Wellnes on Towards Freedom

New Approach Methodologies

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:24:28 -0700

This is a webpage compiled from comprehensive reports by Perplexity, Gemini, Mistral AIs, as well as a NAM summary by Dr. Zheng Tan on validated medical developments as of <2026-03-24 Tue>.

Preamble

The discovery items have been compiled and organized by Mistral AI into 7 themes:

AI-Driven Drug Discovery & Repurposing
Organ-on-a-Chip & Microphysiological Systems
Human Organoids & Organoid-Based Models
In Silico Modeling, PBPK, and Computational Methods
High-Throughput & Omics-Based Approaches
Toxicology & Safety Assessment via NAMs
Regulatory & Industry Adoption of NAMs

Each item is presented in a consistent format:
Discovery
Validation
Impact
References

A summary table and conclusion are provided at the end of this webpage.Please note that the term NAM is used to cover a wide range of items including those that can be said to be NAM-enabling.

Here are the AI reports:
NAM-gemini.pdf
NAM-mistral.pdf
NAM-perplexity.pdf

Here is the NAM summary document kindly created by Dr. Zheng Tan which contains additional insights for several items such as:
Development Team
Country
Significance of NAM discovery

The graphic was generated by Mistral and represents a microscopic view of organoid and NAM technology.

Introduction

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) represent a paradigm shift in biomedical research and drug development, replacing or supplementing traditional animal testing with human-relevant, in vitro, in silico, and in chemico technologies. This report synthesizes peer-reviewed, validated medical discoveries enabled by NAMs, organized thematically to highlight their scientific, clinical, and regulatory impact.

1. AI-Driven Drug Discovery & Repurposing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing drug discovery by analyzing vast datasets to identify novel drug candidates, predict drug responses, and repurpose existing drugs for new therapeutic uses. This section highlights groundbreaking discoveries where AI-driven approaches have accelerated drug development timelines, reduced reliance on animal testing, and provided actionable insights for treating complex diseases such as COVID-19, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and neurodegenerative disorders.

1.1 AI-Powered Drug Repurposing for COVID-19

Discovery: The JAK inhibitor baricitinib (originally approved for rheumatoid arthritis) was identified as a potential COVID-19 therapy using an AI-driven in silico NAM. The model predicted its ability to block SARS-CoV-2 infection and modulate cytokine signaling pathways.
Validation: Subsequent clinical trials confirmed that baricitinib, when added to standard care, reduced mortality and improved outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Impact: Demonstrated the power of AI-driven drug repurposing for pandemic response.
References: Can New Approach Methodologies De-Risk Drug Development?

1.2 AI-Designed Novel Drug Candidate for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Discovery: Insilico Medicine’s AI platform designed a novel drug candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in just 18 months, integrating multimodal omics data (single-cell transcriptomics, proteomics) with deep generative models and graph neural networks.
Validation: The candidate advanced to Phase II clinical trials, showcasing AI’s ability to accelerate drug discovery timelines.
Impact: Reduced reliance on animal testing and shortened the drug development pipeline.
References: From AI-Assisted In Silico Computational Design to Preclinical In Vivo Models

1.3 Topiramate for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Discovery: Transcriptomic reversal scoring and network pharmacology identified topiramate as a candidate for IBD by predicting its ability to reverse disease-specific expression profiles.
Validation: Further preclinical and clinical studies are ongoing to validate its efficacy.
Impact: Demonstrated the potential of AI-driven repurposing for complex diseases.
References: From Lab to Clinic: Success Stories of Repurposed Drugs in Treating Major Diseases

1.4 Drug Repurposing for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Discovery: High-throughput screening (HTS) identified compounds capable of disrupting 14-3-3 protein interactions, offering potential treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Validation: AI integrating advanced computational techniques is overcoming the limitations of conventional HTS which are primarily huge volume of compounds and bio-interaction complexities.
Impact: Provided new therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative diseases with unmet medical needs.
References: AI-driven High Throughput Screening for Targeted Drug Discovery, How AI Contributes to make High-Throughput Screening more Efficient, [New Approach Methodologies Facilitating Drug Discovery](https://www.biotechniques.com/drug-discovery-development/if-sart-nams-an-e xciting-era-for-drug-discovery_sartorius/)

1.5 CoreFinder: AI-Driven Discovery of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters

Discovery: The CoreFinder system, a transformer-based model, predicted biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) functions in fungi, uncovering novel BGCs validated through in vitro fermentation and LC-MS analysis.
Validation: Demonstrated the ability of AI to drive valid scientific discoveries independently of traditional experimental paradigms.
Impact: Unlocked new biosynthetic pathways for pharmaceutical advancement.
References: Deciphering Biosynthetic Gene Clusters with a Context-aware Protein Language Model

1.6 Disrupting TSLP Signaling as a Treatment for Atopic Diseases

Discovery: Identified putative small molecule inhibitors that disrupt TSLP–TSLP receptor interactions.
Validation: Demonstrated efficacy in human cell assays using in vitro human cell-based drug screening for atopic diseases (e.g., atopic dermatitis, asthma), leading to novel treatment options.
Impact: Provides a human-relevant alternative to animal models for drug discovery in inflammatory skin diseases.
References: Disrupting TSLP-TSLP receptor interactions via putative small molecule inhibitors yields a novel and efficient treatment option for atopic diseases

2. Organ-on-a-Chip & Microphysiological Systems

Organ-on-a-chip and microphysiological systems replicate the dynamic, multi-cellular environments of human organs in microfluidic devices, enabling high-fidelity studies of drug effects, disease mechanisms, and toxicity. By mimicking tissue-tissue interfaces, fluid flow, and mechanical forces, these platforms offer human-relevant alternatives to traditional animal models, driving advances in personalized medicine and regulatory-approved drug development tools.

