This past weekend, at a large family gathering, one of the important conversations I had was with a 14-year-old grand-nephew who lives in Germany and whose mother is American and whose father is German. This fellow is seriously committed to a vegan diet and to living a life based on veganism including not wearing wool or leather and avoiding sitting on leather chairs, etc.
He cooks a modest number of vegan meals, but his father cooks a greater variety to support his commitment. Though he has not made many conversions to render his family members 100% vegan as he is, they are supporting him. Being young, he may well evolve over the years–but maybe not.
I was on a panel two years ago arranged by Sierra Club with a scientist from India who lives in the Silicon Valley and is now devoting his life to saving Mother Earth from the harm climate change is making.
His name is Sailesh Rao, and he is author or Carbon Dharma: The Occupation of Butterflies and Carbon Yoga: The Vegan Metamorphosis.
He tells us he is writing for the youth of the world and in the first book he proposes that humans look at butterflies to understand better how our species is currently dwelling in a caterpillar stage of existence. A stage he understands as a misinterpretation of the fundamental principles that underlie our democracy and our industrial civilization.
The Hindu concept of Dharma or “Right Action” leads to a global call to action. We begin the change with changing ourselves and moving into effective social change.
In Carbon Yoga he sees human civilization imitating the caterpillar who gorges itself before forcibly undergoing a metamorphosing like the Chrysalis. Over-consuming humans are reaching a point of being forcibly transformed within the cocoon of our finite planet into compassionate, life-affirming butterflies. Vegan life-affirming butterflies. Indeed, we have no choice but to treat all life as sacred in order to preserve the Earth that sustains us.
At the Sierra Club gathering Rao and I spoke about climate change (I was asked to speak on Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si”). He showed a slide presentation about how, if we would turn all our grazing lands into spaces where trees grow again, we would not only end climate change in ten years but in fact turn it back.
He emphasized that, as a trained engineer, he had crunched his numbers and they do not lie.
Can all of us become vegan? Are there degrees of becoming vegan including vegetarianism and also just cutting back seriously on our meat consumption? Worth considering as part of the response to climate change and the peril Mother Earth is in. And listening to the young and assisting in their futures.
See Matthew Fox, “Your Mother is Dying,” in Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ,” pp. 1-34, pp. 3-5
To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.
Banner Image: An agroforestry (food forest) project at Honitetu village, West Seram regency, Maluku province, Indonesia. Photo by The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Has your diet evolved because of climate change and the suffering of Mother Earth? Do you know others for whom it has?
Recommended Reading
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
“This book is a classic.” Thomas Berry, author of The Great Work and The Dream of the Earth.
23 thoughts on “Earth Day: How Diet Choices Assist in Saving Mother Earth”
Matthew, Today you ask us in our Queries for Contemplation: “Has your diet evolved because of climate change and the suffering of Mother Earth?” I gave up eating meat for Lent–every day of Lent. Strangely, however in Biblical times meat was an essential part of worship. There was the whole sacrificial system laid out in Exodus and Leviticus. Meat eating (at least “clean meats”) was an essential element, and not eating meat, was not an option–and God supposedly commanded it to be that way. Joachim Jeremias, in his book, JERUSALEM AT THE TIME OF CHRIST said that there is evidence that there was so much blood flowing down the temple mount, down a specially made drainage creek, that blood ran down it and the farmers whose land bordered the bloody creek, had to pay a tax for the blood, because it was used as a form of fertilizer! So much for vegans in the time of Christ. But don’t get me wrong–I agree with a vegetarian/vegan diets for our times…
“Do you know others for whom it has?” Both my son, my daughter and the mother of my children were vegetarians from birth and have only ate meat a few times in their lives. All three of them now try to keep to vegan diets.
In all honesty, the elimination of red meats from my diet over the years, had nothing to do with an awakened awareness of the environment and the causes of our agricultural habits upon this. The change to my diet was in response to my own body. It was in learning to listen to this, that brought a conscious awakening, a new awareness as to my bodies responses as to what I was ingesting, and the effects of this. Learning to listen to the wisdom of my own body, inspired me to make the neccessary changes to my diet.
Climate awareness, as demonstrated in today’s DM videos… is learning to listen to the body of the Mother Earth, and responding to the wisdom of Her own body… which too, can inspire humanity to make the neccessary changes we can choose to make to not only our diets… but also as to how we do agriculture in this world.
