Spiritual Rebel

by Sarah Bowen

  1. Take a few deep breaths to get focused.

  2. Turn to the Reflections & Ahas pages and reflect on the following questions:

  • Natural sleep: How is my sleep life?

  • Daily meditation: How often do I engage in mind-fulness or meditation?

  • Movement: How much of my day do I spend sitting versus moving?

  • Emotional wellbeing: How do I feel emotionally?

  • Healthy diet: How am I eating?

  • Grounding: How often do I connect with the Earth’s energy?

  3. Consider anything you’d like to do because of these reflections, or if you are content with your answers.

  4. Go enjoy your day, cultivating peace, joy, love, compassion, empathy, and equanimity.

  REBELLIOUS VARIATIONS

  Enlist help: If anxiety rears its ugly head, consider answering the questions with the help of a trusted friend, therapist, holistic health practitioner, or spiritual director. (Spiritual directors provide one-on-one guidance for those seeking a deeper connection with whatever their [x] is.)

  It’s a family affair: Start with each family member answering the questions individually. Then let each person share their success and challenges, highlighting places where support would be welcomed. Avoid judging any answers.

  You can teach a dog new tricks: According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2017-2018 edition of the Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook 57 percent of U.S. households include at least one companion animal. Amanda Ree, an Ayurvedic health practitioner and team member of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, suggests that because our animals share our lives so closely, they are as impacted by people and events as we are. Her “Six Pillars of Dog Wellbeing,” include Dosha (an Ayurvedic classification), Food, Behavior, Body/ Mind, Emotional, and Spiritual. If you share your home with another species, take a few moments to consider its wellbeing.

  DISCOVER DEEPLY

  • Find a spiritual director at sdiworld.org.

  • Read Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep by Kamini Desai, Ph.D.

  • Download Kamini Desai’s I AM Yoga Nidra app.

  • Read Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide by Deepak Chopra, M.D.

  • Learn more about the “Six Pillars of Dog Wellbeing” at samadog.com.

  • Read The Healing Wisdom of Africa: Finding Life Purpose through Nature, Ritual, and Community by Malidoma Patrice Somé.

  • Read Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World by Ed McGaa, Eagle Man.

  Seva Saturday

  * * *

  WEEK 3: MAY THE FORK BE WITH YOU

  Buba-ji and Deacon are not happy with me today. They were intent on loving the meeces to pieces when I swooped in with Tupperware to stop the slaughter. As they meow and run frantically around my feet, I explain to them, “The Dalai Lama says, ‘Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.’” I swear Bub is rolling his big round cat eyes at me, wishing he could speak human to explain the mice are his dharma.

  This divide between my cats and me is due to differences in ideology. Because as well as being an aspiring Jedi, I’m also an aspiring Jain. Based on living in right relationship with everything in the universe, Jainism is another ancient path of Indic thought. In his book The Jain Path: Ancient Wisdom for the West, Aidan Rankin describes two key tenets. First, ahimsā is avoidance of harm. People following the Jain path will go to incredible lengths in their diets and lifestyle to avoid intentionally harming any living thing.

  Second is syādvāda, or the belief that on any topic there will always be many viewpoints. Often referred to as many-sidedness, this concept can promote tolerance, as well as remove the need to prove that any one side is right for everyone. Rankin notes, “Each mind is different and is therefore inclined to see things differently, according to its own perspective. So one should tolerate and even honor a diversity of point of view on any subject. There is no need to promote any belief ideology or philosophy as the only truth, the final truth or the last word for all of humanity.”

  Unfortunately, neither my cats nor I am ready to be full Jains. Buba-ji and Deacon are obligate carnivores. Without the taurine, arachidonic acid, and arginine present in meat, they are likely to get very sick and die prematurely. It turns out Bub is right, chasing small animals is indeed part of his dharma. (We’ve compromised: I still save the mice, he gets a special cat food I hope lives up to the humane standards the company proclaims.)

  Although I’m not quite ready to make the commitment required to be an official member of the Jain community, I am prepared to apply these principles the best I can to my own life as a many-sided multi-pather.

  I’ve always been uncomfortable with the concept that the Earth and its animals are here for our use in any way we see fit. I was raised with lessons on sustainability and humaneness, alongside societal rules about what was okay to eat or use, and in which ways. But the instructions were often in conflict with each other and confusing, especially when it came to the difference between the animals I was taught to love and the ones I was told to eat. Melanie Joy, author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism, explains that we are taught to “think of farmed animals as abstractions, as lacking any individuality or personality of their own. This distorted thinking distances us from our natural ability to identify and empathize with these beings.” We separate the terms meat and animal as if they are different things. Likewise, we divide the concept of Earth from those of resources and fuel. Busy with our day-to-day lives, we are often disconnected from the consequences that our seemingly harmless choices have.

  In between Jainism and an I-want-it-all-and-I-don’t-care-about-the-consequences attitude is a wide range of options. Just as we choose our individual spiritual paths, I believe people should also make their own choices about what they consume. But we often make our decisions without complete information or in denial of the knowledge we do have. Or we think our actions only affect us, and remain oblivious to their impact on other people, creatures, and the Earth. While researching this subject, I learned a lot of things I would rather not know, including the dark side to some of my own choices.

