Veggies by Force...

[Monica]

Also we don't have to be completely Vegetarian or completely Meat eaters. The balance is what is desired. For each person it is a different.

I agree that each person should seek their own guidance as to what is appropriate for them at this point in their lives. As shown in this thread, people often change their dietary tastes when they have a major spiritual breakthru.

I would like to point out, though, that 'balance' doesn't necessarily mean a middle-ground between being vegetarian and eating meat. I've been told before (by meat-eaters) that I was 'too extreme' and 'not balanced' because I chose to not eat meat. I was told that a 'balance' meant eating meat in moderation. Although I respect that this might be appropriate for others, I didn't feel it was their place to dictate to me what was 'balance' for me. My point is that the idea of 'balance' need not necessarily include meat at all.

You can have a majority of your food as vegetarian and then eat some animal protein for protein intake.

I agree that being 'mostly' vegetarian and just reducing meat intake can do a world of good. If everyone on the planet just reduced their meat consumption by 50%, it would have a dramatic impact on the environment! It needn't be an all-or-nothing proposition. Just cutting back on meat can improve one's health.

It's not necessary to eat meat for protein, however. Protein is found in nearly all foods, even fruit. The key is to eat a wide variety of foods and to eat enough calories to feel satisfied. As long as the person is eating healthy, natural whole foods, they will get ample protein without meat.

Again even the definition of vegetarian changes from culture to culture. For some people it includes dairy and eggs. For some it is strict plant only food. For some others it is plant only but no roots, as it is considered violent to unroot a plant to eat the roots. Still for some others fish is aprt of vegetarian diet...

Well, to be honest, this is a bit of a pet peeve among vegetarians. Just as Christians have designated certain criteria (such as believing that the Bible is the word of God, Jesus died for mankind's sins, etc.) to be considered a Christian, so too have vegetarians agreed on basic criteria to be considered vegetarian. The consensual definition of 'vegetarian' is one who doesn't eat anything that ever had a face: ie., any animal, whether that be red meat, poultry, or fish. All vegetarian societies that I know of agree on this definition.

Those who choose to take it a step further and avoid eggs and dairy are called 'vegans.'

Those who eat occasional chicken, fish, or other meat are not vegetarians by definition, though their diet might be mostly vegetarian. My husband is one of those. We never have any meat in the house, but he has a seafood dish at a Thai restaurant about once a week, and chicken once in a blue moon (maybe 3-4 times a year). We refer to him as being 95% vegetarian. I'm thrilled that he eats so little meat and would never judge him for it. But he would never call himself a vegetarian, even though his diet is mostly vegetarian.

Unless you are doing it for religious or ethical reasons, listen to your body's needs and strike a balance between the veggies and meat...

Agreed! For me personally, I am vegetarian for health, spiritual, ethical, and environmental reasons.

What if someone wants to be a vegetarian for spiritual/ethical reasons but their body still craves meat? In that case, I would suggest getting better educated on the vegetarian diet. Their body is obviously lacking something, but it can be resolved in other ways besides eating meat. Try eating free-range eggs (they're from an animal but nothing died). Try doing green smoothies (lots of protein and very satisfying). Try eating more calories (you might just need more volume of food!). Try adding more of the healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados. Try adding some superfoods (like flower pollen, bluegreen algae, sprouts, etc.). You may find that you no longer crave the meat, once your needs are being met. If that still doesn't work, visit a slaughterhouse.

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I only discovered the Law of One about a year ago, but I've been a spiritual seeker for most of my life. As such, I long ago had reached certain spiritual conclusions about a range of topics, including vegetarianism. I found that in most cases, the LOO didn't replace those old conclusions, so much as it expanded upon the truths I had already realized deep within my being.

I have a deep connection with the natural world and the animal kingdom. So, naturally, I spent a lot of time thinking about ourselves in relation to other animals and plants in the context of vegetarianism, sexuality, aggression, etc.

At that time, long before I heard of the "Density of Choice", I came to the conclusion that being incarnate as a human being was a great gift because we had the power to *choose.*

That is, there are many animals that kill for every meal, but there is no darkness in this act for they are merely following their instincts. By the same token, there are many other animals that are vegetarian by nature, but they deserve no praise for this for they did not choose this path, either. You also see animals that devote themselves to one mate by instinct and others that breed in a random fashion with hundreds of partners over time. Some animals band together in packs, some remain solitary. Some are peaceful by instinct, others aggressive. However, these behaviors are directed by instinct and genetics, not choice.

It finally occurred to me that humans are special because we have a CHOICE. We can subsist on meat or on vegetables and still be healthy. We can be monogamous or promiscuous and propogate the species just fine. We can make war or we can choose peaceful resolution to our difficulties. In every case, humans are exceptional because of our ability to choose. Also, as we become more aware, our responsibility grows. There is comparatively little karma generated in negative acts performed in ignorance. But once we begin to awaken, we are held to a higher standard.

To be clear, though I am vegetarian, I do believe one can progress spiritually without being a strict vegetarian. (I mean, really, look at the Dalai Lama!). But it DOES help you -- refraining from ingesting the fear, the pain, the hormones (natural and added), and the adrenaline helps you raise your vibrational state. For me, personally, it is also a way to honor my spiritual younger Brothers and Sisters. While it is not a strictly necessary to be vegetarian for everyone in order to follow the STO path, it is a very important part of my own STO path and a topic that I believe any spiritual seeker would do well to at least contemplate.

I guess what I'm saying is that we are animals in the physical sense, but we are of a higher density and are therefore on a different path. At our core we are all one and it can be useful to draw comparisons, but a distinction must be drawn. What we must do to evolve further is not the same as it is for 2nd density beings, and what is OK for them is not necessarily OK for us.

Wow, Pablisimo, what an amazing post!!! Word for word, I agree 100%. You have articulated what I had wanted to say but lacked the words.

I'm finding participation in this thread rather challenging. I agree that it's "not strictly necessary to be vegetarian" in order to follow the STO path. We all know lots of beautiful, loving people who eat meat.

At the same time, I will be honest here and admit that I struggle with how to converse with spiritually-oriented people on the meat issue. The reason is that, while I respect the choice of others when no one is being hurt, my own spirituality makes a distinction when there are victims involved, and I feel compelled to speak up on behalf of the victims. How, then, do I speak up on behalf of the animals while still remaining non-judgmental towards my friends who either are ignorant of animal suffering, or, for whatever reason, justify it?

In respect to the overall lighthearted tone of this thread, I will continue my seriously ponderous (and potentially volatile) thoughts in another thread. If anyone would like to explore further the discussion about the spiritual implications of eating animals, please join me in the In regards to eating meat thread.