Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - June 19, 2024
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Toward the Beloved Community: Finding Peace of Mind (continued)
  2. All-Creatures.Org Ministry

1. Toward the Beloved Community: Finding Peace of Mind (continued)

In the previous essay, I discussed spiritual/religious faith or commitment as a path toward peace of mind. I now turn to mindfulness meditation.

There are many ways to meditate. They have in common a desire to clear the mind of immediate concerns to facilitate gaining a deeper understanding of our sense of self and our relationship to the world at large. I prefer “walking meditation,” which includes strolling in natural environments. A favored mental exercise is to think about how different people with different backgrounds and experiences see the world. I also try to imagine how nonhumans experience the world. I then explore how these perspectives might inform the challenges that individuals (human and nonhuman), communities, and nations face.

I see nothing wrong with a little diversion in our lives. Moderation is the key. We need to relax and enjoy ourselves to balance the stress of modern living, which includes challenges at work, with relationships, and in pursuit of justice. Many people feel overwhelmed by the stress and try to limit their attention to irrelevant things like reality TV, the dating lives of celebrities, and spectator sports. However, this only heightens anxiety. The reason is that ignoring real, important concerns requires constant effort to suppress unpleasant thoughts. The psychic energy, trying to get out, manifests as anxiety, inappropriate anger, and obsessions of many kinds, such as an insatiable pursuit of money, sex, or mind-altering drugs.

Mindfulness, at its core, is a quest for truth. There are many powerful forces that find truth inconvenient to their nefarious plans. We rightly feel vulnerable, but the proper response to the challenges is not to ignore them. Rather, it is to seek and share truth as best we can. In doing so, we gain a greater sense of personal equanimity and we are better positioned to help create a more just world.

Mindfulness starts with the self and, I will discuss next, it benefits greatly from meaningful relationships.

Stephen R. Kaufman, MD

2. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

All-Creatures.org Newsletter, June 12, 2024
World Oceans Day really is every day — bird flu infects more farmworkers at dairy farms — another horse racetrack CLOSES — why going vegan is a manly thing to do — Beagle testing breeder pled guilty, $35.5 million fine — SHARK again exposing and closing down rodeos and cockfights — learning kindness from sanctuary Animals — ethics and Panda diplomacy — respecting Pigeons’ amazing traits — and more… 

All-Creatures.org Newsletter, June 19, 2024
Tearoom Fish dirge — more dark realities of Bull riding — amazing Wasps — Founder of RefQ and vegan Yogi — Chickens’ amazing eyesight — being car-free for the Animals — every moment that we live — worldwide outrage for one Calf — more Fish are ‘farmed’ than are caught — open letter to nonvegans about bird flu — monkeys in Mexico falling from trees in intense heat — only three gassing pounds left in the US — and more…

Do you have things that you would like to see included in future newsletters? Then send it to us at veda@all-creatures.org. 

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L Hoffman
All-Creatures.org

and

Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
Executive Directress
All-Creatures.org 

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