As I grieve the loss (or ‘continuation’ as he would say) of my beautiful teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, I remember the huge shift he catalyzed in my life.
I had read a few of his books before being lucky enough to get a spot at one of his in-person retreats in 2010.
I had started teaching mindfulness a year earlier and as a result of my daily compassion practice had organically moved from a pescatarian to vegetarian diet.
I was pretty proud of myself because the cows and chickens weren’t killed after all, so eating their ‘products’ must be OK.
To my surprise, the entire 5-day retreat was totally plant-based/vegan (and also delicious, by the way).
As a spiritual family and a human family, we can all help avert climate change with the practice of mindful eating. Going vegetarian may be the most effective way to stop climate change. Being vegetarian is already enough to save the world.”
Thay recommended that “lay communities should be courageous and give rise to the commitment to be vegetarian, at least 15 days each month. If we can do that, we will feel a sense of well-being. We will have peace, joy, and happiness right from the moment we make this vow and commitment.”
But then in 2007, Thay wrote his famous “Blue Cliff Letter“, where he explained why the community was turning vegan to nourish compassion and help save the planet.
“Dairy and egg products… are products of the meat industry,” he wrote. “If we stop consuming, they will stop producing… According to the University of Chicago, a vegan causes approximately 1.5 fewer tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year than a meat-eater does.”
Since Thay wrote that letter six years ago, the UN has again called for a global shift to a meat-free and dairy-free diet.
One of the many things I love about this human Is his courage and insistence that mindfulness not just be about personal peace.
“Mindfulness must be engaged. Once there is seeing, there must be acting. Otherwise, what is the use of seeing? We must be aware of the real problems of the world. Then, with mindfulness, we will know what to do and what not to do to be of help.”
I found this page by googling the terms mindfulness, meditation veganism. I’m beginning to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into my life through one or two groups when something made me think I might be alone in my veganism in my meditation community. The two practices: not harming sentient beings, and mindful meditation, had seemed inseparable to me and the topic hadn’t come up. Finding this page brought me so much joy. Thich Nath Hanh, who has become something of a hero to me, in fact embraced veganism! Thank you for writing this. I feel so alone in my veganism sometimes. I hope to discover more about this.
Anna, I’m so glad my reflection was of value to you! Blessings to you on your journey. Thanks for your compassionate heart.
You’re definitely not alone!