SOME
THOUGHTS ON AN EVENING IN LATE MAY……
SOME
WORDS AND A POEM……
Well,
I offer this in the spirit of something for consideration. I see and
know many, many, people who are professing to be spiritual, concerned
about Nature, the Earth and humanity, etc. All laudable, of course –
however, I think there is something absolutely vital that is being
overlooked, by accident or on purpose.
As
long as our World “civilization” continues to eat and torture
animals, attempts at spirituality, Oneness, etc. are empty echoes and
distractions. There is much that can, and has been, said on this
topic, if one cares to delve in at all.
It
has been suggested that the one, single, most transformative act that
could occur in our World would be simple, and could start Today. No
workshops necessary, no endless babbling blogs and mental games, no
putting off for the future or utopian dreaming. That is the very
difficulty, however, for most wish to postpone, deny and play in the
illusion just a bit more. We love our pets and companion animals,
yet draw an arbitrary line between them and other, perhaps less
cuddly animals. All have the same lovable qualities and the same
capacities for feelings and emotions, yet we turn the other way when
it comes to our food, our cosmetics, and mere convenience.
What
if someone were to tell you that there was an immediate way that we
could transform our World, lessen disease and starvation, and
drastically lessen our environmental footprint, far more than other
methods? I would think that would be more than enough to get your
attention. And, on top of all that, and beyond any subjective
bickering that may occur about those topics, there would be one
positively irrefutable aspect – that we could instantly lessen the
unspeakable suffering and torture of countless animal beings if we
would just look the issue square in the eye and decide to stop –
not tomorrow, not soon, not partially, but Now – on behalf of these
beings, who are killed at the rate of more than 50 billion animals
each year for our food, when there are many other food resources
available. Not to mention the atrocious conditions that they endure
until their deaths.
I,
for one, am very weary of all the spiritual posturing and debate, of
all the “self-improvement” workshops and the like. I am no
longer eating animals, or animal products, and it is not a
“sacrifice” but a great privilege. All I ask is that anyone who
reads this might give this some
thought as well…..
It
is time to shed some more light on this collective shadow. At least
look at this issue, and look into your hearts. Then, it is up to you
to decide how you want to live. It is up to you to decide if you
wish to acknowledge, and act, on behalf of the Unseen.
If
anyone really wants to look this issue in the eye, watch the movie
“Earthlings” or read “The World Peace Diet” by Will Tuttle.
Be forewarned, however, that this is not something to be undertaken
lightly. For something a little less intense, you might want to try
“Peaceable Kingdom.”
I
leave you with one of my poems….
There
is a proud warble
Into
the night
It
is a blood song,
Sung
through the ages
Let
it not go to waste
Let
it seep into your being
A
song on behalf of the unseen
Is
it the call of humanity
And
the call of all creatures
It
is both…
A
beauty so deep
A
cruelty so intense
That
both are difficult to bear
Each,
however,
Needs
to be
Seen
and experienced
What
else is life about?
Reverence
for life
And
a deep respect for death
Natural
processes only…
Never
altered by human hands
There
is a powerful warble
Into
the night
As
all beings
Great
and small
Meet,
and see,
And
know each other
In
a way
Almost
too delicate
To
imagine
The
web of existence
Fragile
and strong
Withstands
the ignorance
Of
the masses
Patiently
waiting
Gloriously
shimmering
In
the light of a New Dawn
In
the promise of a New Day
In
the breath of Every Being
Who
has ever been
And
will ever be…
As
all ride
The
waves of existence
As
all are
Carried
by the stars
To
places where
Cruelty
and killing
Are
not known
To
places where
The
slightest thoughts of such
Are
mere whispers
And
forgotten
As
quickly
As
they arise…
Barbara
Tenzin Butler, May 31, 2013
May
all beings have the causes of happiness, and not have the causes of
suffering…..
Good Morning Tenzin (Barbara Butler),
ReplyDeleteThank you for your beautiful writing here. I will happily post it, and encourage comments....and you are more than welcome to be a "Contributor" to both Blogs, if you like. Just let me know and I will add you and let you know, so you may freely post as you like.
One comment, from me, will center around the fact (overlooked or neglected by some vegatarians and vegans) is that Plants are sentient, feeling beings too, and mutilated and tortured in similar capacities as are animals...and our own natural being as human is part of it all, just as other animals eat both meat (other animals) and plants, we too are from this same recycling process. We neglect the Ecological component, that of Scale, Ecological Footprint and Ecologically sustainable living. The difference for me, is how we have created the Industry and torture process, thus abstracting the feeling from connection and reverence, with the human. Also, among consideration, is the fact that we as humans are far too populated to feed in hunter-gatherer lifestyles. So, for myself as an Ecopsychology & Ecology/Human-Nature Relationship Educator, the premise, from my perspective, has not been adequately addressed, as of yet. So, until we get past the dualism of blame and labeling, yet still using discernment, (the more critical issue, I feel, within the so-called Spiritual Community...which I do not profess to be labeled as....I am not a Spiritual Teacher, yet know there is a sense of the Spiritual...very unlike what I read and see in the community), we are apt to use our energies to address the Industrial and Capitalist issues of both animal and plant agriculture. We need not blame people for sustaining themselves physically with the necessary foods for their life. How this is done, however, is still a question that needs deeper questions and explorations, not simply blaming those who do not buy-into another Spiritual Doctrine....from any cultural context.
Dan Shelton