Smart?

All sentient beings are smart. The reason we have trouble understanding this is because we assess "smart" in mostly human terms. That is NOT smart!

May all being be well and happy.

If You Love Animals...

May all beings be happy and free.

From The 15th Century

Saints I've seen both ways.

Hindus and Muslims don't want discipline, they want tasty food.

The Hindu keeps the eleventh-day fast, eating chestnuts and milk.

He curbs his grain but not his brain, and breaks his fast with meat.

The Turk [Muslim] prays daily, fasts once a year, and crows "God!, God!" like a cock.

What heaven is reserved for people who kill chickens in the dark?

Instead of kindness and compassion, they've cast out all desire.

One kills with a chop, one lets the blood drop, in both houses burns the same fire.

Turks and Hindus have one way, the guru's made it clear.

Don't say Ram, don't say Khuda [Allah], so says Kabir.


— Kabir, Shabda 10, Translated by Linda Hess and Shukdeo Singh

May all beings be happy and free.

Humanity

The full potential of our humanity will not be revealed until we care for ALL living beings, not only humans.

May all beings be well and happy.

Mixed News for Elephants

Meanwhile, the Trump administration reversed the US ban. Learn more here...

May all beings be happy and free.

Rise of Veganism

Here's a great article about Veganism today. I hope you'll read it. Here are some highlights from:

The unstoppable rise of veganism: how a fringe movement went mainstream

“In 30 years or so, I believe we will be shocked [that] we killed animals en masse for food.” 

If this is the year of mainstream veganism, as every trend forecaster and market analyst seems to agree, then there is not one single cause, but a perfect plant-based storm of factors. People cite one or more of three key motives for going vegan – animal welfare, environmental concerns and personal health.

A common trope among recent converts is that the revelations about the brutality of the meat, dairy and egg industries were hidden from view... Justice is no longer a dirty word, people can have a conversation about justice for the 70bn animals killed for food, without being shot down and screamed at as a radical extremist...

Now that it’s revealed, people just don’t want to be a part of that horrific industry. It’s like a weight off their shoulders; getting clean of the lies and the destruction.

Of course, the vegan movement already existed, but Cowspiracy’s success reflects a new emphasis on animal agriculture, in particular cattle farming, in the context of the deepening climate crisis. Critical in this refocusing from animal welfare as the primary motive for veganism was a 2006 report produced by the UN, Livestock’s Long Shadow, which described the livestock sector as one of the most significant contributors to environmental degradation, both globally and locally. 

A follow-up UN report in 2010 warned that rising meat and dairy consumption, and a global population predicted to be 9.1 billion by 2050, meant a shift towards veganism was vital to save the world from climate catastrophe and food shortages. Overall, agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of total land use and 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions; within this, the footprint of meat and dairy production is heavily disproportionate.

Read the full article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/01/vegans-are-coming-millennials-health-climate-change-animal-welfare

May all beings be happy and well.

BIOVINITY: Universal Responsibility

May all beings be well and happy!

Sudan, The Last Male White Rhino

We are witness to the alarming rate of extinction of animals on Earth. Unlike past mass extinctions - we have a firsthand, front row seat to this one.

Today's grim news is that Sudan, the last male white rhinoceros, has died, leaving only two females - and the hopes of successful artificial insemination - to save this unique subspecies.

Here's the sad story on the BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43468066

The dangers that animals face now are daunting. How many people will awaken to this unfolding tragedy? How many voices will speak out above the din of humans' running roughshod over our planet and her creatures? And, maybe most importantly, how many more whole species will we lose before we recognize that our fate is inextricably joined with theirs?

May we see what is happening and care enough to do something that will stop this madness.

For as long as there are beings....

May all beings be well and happy.

Wild Earth Takes Animals Out Of Pet Foods!

Great news!

California-based biotechnology company Wild Earth plans to become the first company to offer “cultured” (known as “clean” or “lab-grown”) protein for cats and dogs. The company’s flagship product will be made with Koji (a fungus) that is cultured in a lab-setting, mitigating the risk of chemical contaminants in companion animal food.

