Patanjali tells us that if we practice aparigraha, (greedlessness) we will begin to understand not only where we have come from but where we are going and how our karmas have contributed to where we are now. Sharon Gannon More Quotes by Sharon Gannon More Quotes From Sharon Gannon As a yoga practitioner with some understanding of how karma works, you have to ask the question, "If I am seeking liberation, will it serve my purpose to rob other beings of their freedom?" Sharon Gannon karma yoga understanding Yoga may have originated in India, where the cow has been revered as sacred for thousands of years, but times have changed since Lord Krishna played his flute for the cows of Vrindavan. There are factory farms in India now. Sharon Gannon times-have-changed yoga years We are the only animals who steal and drink the milk from other species. Sharon Gannon milk drink animal Eating meat and dairy products is the SAD (Standard American Diet) diet. The SAD diet can only make you sad. It causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and makes you fat. Raising animals for food destroys the environment... And those animals are not happy. They are enslaved and live humiliating, fearful lives of abuse and tremendous suffering. Veganism turns sadness into joy. Sharon Gannon cancer sadness heart Everything we do should contribute to happiness. Sharon Gannon should What you eat should not just be "good for you" but it should contribute to your happiness; it should make you a happier person. Sharon Gannon be-good persons should When we have a choice it is always best to choose kindness. Veganism is simply the kinder choice. Sharon Gannon kinder choices kindness What we do to others will come back to us. You can't expect to be happy by causing unhappiness to others. Sharon Gannon unhappiness If we ourselves want to be free and happy then by enslaving and harming animals we will not be able to achieve our goal. Sharon Gannon goal want animal When you feel destructive, negative emotions like hate and anger arise within you towards the person opposing you; cultivate the opposite state of mind. Sharon Gannon hate mind opposites See the other person's potential for kindness and bolster your own expression of kindness. If you see them in a negative way, the power of your perception will only help to keep them that way as you polarize yourself from them, assuming a superior role, seeing yourself as the good guy and them as the bad guy. Sharon Gannon guy expression kindness The ridicule you may endure from others when you speak up for animals can help you to hone your skills, enabling you to become better at articulating your message in an informed, compassionate, and communicative way. Sharon Gannon enabling skills animal Be a communicator, not a self-righteous proselytizer or preacher. Many people are only concerned with expressing themselves, which isn't necessarily communication. Sharon Gannon communication self people Communication implies communing, having a shared experience with another, not "talking at" or "talking down to" someone. Sharon Gannon shared-experiences communication talking We ourselves can never be free if we rob others of their freedom. Sharon Gannon ifs Everyone is caught in the web of his or her own actions and is bound by past karmas (actions). Good and bad are relative terms. Every action takes one to the next place. Sharon Gannon karma next past In fact, numerous scientific laboratory tests and field observations have led to the conclusion that animals are conscious, intelligent, emotional beings. They are not machines and truly feel physical pain when it is inflicted upon them. They are capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions, including loneliness, embarrassment, sadness, longing, depression, anxiety, panic, and fear, as well as joy, relief, surprise, happiness, contentment, and peace. Sharon Gannon sadness pain loneliness Because of our unenlightenment, we do not know that what we do to others we ultimately do to ourselves. Sharon Gannon knows We must stop viewing ourselves as separate and disconnected from the rest of life, as if we are a special case and the laws of nature or karma do not apply to us. Sharon Gannon rest-of-life karma law Remember that everyone you see and every situation you find yourself in has come from inside of you; you have created your reality by how you have treated others in your past. Sharon Gannon finding-yourself reality past
