The journey to veganism… thought process, feelings and all

I was first introduced to veganism and the manner in which animals are treated, by my Guru Mohanji who is also a vegan and actively helps to promote oneness of all beings.

Being part of a Hindu home, were the usage of dairy (milk etc) is so widely used, I could not fathom how I would be able to give up dairy, or all animal based products for that matter (including honey). And although Hindus consume dairy out of love and honour to cows, I am sure they would not support this inhumane treatment that these cows go through, in order to provide milk…

I did not want to continue to support an industry which has zero respect for animals, violates the bodies of these animals to gain these animal products, injects toxins which could be harmful for humans as a means to ‘clean out’ the products of other toxins, inflates the prices and then sells it to unassuming human beings who think they deserve or need to purchase and consume these products…

Towards the end of December 2018, I saw a thing called “Veganuary” on Facebook. It was basically a petition to go vegan for the entire month of Jan 2019. I was happy, as this could be my motivation and support I felt that I needed to go vegan!

I tried it. The first day was great. The second day was fine too. But what started happening was something I did not expect at all. I thought I might crave cheese or something that had milk… I did not. But rather on the opposite end, when I saw or thought of any dairy products, the thoughts and images of baby cows being separated from their mother, came to mind. Feelings of deep pain, separation, death, and everything negative started coming to mind and I would cry. Tears would fill up my eyes regardless of where I was at. And I started becoming more and more sensitive to being a vegan.

The choice of being a vegan was not just an attempt to rid myself of dairy products, honey and anything else that is derived from animals, but as a way of saying “STOP”, of saying “NO” to a world of pain and suffering that us humans inflict on those animals.

This is so much more than just a lifestyle or dietary choice. Being a vegan isn’t just about enjoying the black coffee (americano’s) and omitting the dairy cheese… It is about seeing all beings as one. With equal rights, the right not only to live, but enjoy their life without their bodies being violated in any way. Just as it is a crime to touch human beings inappropriately, it should also be a crime to violate the bodies of animals in any way.

All these years I was under the impression that cows were enjoying the sun, chewing grass and giving us their milk out of free will. Gee the fact that milk is so readily available I very stupidly also thought that cows produce milk all the time, so it was okay for humans to consume their ‘excess’ milk. But no. That isn’t true. Cows only produce milk when they have a calf, just like how women only produce milk when they have a baby! So in order for them to produce milk, they are ‘always’ pregnant…

As a women I really cannot support the action of the cows being forcefully impregnated, so that their bodies can produce milk. And then have their babies who they carried in their body, be torn away and killed so that we humans can have that milk instead! And hey I am sure that men would also not support this vile action!

This is just my little story on how veganism changed my life, the change to and process of being vegan.

Are you a vegan or planning to adopt a vegan lifestyle? Let us know in the comments section below!

Lots of love, until next time…

Salona