Read more here: http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=10973&catId=1

May all beings be happy and well!

Bring It On Down To Veganville!

Vegans now have a whole neighborhood in Toronto. Yay Canada! Check it out:

https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2018/03/vegans-have-their-own-neighbourhood-toronto-now

This reminds me of a really funny video from SNL's 2013 season, starring Justin Timberlake: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/veganville/n35373

And, one more: Visit the Vegan Society for the history of Veganism and so many great resources: https://www.vegansociety.com/

May all beings be happy and free!

World Animal Protection Index

This excellent resource ranks nations by the extent of protections they afford for animals based on factors like recognition of their emotional sentience and intelligence.

"The Animal Protection Index establishes a classification of 50 countries around the world according to their commitments to protect animals and improve animal welfare in policy and legislation."

https://api.worldanimalprotection.org/

May all beings be well and happy.

May All Beings....

#NeverAgain

I want to post the briefest response to the many tragedies resulting from gun violence in our society:

In part, the problem is that our fear and greed allows us also to do that kind of heinous act to millions of animals and other beings every day. Until we stop that, we are unlikely to address the rest. What we need is a thorough examination of our hearts to learn what we really need and what we really don’t need. Then, with the courage of love, we can let go of what we don’t need.

May all beings be happy.

Addendum/update, March 26, 2018:

“Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.” –Albert Schweitzer

Hurray for Switzerland!

Read about Switzerland being the first to make illegal the boiling of live lobsters and other strong protections for animals and pets:

http://www.king5.com/mobile/article/news/nation-world/in-a-world-first-switzerland-deems-it-illegal-to-boil-a-lobster/507-520022212

Animal rights activists applaud the new lobster law and call for more action.

“While this may end one of the cruelest methods of killing these fascinating beings in Switzerland, there are no laws protecting them from being boiled alive in other countries — including the U.S.,” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said on its website.

Thank you, Switzerland!

Now, let's keep moving forward toward the goal that ALL beings may be happy and well cared for.

How We Talk About Food

The way we refer to food and to what we eat can add confusion and perpetuate unconscious denial of the suffering our choices can create.

I want to begin the practice - because it will take time to overcome long-enculturated habits - of referring to "meat" items by the names of the animals, rather than the odd euphemisms we have become accustomed to.

"Steak" is a cow. "Bacon" is a pig. "Veal," a young lamb.* Though I understand the references and etymologies here, chickens don't have "fingers" and buffalos don't have wings. "Hamburgers" are cows and do not (at least, most hope!) contain any pigs (aka "ham").

For some reason, most feel ok calling a meal of fish "fish," and commonly "chicken" and "turkey" is how we refer to those birds, though my sense is that more people would feel a need to reckon with their food choices if they used the proper animal names of the mammals cows, pigs, and sheep.

We don't like eating horses, and maybe we would be less inclined to eat cows and pigs if we called them by name.

Similarly, I feel increasingly concerned about the terms "Vegan" and "plant-based." I want to begin to more accurately describe my ethics-based choice of foods as "Non Animal."

Perhaps if we begin calling things what they are, we will bring more light to the shadowy areas of our mostly unconscious and vastly unethical relationships with our sister and brother animals.

May all beings be happy and well.

___

* Thank you, Lisa, for your correction in the comments section that "veal" refers to cows.

Vegan Publishers

A great resource for readers and writers! https://veganpublishers.com/

Thanks, Vegan Publishers!

May all beings be happy and well.

A Persian Song: The Hunt...

...by Niyaz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kII5nCc9W28

Let's go to the field.
Which field?
The same that has rabbits, oh yes.
And my dog has a rope on its foot, oh yes.
Don't kill my dog nor my rabbits,
For the dream of the rabbit reminds me of the dream of my lover, oh yes.

Let's go to the mountain.
Which mountain?
The same that has deer, oh yes.
And my dog has a rope on its foot, oh yes.
Don't kill my dog, nor my rabbit, nor my deer,
For the grace of my deer reminds me of the grace of my lover, oh yes.

