Years ago, before I shifted to veganism, when I ate ghee (clarified butter) I thought it was a health food, and not only that, it made me feel more like a hipster of the New Age. I had no idea about the harm and suffering it caused other living beings (cows), and I had no idea how unhealthy it was for the humans and for the planet.
Since ancient times, ghee has been used in India, in both cooking and ritual, and so, as I dove deeper into my love of all things Indian, naturally I began consuming ghee. Well, I also began daily yogic practices, including chanting (singing), meditating, and studying spiritual teachings, and those practices expanded my awareness and led me to veganism.
As a vegan I no longer bought ghee, because I learned that it is actually not spiritual to contribute to the suffering of the cows. (See my previous post, “Mother Cows Surely Do Love Their Calves!”)
Ghee is certainly not “hip” nor is it healthy. Dairy products contain animal protein which causes many illnesses in humans, including diabetes, cancer, obesity, and heart disease. And, the dairy industry contributes significantly to our climate change crisis. Thus, ghee causes harm to the Earth and to the earthlings, especially the sacred cow beings.
As I wrote in the introductory section of my book, Vegan Ramayana: The Shakahara StarFire Way of Rama:
“The highest Vedic principle, ahimsa, doing no harm, means vegan. It means no more ghee ever again! It means pour some holy coconut oil over the puja fire instead. It means bow down to all of those suffering holy cows and beg their forgiveness.”
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Original cow photo: Hilde Demeester on Unsplash.