  Yesterday we looked at how our decisions affect our body/ mind/spirit. Today we’ll look at how our choices expand outward. Don’t worry, this is not the part where I tell you that to live a spiritual life you have to give up all your belongings, get off the grid, become vegan, and stop having sex. (Of course, if you want to do any or all those things, go for it.) But I would like to share just a couple of the things I learned which surprised me.

  • We currently use 1.7 Earths a year: The Global Footprint Network tabulates an “Earth Overshoot Day” each year to bring awareness to the day each year when all of humanity will have used more from nature than can be replenished in a year, through overfishing, overharvesting forests, and emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than ecosystems can absorb. In 2018, that date fell on August 1.

  • We eat a lot of meat: The average American eats almost 200 pounds of animal protein each year per person (more than almost any other people on the planet and nearly twice as much as our ancestors ate 75 years ago). That’s 2,000 land animals for each person over a lifetime (and 9 billion animals each year in the U.S. alone.)

  • And it doesn’t come from idyllic farms: I spent many summers at my grandparents’ place in South Carolina, which looked like a storybook farm, and where all animals were treated well (up until their death, of course). In hindsight, it skewed my idea of where meat came from. Currently, industrial-scale factory farming accounts for 99.9 percent of chickens for meat, 97 percent of laying hens, 99 percent of turkeys, 95 percent of pigs, and 78 percent of cattle. I’d love to tell you more about the inherent cruelty in this system and the health issues for humans, but you might lose your breakfast.

  • It’s screwing up our environment: Globally, animal
agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all transportation systems combined. The amount we’re eating is also not sustainable. Animal ag is a super inefficient use of land, water, and creates an incredible amount of pollution.

  • Switching to fish and seafood doesn’t solve all the problems: Because of commercial fishing operations, a lot of fishing now happens by huge nets being pulled through the ocean. Much of what gets in the net is “unintentional bycatch” and gets discarded. For example, for every pound of commercial shrimp, it’s estimated that up to 15 pounds of other ocean life are tossed back into the sea either already dead or dying, including seahorses, fish, and even large cetaceans like dolphins.

  • Fruits and vegetables aren’t off the hook. Roughly one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted. Although some of that happens before the food arrives in our homes, it is estimated the average person in the U.S. (and Europe) throws away over 200 pounds of food a year.

  Okay, that’s enough of a slice to make a point: Our choices matter. Humanity’s overindulgence (whether intentionally or unknowingly) has us on a path that may lead to our own extinction.

  So it’s not surprising that many people are embracing alternative diets and taking stock of their purchases and lifestyle. Which brings me back to today’s focus: seva. By far, the biggest act of seva we can give ourselves, others, our planet, and its many living things is to look at our habits.

  But it’s not an easy task, because everything has a cost, and no answer is perfect. For example, I’m not ready to give up my beloved white Jeep Wrangler (with its FORCBWU license plates), which makes my Prius-driving friends crazy. But when I explain to them that I offset it by eating almost no meat—while they are chowing down on a steak—we start to have a different conversation.

  From a spiritual perspective, I try to bring my choices into close alignment with my understanding of the interconnection of everything. To ask questions, learn details, and make informed decisions. My goal is not to shame myself, nor to blame others, but to look deeply at what is, and see how it feels for me. Which is how I found the reducetarians.

  Brian Kateman is the co-founder of the Reducetarian Foundation and the author of The Reducetarian Solution: How the Surprisingly Simple Act of Reducing the Amount of Meat in Your Diet Can Transform Your Health and the Planet. His message is simple: “The less meat we eat, the more animals we save. And along the way, reducetarians mitigate water scarcity and climate change issues.”

  Although Kateman’s definition of the term deals solely with meat, I’ve found that expanding a reducetarian perspective into all areas of my life has provided a framework for living compassionately and more in balance with nature. I’ve named my practice Spiritualtarian, endeavoring to align each one of my choices with my spiritual values. Just a few results: I switched to cruelty-free shampoo and cosmetics, joined a local CSA to support local humane farmers, and started giving microloans to people in other countries to help them eat and have clean water. And I’m just getting started.

  Today, take a few minutes to build on yesterday’s questions about the state of your body/mind/spirit with a few about your daily choices. I call these “Goldilocks questions.” As you might recall, Goldilocks was the hungry little girl who stumbled upon the home of the Three Bears. Wandering through their house, she tested their porridge, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds, judging each along the way. (Too hot, too cold, just right! Too hard, too soft, just right!) Today wander through your own place, discovering what feels in balance and what might need a little adjustment.

  HOW IT WORKS

  1. Take a few deep breaths to get focused, perhaps add a short meditation or add a blessing for the Earth and its many inhabitants.

  2. Reflect for a few minutes on what is important to you: Sustainable Earth? Animal welfare? Food availability? Worker fairness?

  3. Turn to the Reflections & Ahas pages and answer the following questions:

  • Kitchen: How do I feel about what I eat?

  • Bathroom: What do I think about the products I use? How is my water consumption?

