Can a truly spiritual person eat meat?

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Starlight

One of the main characteristics of being Spiritual is 'Compassion'. As spiritual development matures, compassion and other good qualities become more and more manifest. As the character becomes uplifted and purified the behaviour i.e speech and actions automatically also become uplifted and purified. Therefore a compassionate diet is a sign of genuine spirituality.

Individuals may still be basically good even if they are consuming meat. However when compassion blossoms more fully advanced souls refrain from the inherently cruel meat eating diet. Furthermore the eating of flesh lowers the vibrations and pollutes the soul thus represents a negative influence on the individuals' true happiness and spiritual development.

This is a metaphysical and spiritual fact as taught by great spiritual beings throughout the ages and can be seen as self-evident by sincere people who are not deaf to their conscience.

You seem to be elevating some forms of life over other forms of life. Whatever you eat do it in spiritual manner (compassionately, awarely, with respect). Then you won't have any spiritual problems with what you are eating.

Are you saying that animals have lower vibration than humans??

[H:O:R:A:C:E]

Originally Posted by shoni7510

I had a dream where Jesus fed me a well cooked piece of steak that was so tasty and looked so appetizing and I woke up still chewing.

that's funny!
symbolically, the "meat" of a meal could refer to it's "substance", in contrast
to the garnish. that jesus fed you is suggesting that you've received the
substance of his teachings, and that they were well prepared for you.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by wstein

Are you saying that animals have lower vibration than humans??

If an animal has endured a life of suffering which ends in a state of fear at the slaughterhouse then it is not going to have very high vibrations.

The Alice Bailey books recommend vegetarianism for those going through certain stages of development and wishing to purify the physical body, but also say that there is no set diet which applies to all people on the spiritual path.

There are phases of life and sometimes entire incarnations wherein an aspirant subjects himself to a discipline of food, just as there may be other phases or an entire life wherein a strict celibacy is temporarily enforced. But there are other life cycles and incarnations wherein the disciple's interest and his service lie in other directions. There are later incarnations where there is no constant thought about the physical body, and a man works free of the diet complex and lives without concentration upon the form life, eating that food which is available and upon which he can best sustain his life efficiency.

Peace.

[Starlight]

My view on this subject has no grey areas. In my opinion eating meat is wrong. It is perfectly possible to live life on a diet that does not include flesh. All the nutrients and vitamins can be found in other areas. To me its a matter of absorbing knowledge on the subject or choosing to remain blind to the facts.

Let me put this into perspective. Ask yourself why you shield your children from the horrid truth of where the steak on their plate comes from. I am not talking about saying that its a cow, or a pig or a sheep. I am saying the full horrific truth. A full blown explanation as to the slaughter house process, a lot of which is abuse (as seen in undercover video footage)
If as many people seem to say 'this is natural' when done correctly, then why hide it ?
It is because it is wrong and deep down the conscience knows it.

Touching upon what someone said earlier, most people are happy to eat meat blindly. They do not take into account the suffering and total disgraceful management of the factory farming industry that produced their meat. In fact they choose to not make the connection between the living animal and the meat. Why? Because it is Upsetting, disturbing and disgusting.

Someone said earlier "would you do the slaughtering yourself?" Would you lead a beautiful little lamb from a petting farm that you were hypocritically cooing over as cute into a room, then cut its head off, skin it and chop it up? Would you?

If you understand vibrations you will know that an often tortured and long suffering animal that becomes your food can only be of a disturbing element to your body, soul and well being when it enters your body. How can a once suffering animals' dead flesh be good for you?

Now to my original point. Spirituality. Compassion is paramount to this. If you are preaching compassion, love for all, insight and deep understanding then why would you choose to ignore all this? All sorts of excuses are given as to why and it amazes me. I do not hold with any of the excuses.

Compassion for all is the basis and foundation for a truly spiritual person. It can not be argued.

[Tobi]

Starlight....I see. Compassion is the greatest thing we can be. I do not completely disagree with you as I feel that same impulse in my Heart too. And I do not eat meat, because to me in my world it seems hurtful and harmful and far from compassionate. For us, maybe it shouldn't -or cannot be argued.
.
But what about those Yakut Reindeer herders of Siberia? And other indigenous people like them, in similar situations? For the Yakut, the Reindeer provide them entirely with everything they need for basic survival. They have no option to re-locate. They have no option to 'go vegan'. That is the only life they know. They are so far removed from anything we could know, and their lifestyle is ancient but supports them in one of the remotest areas of the world. In some areas of Siberia, in winter the temperature can drop as far as minus 94. That also, is unthinkable for most of us here. The Reindeer and the people there live in a symbiosis, not an animal exploitation situation.

