04-12-2012, 07:50 PM
I am going to answer the following from my personal point of view, as it is easier than trying to word it impersonally.
I'm not vegan. I am vegetarian. I did not say meat-eaters have attacked me. You say "many vegans"; are you referring to the people involved in this thread? And it goes the other way. As far as I can tell, it's the meat-eaters in this thread who have claimed repeatedly that the vegetarians are attacking them.
Embracing the shadow is a valid theory. I don't personally deny aggressiveness, nor do I see it as bad. Aggressiveness is needed in certain circumstances; birth for one thing. Moving forward and overcoming inertia for another.
I do not see this as the same as embracing the needless suffering of animals, or humans for that matter.
We may all be ONE, and humans may all have a collective consciousness, but is that a reason to just let all barbarism be? Do we not want to evolve? Is not awareness part of evolution? Is it not appropriate in this discussion thread to bring awareness of needless suffering?
This reminds me of people who say (and as a naturopath you might have heard this), the air is polluted, the water is polluted, so why bother trying to eat right or quit smoking?
I am not trying to be perfect. I am working toward a higher consciousness, which would involve not causing harm. I have no idea if I can attain it. But I will not consciously cause needless harm where I know of it.
I have several times on this forum suggested the same. But does that preclude any responsibilities for our choices until we become completely healed?
I understand shadow work, but I don't think it's as simple as you spell out. The basic premise may be sound, but then what are we doing here?
Why are wanderers here? Why did Ra give us information? Why didn't Ra just leave us be?
I am not trying to change anybody, and I do not look at the world and see suffering all of the time. I am trying to add my awareness to this venue of discussions.
(04-12-2012, 05:23 PM)Tenet Nosce Wrote: In my opinion, many vegans who have subscribed to the doctrine of harmlessness have submerged this archetype of aggression, and as such are constantly drawing to themselves experiences of "being attacked" by the meat-eaters. I also note that the experience of "being attacked" by meat-eaters can occur whether or not there was an intention to attack. Such is the strength of our projections.
I'm not vegan. I am vegetarian. I did not say meat-eaters have attacked me. You say "many vegans"; are you referring to the people involved in this thread? And it goes the other way. As far as I can tell, it's the meat-eaters in this thread who have claimed repeatedly that the vegetarians are attacking them.
(04-12-2012, 05:23 PM)Tenet Nosce Wrote: In my further opinion, the doctrine of harmlessness, or ahimsa, is a cornerstone of a very cunning and crafty STS plot to keep people chained to the lower densities. By genetically engineering humans to have aggressive and bellicose natures, and then promulgating a "spiritual" doctrine of harmlessness, the STS controllers ensure that humanity is perpetually at odds with itself. The more that the "spiritual" people deny their own aggressiveness, the more that it becomes outwardly expressed as warlike behaviors in others.
Embracing the shadow is a valid theory. I don't personally deny aggressiveness, nor do I see it as bad. Aggressiveness is needed in certain circumstances; birth for one thing. Moving forward and overcoming inertia for another.
I do not see this as the same as embracing the needless suffering of animals, or humans for that matter.
We may all be ONE, and humans may all have a collective consciousness, but is that a reason to just let all barbarism be? Do we not want to evolve? Is not awareness part of evolution? Is it not appropriate in this discussion thread to bring awareness of needless suffering?
(04-12-2012, 05:23 PM)Tenet Nosce Wrote: But getting back to the point- if one doesn't want to eat meat, then don't. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that we can truly attain a state of complete "harmlessness" in relation to the outer world. Keeping oneself beholden to an unattainable ideal can only lead one to greater suffering, in my opinion. It is quite possible, and preferable, to navigate according to one's inner spiritual compass without having to constantly measure oneself up to unattainable ideals. It is entirely possible to declare I AM THIS, without having to simultaneously declare I AM NOT THAT.
This reminds me of people who say (and as a naturopath you might have heard this), the air is polluted, the water is polluted, so why bother trying to eat right or quit smoking?
I am not trying to be perfect. I am working toward a higher consciousness, which would involve not causing harm. I have no idea if I can attain it. But I will not consciously cause needless harm where I know of it.
(04-12-2012, 05:23 PM)Tenet Nosce Wrote: If one is looking out into the world and seeing all this intolerable suffering going on in others... perhaps it is a projection of suffering which is going on within oneself. If we really and truly want to bring an end to suffering "in the world" then I would highly recommend that we start with our own selves. Then, when we have learned how to put an end to our own suffering, perhaps we will be more fully empowered to help end the suffering of others, including our animal-selves.
I have several times on this forum suggested the same. But does that preclude any responsibilities for our choices until we become completely healed?
(04-12-2012, 05:23 PM)Tenet Nosce Wrote: My suggestion- which is only a suggestion- is that our most pressing spiritual challenge at this nexus is to come to terms with the fact that all these ravenous meat-eaters, child-traffickers, racists, wife-beaters, etc. that we see in the world are actually projections of qualities which we have denied within ourselves. They are "other yous" waiting to be re-integrated into our consciousness, and when we accomplish this (and we will) then we will no longer find ourselves in an outer environment which is full of suffering and discontent, but rather one that is full of joy and contentment.
I understand shadow work, but I don't think it's as simple as you spell out. The basic premise may be sound, but then what are we doing here?
Why are wanderers here? Why did Ra give us information? Why didn't Ra just leave us be?
I am not trying to change anybody, and I do not look at the world and see suffering all of the time. I am trying to add my awareness to this venue of discussions.