Spirituality And Your Diet,
Is There A Connection?
by Meria Heller
"The
most important part of vegetarianism is the real shift in
consciousness that takes place. There is a true correlation
between our food choices and violence in the world. The only
person who would disagree with that is a meat-eater"
- Peter Burwash, Davis Cup Winner. "In my view, no chemical
carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer
as animal protein" - Dr. Colin Campbell, Ph.d, Director,
The China Health Project."I don't eat meat because meat
brings out negative qualities such as fear, anger, anxiety,
aggressiveness, etc. Vegetables peacefully offer themselves
to the earth when ripe, thus allowing a sublime and peaceful
thought-consciousness"- Carlos Santana, Musician."Truly
man is the king of beasts for his brutality exceeds theirs.
We live by the death of others: we are burial places"
- Leonardo Da Vinci, Artist, scientist, poet and musician.
I
know what you're thinking: "more vegan propaganda to
make you feel guilty". How do I know? That's how I used
to react to it too. You see, without being properly educated
and aware I too was using my body as a burial ground for dead
meat. Even when I thought about giving it up, I made up the
same excuses as many of you readers do. Vegetables are alive;
my grandparents have always eaten animal products and they
lived to be 100; yadda, yadda, yadda. All excuses, all alibis.
My teacher, Sun Bear used to say that there was no difference
eating a plant yanked out of the ground screaming and kicking,
than eating an animal that was tortured and murdered. It was
HOW you took that food that made the difference. He suggested
taking food in a sacred manner. Not to contradict Sun Bear,
but I've learned there's more to it than that. I do agree
that without prayer and ritual over any food (or any other
object we take from nature) it is not a good mix for any human.
There
is more, much more. The past two years I have devoted long
days and nights producing my webcast (www.Meria.net). Part
of what I do on the show involves reviewing books worthy of
note, and interviewing the authors. I am an activist. A spiritual
activist, environmental activist, a human rights activist
and now proud to say an animal rights activist as well.
I
have had the privilege of interviewing John Robbins of the
old Baskin-Robbins fame and fortune. John walked away from
his family business because he understood the dietary dangers
of animal products to human beings. He also understood the
horrific treatment of animals created for human consumption.
His latest book "The Food Revolution" was the turning
point for me.
I
became aware of Robert Cohen, author of "Milk, the Deadly
Poison" NotMilk.com.
His book told the story the dairy industry (you know, the
people who tell you milk is good for you?) doesn't want you
to know about the terrible treatment of the animals and the
bastardization of what "grandma" might have been
calling "milk" 50 years ago. Our meat and dairy
today is a far cry from what grandma and grandpa were eating.
Loaded with chemicals, antibiotics, fat and diseases they
are creating a time bomb of disease in each and every one
of us. All with the sanctions of the Government agencies that
are supposed to protect us. When did you ever hear of mad-broccoli
disease?
Charles
Patterson, the author of "Eternal Treblinka" dedicated
to Isaac Singer makes the connection between killing animals
and killing people as clear as possible. The connection between
our food factories here in the U.S. and Hitler's "camps"
during the war will astound you. Dehumanization of the species
always lead to approval of murder. Unless you can really be
honest hearted when doing your research, you will continue
to come up with excuses to justify your fork. However, in
today's society the only means left to us to protest the garbage
we are fed (and that includes bio-tech foods) is to vote with
our fork. That's right, your fork.
After
interviewing people like Howard Lyman "Mad Cowboy";
Dr. Neil Barnard, President of the Physicians for Responsible
Medicine"; Dr.Richard Schwartz on Judaism and vegetarianism;
Bruce Freidrich of P.E.T.A., and countless other doctors,
activists and authors I KNOW what I'm talking about. (all
in the archives)
However,
if the reasons of good health, cleaner planet, cleaner water
and air, happier, healthier animals doesn't do it for you,
let's talk spirituality.
I
have been a teacher most of my life. I am a Reiki Master,
Healer and visionary. For years I had heard that vegan eating
actually opened your spirituality up much more than if you
were still a meat-eater. I thought "hogwash" (pardon
the pun). However, I am here to tell you that it's true! I
wouldn't have believed it myself. Could I have been more at
peace? More spiritual? More in-tune and attuned with the Universe
than I already was? YES. I am living proof of that. For some
reason I had not connected the fact that I no longer worry
or have any fears to the fact I stopped eating animals, and
animals products. Yet, it was the only thing that I had changed.
In
Keith Akers book "The Lost Religion of Jesus" he
contends that Jesus was a vegetarian. It is a very thought
provoking book. In other books I've read (including the Bible)
many people were chosen by "God" because of the
way they treated animals, Moses and Noah for example.
In
an age where we hear the word "compassion" a lot,
and then see it used as a weapon to destroy other civilizations,
we need to put the meaning back into the word. In order to
have compassion, one must BE compassionate. Think Jesus, Gandhi,
DaVinci, the Mother Teresa's of the world. That is COMPASSION.
To give one's life for a friend or a cause, that is compassion.
How
can we be a truly compassionate spiritual being and go along
with the mass terror inflicted on millions of animals a year
and the unnatural treatment of animals (from rape to murder
alive).You may turn your head from the "ugly" material
that is out there proving this, but that doesn't eliminate
the ugliness. What about calling or comparing other races
of humans to "animals"? This makes it possible for
the masses to turn their head when a genocide of a particular
race happens on this planet. Are you seeing the connection
here?
I
hear a lot of talk about being spiritual. I see much less
"walk" of it. It is not enough to talk the talk,
but a true spiritual being walks the talk and talks the walk
every minute of their day.
I
must tell you this:
I
have never felt better in my life physically, mentally or
spiritually since being vegan
I
can feel my power coming back from the murderers who produce
the pain for food by not eating it.
I
have experienced a much wider variety of food than I thought
possible without meat.
I
know that I am walking my talk, and protecting the entire
circle of life by simply not contributing to the suffering
on the planet of the voiceless, whether people or animals.
May
I offer you some suggestions as a spiritual teacher? First,
get into some prayer and meditation on your eating habits.
Ask Spirit for help and guidance on this matter. Read many
of the books out there, I have a great list on my website.
Listen to the interviews by the best doctors, field people,
authors available in my archives. Then make up your own mind.
Ignorance is no excuse, remember that. When your grandchildren
come to you one day and ask what you did during the holocaust
of the animals, what will your answer be? If you believe in
a creator who the Bible says has animals sitting around his
throne, what will your answer be when asked? Let go of all
your excuses. Stop being defensive of your behavior. Forgive
yourself and move on. Time is short. The world is running
out of resources and humans are contracting many horrific
diseases due to their ingesting poisons in their food.
Make
up your mind to eat as low on the food chain as possible.
Listen to Ronnie Cummins interview on GE foods. Buy ORGANIC.
You will taste food the way it's supposed to taste. The way
food DID taste when our grandparents were young. Food without
chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and who knows what else.
Get creative with your cooking. I feel as though I've started
to learn how to eat all over again, and it's FUN. Then, sit
back and enjoy the inner peace that WILL come to you as your
body gets healthier and in tune with the natural world from
the inside out.
"When
one becomes a vegetarian, it purifies the soul" - Isaac
Bashevis Singer, Author, Nobel laureate, Holocaust survivor.
Meria
Heller is the most popular newscaster on the internet. With
loyal listeners in the tens of thousands in over sixty countries
many have achieved inner peace through connecting with her
sincere depiction of the plight of humanity and Mother Earth
alike.
"THE
MERIA HELLER SHOW "- Now in Over 60 Countries!
http://www.Meria.net
