Something magical happens when you get a bunch of spiritual people together who are tuned in to the world around them. And it's not the smell of palo santo! Although, it probably does smell of this. It's that you'll almost always find a few vegans in the bunch. This is actually rare. The current estimate of vegans in America is .5%. One half of one percent. So how could I walk into a room full of witches or tantrikas and find at least a handful of them? Probably more? Because of non-violence.
The type of Tantra and the type of Witchcraft I practice both don't have any set rules. There is not a code to live by. There is no moral framework. In both of these, I'm trusted to remain present and if I remain present, I will know what to do. Nowhere in my Tantra or Magick is there a rule that says I must be vegan. What there is, is an invitation to learn about non-violence.
In Magick it's called "do no harm", and you learn that any energy you put out into the world in multiplied and sent back to you. This is multiplicity. Even when I put out destructive things into the universe, those are also reflected back. Witchcraft invites me to look into all ways that I could be putting destruction into the world. But it does not go as far as to say what that destruction is and what it is not. It leaves it up to the practitioner to be aware in the moment.
In Tantra, we are invited to balance ourselves in every way. Non-duality. This includes with violence. I'm also invited to look at how the way I live my life impacts all things around me. This is presence. I should be able to live my life in balanced harmony with the world around me. This is peace. For many, they see this in their food choices as well. To live in harmony with the planet, is to live in harmony with its creatures. All life is equally as valuable. Even though Tantra teaches us to investigate these choices it still does not go as far to say that it's a hard rule. You can practice and not be vegan perfectly fine.
Hell, I was vegan before I jumped into either of these practices! So, what draws vegans to Tantra and Magick? It seems like they go hand in hand. I think that a lot of people discover many things on their path to spirituality. Veganism was one of the first things I discovered, then I kept going. I think that it's a sort of matter of time before someone seeking their higher self comes across an irrefutable argument for veganism. We are all on different paths and I believe that's for a beautiful reason.
I do not think everyone needs to become a vegan to prosper in their highest selves. I trust you to learn to become present, then make the choices for your highest self from that place of presence. Just don't be surprised to meet many vegans along your journey there. I also want to say that I don't believe in any strict code of living. That includes veganism. So, while I identify as a vegan, I do not eat a strict vegan diet. The first year and a half I did, but as I learn to walk the middle path I've learned to not go to the extremes. Which means I'm about a 98% vegan. Do what feels right for you, and don't allow strict definitions to scare you away from trying something new.
INSPIRED ACTION: Journal Prompt! Most people get a lot of gut reactions when you bring up veganism. But veganism is not an attack on meat eating. It's not an attack on anything. It's the opposite of attacking. It's peace. I want you to journal about what immediate reactions you get when you read the word vegan. Dissect these. Where did they come from? Are they true? Can you look at them from a different perspective? This exercise isn't just for non-vegans either! Vegans, dissect what the word means to you. Is it a strict code? Are you allowing yourself grace and love through the process? Dig in. Then dig in further.
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