2.1 Emulate Liver-on-a-Chip Identifies Hepatotoxicity

Discovery: The Emulate liver-on-a-chip model correctly identified hepatotoxicity in 87% of drugs that had tested as safe in animal models but were later found toxic in humans (see Performance assessment link below).
Validation: The platform recapitulated human-specific metabolic dynamics, including albumin secretion and mechanical stimuli in the extracellular matrix.
Impact: Highlighted the superiority of human-relevant microphysiological systems over animal models for predicting drug-induced liver injury (DILI).
References: Tumor organoids for cancer research and personalized medicine, Performance assessment and economic analysis of a human Liver-Chip for predictive toxicology, What are NAMs?

2.2 Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Toxicity Mechanism

Discovery: Liver-on-a-chip technology (see 2.1) equipped with nanotechnology-based optoelectronic sensors identified that acetaminophen blocks cellular respiration in minutes at much lower doses than previously believed, revealing an ultra‑rapid mitochondrial respiration impairment component not captured in legacy in vivo studies.
Validation: Sensors placed inside the bionic tissue detected rapid changes in oxygen uptake at much lower doses than previously believed from decades of animal research.
Impact: Provides a human-specific explanation for rare off-target effects and skin reactions that traditional animal models failed to capture, transforming safety protocols for one of the world’s most common medications.
References: Hepatotoxic assessment in a microphysiological system, What are NAMs?

2.3 Lung-on-a-Chip for Antiviral Efficacy

Discovery: A human lung-on-a-chip system (Emulate Bio) tested RNA-based antiviral therapies for influenza, showing significant reduction in viral replication and inflammatory responses with minimal off-target toxicity.
Validation: Demonstrated efficacy and safety under physiologically relevant conditions (air-liquid interface, dynamic flow).
Impact: Provided a human-relevant platform for antiviral drug testing, overcoming limitations of static cultures and animal models.
References: Lung-On-A-Chip Technologies for Disease Modeling and Drug Development, Human Lung-on-a-Chip Model Demonstrates Potential for Testing Preclinical Influenza Therapeutics, Revolutionizing respiratory health research

2.4 Lung-on-a-Chip for Tumor Heterogeneity & Drug Resistance

Discovery: Microfluidic lung-on-a-chip platforms modeled lung cancer microenvironments, enabling Label-free real-time classification of tumor cells at 10,000 cells/second as well as tracking of drug-resistant subpopulations (e.g., EGFR T790M mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer).
Validation: Demonstrated the ability to observe tumor heterogeneity and resistance dynamics in a human-relevant system.
Impact: Accelerated the development of targeted therapies and personalized treatment strategies.
References: Progress and application of lung-on-a-chip for lung cancer, The potential of lung-on-a-chip as an alternative to animal testing, Microfluidic lung cancer models: Bridging clinical treatment strategies and tumor microenvironment recapitulation

2.5 Liver and Skin Organ-on-a-Chip for PK-PD Studies

Discovery: The HUMIMIC Chip2 integrated liver spheroids and skin models to study pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) relationships under chemical exposure.
Validation: Demonstrated the platform’s utility for quantifying drug metabolism and toxicity in a human-relevant, multi-organ context.
Impact: Supported regulatory acceptance of organ-on-a-chip technologies as drug development tools.
References: Organ-on-a-chip meets artificial intelligence in drug evaluation, Organs-on-Chips in Drug Development: Engineering Foundations, Artificial Intelligence, and Clinical Translation

2.6 ALS Pathogenesis and Early Biomarkers

Discovery: Human spinal cord organ-chips integrated with vascular interfaces modeled early sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), uncovering neurofilament dysregulation and synaptic signaling defects.
Validation: Multi-omics analysis confirmed these molecular changes occur before overt neuron loss, mirroring clinical biomarkers that are difficult to detect in animal models.
Impact: Offers a human-relevant platform to study early disease progression and identify therapeutic targets before irreversible nerve damage occurs.
References: Organ-Chip ALS Model Uses Patient iPSCs to Uncover Early Disease Progression, An organ-chip model of sporadic ALS using iPSC

2.7 GABAergic Signaling in Cancer Invasion

Discovery: Patient-derived tumor organ-chips proved that tumor-derived GABA acts as a marker of poor prognosis and directly promotes invasion in metastatic colorectal cancer.
Validation: Interrogating the underlying biology on-chip demonstrated that inhibiting GABA synthesis significantly reduced invasive behavior, capturing patient-specific heterogeneity more faithfully than static cultures.
Impact: Establishes a new therapeutic target for colorectal cancer and validates the ability of organ-chips to replicate the complex tumor microenvironment.
References: GABAergic signaling contributes to tumor cell invasion and poor overall survival in colorectal cancer

2.8 Cervical Protective Role in Dysbiosis

Discovery: Linked Cervix and Vagina Organ-Chips demonstrated that cervical mucus actively modulates vaginal inflammation and protects the epithelium from injury during dysbiosis.
Validation: Exposure to cervix-derived mucus on-chip reduced inflammatory responses and altered protein expression profiles, identifying potential new biomarkers for bacterial vaginosis.
Impact: Uncovers human-specific protective mechanisms that cannot be studied in animal models, facilitating the discovery of new feminine health therapeutics.
References: Cervical mucus in linked human Cervix and Vagina Chips modulates vaginal dysbiosis

2.9 Lung-on-a-Chip Replicates Human Lung Disease and Drug Responses

Discovery: Microfluidic chips lined with human lung cells modeled pulmonary edema, COPD, and drug toxicity.
Validation: Demonstrating superior predictive value over animal models for lung disease and toxicity, it is recognized by the FDA as a valid testing platform for specific drug submissions.
Impact: Enabled more accurate modeling of human lung responses to drugs and diseases.
References: Reconstituting Organ-Level Lung Functions on a Chip, A Human Disease Model of Drug Toxicity–Induced Pulmonary Edema in a Lung-on-a-Chip Microdevice

