I am not harming, killing, taking away from other animals in any direct way. Through eating meat or animal products, despite the knowledge of the harm caused, on a subtle level people are feeding a system that is against the protection of life, and that assumes that humans are more important than other animals. I feel that this attitude, with awareness of choices, reflects a dark current in our society, that infiltrates many areas of life, such as violation of equal rights, abuse of power, greed, lack of tolerance, harm of the environment. This can dull compassion and respect for all beings. How can it still be acceptable to kill and take precious lives? As harming one, harms everyone.
It is evident and well known now, from scientific studies, that animal farming and fishing are the biggest contributors to the climate crisis that the Earth is experiencing; as huge scale growing of animal feed and clearing for farm land results in unimaginably huge deforestation and forest fires. The worst of these are raging in Australia now, destroying the homes of a massive number of wild animals and birds; their lives, a billion of them, were sadly needlessly lost, through the ignorance of humans.
Choosing to be vegan is the greatest way we can lessen our negative impact on the environment, and positively care. It is possible to save lives, and many lives if we choose this collectively. Rather than just supporting extinction rebellion by going to strikes, talks or gatherings, look responsibly at how you can help the planet by the loving decisions you make every day. Care enough to be the change in a real, conscious way.
Please choose life on Earth and be vegan, for all of us. Love to all beings