Hari Om
'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…
Choose-day this week asked you to consider whether you were pulled towards beans or beef. It may have seemed an odd choice. Food is food, right? Both of these may be deemed necessary to health by most, and therefore both might be argued as 'shreyas'. However, shreyas and preyas are not simply about the enjoyment of things, but about the thinking behind our choices. As we are seeking to walk spiritually, we must consider the ethics of what we eat as much as anything. In the Hindu culture, beef will never be consumed. Many Hindus do eat meat - but it is fish or chicken and occasionally goat. Never beef. The bull, from which beef ought to come, is the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva and is therefore revered as a faithful beast of burden and symbol of fearlessness. The cow is revered for her ability to bring forth bulls and more cows, as well as provide sufficient milk to sustain not just her offspring, but also those who care for her. From that milk also comes butter, cheese, curd. To eat the flesh of a cow is akin to eating the flesh of one's mother.
In the West, beef production is big business. Both bulls and cows are slaughtered for their meat. Let us not even begin talking about milk production and what happens to calves…
Please, think upon it. Can you make different meat choices? Can you reduce meat intake? This is how shreyas and preyas can have an effect on our lives.