2.10 Human Skin-Lymphoreticular Model-on-Chip for Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Discovery: Developed a human-based skin-lymphoreticular model-on-chip emulating inflammatory skin conditions capturing immune-skin interactions on a chip platform.
Validation: Demonstrated utility for studying atopic dermatitis and related diseases.
Impact: Eliminates the need for animal models in studying inflammatory skin diseases.
References: A Human‐Based Skin‐Lymphoreticular Model‐on‐Chip to Emulate Inflammatory Skin Conditions

3. Human Organoids & Organoid-Based Models

Human organoids are three-dimensional, self-organizing cultures derived from stem cells that recapitulate the structure and function of human organs. This section showcases how organoids are transforming disease modeling, drug screening, and gene therapy development, enabling precision medicine approaches for conditions like cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and cancer.

3.1 Forskolin-Induced Swelling (FIS) Assay for Cystic Fibrosis

Discovery: Patient-derived intestinal organoids from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients were used in the Forskolin-induced Swelling (FIS) assay to test CFTR-modulator drugs.
Validation: The assay accurately predicted clinical trial responses for individual patients, including rare genotypes.
Impact: Enabled tailored therapeutic strategies, significantly increasing life expectancy for CF patients.
References: Towards diagnostic and personalized models using organoids, NAMs: an exciting era for drug discovery

3.2 Patient-Derived Organoids for Gene Therapy in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

Discovery: A breakthrough workflow converted cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then into cardiac organoids within three weeks, correcting unique splicing defects in DMD patients.
Validation: Custom ASOs restored dystrophin expression and improved calcium transients in cardiac organoids.
Impact: Provided a scalable, cost-effective alternative to animal models for developing personalized gene therapies.
References: Patient-Derived Organoids for Gene Therapy Development

3.3 Patient-Derived Organoids for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (OPTIC Trial)

Discovery: The OPTIC trial validated the predictive power of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and the PDO response correlated with radiological tumor response and clinical survival outcomes, particularly for oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
Validation: Demonstrated 83.3% accuracy in predicting patient survival and tumor response.
Impact: Enabled early identification of ineffective therapies, minimizing patient exposure to toxicity and optimizing treatment selection.
References: Patient-Derived Organoids Predict Treatment Response in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

3.4 Organoid Immune Co-Culture Models for Cancer Vaccines

Discovery: Tumor organoids co-cultured with autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes simulated the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), assessing individual responses to checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cell therapies.
Validation: Identified tumor-specific antigens with high immunogenicity, enabling the design of personalized cancer vaccines.
Impact: Revolutionized immunotherapy development by capturing spatial organization and immune dynamics.
References: From petri dish to patient care: organoids bring personalised cancer therapy closer

3.5 Kidney Assembloids for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Discovery: Researchers generated the most complex kidney structures to date—assembloids combining filtering nephrons with urine-concentrating collecting ducts.
Validation: Assembloids recapitulated key features of PKD, including inflammation and fibrosis, previously irreproducible in animal models.
Impact: Opened new avenues for studying chronic kidney disease and predicting drug-induced nephrotoxicity.
References: Researchers develop most advanced kidney organoid yet for disease modeling and drug discovery

3.6 Miller-Dieker Syndrome (MDS) Root Cause

Discovery: Human brain organoids derived from MDS patient cells identified the root cause of Miller-Dieker Syndrome as early neural stem cell death and severe division defects in “outer radial glia”.
Validation: Time-lapse imaging of patient-derived organoids showed that these specific glia cells—which are entirely absent in mouse models—failed to divide properly.
Impact: Solves a long-standing mystery in rare neurodevelopmental disease that was impossible to investigate using traditional rodent models and proves that patient-derived organoids can bridge the gap between animal models and human pathophysiology.
References: An Organoid-Based Model of Cortical Development Identifies Non-Cell-Autonomous Defects in Wnt Signaling Contributing to Miller-Dieker Syndrome, Cerebral organoids expressing mutant actin genes reveal cellular mechanism underlying microcephaly

3.7 IGF-1 Dependency in Lung Cancer Subtypes

Discovery: A comprehensive library of 40 SCLC organoid lines revealed that non-neuroendocrine small cell lung cancer (SCLC) depends on the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling axis for growth.
Validation: Genetic ablation of TP53 and RB1 in human alveolar organoids replicated this dependency, and IGF1R inhibitors were shown to effectively suppress growth in patient-derived models.
Impact: Identifies IGF1R inhibition as a promising new therapeutic strategy for a specific, treatment-resistant patient population.
References: An organoid library unveils subtype-specific IGF-1 dependency via a YAP–AP1 axis in human small cell lung cancer

3.8 Intestinal Organoids Reveal Stem Cell Biology and Disease Mechanisms

Discovery: Developed the first human intestinal organoids from adult stem cells, enabling study of gut disease, cancer, and drug responses in human tissue.
Validation: Extended to liver, kidney, brain, and retinal organoids worldwide.
Impact: Foundational technology for human organoid research.
References: Single Lgr5 stem cells build crypt-villus structures in vitro without a mesenchymal niche

3.9 Brain Organoids Model Microcephaly Caused by Zika Virus

Discovery: Human brain organoids demonstrated Zika virus infection of neural progenitor cells, modeling microcephaly-like features in human tissue.
Validation: Human-specific features of microcephaly were captured by the organoids which mouse models had been unable to fully recapitulate.
Impact: Provided human-specific insights into Zika virus pathology.
References: [Qian et al., Cell 2016; Garcez et al., Science 2016] Brain-Region-Specific Organoids Using Mini-bioreactors for Modeling ZIKV Exposure, Zika virus tested in human brain organoids

4. In Silico Modeling, PBPK, and Computational Methods

In silico modeling—including Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models and digital twins—simulates drug behavior in the human body, enabling virtual clinical trials and predictive toxicology. By integrating computational methods with biological data, these approaches reduce reliance on animal testing, optimize dosing regimens, and accelerate the development of safe and effective therapies.

