the past two days consisted of 14, yep 14, hours of sanskrit! wow. today was an interesting lecture on karma, more assists (my favorite), and tonight is chanting, meditation and watching of meet your meat. i haven't seen it yet (just googled it to link it for you) but hear it is quite upsetting. i have to dash off to the evening's session but wanted to share a few pearls from today's karma:
when you feel guilt or think you could have done something differently, remember that guilt is toxic. at the time that you do anything you do, it was the best you could do at that time. everyone else is doing the best they can do, too. may reflect later with, "i could/should have done better" but best to have the courage to accept that you did the best you could at that time. use your experience to begin planting new seeds.
i LOVE this. a reminder that we're all doing the best that we can and that even though we may wish we'd handled certain situations differently, it's best to not dwell on it.
ok, really must go. satsang in 9 minutes. kisses.
5 comments:
I think you're really gonna need a big *hug* after watching that film tonight...especially if you're not a vegetarian.
*hug*
we got out a few minutes early tonight and ended up viewing john robbins' video relating to his book diet for a new america. amazing book and great video! highly recommend it. yep, am vegetarian again and contemplating veganism (although i have an insane passion for goat gouda).
If anyone out there is interested in vegetarianism or veganism, there is another great podcast called "Vegetarian Food for Thought"-- It is extremely enlightening, and I highly recommend it.
Hey- I'm not a vegitarian, and I'm not knocking it, but I do want to point out that there ARE humane farms and ways to get meat that has not been tortured and abused. People tend to get so caught up in the grossness that they forget.
Another great book is
"The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan. It discusses four "food chains" - industrial farm, organic farm, local farm, and hunter gatherer. It's long, but gives you a lot to think about. And you'll never look at corn the same way again.
Hi there, I think the food issue is a big one. I have recently become vegetarian (also considering veganism but having issues giving up cheese), and while I think that anonymous has a valid point about farms where animals are treated humanely, I think it is important to consider environmental factors as well. From what I have read there are far fewer greenhouse gases emitted in the crop farming process than there are in the animal farming process.
That said, if I found a local farm that raised its cattle humanely and ran an environmentally sustainable farm then I would be their biggest fan and best customer.
Thanks for another insightful post Kimberly. Growing up Catholic, I have always found guilt a tough issue to deal with. I like what you said about using the experience to plant new seeds rather than dwelling on things. I think I can use that one.
PS. I concur, The Omnivore's Dilemma is a great book, and Michael Pollan has done a great thing by making us step back and take a look at how food, i.e. the nourishment and energy essential for survival, has turned into capitalism.
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