I wrote this quite some time ago and it was actually an interesting ride re-reading what I had written. I’m nothing if not an independent thinker, though at times I wonder if it does me much good (but perhaps that is beside the point anyway).

Anyway, in reviewing what I wrote, I pretty much stand by all of it, but there has been a subtle change in the balance. In fact a few months ago I went full veg. The reason why is really just a further extension of my original opinion. I mean, I didn’t do it because of a Yogic scripture. I did it as a direct response to the very contemporary issues of factory farming, and even more importantly, the unsustainable fishing of our oceans. There are two things that came to the surface for me: The mass production of animals (Chicken; Pigs; Cattle; Sheep) and the conditions they live in I feel is simply unacceptable. The best way I can signify that is to no longer support the meat industry by not spending any money on it. With Fish it is even more fundamental. Forget the issue of unnecessary suffering; we are talking about the very extinction of entire species of fish in our oceans, turning it into a barren wasteland almost devoid of life. It’s real, and it’s happening right now. I will never eat fish again (not that I was ever that much of a fan anyway).

The point is though, it’s not because I think eating meat is bad or wrong for humans, nor do I think it is morally wrong for humans to kill animals for the purposes of their own health, as long as it’s done in balance with the natural world around us. But we have to get real here, there is nothing natural about what humans have been doing to the planet over the last century. Since I find that for me personally I can live a perfectly healthy life on a vegetarian diet the only other option to eat meat would be to source that meat from organic farming practices only. I could do that, but I’m too lazy and it was just easier to roll with being a veg. I do believe some people would find their health potentially compromised on a vegetarian only diet, I think this is heavily dependent on your particular body type and digestive system. I don’t judge others for their choice; for me it’s more a question of why. Along those lines I just know I’ve made the right choice for me.

Greetings and welcome to the 186th edition of the Carnival of Healing! We thought this would be a cool thing to try, and have been having fun reading a diverse collection of articles. There were lots of quality entries; when we picked the ones for th…..

Wow! I’m beginning to feel like we’re all sitting around a table drinking cups of tea having this discussion. It’s awesome.

Caity – you mention your button was pushed with the word “yogi” in the headline. You make a great point. The “yogi” in mind was the reader who wrote in and said they’d been practicing yoga for a month and still felt like eating steak… as you say, is such a person a “yogi”. Maybe not yet. But perhaps they are on the path.

I haven’t heard of bogi-rogi-yogi… and it’s got me giggling. Love it!

Great point too about balancing vatta… and perhaps I was being flippant to suggest in the moment that a steak would provide the necessary balance. In truth, when I feel like that, it’s root vegetables I turn to. My inclination in the article was not to scare the fledging yogi off with strict rules about how to behave, but to allow them to find the space to get there in their own time.

Tash – great links, adding further to the article.

Bruce – I love hearing what you have to say too. Thank you for the link. Much appreciated.

Em – Another great point…

And at this point in time, 27 comments in… maybe it’s time everyone took a collective breath and agreed to “disagree”. I have loved the discussion, and it’s certainly made me question myself and my assumptions.

Many blessings to all,
Kara-Leah

i have been following the responses but have not posted another comment since my original. i just would like to publicly say that i agree with you completely and have found your comments to be spot on and in alignment with my own thoughts. such a subject will inevitably bring debate.

am i a bad yogi if i want to eat steak? maybe the question SHOULD be: am i even a “yogi” at all if i want to eat steak?

sat nam,
em

I have been doing Yoga long enough (as an experiential practice rather than an academic one) to “know” right to the bottom of my heart that the path I have chosen is 100% valid for me. Furthermore, I believe I honor the spirit of Yoga in the Love and Joy I share with those who come to my classes. Some of those people are vegetarians, some are meat-eaters, some are straight, some are gay. Some are religious, some are spiritual, some are pure atheist. What is so beautiful about the flavor of “Yoga” (It’s just a word!) I teach is that none of this matters even the smallest bit. All these people are connecting to the source within themselves, which may or may not in fact be the same source we all drink from. I don’t even need to know that, I only know it is there, and it is a place of pure Love.

The bottom line is we cannot reasonably debate the pro’s and cons of vegetarianism because we have a different set of value-systems. I absolutely accept the thousands of year old texts that you connect so strongly to are quite unambiguous regarding the issue of eating meat.

All I can say is that when those things were written, science was still a baby, and an understanding of the human biological system was not as well understood as it is today. I am absolutely the sworn enemy of dogma, and I am indiscriminate as to where it comes from. If you asked me, Westerners eat too much meat (as a society) but I find the rationalization for excluding all meat from ones diet to be weak; dogmatic, and based on a flawed moral principle.

I think this web link provides a very balanced discussion on the subject, but I also accept it is not a Yogic text:

http://www.vanguardonline.f9.co.uk/00509.htm

I also thankyou for your courage in engaging on this subject, it brings further light to me, no doubt about that!

Om Shanti
Bruce

I think these sites are worth a read( ive added some quotes from them):

http://www.hathayogalesson.com/vegetarianism.htm

“One of the most important aspects of Yoga is non-judgment, so you are free to choose whatever types of food you want to eat. ”
“If your Yoga practice has spilled over into the spiritual aspect, however, then you may seriously be having second thoughts about eating meat.”

http://www.allspiritfitness.com/library/features/aa120400b.shtml

“This statement is true because animals are innocent, they are driven by a natural instinct to kill one another for food. The bushman is also not cruel when he kills and eats his enemy, for him this is normal behavior and completely within the bounds of his moral code.”

“This evolution of feeling will profoundly effect our behavior towards the animals and towards all the other creatures who share our world. If you have natural empathy for animals and if you can not bear eat their flesh, then you must have the courage of your convictions and lead this moral evolution by proudly displaying your feelings and empathy for the animals. ”

“Choosing to be a vegetarian can come from a moral desision that holds the animals in such high regard that you can find it immpossible to eat them”

Great article btw, well worth the read! keep them coming!