Peace on Earth is Our True Nature
I received a response to my blog but I was unable to email back. I believe in dialogue and open discussion as we all have strong beliefs. I find exploring, dipping into other ideas and testing our thoughts is the way to truth, if that is path chosen.
The issue was the irony of the killing of animals and the links to health conditions and then using animals to look for cures. The other part was the millions of humans killed by hunger and malnutrition and the link to food used to fatten domestic animals. The point is made how humans kill so easily and then call for peace on earth.
My feeling turns to our consciousness (awareness), there are many who feel animals have no feelings or rights, that they are here for our consumption. The industry that promotes the slaughter finds profit in this activity as does the health industry that generates from ill health. We live in an economic system far removed from the reality of animals and we only see them as domestic pets or food. We don’t appreciate the beauty and wildness of them, the diversity and amazing talents and skills they have. Our lives tend to be run by acquiring more things, work and family. Consciousness as it expands includes the other beings on the planet as equals. I see them that way. I don’t regard animals as inferior, I see them as different and in tune with the natural systems. They are wired for instinct and part of an ecosystem that flows naturally. The human condition is seeing separation from nature, wildlife and each other. We tend to be trained to serve our self interest rather than best interest of the planet which would include the wildlife.
The call for peace on earth, when genuine, are moments of clarity where we see the importance of harmony not only with each other but all other beings on the planet and the planet itself. I feel peace is our true nature and when I live in my own virtues I can’t eat meat. For me, I decided to become vegetarian when I read a book by a peace maker called Peace Pilgrim, she saw that as a step towards peace, not harming the wildlife. She, like Gandhi, had nothing at the end of her life. Thus her life was an inner experience not about accumulation and separation but sharing, caring and fearlessness. She walked 10,000 miles for world disarmament and 25,000 miles for peace across the United States. She did this walk 7 times, with no assistance or resources, although people heard of her mission and she was contacted on route. She didn’t take rides but chose to walk free. She ate when she found food or fasted when it wasn’t there. I remember a story she told about being picked up by the police for vagrancy, as she had no money or ID. She was taken to the lock up where she met the inmates. The prison officer was particularly aggressive, but she just shone love into this person and she felt she was placed in jail to assist others, she was released after a few days. She also spoke of another story where she was at a farm house and she saw a child chased into a barn by a man. She walked over, never said a word, but just stood between the man and the child and he looked very hard at her. She just beamed love, nothing else. He turned and walked away. This is nonviolence or what is termed the non-doing, just being love. Love is powerful. She noted it was the child’s fear that attracted the man. She flowed with life without a plan and talked about peace wherever she went. She encouraged peaceful thoughts, words and actions and harmony with life.
So for me, I am thankful for those who call for peace, it changed my life and I am doing the same now and also working on myself as an inner journey. Particularly I am learning to live in peace with all beings and to accept difference. To seek not to control others but just express my truth and allow others their path. As for animals, I don’t have any pets as I actually want them to be free. Having said that I am not in judgement of those who choose otherwise. I just live the way I feel is in harmony with my highest thoughts.
So thanks to the person who wrote to me. We are all doing our best given our awareness and yes the world can be violent but there is also great virtue within us. At the end of the day the world we get is a choice.
What world do you choose today peace or violence?