One way, we could consider fostering these neccessary changes, is by upgrading the outdated National Canadian Food Guide, and the educational message we teach our children about our bodies and diet within our schools. Including new methods of agriculture that help to maintain and sustain the body of Mother Earth and the wisdom of this, can be related to what we can do to also maintain and sustain our own bodies in a much more balanced and healthier way… which will benefit the Mother Earth as well as ourselves. Connecting our human bodies to the body of Mother Earth aught to be taught together within our educational systems… for they mirror one another in so many ways.
Jeanette, Today you write: “The change to my diet was in response to my own body. It was in learning to listen to this, that brought a conscious awakening, a new awareness as to my bodies responses as to what I was ingesting, and the effects of this. Learning to listen to the wisdom of my own body, inspired me to make the necessary changes to my diet.” Listening to our bodies is a good reason for change too !!!
Thank you again Matthew for your Earth Day DM messages.
Given the massive damage we have done to Mother Earth through decades of nuclear weapons testing in the air underground and in the sea it feels like a miracle that we still have places of amazing grace like Animal Rescue as well as ongoing global research by warrior/naturalists pointing our way forward by revealing humanity’s embedded relationship with Mother Nature and all of her offspring.
In response to the message of the iconic butterfly I recall a 1970s book ‘Hope for the Flowers’ which tracks the life cycle of the caterpillar/butterfly, a book that I bought for friends and family, a wisdom book for children and adults that went viral globally. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hope_for_the_Flowers
I do have a few vegan relatives and friends. But I have more friends and family who are in the process of aligning their diets to eat less beef and more local organic produce.
PS to my Leonard Cohen comment yesterday: his lyrics from his 1970s song THE FUTURE include “we have overturned the order of the soul” and “love’s the only engine of survival.”
Gwen, These words you write give us hope in view of the state of the earth today: You write of the “ongoing global research by warrior/naturalists pointing our way forward by revealing humanity’s embedded relationship with Mother Nature and all of her offspring.” Let’s hope that they can do something big to shift the way that others look at the earth as a commodity to be used and spent…
Thank you, Matthew. It’s a challenge.
Dear Matt,
Your message today makes me so happy. Hurrah! Yes indeed, not eating animals is an effective and easy way to protect the planet. And, I would like to suggest other reasons for not eating, beating, using, abusing, vivisecting and wearing animals… namely that they are sacred, sentient, reflective of the Creator and have holy purposes of their own. They have unique abilities we don’t have, but which we definitely could learn from. They know how to live sustainably and collaboratively with Mother Nature. No animal has ever cut down the rain forest or polluted a river. I see them as elders and mentors with intelligence that we need to learn from to save the planet (this is called Biomimicry). And I see God’s majesty in all beings and can’t bear to harm a single ant.
Am dancing a jig in gratitude for your meditation today.
Kristal
Kristal, You write some powerful words today which I agree with: “No animal has ever cut down the rain forest or polluted a river. I see them as elders and mentors with intelligence that we need to learn from to save the planet (this is called Biomimicry).” Thank you for your comment !!!
Thank you Matthew for your DM on the significance of Earth Day commemorating the sacredness of Mother Earth and all her creatures, including ourselves as co-Creators in maintaining a conscious, responsible, healthy relationship with her and all the Universe~Cosmos… I realize that I must read your book, “The Coming of the Cosmic Christ”, to sensitize myself again to our intimate relationships with one another, Mother Earth and all her creatures, All ongoing Creation in the Cosmos… We’re All created, sacred, and interconnected/interdependent children in the Loving Oneness~Family of our Mother~Father Source Creator….
🔥❤️🙏
Damian, You write today: “I realize that I must read your book, “The Coming of the Cosmic Christ”, to sensitize myself again to our intimate relationships with one another, Mother Earth and all her creatures, All ongoing Creation in the Cosmos…” I hope you follow through on this. It was back in 1988 when I first heard Matthew speak on this book, and it changed my life, and there was no going back. Blessings as you read: THE COMING OF THE COSMIC CHRIST !!!
Being Irish and Lakota, I don’t believe for even a moment that veganism is the sole answer to the Earth’s cries. That said, it can be a way for some to respond. The greater view is that of respect, even love of all Creation. There are other ways too, besides veganism. }:- a.m.
