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Originally Posted by sunnyrap
I've been doing the vegan way, myself, for some time, but have recently learned another way of viewing the eating of meat. I am a member of a Native online group to gain more information and insight on native culture (I figured I needed to honor my representative portion of Cherokee genes). I loved their spiritual approach to eating fish or meat when they had to: they did it with great reverance and gratitude to the animal they consumed, and considered it a way of participating/experiencing in the spirituality of that species--and of giving that species a way of experiencing participating with the human way. These days, I'm thinking what you do/choose is less important than how you do/choose...i.e., with what heart and spirit.
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Hi Sunnyrap,
I once read a story about an Indian youth being taught to hunt by an elder. They were watching deer that would move into a meadow each morning to feed. One young buck was lame so it was decided to take him. The youth had to watch him daily on his going about the meadow. They noticed each morning he paused at the same location on the edge of the meadow to scan the area for predators. It was decided the youth would be in the tree he paused under for a surprise attack the next morning. All went as planned, but the youth found that after watching the deer for many days and learning his habits, he felt a kinship, and taking his life was extremely emotional for him. The elder said that when the youth could feel this compassion for every living thing, he will have learned the great truth.
We are all one.
How many people would eat meat if they had to actually hunt and kill it? I've always wondered if I could - I have never hunted, but in survival mode, things change I presume. I think that it's WAY more ethical than factory farming and hellish slaughterhouses for sure.
Peace.