4.1 Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling

Discovery: PBPK models integrate in vitro data on absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) with physiological parameters to predict internal human exposure.
Validation: Correctly estimated systemic exposure of caffeine and coumarin in different product types, demonstrating that model-informed approaches can replace in vivo toxicokinetics.
Impact: Enabled virtual clinical trials and optimized dosing regimens without animal testing.
References: Advancing drug development with “Fit-for-Purpose” modeling informed approaches, SCCS Notes of guidance for the testing of cosmetic ingredients and their safety evaluation, The margin of internal exposure (MOIE) concept for dermal risk assessment based on oral toxicity data - A case study with caffeine, AI-driven virtual cell models in preclinical research, Organs-on-Chips in Drug Development: Engineering Foundations, Artificial Intelligence, and Clinical Translation

4.2 Bioequivalence Bridging for Tofacitinib

Discovery: Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD see 4.1) modeling was used to bridge the immediate-release formulation of tofacitinib to a new extended-release version for ulcerative colitis.
Validation: The computational model successfully established bioequivalence, satisfying regulatory safety and efficacy requirements.
Impact: Supported FDA approval avoiding new Phase 3 clinical trials, significantly accelerating patient access to the new formulation.
References: Integrating Clinical Variability into PBPK Models for Virtual Bioequivalence of Single and Multiple Doses of Tofacitinib Modified-Release Dosage Form, Virtual Bioequivalence Assessment of Tofacitinib Once Daily Modified Release Dosage Form in Pediatric Subjects

4.3 Digital Twins for Clinical Trial Simulation

Discovery: Digital twins are virtual representations of individuals integrating clinical, genetic, and environmental data—promise to revolutionize clinical trial design.
Validation: Simulation of treatment strategies before patient enrollment, reducing risks and costs.
Impact: Could eliminate the need for many traditional clinical trials by predicting patient-specific responses.
References: Increasing acceptance of AI‐generated digital twins through clinical trial applications, The Use of Digital Healthcare Twins in Early-Phase Clinical Trials: Opportunities, Challenges, and Applications, Enhancing randomized clinical trials with digital twins, What are NAMs?

4.4 Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) Models

Discovery: QSP models combine mechanical simulations of physiology with molecular signaling pathways to predict immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of complex biologics (e.g., monoclonal antibodies).
Validation: FDA highlighted QSP as a tool to reduce reliance on animal testing for “what-if” scenarios.
Impact: Accelerated the development of biologics and personalized medicine.
References: FDA animal testing phaseout urges AI-based trial alternatives, organoids, other “NAMs”, Beyond lab animals

4.5 AlphaFold Predicts Protein Structures

Discovery: AI-based prediction of protein 3D structures from amino acid sequences transformed structural biology and drug target identification supporting NAM workflows.
Validation: Open-access database covers over 200 million predicted structures with atomic accuracy even when similar architectures had not been previously discovered through animal research.
Impact: Provides data previously requiring years of laboratory work.
References: Highly accurate protein structure prediction with AlphaFold

5. High-Throughput & Omics-Based Approaches

High-throughput technologies such as CRISPR screens, single-cell RNA sequencing, and multi-omics integration enable rapid identification and validation of drug targets, disease mechanisms, and toxicity pathways. This section highlights how omics-based NAMs are reshaping mechanistic understanding and accelerating the discovery of novel therapies for diseases with high unmet medical needs.

5.1 Tox21 Consortium: High-Throughput Chemical Screening

Discovery: The Tox21 federal collaboration uses robotic high-throughput screening (HTS) to evaluate thousands of chemicals simultaneously, generating millions of data points on biological pathways, developing an 18-assay battery for the estrogen receptor (ER) pathway, identifying endocrine-disrupting compounds without animal testing.
Validation: EPA formally accepted this computational model as an alternative to traditional rodent assays.
Impact: Marked the first regulatory prioritization of robotically derived molecular data over animal testing.
References: Tox21: Chemical testing in the 21st century, United States Federal Government TOX21 Collaboration, About Tox21

5.2 Multi-Omics Integration for Toxicity Pathways

Discovery: Integrative NAMs combining genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics revealed novel: Oxidative stress pathways, Mitochondrial dysfunction signatures, and Immune-modulating pathways.
Validation: Omics-based NAMs distinguished adaptive from adverse responses and generated candidate biomarkers for early detection.
Impact: Reshaped mechanistic understanding of chemical toxicity.
References: Multi-omics integration analysis, The future of pharmaceuticals: Artificial intelligence in drug discovery and development, Skin Sensitisation Case Study, Prospects and challenges of multi-omics data integration in toxicology

5.3 CRISPR Screens for Drug Target Validation

Discovery: CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and single-cell RNA sequencing enabled rapid identification and validation of drug targets, verifying AI-predicted targets for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Validation: Accelerated the discovery of novel treatments by linking gene perturbations to therapeutic efficacy.
Impact: Reduced reliance on animal models for target validation.
References: CRISPR Cas9 Gene Editing, CRISPR-Cas9 in Functional Genomics: Implications for Target Validation in Precision Oncology, Target Validation with CRISPR, The future of pharmaceuticals: Artificial intelligence in drug discovery and development

5.4 AOP-Linked In Vitro Screens for Seizure Liability

Discovery: A government-industry collaboration mapped mechanisms leading to drug-induced seizures using adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) and in vitro assays.
Validation: Identified 27 biological target families linked to seizure mechanisms and developed 100+ assay endpoints.
Impact: Enabled systematic, mechanism-focused screening for pro-convulsant risk early in development. Replaces animal models which fail to predict drug-induced seizures.
References: De-risking seizure liability, Can New Approach Methodologies De-Risk Drug Development?, iPSC derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac toxicity assessment

6. Toxicology & Safety Assessment via NAMs

NAMs are transforming toxicology and safety assessment by providing human-relevant models for predicting compound toxicity, skin sensitization, endocrine disruption, and mixture toxicology. This section explores how regulatory agencies and industries are adopting these methods to improve chemical risk assessment and reduce reliance on animal testing.

