John Cali
We talked about food in last week’s newsletter. Because this is such a fascinating, and also troublesome, subject for many folks, we’re doing a follow-up to our first article.
As you may recall, last week, Spirit and I were responding to several emails sent by one of our readers. We included some fairly lengthy excerpts from her letters. I don’t normally like to make these newsletters that long, but the subject matter seemed to justify it.
You may want to review last week’s newsletter before you read this one.
This week we want to talk about another issue our letter writer raised: eating meat versus being vegetarian. Here are the relevant excerpts from her letter:
I love the newsletters and Spirit. I’ve never had anyone who made me feel alright exactly the way I am more than Spirit. I love his wisdom.
I have the archival (newsletter) CDs, but I’ve not found anything in there that discusses eating meat versus vegetarianism or vegetarianism with dairy and egg products. What does he say about this? Is it okay to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products?
I’m sure there are others like me who are wondering about this question. I don’t feel guilty about eating meat and send out gratitude to the creatures who are nourishing my body. I feel that, if we can consider men who go to war on behalf of a country patriots and heros, why can’t those creatures whose lives go to feed us be heroes, too? If I had my druthers, they’d all be raised lovingly and kindly and totally appreciated. Death happens here on earth, but I’d like to raise the quality of life for all things who are here to feed us. But the issue of honoring all life gets confusing. . . .
I mean, aren’t I life? Don’t I have the right to live safely and well, too? Are we supposed to let all other living things overrun us because we consider them alive? It’s confusing. I’m looking forward to Spirit clearing it up for me/us, as it goes way beyond just what we eat. I mean, what if we find a sentient vegetable one day? Then, what?
Here’s Spirit.
Spirit
Eating meat versus being vegetarian — what a huge, often contentious, issue this has become for many of you.
Let us start with something our letter writer asked:
Are we supposed to let all other living things overrun us because we consider them alive?
Years ago, we defined love as “the choice to see the divinity in all beings.” We, and others, often use the term “all that is” to mean God, Great Spirit, divine energy — whatever you prefer.
So, it follows logically, that “all that is” includes all beings — everything and everyone that exists, past, present, and future. And “all beings” are part of God — they are God.
You are all God — humans, animals, birds, insects, vegetables, fruits, plants, trees. Even so-called “inanimate” things, like rocks, are God. All of you go to make up the totality of what you call God.
Part of the problem here, as we see it, is this illusion most of you hold — the illusion that life and what you call death are opposites and mutually exclusive.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Life — death — life after death — birth — life after birth — reincarnation — these are all part of your eternal being-ness, whether you are a human, a dog, a horse, a bee, a mosquito, a redwood tree, a bean plant, a fish, and so on. All of you exist eternally — and simultaneously — in the physical and nonphysical dimensions.
It has always been so.
We realize those of you who have a problem with eating meat, even though you may continue to do it, are sometimes getting hung up on this whole thing about life and death.
The animals you use for food do not have those hang-ups. They consider their role as your food just a natural part of their flow from life to death, from death to life.
And the same goes for plants — the vegetables, fruits, grains you use. They too have a consciousness. And, again, they do not consider their life spans, from germination to whatever follows — “death” as you would call it — a tragedy. It’s just part of their flow from life to death, from death to life.
We realize what a problematic issue this is for so many of you.
But what is far more important here is your attitude toward what you eat — the food and drink you give your bodies.
If you are eating and drinking something you consider bad, it cannot fully benefit your bodies. Even if it’s something most others would consider healthy. On the other hand, if you are eating something most others consider unhealthy, but you do not — then it cannot harm you.
The bottom line here is very simple. It’s all about the energy flowing through you. Energy which you choose, in every present moment, by the thoughts you choose.
And so if you are doing something you believe is bad for you, it is bad — for you.
Friends, this is all about following your inner guidance. This is all about doing only what feels right and good for you. In practical terms, that means seeking joy in every aspect of your lives. If you do that, you will flourish and thrive.
All is well!
P.S. from John:
Thanks to all of you who gave us feedback on last week’s newsletter article, Food: Friend or Foe? Virtually all the feedback was overwhelmingly in favor of continuing with this topic and related topics. So this week we’re doing the second article in the series.
Then we may take a one- or two-week break from the subject before we continue with the other questions and issues many of you obviously have.
However, if enough of you tell me you want us to continue without a break, then we’ll do that. Just email me.
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