Let's go to the garden.
Which garden?
The same that has pheasants, oh yes.
And my dog has a rope on its foot, oh yes.
Don't kill my dog, nor my rabbit, nor my deer, nor my pheasants,
For the amble of the pheasant reminds me of the amble of my lover, oh yes.

May all beings be happy and free!

When We Go To The Movies

When we go to the movies, we feel relieved to see the Humane Society certification at the end of the credits that guarantees that "no animals were harmed during the making of this film," and we feel grateful that modern technologies such as CGI reduce the need for the use of potentially mistreated animals in the movies we enjoy.

And yet, when we go have a meal before or after, many of the same people who care so much about animals do not seem to mind the inescapable reality that many animals (at least one, in the case of any non-plant-based meal) were certainly harmed in the process of bringing that meal to you. Typically, those animals were badly treated while they lived, as well.

I can't help but wonder why we care about one scenario, but not the other, and I hope this makes you wonder, too.

May all beings be well and happy, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

May All Beings....

May all beings (that I prefer) be well and happy (and the rest of them, go to hell).

This is NOT how the prayer goes and does NOT represent its intention or purpose.

Ask yourself, do you mean ALL beings, or just people? Animals, too...but not ALL animals (like the ones you eat)? Cats, dogs, horses...how about cows, chickens and pigs?

How about spiders and insects? 

If we make this prayer, let's make it REAL:

lokaaha samastaaha sukhino bhavantu

May all beings everywhere (without exception) be happy and well!

Thanksgiving and Medicine Buddha

“Since God has compassion for all beings—the thought of the needs of all sentient beings—this would include our brother and sister turkeys, and all other sentient beings, including all the insects as well—all sentient beings who suffer in order to support us and our happiness.

Read more of this article, at Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s website...... http://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/thanksgiving-0

And this excerpt from Facebook:

"I cannot stop this, but now, whatever teaching I do, even tantric teachings, I announce to the world to be vegetarian, so that fewer people will eat meat and fewer animals will get killed and they will suffer less. If more people refused to eat meat there would naturally be less suffering for animals.

"Not eating meat at all in the world—that is a dream. That will not happen. But fewer people eating meat can happen. So I thought to announce this to the world. It’s very simple. We ourselves don’t want somebody else to use our body, to be killed for food. We don’t want to suffer. In exactly the same way, why not all others? Animals, insects, they don’t want to suffer. We can see that when we touch their bodies, they have such fear.

"Animals can’t speak. They can’t demonstrate in the road or on TV or in newspapers. They can’t parade with placards and loud speakers. They have no power at all. Animals are powerless, totally in human hands, to be used like toilet paper. It’s so pitiful. People have little concern about their feelings. Their mind is not open at all. That is really so bad.

"Learning the Buddha’s teachings makes people understand. It emphasizes the need to generate compassion for all sentient beings. People have to understand the suffering of other sentient beings as the teachings explain."

With Gratitude for you this day and all days.

May all beings be happy and free from suffering and the causes of suffering. SVAHA

Giving Thanks and Prayers

May YOU and ALL beings be well and happy.

SVAHA

Lankavatara Sutra on Meat Eating

Lankavatara Sutra on Meat Eating

For innumerable reasons, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva, whose nature is compassion, is not to eat any meat; I will explain them: Mahamati, in this long course of transmigration here, there is not one living being that, having assumed the form of a living being, has not been your mother, or father, or brother, or sister, or son, or daughter, or the one or the other, in various degrees of kinship; and when acquiring another form of life may life as a beast, as a domestic animal, as a bird, or as a womb-born, or as something standing in some relationship to you; [this being so] how can the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva who desires to approach all living beings as if they were himself and to practise the Buddha-truths, eat the flesh of any living being that is of the same nature as himself? Even, Mahamati, the Rakshasa, listening to the Tathagata’s discourse on the highest essence of the Dharma, attained the notion of protecting [Buddhism], and, feeling pity, refrains from eating flesh; how much more those who love the Dharma! Thus, Mahamati, wherever there is the evolution of living beings, let people cherish the thought of kinship with them, and, thinking that all beings are to be loved as if they were an only child, let them refrain from eating meat. So with Bodhisattvas whose nature is compassion, [the eating of meat] is to be avoided by him. Even in exceptional cases, it is not [compassionate] of a Bodhisattva of good standing to eat meat. The flesh of a dog, an ass, a buffalo, a horse, a bull or a man, or any other being, Mahamati, that is not generally eaten by people, is sold on the roadside as mutton for the sake of money; and therefore, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva should not eat meat.