6.1 Endocrine Disruption Assessment (Tox21 ER Model)

Discovery: The Tox21 ER pathway battery identified compounds interfering with human hormones using robot-based results.
Validation: EPA accepted this computational model as an alternative to rodent uterotrophic assays.
Impact: Provides an accepted non-animal alternative for testing in hazard identification for endocrine disruptors.
References: Toxic Alerts of Endocrine Disruption Revealed by Explainable Artificial Intelligence, Tox21: Chemical testing in the 21st century, Use of New Approach Methodologies

6.2 Skin Sensitization Hazard & Potency Prediction

Discovery: The OECD TG 497 “Defined Approaches” guideline combined multiple NAMs specifically Peptide reactivity assays (DPRA), Keratinocyte activation (KeratinoSens), Dendritic-cell activation (h-CLAT), and In silico models.
Validation: Correctly classified skin sensitization hazard and potency for chemicals, including those not previously tested in animals, with performance equal to or better than mouse assays.
Impact: Established a regulatory framework for animal-free safety testing of skin sensitizers.
References: Skin Sensitisation Case Study: Comparison of Defined Approaches including OECD 497 Guidance, Advancing Skin Sensitization Potency Categorization Using U-SENS™ in OECD TG 497, Standardisation and international adoption of defined approaches for skin sensitisation, Evaluating the ability of defined approaches to predict the human skin sensitisation potential of chemicals previously untested in new approach methodologies, Case Study on the Use of Integrated Approaches for Testing and Assessment for skin sensitisation

6.3 Bioactivity-Exposure Ratio (BER) for PFAS Risk Assessment

Discovery: For emerging PFAS compounds, regulators used in vitro assays to calculate human equivalent doses (HED) and derive a Bioactivity-Exposure Ratio (BER).
Validation: BER served as a protective surrogate in the absence of traditional animal data.
Impact: Enabled risk-based prioritization of chemicals based on biological perturbation likelihood.
References: S13-02 NAMs to investigate chemical-induced immunotoxicity: the cases of PFAS and BPA analogs, [Use of new approach methods (NAMs) in risk assessment](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/chemical-substances/fact-she ets/use-new-approach-methods-risk-assessment.html), Sensitivity Analysis of the Inputs for Bioactivity-Exposure Ratio Calculations in a NAM-Based Systemic Safety Toolbox

6.4 Mixture Toxicology via NAMs

Discovery: NAM-based defined approaches (originally for individual substances) were extended to complex mixtures (e.g., pesticide formulations).
Validation: Demonstrated that panels of in chemico, in vitro, and in silico assays could identify and rank sensitization potential of formulations.
Impact: Advanced the understanding of combined exposure effects without animal testing.
References: iPSC derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac toxicity assessment, Case Study on the Use of Integrated Approaches for Testing and Assessment for skin sensitisation of Diethanolamine, Chemical testing using new approach methodologies

6.5 Reconstructed Human Skin Models Replace Animal Testing for Cosmetics and Chemicals

Discovery: Validated by OECD and regulatory agencies as replacements for the Draize rabbit skin irritation test.
Validation: Developed by MatTek (EpiDerm), Episkin (L’Oréal), Henkel, now standard in the EU and increasingly adopted globally.
Impact: Eliminates animal use for skin irritation/corrosion endpoints for cosmetics and many chemicals in accepting jurisdictions.
References: In Vitro Skin Models as Non-Animal Methods for Dermal Drug Development and Safety Assessment, Artificial Skin Models for Animal-Free Testing

6.6 Corneal and Eye Irritation Models

Discovery: Validated alternatives to the Draize rabbit eye test.
Validation: Developed by EpiOcular (MatTek), SkinEthic HCE (Episkin), assesses eye irritation potential of chemicals and consumer products.
Impact: Provides human-relevant models for eye irritation testing with validated non-animal alternatives.
References: Tissue Engineered Mini-Cornea Model for Eye Irritation Test, Corneal epithelium models for safety assessment in drug development: Present and future directions

7. Regulatory & Industry Adoption of NAMs

Regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies are increasingly embracing NAMs to streamline drug development, enhance predictivity, and align with ethical and scientific advancements. This section examines key milestones—such as the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 and OECD standards—that are paving the way for the global adoption of human-relevant, animal-free methodologies in biomedical research.

7.1 FDA Modernization Act 2.0

Discovery: The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 (2022) removed the federal mandate for animal testing in new drug applications.
Validation: A significant move by FDA to move away from using the animal model.
Impact: Explicitly encouraged the use of NAMs (in vitro, in silico) in preclinical safety assessments.
References: FDA Modernization Act 2.0: transitioning beyond animal models with human cells, organoids, and AI/ML-based approaches, How new approach methodologies are reshaping drug discovery, Organ-on-a-chip meets artificial intelligence in drug evaluation

7.2 FDA CDER NAM Validation Guidance (March 2026)

Discovery: FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) released draft guidance establishing a validation framework for NAM-derived data.
Validation: Based on scientific confidence, human biological relevance, and “fit-for-purpose” utility, these guidelines are a significant move away from using the animal model.
Impact: Provided a clear regulatory pathway for integrating NAMs into Investigational New Drug (IND) applications.
References: FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Alternatives to Animal Testing in Drug Development, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in Drug Development

