Don't wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always has been. You may even find the solution at the end of your fork. Sharon Gannon More Quotes by Sharon Gannon More Quotes From Sharon Gannon There are atoms of air in your lungs that were once in the lungs of everyone who has ever lived. In essence, we are breathing (inspiring) one another. Sharon Gannon breathing essence air Compassion is essential for any type of relationship between anybody – human to human, human to dog, human to cat, human to bird. Sharon Gannon cat compassion dog Human beings have been waging war and destroying the environment for long time. Just because it has been going on for a long time and become an unquestioned habit, does that mean it should be allowed to continue. Sharon Gannon war long mean There are many activities that human beings have been doing "forever." We might argue from that perspective that eating meat should be allowed to continue. Men have been raping women for thousands of years; does that mean that it is normal and should be allowed to continue? Sharon Gannon men mean years Lions and other carnivorous animals do a lot of things besides eat meat. They live outdoors, not in houses; they don't wear clothes or drive around in cars; they usually sleep for many hours after eating a meal. Why cite just one of the many things that they do and argue that we should imitate them? This doesn't make much sense. Sharon Gannon clothes sleep animal In fact, we are designed anatomically to be vegetarians. Sharon Gannon vegetarian facts Lions and other carnivorous animals do eat meat, but that doesn't mean we should. They would die if they didn't eat meat. Human beings, in contrast, choose to eat meat; it isn't a physiological necessity. Sharon Gannon meat animal mean Today's fishing industry supplies land farms with fish as well. Over fifty percent of the fish caught is fed to livestock on factory farms and "regular" farms. It is an ingredient in the enriched "feed meal" fed to livestock. Farm animals, like cows, who by nature are vegans, are routinely force-fed fish as well as the flesh, blood, and manure of other animals. It may take sixteen pounds of grain to make one pound of beef, but it also takes one hundred pounds of fish to make that one pound of beef. Sharon Gannon fishing animal blood To meet the huge consumer demand for fish, the industry can no longer rely on hunting wild fish. Now we are doing to fish what was done to wild cows, sheep, goats, chickens, and ducks thousands of years ago: we are confining them in holding pens. Sharon Gannon hunting sheep years Fishing is taking a huge toll on the planet's ecosystem. We are emptying the oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers as we fish them dry. Sharon Gannon ocean sea lakes Fishing is not a benign activity; it is hunting in the water. Sharon Gannon hunting fishing water It is a testament to the effectiveness of advertising campaigns funded by the animal-user industries that a diet that is bad for us and harmful to the planet is thought of as "normal" and a diet that promotes health, happiness, and well-being is thought of as alternative, abnormal, or faddish. In fact, these days it is relatively easy to find vegetarian options in many restaurants and supermarkets, though you may have to ask. Sharon Gannon effectiveness alternatives animal By working to alleviate the suffering of animals you are working at the cause level of human suffering. Sharon Gannon levels suffering animal To live and breathe with an exclusive focus on one's small self, disconnected from the whole, is the definition of egotism. Sharon Gannon definitions focus self If yogis are to come to the realization of the interconnectedness of life, then we must free ourselves from the conditioning that has caused us to think it is all right to exclude all the other animals from our own goals of peace, freedom, and happiness. Sharon Gannon goal animal thinking Choosing to be kind rather than to be cruel benefits everyone. Sharon Gannon be-kind benefits kind If you want to know if someone is a "spiritual being" ask yourself, "Is he or she breathing?" If the answer is yes, then you know that you are in the presence of a spiritual being. Sharon Gannon breathing spiritual answers The enemy of the spirit is the selfish ego, which thinks that happiness can be gained through causing unhappiness and disharmony to others. In many ancient languages, the word for enemy means "one who falls out of rhythm; one who is not working in harmony with the larger group." Sharon Gannon selfish mean fall Compassion is the key to a successful relationship because by means of compassion we can access the innermost needs of the other. When we are aware of those needs, we can begin to communicate and not just profess what we think we know and demand that others change because we want them to. Sharon Gannon successful mean thinking To cultivate compassion, try to remember that others are doing the best they can, just like you, and that when someone does something abusive, they are getting something that they feel is positive from the experience. Sharon Gannon compassion doe trying