For the sake of love of purity, Mahamati, the Bodhisattva should refrain from eating flesh which is born of semen, blood, etc. For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to obtain compassion, refrain from eating flesh. To illustrate, Mahamati: When a dog sees, even from a distance, a hunter, a pariah, a fisherman, etc, whose desires are for meat-eating, he is terrified with fear, thinking, “They are death-dealers, they will even kill me.” In the same way, Mahamati, even those minute animals that are living in the air, on earth, and in water, seeing meat-eaters at a distance, will perceive in them, by their keen sense of smell, the odour of the Rakshasa and will run away from such people as quickly as possible; for they are to them the threat of death. For this reason, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva, who is disciplining himself, to abide in great compassion, because of its terrifying living beings, refrain from eating meat. The food of the wise, Mahamati, is what is eaten by the Rishis; it does not consist of meat and blood. Therefore, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva refrain from eating meat.

In order to guard the minds of all people, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva whose nature is holy and who is desirous of avoiding censure on the teaching of the Buddha, refrain from eating meat. For instance, Mahamati, there are some in the world who speak ill of the teaching of the Buddha; who say: “Why are those who are living the life of a Sramana or a Brahmin rejecting such food as was enjoyed by the ancient Rishis, and eating like the carniverous animals, living in the air, on earth, or in the water? Why do they go wandering about in the world thoroughly terrifying living beings, disregarding the life of a Sramana and destroying the vow of a Brahmin? There is no Dharma, no discipline, in them.” There are many such adverse-minded people who thus speak ill of the teaching of the Buddha. For this reason, Mahamati, in order to guard the minds of all people, let the Bodhisattva whose nature is full of pity and who is desirous of avoiding censure on the teaching of the Buddha, refrain from eating meat.

Such as these, Mahamati, are the evils of meat-eating; how much more numerous [evil] qualities that are born of the perverted minds of those devoted to meat-eating. And, Mahamati, the ignorant and simple-minded are not aware of all this and other evils and merits [in connection with meat-eating]. I tell you, Mahamati, that seeing these evils and merits the Bodhisattva whose nature is pity should eat no meat.

If, Mahamati, meat is not eaten by anybody for any reason, there will be no destroyer of life. Mahamati, in the majority of cases the slaughter of innocent living beings is done for pride and very rarely for other causes. Though nothing special may be said of eating flesh of living creatures such as animals and birds, alas, Mahamati, that one addicted to the taste of meat taste should eat human flesh! Mahamati, in most cases nets and other devices are prepared in various places by people who have lost their sense on account of their appetite for meat taste, and thereby many innocent victims are destroyed for the sake of the price they bring in. There are even some, Mahamati, who are like Rakshasas hard-hearted and used to practising cruelties, who, being so devoid of compassion, would now and then look at living beings as meant for food and destruction – no compassion is awakened in them.

It is not true, Mahamati, that meat is proper food and permissible for the Sravaka when the victim was not killed by himself, when he did not order others to kill it, when it was not specially meant for him. Again, Mahamati, there may be some unwitting people in the future time, who, beginning to lead the homeless life according to my teachings, are acknowledged as sons of the Sakya, and carry the Kashaya robe about them as a badge, but who are in thought evilly affected by erroneous reasonings. They may talk about various discriminations they make in their moral discipline, being addicted to the view of an immortal soul. Being under the influence of the thirst for meat-taste, they will string together in various ways some sophistic arguments to defend meat-eating. They think they are giving me an unprecedented calumny when they discriminate and talk about facts that are capable of various interpretations. Imagining that this fact allows this interpretation, they conclude that the Blessed One permits meat as proper food, and that this is mentioned among permitted foods and that probably the Tathagata himself partook of it. But, Mahamati, nowhere in the sutras is meat permitted as something enjoyable, nor is it referred to as proper among the foods prescribed.

