But Why Vegan? Seeing Veganism from Beyond the Surface: How Veganism is an Integral Part of Who You Are and How Becoming Vegan Can Benefit You and All of Humanity

Preface

Veganism is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle.

I’ve always sought to make my life and my existence in this life to be better today than it was yesterday; to live in the moment today so that I can focus on setting the foundation for a better tomorrow. I have thus been a student of the human condition and our place in this universe. As I have experienced more, I have learned that there is no good or bad, no right or wrong, no sin or virtue. The only one thing that does hold true is the inevitability of consequence. We can never escape that one force. There are many levels of consequence, I have noticed. When I act on something as an individual, I face personal consequences. When many individuals come together and act similarly, we face a collective consequence.

In the time that I have embraced veganism, and not just converted to it kicking and screaming, my good days outnumber my bad, my great days outnumber my good. That was one of the consequences. It was the opposite prior to the conversion.

Being vegan then evolves into an identity, and that is so because of a very simple reason – we are what we eat. That is such an inalienable fact that needs no offer of proof. It is self-evident.  When being vegan becomes an identity. I understand that it becomes human nature to evangelize and share the experience. It’s like a rehabilitated smoker trying to preach. For those who haven't reached your level of perspective, you get this feeling of wanting to shake them back into awareness, but you can’t do that.

I remember one of my favorite lines in Matrix (if you haven’t seen it, you need to). It’s when Morpheus explains to Neo that even though all those people are still connected to the Matrix, they are so dependent on it that they are not ready to understand reality. It is like that for many things in our world, too. It is the same for those who embrace meditation, for those who understand the Universe beyond its apparent stars and planets.

Being vegan does not change your life. It is merely a tool. Change and improvement need your will to do so. If you are not desirous of change and betterment, then veganism is just a diet. However, if you want to change and better your life, then it gives you the clarity to see things as they are. You still have to make the changes. It is not the magical solution for your troubles and it is not a religious act. It is a realization that you are what you eat, and what you eat determines how you think, and how you think determines how you act, and actions have consequences.

Imagine using kerosene in your brand new SUV. It will work, but it's going to damage your engine when used over some time. That’s what happens with eating food that doesn’t sit well with the body. For instance, drinking milk or eating gluten. Yes, you may not show signs of disagreement, but no human being has the system to digest gluten or milk for that matter. If nothing is happening to you, it’s just that you’ve not been paying attention.

My life’s pursuit has been about making people’s lives better. It has been the single most powerful driving force in my life from as far back as I can remember. Indeed, that pursuit has been the reason behind my repeated downfall in the past, and, at the same time, it has been the source of my most profound satisfaction.

In hindsight, I see that the mix of failures and successes were neither good nor bad, but were the sand, stone, and steel that laid the foundation to the understanding I have for life and my ability to share it with everyone around me; family, friends, and strangers, alike. My sometimes gut wrenching experiences allow me to understand the true essence of who we are, what we are and what our purpose is. My joys in life allow me to contrast and they provide balance.

What started out as just one aspect of understanding the human condition and how to improve living one life at a time, has spread across numerous areas; from psychology to physiology, science to spirituality, diets to fasting, and from failure to success.

What has all this got to do with being Vegan?

The answer is simply this: You are what you eat, and how you react to food determines what you eat. If you