In The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation, Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh (whose practice centers went vegan in 2007), wrote about Right Livelihood:
“Suppose a farmer who sells his cattle as meat wants to receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings. He wants to know if he can, in light of the first training to protect life. He feels that he gives his cattle the best conditions for their well-being. He even operates his own slaughterhouse, so that there is no unnecessary cruelty inflicted on the animals when he puts an end to their lives. He inherited his farm from his father, and he has a family to support. This is a dilemma.
“What should he do? His intentions are good, but he has inherited his farm and his habit energies from his ancestors. Every time a cow is slaughtered, it leaves an impression on his consciousness, which will come back to him in dreams, during meditation, or at the moment of death. It is Right Livelihood to look after his cows so well while they are alive. He has the wish to be kind to his cows, and he also wants the security of regular income for himself and his family. He should continue to look deeply and practice mindfulness… As his insight deepens, the way out of the situation where he finds himself killing to make a living will present itself.” (Bold lettering added.)
The Rancher Advocacy Program (RAP) presents ways out of the cattle farming situation. In this very delightful, uplifting 5-minute video, you can learn how it all began, with Renee and Tommy of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary: “Texas Cattle Rancher Goes Vegan.”
RAP is helping an Arkansas couple, Jennifer and Rodney, who were chicken and cattle farmers for twenty years, in their transition to mushrooms. (On Facebook: Barrett Family Farm.) In this very touching, tear-bringing 10-minute video, you can witness the pain that livestock farmers experience once they realize the wrongness of killing animals: "The Barrett Family are Converting Their Poultry Barns into a Mushroom Farm.”
These stories give me hope. As a vegan activist, at times the scope of the suffering becomes overwhelming. Just knowing that billions of land animals are slaughtered each year is so heartbreaking… 💔 So, discovering sanctuaries and tuning into them regularly is like a healing balm that helps to balance all the sorrows… ❤️🔥
Perhaps you’d like to join me in following this sanctuary on Facebook: Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. The photos of the animals are wonderful… I’m looking forward to reading their posts and getting to know their animals.
♥️🐂♥️🐄♥️🐓♥️🐄♥️🐂♥️
Cows: fluffy_marry on Pixabay.
