Re: Vegetarianism and pets?
Namaste DK,
Having had pets of my own, I understand your devoted love for your pets, and would never suggest abandoning them now because you want to follow your spiritual journey. This is unfair for them who have lived with you for so long, and the suggestion to give them up because they've become a nuisance strikes me as being a wee bit selfish. Maybe you could consider one day if it'll be something that bothers you, but that's to be your decision at the end of the day.
I knew one woman, a member of ISKCON, who had a cat but refused to feed it. Her son, who lived with her, had to feed it because she wouldn't allow cat food (containing meat) within her home. It seems to me that that is taking it too far. What do the members of the group think?
There's being vegetarian because you honour the code of ahimsa and which to refrain from consuming the flesh of what was once a living being, and then there's being plain silly and superstitious. There is a reason why a human is a human, and a cat is a cat. We are different animals with different dietary requirements for our own survival, so why pretend otherwise? To speak truthfully, I think this type of behaviour is taking things too far. I agree very much with you. It is cruel to force any animal - especially obligate carnivores - to conform to the same veggie diet as you. Being a hunter is part of the cat's nature; it's his dharma, and so he is obligated to fulfil it. It is ludicrous to assume you can change that because you yourself wishes to observe vegetarianism for spiritual reasons. One might even argue it is a form of himsa to force the cat to follow your yama of ahimsa. How can your two dharmas be the same?
Please remember that God is not going to be angry with you. Consider this: how many times to do you ask yourself before doing something: "Am I pleasing God in doing this? Or will He be angry?" Just by thinking this, you are already considering His wishes. How could He ever be angry at that? Thinking of Him even just once a day already makes Him very happy, so please be kind to yourself and don't blame yourself for what you do. God does not expect perfection from you. He doesn't want that from you. Just your love and happiness for and in Him are what brings Him joy.
True detachment is not when you stop caring about something. It isn't like a shrug of the shoulders or a diminishing of one's sense of awareness. It's about recognising that something is happening, maybe even being afraid or happy (or whatever the emotion is reative to the situation), but going ahead and dealing with it anyway with the knowledge that the Self is never harmed, offended or moved. There is a part of you that will remain eternally constant, shining and untouchable. With this wisdom in mind, whether for good or bad, happy or sad, you are able to observe all the goes on around you with complete, unselfish peace of mind.
Om namah Shivaya
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye namah
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu
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