I love it when friends, family or acquaintances show a genuine interest in the idea of vegetarianism or veganism. Occasionally someone will ask; “How did you feel when you went vegetarian/vegan?” or “What changed for you?” I like these questions because I used to ask them too. In my case I was looking for a nudge, hoping to hear something spectacular that would convince me once and for all to change. Unfortunately, until recently, I didn’t have much of an answer to offer, definitely nothing spectacular. It has taken me a while to notice the true impact that veganism has had on me. Not because that impact has been small but rather because it’s been profound.
Vegan Benefits
I have seen many vegans bursting with excitement to share how their new diet and lifestyle has changed them: “I feel lighter”, “I’ve lost weight”, “I have more energy”, “Better skin”, “Better sex”. Personally, I can’t say I’ve ever noticed any of these changes, which is too bad, because these things are easy to describe and report. What I have noticed is a benefit that I suspect most vegans feel but are likely unaware of simply because there’s no name for it. We rarely hear anyone trying to explain it, but it’s actually quite amazing and powerful.
I Feel Reunited
“I feel reunited,” is the simplest, most succinct way I can describe what veganism has done for me. Reunited with what, you ask? With me! I know it sounds esoteric, but it’s not. We all feel disconnected at times, if not most of the time – disconnected from others, from the world, from ourselves. Everyone longs for connection. Going vegan has opened a door for me that is leading away from dissociation and towards a greater sense of self. I attribute my new sense of personal power to two things:
Resolution of Cognitive Dissonance
Firstly, my actions (refusing to contribute to animal suffering) are now in line with my values. Energy I used to use to deny the reality of animal exploitation, or to deny my participation in it, can now be used more productively. I am free to see things clearly. I’m free of cognitive dissonance (“the mental discomfort provoked by trying to believe two mutually contradictory propositions”). Claiming to love animals, but then eating them, is hard to reconcile.
Secondly, being vegan in a culture that’s largely antithetical to veganism, forces me to examine, question and ultimately assert myself – helping me to better know, understand and respect who I am. I’m no longer on “automatic pilot”, eating the way most of society eats without question. Now I question, and none of the rationalizations society offers make sense to me. I have always loved animals, but I grew up eating them. I grew up contributing to their exploitation and suffering. That’s a disconnect. Finally I am “reunited” with that part of me who loves animals. The resulting feelings of connection are real.
Eating Animals
In his beautifully thoughtful book, Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer touches upon this idea of how the disconnect we create with animals (so that we can exploit them) creates a disconnect within ourselves. We are, after all, animals as well. On page 37 he writes; “If we wish to disavow a part of ourselves, we call it our animal nature” and we try to repress or conceal it. And though we recognize parts of ourselves in animals, we “then deny that these animal similarities matter, and thus equally deny important parts of our humanity. What we forget about animals we begin to forget about ourselves.” There’s a danger in not having empathy for animals. There’s a danger in not seeing and acknowledging our selves fully. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we feel the repercussions. Foer writes; “Today, at stake in the question of eating animals is not only our basic ability to respond to sentient life, but our ability to respond to parts of our own (animal) being. There is a war not only between us and them, but between us and us.”
Veganism is Not a Sacrifice
When I first went vegetarian, and then again when I went vegan, I felt like I was “giving up” things. I did it anyway, willing to “sacrifice” for my beliefs. What a beautiful surprise to then slowly realize that I gained so much more than I lost. I gave up meat, dairy and eggs, true, but I learned that there’s a huge world of food to discover once you do! New spices, new ways of cooking, fruit and vegetables I’d never tried, nuts and seeds, grains (barley, buckwheat, quinoa, bulgur, teff, millet, spelt, kamut, rice, corn, oats…), legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, soybeans, edamame…). I’ve never eaten a wider variety of food than I do now. Having to research about eating vegan sparked an interest in eating for health, which in turn sparked a never-before-imagined interest in fitness! I can’t help but wonder if these new health and fitness hobbies are just a natural extension of the biggest gift that veganism has given me. That biggest gift being a growing capacity to care for, respect and reunite with my true self.
This Vegan Recipe is SO EASY…
It’s from The Vegan Stoner Cookbook. Need I say more? Quick and crazy delicious!
Cream of Shroom Soup (makes 1 big bowl, or two little ones)
– 1/2 cup mushrooms
– a few stalks of kale
– 1 tbsp of vegan margarine
– 2 tbsp of soy sauce
– 1 cup soy milk
– 1/2 cup veggie broth
– 1 tbsp of flour
– 1/4 tsp cumin
– 1/4 tsp thyme
1. Slice mushrooms and cook in pot with margarine and soy sauce
2. Add soy milk, veggie broth and flour
3. Mix in cumin, thyme and kale
4. Lower heat and stir till kale wilts