Passionate vegan here

Hey… so I've been around for a while, I guess. I've been vegan since mid October, so over six months. Passionate from day one. I am a full-fledged activist now. I ran a vegan campaign this semester at my uni. I am always studying veganism. I am vegan totally for the animals. Environmental and health issues are not veganism. They're just intersections.

I like Gary Francione and stress animal rights over animal welfare. I like the vegans who talk about anti-oppression and deplore PETA.

I temper my passion for veganism with Buddhism. I have an aggressive side of me, a dualistic side, and I need Buddhism to pull me back and help me find the Middle Way when things start looking black and white. The way of understanding and love is what brings me to Gaia. But knowing about animal abuse and studying it day by day certainly makes the world seem harsher than before… since I've gone vegan, it's harder for me to look at the world softly. If you read my blog from the first posts to the present, you'll probably see a change… from talking about Buddhism to talking about veganism! From spiritual well-being to activism, individual to communal!

I'm more influenced by veganism than Buddhism right now… I need to go back to the vegan monastery I stayed at.

Anyway, any vegan community is great! You are invited to check out the vegan posts on my blog. I hope my recent posts don't seem too negative. I try to avoid negativity, but I don't always succeed completely. Just wish I had more spiritual role-models in the vegan world because I am most positive when I study positive things… I posted some awesome links, though, that people should check out. :)

Namaste.

Re: Passionate vegan here

Hi Louiella,   I am so happy you posted.  We are putting together and gathering info to have a section here about animals and your timing is perfect!!!

Very well done on being vegan.  The discipline it takes is worth the effort hm?!  My friend just turned vegan and I noticed it took about three weeks to clean out his cupboards and change over.  That would be an article worth putting here… the how to and checklist to start new.

I really loved the blog you put together with all of the links for animals and want to thank you for REALLY COOL VEGAN / ANIMAL RIGHTS

There has to be a constant alertness / willingness to fight back attitude so I don't consider activist in a negative sense at all.  It's just being willing to take more responsibility the more we know of the issues on our global island.

I just made friends with a healer on Gaia, Gabriela and when you watch her videos on healing, what you do & my new friend as well as many others on Gaia, from my current perspective is sooooooooooo needed.  Animals are a part of our dynamics in life and survival.  I am a member of earth org which helped me gain a deeper understanding and appreciate what you do to bring about the enlightenment and change in awareness on food and on animals.

Re: Passionate vegan here

Thank you for your reply. I'm glad you like the links I posted.

Veganism doesn't take much discipline from me, though it certainly improves it. It's easy to do something you're passionate about.

I don't have any pets. I am a college student. I prefer the term “animal companion” because “pet” implies something passive and submissive to me, and it would be nice to have a term to distinguish between animal property and animal companionship.

Also, just curious why it's a forum specifically for that alone. Shouldn't all animals be represented?

I'm not sure where you got the idea that I own animals.

Re: Passionate vegan here

To own is to be able to see or touch or occupy.  

Thanks for bringing clarity to the concept of how easy it is to have veganism incorporated.  I understand your logic on  “animal companion”   


The new ROOM  for animals is for organizational purposes.  It is an expansion.


Most talks here are of a vegetarian and vegan nature.


Thanks for asking and for contributing.  Have fun with your studies and again, thanks for taking time out to post!!!  We look forward to learning more things from you in the area of vegan, vegetarian & now any animal health and care data. ~K

Re: Passionate vegan here

Hi all. Interesting discussion going on here. I have seen a lot of vegan sites becoming more about animals than food and diet. I can see the logic in this because our diet often reflects our concern for other sentient beings. For myself I am also concerned about taking the life of plants and not convinced that this is 'more okay' than taking other lives. I can also understand how concern for the environment leads people to raw food diets. All things are interdependent and when we neglect or abuse one thing there is a ripple effect…

It's never a 'black and white' issue. Because in the end we're taking life in order to live. Precious beings like His Holiness the Dalai Lama have to eat meat for health reasons, as do most Tibetans, though His Holiness teaches that if one has the option one should be a vegetarian. There are also Buddhist monks who sweep the ground in front of them as they walk to prevent them from crushing an insect which may be on their path.

My sense is that as our awareness evolves we will have greater understanding and peace about all things. But at this stage of my development I feel I must eat with gratitude for that which has given it's life for my survival. In my case this is plants and micro creatures which my eye cannot see but no doubt die in the process of my eating.

Theres also the concern of how people treat animals - and our planet in general. The methods people use to slaughter animals is often too awful to think about. I am not sure if plants are given any consideration at all - even though science has shown they experience pain. I wonder if research has been done as to what the kindest ways of picking a plant are.