7.3 OECD International Standards for NAMs

Discovery: The OECD Guidance Document 34 established international standards for the validation and acceptance of alternative test methods.
Impact: Facilitated global harmonization and adoption of NAMs in regulatory frameworks.
References: List of Alternative Test Methods and Strategies (or New Approach Methodologies NAMs), OECD Series On Testing And Assessment Number 34

7.4 Industry Investments in NAMs

Discovery: Major pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Roche, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca) invested in NAMs: Emulate organ-on-a-chip platforms for toxicity prediction, Organoids and computational modeling for personalized medicine.
Validation: Business interests confirm the efficacy of NAMs.
Impact: Accelerated the transition toward human-relevant models in drug development.
References: How new approach methodologies are reshaping drug discovery

7.5 Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) Regulatory Approval

Discovery: Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) became the first immunotherapy to reach clinical trials and regulatory approval without in vivo animal pharmacodynamic data.
Validation: Because the drug lacked activity in any animal species, the sponsors relied entirely on human-centric NAMs to justify safety and efficacy for its IND submission.
Impact: Establishes a major regulatory milestone proving that human-relevant data can fully replace animal testing in specific contexts for first-in-class therapeutics.
References: Immunocore announces FDA approval of KIMMTRAK® (tebentafusp-tebn) for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma, Summary Basis of Decision for Kimmtrak in Canada

7.6 Aspect Biosystems — 3D Bioprinting Platform

Discovery: Developing bioprinted human tissue models as alternatives to animal testing, representing Canadian innovation in NAMs.
Validation: Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics designed to replace biological function in the body.
Impact: Provides advanced tissue models for drug development.
References: Aspect Biosystems

7.7 Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM)

Discovery: Canada’s first dedicated academic center for NAM research, conducted and promoted research using human-relevant, non-animal approaches.
Validation: Established in 2017 at the University of Windsor, Ontario.
Impact: Advances NAMs adoption in Canada.
References: CCAAM

7.8 USP Chapter <86> Recombinant Reagents for Endotoxin Testing

Discovery: The U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) officially implemented Chapter <86> in May 2025, endorsing the use of non-animal-derived reagents for bacterial endotoxin testing.
Validation: The chapter allows the use of recombinant Factor C (rFC) and recombinant cascade (rCR) reagents, which utilize endpoint fluorescence and chromogenic techniques derived from gene sequences of the horseshoe crab.
Impact: Modernizes quality control in pharmaceutical manufacturing, potentially saving up to 90,000 animals per year while increasing batch-to-batch consistency.
References: <86> Bacterial Endotoxins Test Using Recombinant Reagents

Summary Table: Key NAM-Enabled Discoveries

Thematic Area	Discovery	Validation Status
AI-Driven Discovery	AI-designed drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Insilico Medicine)	Phase II clinical trials
	AI repurposing of baricitinib for COVID-19	Clinical validation
	Topiramate identified for IBD via transcriptomic analysis	Preclinical/clinical studies
Organ-on-a-Chip	Liver-on-a-chip identifies hepatotoxicity in 87% of drugs missed by animal models	In vitro, regulatory acceptance
	Lung-on-a-chip for antiviral efficacy and tumor heterogeneity	In vitro, preclinical validation
	ALS Pathogenesis and Early Biomarkers	Multi-omics validation
	Cervical Protective Role in Dysbiosis	In vitro validation
Human Organoids	FIS assay for cystic fibrosis: personalized drug response prediction	Clinical implementation
	Patient-derived organoids for gene therapy in DMD	Preclinical validation
	OPTIC trial: 83.3% accuracy in predicting mCRC treatment response	Clinical validation
	Miller-Dieker Syndrome (MDS) Root Cause	Time-lapse imaging validation
	IGF-1 Dependency in Lung Cancer Subtypes	Genetic ablation validation
	Kidney assembloids for PKD modeling	In vitro validation
In Silico Modeling	PBPK modeling for drug safety and PK/PD predictions	FDA-accepted for submissions
High-Throughput & Omics	Tox21: 18-assay ER pathway battery for endocrine disruption	Regulatory acceptance (EPA)
	Multi-omics for toxicity pathway discovery	Peer-reviewed validation
Toxicology & Safety	OECD TG 497: Defined approaches for skin sensitization	Regulatory framework
	BER for PFAS risk assessment	Regulatory adoption
Regulatory Adoption	FDA Modernization Act 2.0: End of animal testing mandate in drug development	Legislative implementation
	FDA CDER NAM Validation Guidance (March 2026)	Draft guidance issued
	Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) Regulatory Approval	Regulatory milestone

Conclusion: The NAMs Revolution in Biomedical Research

NAMs are not merely replacements for animal tests—they represent a fundamental transformation in scientific understanding and drug development. By leveraging human biology, robotics, AI, and computational modeling, NAMs offer:

Greater predictive accuracy for human responses.
Faster, cheaper, and more ethical research.
Personalized medicine through patient-specific models (organoids, organ-on-a-chip).
Regulatory acceptance and industry adoption.

The discoveries highlighted in this report demonstrate that NAMs are already delivering validated medical breakthroughs, from AI-designed drugs to organoid-based therapies and in silico clinical trials. As these technologies mature, they will redefine the future of biomedical research and patient care.

Suggested next steps for innovators:

Explore specific NAM platforms (e.g., Emulate, Insilico Medicine) for your research or project needs.
Investigate regulatory pathways for integrating NAMs into your workflow. See notebooklm whitepaper Strategic Framework for Navigating the Regulatory Transition to New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)
Consider collaborations with industry leaders in organ-on-a-chip or AI-driven drug discovery.

Coruss

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:10:24 -0800

The Corusshop is a exceptional company based in France that makes bows with synthetic hair.

