This time it was the 14th vegetarian festival held in Budapest. I don't even understand where I was all the previous years, but finally I heard about it and went there. Thank you Zoli! He is a friend who was giving massage there the whole day and informed me about the occasion.
Well, that is true that I have only been a vegetarian for less than a year by now. I started it when I went to India and since then, as I evolve in my yoga path, I just don't feel like eating meat again. This is also my mental conditioning since I am on this way, but also the way "it feels right". It is not me speaking here, it is my inner voice, my heart's wisdom.
Since I am talking again about the heart, those of you who expect rational arguments, stop reading here. I am not the invincible lawyer any more. Well, it is not that I am lacking the information to convince you, no, I could cite you all the known arguments about the teeth and the intestines of humans, the adrenalin in the killed animals, the principle of ahimsa, protecting the earth (well that I might use actually), but in a way I have the feeling that for some people it just does not work. They might even understand the concerns and ponder on them for a sec but then I hear them say: "Sorry, I am unable to live without meat, we need it, otherwise what do I cook?". And again I could start telling them about all the substitutes for meat, and the fact that you can get as much energy and vitamins, if not even more from the veggies than from the meat, and that basically we love meat because of the added spices.... but no, I know it does not work. They are just not ready. So you don't need to force it. There is nothing worse than people going fanatic and trying to absolutely revert you. Oh you poor lost sheep...no thank you.
What I wish to share today, is my own experience from this festival.
This was again a wonderful opportunity to gather with like-minded people. At these occasions, the air just feels different. And let's face it, this is also part of the human nature, that we are happy to have this positive feedback that we are not alone, there are others out there sharing the same ideals. Though we rarely find this today, therefore my joy was double. There were the talks and conferences on different topics, some better, some worse, but you could feel who is real and who is just academically prepared. The same happened when I talked to people, there were many foundations, other organizations, naturalists etc represented at the small stands, and I enjoyed to get into spontaneous talks. Even if I was not at all interested in their product, I found it a great experience to listen to people, to feel them out. There was a guy doing some sort of health level measurement with a machine, he was very enthusiastic about his stuff, but somehow he seemed too much. I tested him with some obvious questions about his method, but there was no room for discussion, he just wanted to sell it to me. Still I think he was not a bad guy, but something was too aggressive about him. Sorry I am trying, but I cannot have a better word for it. As we conversed, he admitted that they are all meat eaters in the family, "we are not fat, but we need the strength to do all the works in the garden". At least I had my Mum next to me confirming that we are both amazingly strong despite of being vegetarian. Indeed, last week with her I was digging away a small hill in our garden to the amazement of the neighbors.
Then I walked over to another stall, just because they had the type of bio soap I got as a present and I was desperately trying to buy again. They did not have the one I was looking for, so I wanted to leave, but then a girl stopped me. She tells me that they live in an ashram in the middle of Budapest where I can find the soap, and if I want, they have a small magazine, and they welcome contributions from anyone. Wow. Why does she tells me all this? Especially, that I love to write. Then she explained that they are following the path of bhakti yoga, and then I revealed that I am a yoga teacher myself. Hatha yoga. Well, at the end they are all the same. Union, that is what matters. And then again she pushed the right button. I have no clue how did she come to say this, but she started telling me about the palm leaf manuscripts of India, that they have a great article on them in one of their yearly magazines. I just heard about this and that the ambassador for the whole western world is in fact a Hungarian guy who just gave a talk at the festival. Since yesterday, since I knew he was gonna be here and talk I was excited, and right after listening to him, I meet this girl and she comes up with this topic. How did she know that this was the overwhelming thought in my head? I was about to engage myself in the search of my own palm leaf.
Then she invited me to their workshops and then I wanted her name and gave my hand. I looked into her clear and pure eyes, and in that moment I could feel her. She was so full of love and affection, but I could sense her timidness over being maybe too unconventional. But I felt her, her hands that did not want to let go of mine and her eyes were fixing me with awe. On the outside we were quite different, though same age, and suddenly we had an energy transfer. Similis simile gaudet. Like rejoices in like.Yes, we shared something beautiful in that moment, and I felt that flowing energy. She made the first step, and I could not help responding. I hugged her.
Well, but how all this relates to vegetarianism? Yes, it relates to it, because your eating regenerates your body and determines the energy you emit. You can continue meat eating and be a good person, but you have to understand that your energy will be different. You will feel different in your body and mind. Your whole perception will be different and the range to which you will be sensitive to the subtleties will be very very different. We can only change this world if we develop love in our hearts towards ourselves, then towards others, and at the end towards all living. I think this just becomes easier if you let go of meat, and cultivate this kind of energy in you. I think this experience would not have been possible for me a year ago.
There is a campaign to be vegetarian once per week, and they demonstrate how much this small effort could already improve the condition of our planet. I can only support this initiative. For further info check this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/18/vegetarianism-save-planet-environment
Be wise, and eat wisely. Decide if you want to open up and live totally differently. Good luck!
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