If however, Mahamati, I had mind to permit meat eating, or if I said it was proper for the Sravakas to eat meat, I would not have forbidden, I would not forbid, all meat-eating for these Yogins, the sons and daughters of good family, who, wishing to cherish the idea that all beings are to them like and only child, are possessed of compassion, practise contemplation, mortification ,and are on their way to the Mahayana. And, Mahamati, the interdiction not to eat meat is here given to all sons and daughters of good family, whether they are cemetery-ascetics or forest-ascetics, or Yogins who are practising the exercises, if they wish the Dharma and are on their way to the mastery of any vehicle, and being possessed of compassion, conceive the idea of regarding all beings as an only child, in order to accomplish the end of their discipline…. Further, a tenfold prohibition is given as regards the flesh of animals found dead by themselves. All meat-eating in any form, in any manner, and in any place, is unconditionally and once for all, prohibited for all.

Thus, Mahamati, meat-eating I have not permitted to anyone, I do not permit, I will not permit.

https://shingondharmazazen.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/lankavatara-sutra-on-meat-eating/

May all beings be well and happy!

From Reducetarianism to Vegan

This NPR story explores empathy for those who eat animals and animal products as more effective than "othering" them, citing also:

"All the reducers together are responsible for avoiding more animals being killed than vegetarians and vegans combined."

An excellent report and effort!

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2017/11/01/561385340/when-more-vegan-meals-are-the-goal-what-is-the-strategy

May all beings be free....

Some Happy News from CA Wildfires

A dog called Odin survives California wildfires after refusing to abandon his goats:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.4356614/a-dog-called-odin-survives-california-wildfires-after-refusing-to-abandon-his-goats-1.4356619

....Wisdom and Compassion in the hearts of animals.

May all beings be happy and well!

This Conversation Leads Toward Kindness

A letter to my Sangha (10/19/17) regarding a conversation about race and ethnic biases:

Dears, one and all,

I am also so glad to see these topics (race and others) being discussed now, especially in the loving, harmonious and beautiful way we are unfolding the conversation.

As we know: We may notice any number of such tendencies within ourselves, the many tendencies of self-grasping that amount to looking down on others. It is valuable to find these, to find ourselves in relation to these learned or habituated tendencies. It is yet another matter when we react from these experiences (less than consciously), because we know that does not bring benefit, but harm.

As we also know so well, by the great treasures of our practices and lineage, we come close and closer to what we are, as distinguished from what we are not, and in that discovering, compassion and forgiveness arise spontaneously. With compassion, we respond most skillfully for the benefit, support and upliftment of others.

In the broadest sense, as we pray “Raise us above the distinctions and differences which divide,” we hold constant vigil in our hearts, ever on the look-in for any ways we may look down upon – and sometimes also mistreat - others, either because of race, ethnicity, cultural or educational background, gender or sexual orientation, class, status, wealth, health, ability/disability, appearance, political leanings.... This list goes on and on.

And, this list may include attitudes and behaviors that oppress our animal sisters and brothers. Just as we now look back at slavery as something abhorrent, and while we continue to uncover and call-out sexual abuse of women, men, boys, girls... my own hope is that one day soon we will be able to look back upon how we have treated our animal friends and say with compassionate conviction: Never again.

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering. SVAHA

With love,
Shivadam

Parvati's Vegan Eggplant!

Parvati shares: BIG NEWS: Successful Vegan cooking experiment VICTORY!!!!!!!! Wow!

Combo of two modified recipes to create Vegan Stuffed Eggplant "not Parmesan" and it was ridiculously satisfying, and the picky eater in my house (that's me!) loved it as much as I did (so that is saying something)...