Now the Yakut are basically focused on daily life and their survival, but we, as people who have the option of vegan choices (and it's very good that we have), should not judge people like that for their meat eating. Or consider them less compassionate, less 'spiritual' or less aware -than we are.

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

It seems that humans are carnivores like many other species in Nature.
But I do wish for a system where, if someone wants to eat meat they must slaughter the animal(s) themselves. You don't get a lion or tiger popping in the convenience store to pick up a piece of ready-made mass-produced killing. Why should humans be isolated from this process? Squeamish, no doubt.

I eat meat. I give thanks to the animal for giving up its life for me to eat and ask for it to be duly noted in the world of spirit. It takes but a couple of minutes before starting a meal.

I've visited a very poor country where people couldn't even start to enjoy vegetarian cuisine and maintain any degree of health. They regard killing an animal as sacrificing its life so they can eat and providing a few other things including offerings to their spirit deities. Perfectly natural to them.

Edit - also agree about factory farms. They should simply be outlawed then if people want meat they pay more. It isn't that much more either. about 50%, but it would make people value their meat more.

♥

That reads like a sound and wise response..
We have lost "touch" with nature (and our true nature) and so we choose lifestyles that need fast foods to match our non thinking, patterns of behaviours, that don't have time to listen and learn the ways of the land and all things connected. That...."Don't need to think about the how's and why's, where, what who, where did it come from, how did it come to be there" That don't consider the many aspects of life that we as humans can notice and take action to do so. That if they were to visit and witness "directly" the many ways in which our planet is carved, sourced and patterned to meet our overly gluttonous ways as humans, that "might" (yes I did say might) awaken and force (or even scare?) them to make healthier choices not only for themselves and their loved ones, but also for the cruel ways in which we destroy this planet to satisfy our own personal gain to meet our overly selfish ways..(phew that felt great to get out of me)

But then, there are fat pigs (artificially fattened) that play in mud sty's. fed by humans, created for them by humans...So it all makes sense really doesn't it?

[LiberatedLotus]

Depends on how one approaches spirituality.

Spirituality does not encompass one path.

Dietary choices are influenced by health,
socioeconomic, cultural, moral, ethical, and spiritual factors.

For me, what is on my plate: where I choose
to spend my money and what I consume
are reflective of my place in the Universe.

I make a conscious effort to purchase local,
farm to market, organic, sustainable, fair trade certified,
ethically sourced, and humanely raised goods.

This is because I understand the
interconnectedness of all things in existence.
My choices are rooted in the knowledge of
the multifaceted world we live in.
It is reflective of my morals, values,
principles and philosophies of life.
I have the ability to.


However, this is but one expression
of spirituality. For a myriad of reasons,
one may choose another form of expression.

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by Starlight

One of the main characteristics of being Spiritual is 'Compassion'. As spiritual development matures, compassion and other good qualities become more and more manifest. As the character becomes uplifted and purified the behaviour i.e speech and actions automatically also become uplifted and purified. Therefore a compassionate diet is a sign of genuine spirituality.

Individuals may still be basically good even if they are consuming meat. However when compassion blossoms more fully advanced souls refrain from the inherently cruel meat eating diet. Furthermore the eating of flesh lowers the vibrations and pollutes the soul thus represents a negative influence on the individuals' true happiness and spiritual development.

This is a metaphysical and spiritual fact as taught by great spiritual beings throughout the ages and can be seen as self-evident by sincere people who are not deaf to their conscience.

We are what we think we are and also not what we think we are. So I usually stop thinking and start dropping into my own being to listen to myself and what I need to be doing more directly from within.

The fact for myself, is that my compassion and awareness from my spiritual perspective, cannot say what is right and wrong for other life and the nature of spirituality, because my compassion understands the nature of life as it is. My conscience reminds me of this time and time again and I listen to myself to know and find what is right for me even as other people make their own choices.

When you take out the "word" spiritual from compassion, compassion is just that, when you take out compassion then spiritual is just what it needs to be for you the one noticing all this..

[ocean breeze]

I value my meat simply by enjoying it. Not letting it go to waste.

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

I eat meat. I give thanks to the animal for giving up its life for me to eat and ask for it to be duly noted in the world of spirit.

Its not like the animal had any choice.

[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by ocean breeze

I value my meat simply by enjoying it. Not letting it go to waste.

I don't get this? Can you explain the logic in this?

Its not like the animal had any choice.

True, most animals bred for eating purposes don't have choice. We humans make the choices for them in the raising, sacrifice and eating of them, they don't get a say or choice.