So a few things have been changing....

For the last weeks couple of months I have been working with a truly superb Dietician named Sean Kirsten. Sean's website and story are here http://www.lookgoodfitness.com.au/ He is on FB as well facebook.com/sean.kirsten I came to him through my BNI chapter, http://www.bniprophets.bnisite.com/ a great organisation which I wont go into here. Sean is certainly passionate about what he does and it was his enthusiasm and a "failed" blood test which started me working with him.

What has emerged from this happy coincidence is a complete overhaul of my attitudes to what goes in my mouth and consequently the condition of my whole body. It is true that you are what you eat. It cant be any other way really. As many know I am really very enthralled by the path of Buddhadharma and the evolution of my practice is leading me in some rather radical directions.

My desire to eat animal flesh took a major nosedive after HH Sakya Trizin gave a Green Tara empowerment in Sydney back in the early noughties. The problem was I didnt have the technology to pursue the lifestyle required by my attitudinal shift. A diet including gems such as Bacon and Egg rolls and BBQ chickens, Pizza and the occasional Hamburger with Chips ensured that my weight and key blood indicator levels kept going up. Beers were the panacea and the hit needed on the weekends to keep the keel relatively even, or so I thought. Middle age had struck big time. When I broke my leg and was laid up for six weeks the blood sugars starting getting out of control. When the Shingles struck it got worse. I was out of the habit of exercise but still eating way too much and poorly. It all came to a head a couple of years later when my insurance renewal came up and the size of the risk was quantified in dollars.

Cutting to the chase, its six weeks since I started working with Sean. He has helped validate my intuitions about animal proteins but more importantly provided the technology to make it work. I now eat maybe a quarter of what I used to. I now eat mainly raw plant foods. This is totally environmentally sustainable and far less cruel.

No being wants to die. All beings are essentially the same as me in that they are aware, try to avoid avoid pain and move towards pleasure. There is now so much evidence of inherent animal intelligence in animal studies from Apes that have been taught sign language to the studies on Chicken social systems that any other conclusions are suspect. Animal rights is the next great ethical frontier for humanity. I am no great tantric master that can help beings towards Buddahood by consuming them. I cant lie to them by doing Ganapuja. Im far better off withdrawing my support for the inherent cruelty of the meat industry. As Buddhists we must understand the first noble truth applies to all beings.

There is also plenty of basic medical research that proves that humans are better off with none or at best tiny amount of meat diet. Start here if you have got this far through this note and can bear a bit more. http://www.tcolincampbell.org/ If you want to get in touch with Sean let me know and I will arrange an introduction.

Humans dont need to, nor should they, eat meat.

I prostrate to the great, innate, blazing, immediate awareness - the Vajraguru, to the teachings that liberate all beings, and to the emissaries of the Guru, their companions and students. Bless me that I may in fact eventually become useful, free me from grasping, delusion and hatred. Bless all beings so that they may dwell in the great freedom of inherent suchness. May virtue and auspiciousness prevail!