When your mind and heart are truly open abundance will flow to you effortlessly and easily.
Question:
Hi Deepak, Lately I have been recognizing everything as significant and just as important as a human life. This includes nature, animals, insects, rodents, etc. It feels a little awkward because I didn’t purposely try to be this way, it just sort of started happening when a fly kept bugging me so I decided to buy a swatter to kill it. When I took my first swat at it, I felt guilty. I realized it wasn’t intentionally trying to bother me. I got used to the fly’s presence; it actually woke me up many mornings by buzzing near my ears, which allowed me the gift of wake up smiling. (Hope that doesn’t sound strange) Here is the issue/question: I eat meat. I have always been a meat eater, and I can’t fathom living a vegetarian life; maybe because it is outside of my comfort zone or unfamiliar to me. How do I reconcile this? I think one of the most counterproductive things to do is participate in something you feel guilty about. In the meantime I have been blessing my food and thanking the animals. But I’m not sure that’s enough. Thank you for any help or information.
Response:
Lifetime eating habits run deep, really deep, because they are tied into our earliest associations of love, nurturing, security and wellbeing. So it makes perfect sense that it might take some time to bring that long-term habit into alignment with our new ideals and aspirations. Give it time and don’t self-judge yourself too much. Also, recognize that many indigenous cultures who eat meat live with the greatest respect for all life. They not only bless the food and thank the animals, they honor the entire cycle of life and all beings within it. That expanded consciousness of honor and humility is much less violent than the unconscious consumerist mindset that buys industrially raised and slaughtered animals. As you move ahead in your diet, be aware of where the food comes from and keep your attention on the sacredness of the gift of food.
Love,
Deepak
