to be veggie or not to BE

[Guest guest]

as a natural born veggie i never could even

imagine eating such a living soul like an animal. what's

wrong with you folks? is it so hard to give such a

stupid habit as eating other beings? <br><br>feel free

to read what one of my teachers sharon gannon has to

say on that subject:<br><br>"The first step in

Patanjali's System of Ashtanga<br> Yoga is ahimsa, which

means non-harming.<br> When you are Self confident the

need to hurt,<br> humiliate or kill another being is

absent. <br> <br> Only a person with low self-esteem

would harm<br> another to feel better about

themselves.<br> Self-esteem and self-confidence are the result

of<br> Yoga practice, and they have their highest<br>

manifestation in Samadhi. <br><br> Vegetarianism is the main

tenet of ahimsa. You<br> simply cannot intend to eat

another being<br> without harming them first. <br><br> A

vegetarian diet uses up the least amount of<br> natural

resources and so causes the least amount<br> of harm to the

whole planet. <br><br> The more you practice ahimsa,

the closer you<br> come to the realization of your

true nature: that<br> which is peaceful and free of

debilitating internal conflicts.<br><br> Many people have

difficulty accepting the idea of<br> a vegetarian lifestyle

as intrinsic to the practice of yoga asana. To

practice asana really means to practice perfecting your

relationship to Mother Earth and all her manifestations.

<br><br> The Sanskrit word "asana" means seat or<br>

connection to the earth. Earth means all things:<br>

animals, plants, minerals--all of existence. The<br> Yoga

Sutras States STHIRAM SUKHAM ASANAM.(2.46) This means

that your connection to the earth should be steady and

joyful. " <br>- Sharon Gannon <br> (Jivamukti

co-founder)<br><br>or as Sri Brahmanada Sarasvati puts it:<br><br>Himsa

(harming) is classified in three divisions:<br> 1.Physical,

by body and instruments including war. <br> 2.Vocal,

by speaking against others, including psychological

warfare. <br> 3.Mental, by thinking against others.

<br><br> Himsa is to act against, to speak against, or

to<br> think against oneself or others. To injure

oneself or others in any form is himsa. It includes use

of narcotics and all other substances injurious to

body tissue.Abstention from all types of injury is

called Ahimsa. This term is used without adjective; it

includes every type of injury because it is used in a

broad sense.<br> One cannot injure others without first

injuring oneself because injury is the result of<br>

psychological planning. Vocal injury is more<br> serious than

physical, and mental injury is most serious. By physical

injury one can destroy only physical forms. By vocal

injury one can destroy both physical and mental forms.

By mental injury one can destroy even the form of

spirit. Consequently one will go to a lower

transmigration.<br> -Shri Brahmananada Sarasvati <br> (Textbook of

Yoga Psychology)<br><br> As ashtangis we should never

ever forget what Sri K.Pattabhi Jois taught us a the

closing mantra of our practice:<br> LOKAH SAMASTA SUKHINO

BHAVANTU<br> -may all beings each and everywhere be centered

in happiness.<br><br> please watch a movie like

"Animals" and than decide about their happiness and

freedom.<br> <br> OM SHANTI