Striking a blow against the cruel horsehair trade that has been so dominant for decades, Coruss bows utilize animal-free products producing a superb instrument that is trusted by the likes of Dorette Roos, Alexander Rybak, and Rusanda Panfili. Check out their website Corusshop.

My experience with Coruss started thanks to Gemini AI which suggested the company as an alternative to the vegan Incredibows that I already use. The Corusshop site is well designed and easy to navigate, but what struck me right away was their bold statement in the About Us section “Ethical and vegan: a product free from any animal materials”. The other thing I noticed was that they replied to every review which shows a remarkable degree of consideration for their customers!

My contact at Coruss turned out to be Valentin Ferrier. We exchanged several emails since I had many questions not just about the product, but also because this was going to be an overseas order to Canada. Valentin answered with precision and patient so I was very well informed before I made my decision to purchase. This sort of customer care is rare these days.

I will produce updates on the bow(s), hair, and rosin I am ordering because, as of now, I am writing this page before I have tried the items, but I have confidence that their product will be equal to their service!

Elk Lake Veterinary Hospital

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:06:07 -0700

We are grateful for the exceptional care provided by Elk Lake Road Veterinary Hospital. From the very beginning, we have been impressed by their considerate, pet-first approach and their highly efficient operations.

The team is always easy to talk to and has consistently arranged things for us with impressive speed.

Our specific case involves seven domestic rabbits consisting of a mother (Fiver) and her litter (Scruffels, Puffels, Studdels, Cuddels, Buffels, Muffels). The mother required spaying on short notice, and they made arrangements to do it sooner than any other place we had tried.

The vet involved for all of the spayings and neuterings was Dr. Rachel MacLeod who is an exceptionally capable individual with a wide range of vet experience in various countries. Our interactions with her were not only positive, but made us feel that our rabbits were getting the best care possible! Each made it through the procedures just as Dr. Rachel put it “name-of-rabbit did very well”. Yes she knew each rabbit by name, and always did a follow-up call the next morning to make sure things were fine, which they invariably were, due to her expertise!

The rabbits are doing very well indeed, and eating our house, so we likely won’t need home insurance for much longer.

We are very glad we took the rabbit members of our family to Elk Lake Veterinary Hospital, and our special thanks to Dr. Rachel.

JFO Exteriors

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:50:08 -0700

JFO Exteriors provides superb cleaning, outstanding service, and remarkable pricing! We have signed up to be a regular customer for our vinyl siding and metal roof requirements.

On March 11, 2025 Jay (owner/operator) of JFO Exteriors took on short notice a job that was cancelled by another vinyl cleaning company. I had met Jay some weeks ago since he was one of many providing quotes for exterior cleaning. All of the company representatives were nice individuals, but Jay stood out in my mind because of his refreshing attitude.

He was actually quoting me for metal roof cleaning, but also mentioned he did vinyl siding. I told him that we had already committed to another company, and rather than say something like “I’ll beat their price!”, he calmly accepted my intention to honor a commitment ahead of getting a deal. I asked him about that later and he said told me there was plenty of work for everyone and there was no need to fight each other to get jobs. Here indeed was a true example of a civilized business person, one who gives rather than takes!

And that giving is pretty good too! Jay is not only a real expert in his field, his work is meticulous as you’ll see from the before-after pictures. Our house now looks as new as when we moved in decades ago!

Be sure to check out his informative website JFO Exteriors where not only are his services listed, but detailed explanations about them are provided so you actually understand some of the underlying processes.

Presently JFO is running under the name Options Exterior Cleaning due to a partnership arrangement as you’ll see on the home page.

Our Google Reviews

Review by Prad:

Jay is an exceptional individual with a very refreshing attitude about business. He really does put his clients’ interests first! This attitude manifests itself in not just the way he deals with people, but also in the quality of work he produces.

Not only is he impeccably thorough and highly skilled in his area bringing a wealth of experience including hazmat training, he is also exceptionally considerate!

My son has, for years, been providing a habitat right at the front of our house to a group of rare spiders and asked that Jay not clean there due to the chemicals. So Jay, understanding the situation, took it upon himself to hand rub with plain water, that entire area on his own initiative!

As for the rest of the house, Jay did not just clean the vinyl siding of our house, he made our house look brand new! As the weather permits he will take care of our metal roof. In fact, he’ll be looking after our house exterior on a regular basis from now on!

The saying goes that cleanliness is next to godliness, and Jay certainly puts us on that transformative path!

Before After Pics

(All photos taken by Jay.)

House Front

House Sides

Algae Gone!

Jay in Action

(Video taken by Jay.)

Here is Jay clean our vinyl siding that has been left to the elements for 27 years! He makes it look as good as the original!

Vegan Wins Brazilian Mr Olympia

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 23:37:16 -0700

Perplexity: Brazilian bodybuilder Guilherme Abomai has made history by becoming the first vegan athlete to win the super heavyweight title at Mr. Olympia Brazil.

Exported on 31/10/2024 at 23:42:05 from Perplexity.ai - with SaveMyChatbot

User

Summarize Vegan Wins Brazilian Mr Olympia.

AI answer

Guilherme Abomai Wins Mr. Olympia Brazil: Brazilian bodybuilder Guilherme Abomai has made history by becoming the first vegan athlete to win the super heavyweight title at Mr. Olympia Brazil, competing in the 102kg category. His victory grants him a “Pro Card,” allowing him to compete at a professional level and access more events and sponsorships 1.
Dietary Shift: Abomai adopted a vegan diet three years ago due to digestive issues, replacing traditional bodybuilding foods with tofu, fruits, oats, rice, and protein powder. He credits this diet for improving his health after years of discomfort 1.
Veganism in Sports: This month also saw significant achievements for vegan athletes, including the Vegan Strong Plantbuilt team winning 55 medals at the Mr. America 2024 Sports Festival and Maddie McConnell winning the Figure Division at the OCB World Championship Yorton Cup 1.