Cloe's vegan Rockn' Ricotta (I added 4 slices of some Creamy Original Chao vegan slices and lemon pepper to taste instead of the lemon juice, black pepper, and salt... I also added about 1 TBS of coconut milk and used only about 1 1/2 cups of fresh basil)

http://www.humanesociety.org/…/sauces_s…/rockin-ricotta.html

and combined this recipe with the Minimalist Baker recipe for Eggplant Parmesan...

https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-eggplant-parmesan/

and then layered the eggplant, red sauce, and the ricotta blend like lasagna and then re-baked it to warm through... topping it all off with a couple slices of crispy eggplant on top. It was truly as good as lasagna and paired perfectly with vegan sourdough garlic toast! I am actually 100 sure that a full blown meat eater would never have known this was not "the real thing". REALLY!

I agree! It was stunningly delicious...and, animal-karma free!

May all beings be happy and well.

From 'The World's Happiest Man'

"For French Buddhist monk and prolific author Matthieu Ricard, there is no moral, ethical, or philosophical way to defend our treatment of animals. Aside from our reliance on meat and dairy products, which accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire transportation sector, or the fact that an estimated 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are exploited or depleted, Ricard says a key thing to remember is that we exist on a continuum with animals—we are one of them."

Read the full Tricycle article....

Find his book, A Plea For The Animals, here...

May all beings be happy and well!

1000 Animals Saved by Owner - His House Lost

If there is any good news coming out of the devastating fires in Northern California, this report about Peter Lang saving all the animals in his wildlife preserve - while losing his own family home - is some.

Read the moving story about a man's selfless sense of duty and concern for the animals in his care:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7512550-181/safari-west-owner-had-a

May all beings be well and happy.

October 4: World Animal Day

Be kind to an animal today... Maybe don't eat any?

A beautiful song for the day, for every day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=682&v=DzPTHstpJ2I

Hold an animal in your heart or your arms as you listen.

May ALL beings be happy and well, safe and protected, healthy and strong, free of suffering and may they live with ease.

Disasters and Pets

Blessings to all the pets and their caregivers as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida.

Here's a resource for planning and caring for pets subject to disasters:

https://www.ready.gov/animals

May all beings be well and happy.

Dining at Denny's - Vegan!

So many restaurants have vegan options. Did you know that Taco Bell's beans and tortillas are vegan? Here are good suggestions for dining at Denny's from Mercy For Animals:

http://www.chooseveg.com/here-are-our-favorite-vegan-options-at-dennys

Happy (for you AND the animals) dining!

May all beings be free.

An Inconvenient Sequel

I agree that the film could have spent more than a millisecond on mention of Animal AG's contribution to Climate Change, but I saw the film to be more about Al Gore's struggle simply to keep Climate Change a main topic of conversation, especially now in the face of Trump's outrageous efforts to squash the inconvenient truth, facts, and science. (Parts of the film had to be re-written before release to address the most recent onslaught of garbage coming from the WH.)

The film is less about the many contributors to a warming planet and pollution than it is about effecting energy policy changes through global agreements, such as Al helped to facilitate at the 2015 Paris COP21 Summit.

This article presents good critique of the film:

"Simply put, animal agriculture is one of the main culprits behind climate change. An Inconvenient Truth failed to address this, and people have been wondering whether the sequel would make up for it, particularly since it again stars Al Gore, who himself went vegan after realizing the connection between animal agriculture and global warming."

I did not know that Al went vegan! So, while Al may not be "talking the talk" as much as he could, he is certainly "walking the walk," as his Wiki page elaborates:

"In 2013, Gore became a vegan. He had earlier admitted that "it's absolutely correct that the growing meat intensity of diets across the world is one of the issues connected to this global crisis – not only because of the [carbon dioxide] involved, but also because of the water consumed in the process" and some speculate that his adoption of the new diet is related to his environmentalist stance. In a 2014 interview, Gore said "Over a year ago I changed my diet to a vegan diet, really just to experiment to see what it was like. ... I felt better, so I've continued with it and I'm likely to continue it for the rest of my life."

An Inconvenient Sequel profiles Al Gore's commitment (he calls it his "mission") to keep Climate Change on the front burner in global discourse.

Keep up the great work, Al!

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.

Albert Einstein

"A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." - Albert Einstein

May all beings be happy and well, free of suffering and the causes of suffering.