A beautiful example of non-violence for all creatures is reflected in the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. He loved all animals. In fact, they would gather around him and do him no harm when he was lost in prayer. There is an anecdote from the life of San Francisco. He once was sitting near a lake. A fisherman who caught a big fish came by in his boat and offered his catch to Saint Francis. The saint joyfully accepted the catch and called the fish, “brother.” He immediately gently placed the fish back in the water, restoring life to it. It is said that the fish, which was grateful to its savior, kept swimming near the place where Saint Francis was sitting in prayer. The fish would not leave that area until he finished the prayer and the saint had given him permission to leave.
The life of San Francisco was a long epic of love. He freely gave to beggars and served his fellow men day and night. He freed wounded animals and fed them with his bare hands. One day, as he was walking, he saw a man carrying two lambs on his shoulders. The animals were hung upside down. Saint Francis asked the man what he was doing with the lambs. When the man replied that he would take them to the market to sell them to the slaughterhouse, San Francisco’s heart filled with compassion for the animals. He exchanged the coat he was wearing in exchange for the lambs and placed the animals in the care of a friend with instructions to look out for the welfare of the animals and not kill or harm them in any way. Therefore, if we wish to find God, then we must love and care for all of God’s creatures. That is why the vegetarian diet is part of the spiritual life.
If we truly believe that we are one world, then all its members are our family, whether they are human beings or animals. Then we will love and serve everyone as if they were members of our family. In this way, we can contribute to a world of peace and love.
Recognizing the need to keep our bodies functioning while keeping the goal of nonviolence in mind, we must follow the vegetarian diet because it results in as little destruction as possible.
For those seeking self-knowledge and God-realization, vegetarianism offers another benefit. Those involved in spirituality find that all the saints of all traditions tell us that God or creative power can be found within. In order to discover our Creator and our true self as a soul, we need to invest our attention. The recommended process in each religion is through meditation or inversion. It requires sitting quietly and focusing our attention in a place where we can connect with the divinity within. To do this, we have to quiet our mind and look within to find the inner Light and Sound of God.
There is a stream of Light and Sound that we encounter when we meditate. The Spiritual Masters teach a meditation called Surat Shabd Yoga, or Shabd Meditation, in which we focus our attention to find the Light and Sound within. The Light and Sound are already there, we just need to learn the meditation technique to help us find it.
Meditation requires stillness. Right now, our attention is focused on the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations outside of this world. This static and noise prevents us from tuning in to the Light and Sound within. A meditation technique that helps us find the divinity within is called Shabd Meditation.
To get an idea of how simple the technique is, we have an introductory meditation called Jyoti Meditation. In this, you sit in the most convenient posture, in which you can sit for a longer time. Close your eyes gently as you would if you were going to sleep. Set your gauze in front of you. To keep your mind still, repeat whatever Name of God you feel comfortable with, mentally and not out loud. By looking into the midst of whatever appears in front of you, you can experience bliss, peace, and joy.
In order to concentrate in meditation, we need to be calm and collected. If we eat meat from dead animals, our own conscience will be affected. We know the effect our own hormones have on our body. Imagine how many stress hormones we are adding that were circulating in animals, birds, or fish when they were being killed or slaughtered for meat! All that is part of us when we participate in it. The food we eat not only has an effect on our physical, emotional and mental makeup, but also on our spiritual awareness. If we are trying to lead a life of nonviolence and compassion, if we are trying to become more serene and peaceful, if we are trying to control our mind and senses to concentrate on finding God, then naturally we will want to go on a diet. that helps us achieve our goal.
When the Roman poet Seneca learned of the teachings of Pythagoras, he became a vegetarian. He was happy to discover, to his astonishment, that his “mind had become more alert and more enlightened.”
We can see the multiple benefits of vegetarianism. Whether one tries this diet for physical health, to enhance intellect and mental well-being, or for spiritual growth, one finds benefits.