Peaceful Warriors

This page is dedicated to all sentient beings who are suffering due to human negligence, greed and ignorance.

Building a MORE COMPASSIONATE WORLD

Ahimsa, non-harming, is the first tenet of Patanjali's Eight Limb Path of Yoga. This is an essential aspect of yogic philosophy. Yoga and living a compassionate lifestyle are synonymous. Nurturing others and supporting issues, concerning the well-being of others, is key to my practice. I also practice ahimsa by choosing a whole food plant-based diet. I have been a vegetarian for over thirty years and vegan for the last ten years. The more I learn about the inhumane practices, which are widely accepted by the food industry, the deeper my convictions about being a vegan have become. I do not want misery on my menu. I do not want to support factory farming and other industries that choose profit over ethics; cost over compassion and respect for the well-being of innocent animals and the environment. Besides being a compassionate way to live, eating a whole food plant based diet has many benefits for your health and the health of the planet.

Factory FARMING

Most of the animals (98%) that provide us with animal products live on factory farms. The animals that provide meat often live in very unnatural, confined and toxic conditions, enduring a life of misery before they are slaughtered for their flesh. The animals that provide milk and eggs, live in misery for longer periods. On today's factory farms animals are raised in CAFOs, (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) often chained, crated or caged in dark windowless warehouses filled with toxic fumes from waste products. These animals live without the opportunity to do anything that is natural and important to them, such as raise families, root in the soil, breath fresh air and feel the sun. To promote rapid growth and to increase milk and egg production, they are fed unnatural and unhealthy diets. Their feed is a concoction of agri-crops, hormones, antibiotics, animal by-products, and other harmful substances. Due to the extreme and toxic conditions that factory farming considers to be acceptable and necessary for profit, the use of antibiotics has become routine in order to keep the animals alive, promote growth and to prevent outbreaks of disease. Factory farming has a huge impact on the environment, contaminating water ways, degrading land and consuming large amounts of fossil fuels. The inhumane practices of today's factory farms have been developed to cut costs and increase profits. The food industry encourages consumers to buy more animal products for less money; unfortunately this low cost comes at a very high price.

Animal ADVOCACY

Factory farming is only one of the critical issues concerning animal advocacy. Because of the impact it has on the environment, water pollution, degradation of land and loss of natural habitat, factory farming contributes to many issues concerning wildlife. Eighty percent of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed to provide land for grazing cattle. The USA imports a large percentage of the beef raised on this land. Some of the other areas that we need to raise awareness about include, the use of animals in clothing and testing, puppy and kitten mills, wildlife abuse and poaching, to name a few. The populations of our most revered and beautiful mammals are falling dramatically. Polar bears, wolves and many of the big cats, including lions are endangered. We need to be their voice now. Do your part to support organizations that protect animals from cruelty and who protect natural habitats of endangered animals. Be informed about what you purchase and use in daily life. Make a commitment to compassion by purchasing cruelty free products.

One Earth, OUR CHANCE

We share one world upon which our footprints have left a deep gouge. Our insatiable need for more and bigger is ruining the planet. If we all do our part we can soften the devastating impact we are having on Mother Earth and all of her beautiful animals. We can set our intentions to tread softly on this earth through mindful living.

Become a PEACEFUL WARRIOR!
PUT MORE PLANTS ON YOUR PLATE!: Better for your health, it reduces your carbon footprint and you save animals from cruelty.
SHOP COMPASSIONATELY: Buy products that are cruelty free and ecologically friendly. Say “NO” to factory farmed products!
REFUSE SINGLE USE PLASTICS: Say “NO” to plastic water bottles and plastic shopping bags. BYOB!
LIVE SIMPLY: More stuff doesn't equal happiness. Liberate yourself. Live lighter with less.
REMEMBER: Reuse Reduce Refuse Restore and Recycle.

For more info go to Motivation and Resources.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged
by the way in which its animals are treated.
~ Ghandi