Re: Passionate vegan here

Hummingbird - yours is the best writings I have read on being aware of the balance of life and gaining an understanding to the subject.  I cherish every word as it does cover the allness of all creatures while seeing the two different dynamics exchanging with living things for the survival of humankind.  There are 8 impulses, drives or dynamics of life which are, self, family/sex, groups, mankind, living things, physical universe such as matter, energy, space & time, spirituality, and the supreme being constantly creating exchange and changing the conditions of either improving things that need improved or making better things that can be better.  Nothing stays the same but we all work to help awareness and change and just do our parts as we learn & grow.

Thanks so much for the enlightenment.

Re: Passionate vegan here

I don't fully agree with you, HummingBird, but I understand where you're coming from. I'm a bit worried about some of the language you use. I dislike using words like “self-righteous” even in cautioning ourselves away from something, especially with regard to veganism, because that term is way overused against vegans and veganism. You don't have to be vegan to be self-righteous. And it's just another label, to me. Another way to look down upon others. “Hey, those vegans are just 'self-righteous.' Ignore them.”

So when I talked about being negative, self-righteousness was not a word or even a concept on my mind at all. You can be negative without looking down on anyone, but that negativity can still be stifling at times.

While I do think we need to respect plants, I think of respect in terms of rights and harmony. Rights are protections of interests. Plants do not have the same interests as animals, and nonhumans do not have the same interests as humans. But there are overlaps, and there's a spectrum. It is only “more okay” to consume plants in that plants do not suffer emotionally, they do not have the interest in not suffering that way. It's just a more pressing interest, scientifically speaking. But I recommend the HEALTH blog if you're interested in plants + animals: eco-health.blogspot.com. It means Humans, Earth, and Animals Living Together Harmoniously, and it is written by a vegan environmentalist. I am actually thinking of starting my own chapter of HEALTH, although the problem there is that I am not so familiar with the environmental side of the issue. I'd need to find someone to work with on that.

With regard to the Dalai Lama, if he really is incapable of living on a healthy vegan diet, I understand that. But I have my doubts about this. What study did you read where “most Tibetans” have to eat meat for health reasons? I have heard this argument before, but I haven't actually seen a study. I think you may find this article by a Tibetan Buddhist interesting: http://www.serv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm

Thank you for the gracious reply. By the way, technically, the original meaning of “vegan” is

Re: Passionate vegan here

I too am new here. I've been a raw food consumer for a little while now. I have no problem eating the delicious raw food I come in contact with. My issue was more mental and emotional. I'm still a little over-weight and thought that by eating better, I would also look fantastic. Selfish, maybe. Being self-conscious has always been an issue of mine. I'm trying to fix this though, I'm currently reading, ”Health at Every Size,” and I have to admit that even though it is not a book purely focused on the type of eating I choose, it is helping me appreciate my body more.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Re: Passionate vegan here

and… welcome burnscrunner… Thanks for recommending that book.  We can add it to the library here at Gaia.  Very helpful.  Check out some of the other posts as well and we look forward to your posts here on Integral Veg*n.  Taking walks and checking out the beauty in your environment and some fun exercise is what I recommend for the emotional thing at first.  It truly makes a difference even if it sounds to simple to believe.  Hugs, Kathy

Re: Passionate vegan here

Hey! Didn't have that specific issue with regard to veganism, though I did and do without attaching it to the plant-based diet itself. I think it's great you've managed to establish a raw food diet! I would like to do that, but food options are tough… plus, I have a hard time getting myself to eat a lot of fruit.

And I kind of adopted vegetarianism for selfish reasons (not veganism, though). It was half to develop my own compassion and half to develop self-discipline. I felt utterly lacking in self-discipline and couldn't stand myself for it. So when I realized that I could use vegetarianism to work on it, with success, I was thrilled. You're not entirely alone.

Re: Passionate vegan here

Part of agreement is to see that there is disagreement.  I agree that you disagree and express that in your own way here, and I differentiate the times you agree.  Have fun.

Re: Passionate vegan here

it is always wonderous witnessing the diverse experiences of others while knowing we're on the same journey. We do not always understand each other but friends do not find this a hindrance to love. Sending love and wishes of happiness to each of you precious beings.

Re: Passionate vegan here

Words of wisdom and experience on journeys simply puts it all together.  Thanks for your wonderful writeup Hummingbird.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it today.

Many blessings to all.
Lee

Re: Passionate vegan here

Thank you all. I don't know what else to say. :)

namaste