  • Closet: Am I knowledgeable about how my clothing was made and what it is made of?

  • Home environment: How do I feel about my home furnishings, use of energy, and consumption of water?

  • Financial footprint: Do I know where my money goes, how much I donate, and what any investments support?

  • Online footprint: Am I comfortable with the content of my postings?

  4. Throughout today, slow down your decision-making process. Use mindfulness to make choices that best serve your values. Gently question your decisions, allowing room for new answers if they arise. Resist the urge to shame or scold yourself. These are your choices, and your own process.

  5. Consider seeking information about anything that seemed too much or too little from your Goldilocks perspective. The Discover Deeply section below contains some favorite resources I found on my own search.

  REBELLIOUS VARIATIONS

  One day at a time: If the list of questions feels overwhelming, do one item each day (or each Saturday for the next month or so).

  Strength in numbers: If the questions feel to difficult to approach on your own, gather a few friends for dinner and mull over the questions together.

  For the decision perplexed: Read Ethics (for the Real World): Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life by Ronald A. Howard and Clifton D. Korver, with Bill Birchard.

  DISCOVER DEEPLY

  May the fork be with you:

  • Watch Vegucated.

  • Read The Good Karma Diet: Eat Gently, Feel Amazing, Age in Slow Motion by Victoria Moran for help aligning eating and ethics.

  • Read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer for a fascinating many-sided exploration into today’s farming and food industry.

  • Help some of the 800 million people who go to bed hungry each night by redirecting a bit of your food budget to an organization such as Oxfam or the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

  Love your mother (Earth):

  • Find ways to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs at carbonfootprint.com.

  • Learn just how much water goes into powering your cell phone or making your sandwich—as well as tips for curbing your water usage—at watercalculator.org.

  • Read Taking on Water: How One Water Expert Challenged Her Inner Hypocrite, Reduced Her Water Footprint (Without Sacrificing a Toasty Shower), and Found Nirvana by Wendy J. Pabich.

  • Take the Order of the Sacred Earth vow: “I promise to be the best lover and defender of Mother Earth that I can be.” Seventy-six-year-old spiritual theologian and activist Matthew Fox joined 30-something wilderness activists Skylar Wilson and Jennifer Berit Listug to create a vision for sacred living steeped in deep love of the Earth and based on an accessible, common vow, independent of a specific building or community. Read Order of the Sacred Earth: An International Vision of Love and Action for more details.

  If you love animals:

  • Download the Bunny Free app to find out if a company tests on animals.

  • Read Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy, Ph.D.

  • Get involved in animal advocacy with an organization such as World Animal Protection, Animal Equality, or Mercy for Animals.

  • Listen to A Plea for the Animals: The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion by Matthieu Ricard.

  • Read The Human Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife by Nancy Lawson.

  • Watch Speciesism.

  Put your money where your mouth is:

  • Microlend with Kiva. For as little as $25 you can help someone create opportunity for a better life.

  • Run a check-up on the effectiveness of your charitable giving at charitynavigator.org or givewell.org.

  • If you have investment accounts, check into what your mutual funds fund to en
sure that they support your values.

  Sangha Sunday

  * * *

  WEEK 3: SACRED SPACE CRASHING

  “Are you looking for the Darth Vader?” I ask, peering out from behind my binoculars. “Yes!” the man near me exclaims, “Can you see it?” We’re standing outside Washington National Cathedral in D.C., staring up at the northwest tower, looking for a gargoyle in the shape of Darth Vader’s head. (Actually, it’s not a gargoyle, which traditionally means a rain spout, but a grotesque, which defines a fanciful human or animal architectural form and is only decorative.)

  You might be wondering how a fearful villain ended up here. Excellent question. In the 1980s, as the building’s west towers were under construction, the cathedral held a design competition for kids. Christopher Rader’s Vader drawing won third place, and Darth soon took his place on the exterior. Nearly half a million people a year visit the cathedral, which “seeks to be a catalyst for spiritual harmony in our nation, reconciliation among faiths, and compassion in the world.” From that perspective, reconciling Vader seems to be a stellar place to start.

  The visit is another stop on my never-ending pilgrimage to spiritually-charged locations. After my original trek to Nepal, I quickly developed a travel addiction, with a very full bucket list: Lourdes, Varanasi, Easter Island, Wittenberg, Uluru, and the list goes on. Sarah Baxter, in her gorgeously illustrated book, Spiritual Places (Inspired Traveller’s Guides), describes the experience knowingly: “There are certain places that manage to seep into your soul. They don’t stop at delighting your external senses with their drama or design. No, they have a way of inching further; of permeating your skin and sinking deep, deep down inside; of making you ask new questions about yourself, maybe even about the crux of human existence.”

  When money was tight, I headed out in my Jeep to see America, guided by the quirky folks at Roadside America and Atlas Obscura. Soon I realized my escapades were more alive when other people were involved. Engaging with members of spiritual communities (rather than tour guides and camera-toting tourists) was much more captivating. As a self-proclaimed spiritual “free agent,” my travels are never limited to any specific religion or denomination. Instead, I am led by words borrowed from British philosopher William Paley and American humorist Mark Twain.