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Thoughts Liberate Animals

Thoughts Liberate Animals

 

IDA invites you to read this column, “Thoughts Liberate Animals,” on our Sustainable Activism Blog by guest blogger and Peace to All Beings author Judy Carman.

SustainableActivism-W-LOGOWe animal liberators are a lot like dandelions. A lot of people would rather we not appear in their lawns even though our bright yellow blossoms are quite beautiful. They try to pull us up by the roots or spray us with herbicides of all kinds, but somehow we always manage to pop back up cheerily and then overnight turn into the most lovely puffballs, full of hundreds of seeds. All we need is a little wind and there go our seeds flying about like tiny birds. That’s why the number of vegans (and dandelions) increases every day. We dande-lion-hearted activists have planted a lot of seeds with both our thoughts and our actions.

It’s been said that we attract what we think about most. That is why it has also been said that every thought is a prayer. Atheists and theists alike “pray,” in that broad sense, whenever we have a thought. Our dilemma as animal liberationists is that we have awakened from the cultural trance that ignores animal suffering and are now painfully and constantly aware of the terrible plight of the animals. In the true meaning of the word “compassion,” we are “suffering with.” What do we do, then, with our feelings and thoughts? We have gone through the door of denial, and now we can’t go back.

Our thoughts and feelings often turn to rage at what is happening, anger at the perpetrators, burn-out after working so hard with seemingly little progress, loneliness from being ostracized by some, and endless grief over the animals whom we cannot physically save. If it is true that we attract what we think about most, then for the sake of the animals and ourselves, we must acknowledge the injustice while simultaneously attracting what we want for the animals. We want to “attract” their liberation. Therefore, the majority of our thoughts must be loving thoughts empowered by the feeling of love if we are going to bring animal liberation into reality.

The question for all of us is, “How do we keep our thoughts focused on this love and this vision of peace for all beings?” It is a challenge that activists for justice have faced through the ages. It requires us to take time to feel the joy and peace that lies within each of us and connects us all to each other and to the animals. It is from that place of peace that we can find the strength, the optimism, and the wisdom to do our part for the animals.

In Defense of Animals’ Sustainable Activism Campaign provides emotional and spiritual resources to help us all with that challenge. IDA offers workshops, teleseminars, retreats, and helplines. Dr. Will and Madeleine Tuttle and I co-founded the Circle of Compassion and the Prayer Circle for Animals to support animal activists. I also wrote the following books with animal activists in mind: “Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken’s Soul” and “The Missing Peace: The Hidden Power of Our Kinship with Animals” (co-author, Tina Volpe).

Gandhi said, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won… Think of it—always.” Our awakening to the plight of the animals was an awakening to love for all beings and to reverence for all life. We have the great privilege of seeing with our hearts what peace and liberation for all beings can look like. We have been blessed with the ability to love unconditionally just as the animals do. May the seeds of all our thoughts, feelings, prayers, and actions bloom with that love. Imagine, feel, and know that humanity is being transformed and animal liberation is close at hand.

Judy McCoy Carman, M.A. Author of “Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken’s Soul”; co-author with Tina Volpe of “The Missing Peace: The Hidden Power of our Kinship with Animals.” Judy co-founded The Prayer Circle for Animals and started the Peace to All Beings website where you can find the Animal Prayer Flag project. Judy is Co-Chair of IDA’s Council of Sustainable Activism and can be reached at judycarman@ymail.com.

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