I agree. We must be careful not to turn veganism into a religion or requirement of some sort.
Even if one isn’t ready to become vegan or vegetarian, each of us can take some steps to make life better for those we share the planet with. One can make a commitment to buy only from local, organic farms; to buy only meat and eggs from animals who “have had a life” (pasture-raised chickens and local ranch’s grass-fed beef); buying only fish caught sustainably; and taking care not to waste any food one buys; avoiding fruits and vegetables grown out-of-season or that traveled from afar to get to us. Not everyone can afford to take these steps because these things often cost more. That is true. However, if those who CAN afford to take these steps, DO take these steps, we can make a difference by supporting farmers and ranchers who care for the earth. As we do, those opportunities grow for everyone.
Michele, Thank you for giving steps for those who still use animal products such as: “One can make a commitment to buy only from local, organic farms; to buy only meat and eggs from animals who ‘have had a life’ (pasture-raised chickens and local ranch’s grass-fed beef); buying only fish caught sustainably…” Thank you for your comment !!!
Several in my family have adopted vegetarianism, mainly for health reasons—which is indirectly an environmental benefit, but I don’t think that’s what spurred the transition. In my immediate household, we still buy meat, but it has long since taken a back seat in meal planning and our portions are a fraction of what they used to be.
The reasons for this change is the mistreatment of animals grown for slaughter, and because we want to avoid the hormones and antibiotics injected into live animals and resident in their tissue. And organically raised meat is prohibitively expensive.
I read an article recently citing research that indicates the bones of vegan women are more fragile than those of women with meat in their diets. I need to know more about this.
But the national food pyramids were formed to enhance the sale of animal food products, so anyone who wants a healthier diet must go to other sources to learn how to eat more sustainably.
Finally, I hope everyone will investigate and go on board with the Transition Town Movement, which has the strong potential for healing Earth and society: https://transitionnetwork.org/
Olive, Thank you for sharing with us the Transition Town Movement, which can be reached at: https://transitionnetwork.org/
I stopped eating meat in 1989 after reading Animal Liberation by Peter Singer and a few other books. The primary motivation for me to be vegetarian is that I don’t want to participate in the terrible suffering that ensues when living beings become mass-produced objects. Sometimes I feel like I have lived such a doomed existence in a previous life. It is so vivid to me and my heart breaks for the unacknowledged agonies suffered silently. I have often wondered if the foods and medicines created on the back of animal suffering that the modern world obliviously consumes aren’t the reason behind our decline.
Claudia, You say: “The primary motivation for me to be vegetarian is that I don’t want to participate in the terrible suffering that ensues when living beings become mass-produced objects.” AMEN–that is reason enough !!!
When you consume suffering, what does it lead to?
Thank you, Matthew Fox, for your teachings on Easter, Christ & Creation Spirituality on You Tube. I will listen over and over again to continue deepening my contextual understanding of Christ’s message. In Gratitude, Mary.
I have been more careful about food since the late 70’s and early 80’s when I was a member and then leader of La Leche League, a support and educational group for nursing mothers. There was a great deal of stress on eating natural foods, lots of veggies, and less meat. It was well known that raising cattle especially used a lot of land, that could be better utilized by raising plant based foods. Later, we went to macrobiotic to help my husband’s chronic illnesses, and there was no meat but fish. Eventually, we went back to more ordinary food but tried to be careful about eating too much meat. Now, I try to follow Mayo clinic’s DASH diet to control blood pressure, which is mainly based on veggies, seeds and nuts. I think there are people who need meat for the iron and other components and that to make veganism the only way to go is not going to work. I eat turkey based hot dogs and have a turkey sandwich once or twice a week. I do enjoy a steak or hamburger very occasionally. I think we should continue to work for humane treatment of animals, which would naturally cut down on the amount consumed because free ranging chickens and other animals just take up more space, if this makes sense. And I believe that stressing the health benefits of less meat has worked to some extent and needs additional and continual educational programs. Cost is another consideration, since meat is much more expensive that other foods. In my opinion, we cannot and should not try to mandate diet but simply keep educating people on all the benefits to ourselves and our earth to avoid a lot of meat.
And here is another conservation method. https://bread.org/blog/gleaners-fight-hunger-and-climate-change
Sue, Thank you for your comment today and for the tip for “another conservation method. https://bread.org/blog/gleaners-fight-hunger-and-climate-change.