Sources:

(1) Vegan Wins Brazilian Mr Olympia Bodybuilding Competition

User

How does Abomai’s victory influence the perception of veganism in sports

AI answer

Guilherme Abomai’s victory in the Mr. Olympia Brazil bodybuilding competition as a vegan athlete has several implications for the perception of veganism in sports:

Breaking Stereotypes

Abomai’s win challenges the traditional notion that bodybuilders and athletes need animal-based diets to achieve optimal muscle mass and performance. His success demonstrates that a well-planned vegan diet can be sufficient for high-level athletic achievement, particularly in bodybuilding 1.

Increased Visibility

The achievement of Abomai, along with other recent victories by vegan athletes such as the Vegan Strong Plantbuilt team and Maddie McConnell, increases the visibility of veganism in sports. This visibility can inspire more athletes to consider a plant-based diet, dispelling myths that vegan diets are inadequate for athletic performance 1.

Health Benefits

Abomai’s personal experience of improving his health through a vegan diet, including resolving digestive issues and reducing the need for stomach medication, highlights the potential health benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes. This can encourage more athletes to explore veganism for both performance and health reasons 1.

Nutritional Validation

While there is no conclusive evidence that vegan diets are superior for athletic performance, studies suggest that a well-planned vegan diet can provide all the necessary nutrients without impairing athletic goals. Abomai’s diet, which includes tofu, fruits, oats, rice, and protein powder, exemplifies how a balanced vegan diet can support athletic performance 2 5.

The success of vegan athletes like Abomai contributes to a broader cultural shift towards plant-based diets. It reinforces the message that veganism is a viable and healthy choice, not just for general health but also for high-performance athletics. This can influence public perception and encourage more people to adopt plant-based lifestyles 1 3. In summary, Abomai’s victory is a significant milestone in challenging traditional dietary norms in sports and promoting the viability and benefits of veganism for athletes.

Sources:

User

Are there any notable vegan athletes in other sports besides bodybuilding

AI answer

Yes, there are numerous notable vegan athletes across a wide range of sports, demonstrating that a plant-based diet can support high-level performance in various athletic disciplines. Here are some examples:

Tennis

Novak Djokovic: A multiple-time Wimbledon champion and current world number one, Djokovic follows a plant-based diet for both performance and ethical reasons 1 2 4.
Venus Williams and Serena Williams: Both tennis icons have adopted vegan diets, with Venus being a long-time vegan and Serena primarily following a vegan diet during her training phases 1 4.

Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton: The racing driver switched to a plant-based diet in 2017 and credits it as one of the factors behind his success on the track 1 4.

Soccer

Héctor Bellerín: The Arsenal defender has seen improvements in his recovery time and overall performance since adopting a plant-based diet 2.
Timo Hildebrand and Benedikt Höwedes: Both soccer players are on plant-based diets, challenging the traditional notion that soccer players need animal-based diets for strength and endurance 1.

Track & Field

Carl Lewis: A nine-time Olympic gold medal winner, Lewis has been on a purely plant-based diet since 1990 and attributes his continued top performances to this lifestyle 1.

Running

Fiona Oakes: A long-distance runner, Oakes has completed numerous marathons and ultra-marathons on a vegan diet 1.
Dotsie Bausch: An American Olympic silver medalist and speed cyclist, Bausch found that a plant-based diet improved her breathing and overall performance 2.

Basketball

Dirk Nowitzki: The former German professional basketball player adopted a vegan lifestyle after his career, citing health and animal welfare reasons 1.
Chris Paul: An NBA star, Paul has been vegan since 2019 and credits the diet with helping him recover swiftly and maintain his physical condition 4.

Boxing

Lawrence Okolie: A professional boxer, Okolie is a vegan athlete who has achieved significant success in his sport 1.

Cricket

Kane Richardson: An Australian cricketer, Richardson adopted a vegan diet primarily for animal welfare reasons and has noticed no negative impact on his performance 2.

Rugby

Johanna Jahnke: A German rugby player and cyclist, Jahnke has been on a plant-based diet since she was 17 and has achieved success in both sports 1.

Weightlifting

Kendrick Farris: A weightlifter, Farris has been vegan since 2014 and broke a former world record at the Olympic qualifiers two years after changing his diet 1.

MMA and Strongman

Andreas Kraniotakes: An MMA fighter, Kraniotakes feels better and recovers faster on a plant-based diet 1.
Patrik Baboumian: A retired strongman and bodybuilder, Baboumian is a dedicated vegan and animal-rights activist 1 4.

These athletes demonstrate that a well-planned vegan diet can support high-level performance across a variety of sports, challenging traditional dietary norms and stereotypes.

Sources:

User

How has a plant-based diet influenced the performance of vegan athletes in high-intensity sports

AI answer

A plant-based diet has been shown to have several positive influences on the performance of vegan athletes in high-intensity sports, backed by various studies and athlete testimonials.

Energy and Carbohydrates

Plant-based diets are rich in carbohydrates, which are the primary fuel for hard-working muscles. Carbohydrates, particularly those from whole plant foods like oats, sweet potatoes, and bananas, help maintain glycogen levels, providing the energy needed for intense training and competitions 1 3 4.

Blood Flow and Oxygenation

Plant-based meals help maintain fluid blood and improve blood flow by reducing blood viscosity and enhancing vascular flexibility. This is partly due to the nitrates found in plant foods like spinach, lettuce, and beets, which signal blood vessels to open, allowing for quicker and more efficient oxygen and nutrient delivery to the muscles 1 4.

Muscle Efficiency and Recovery

The nitrates in plant foods also make muscles more efficient by allowing them to contract more effectively, sparing energy reserves and enabling athletes to perform more work with the same amount of effort. Additionally, plant-based diets are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants, which reduce muscle damage, soreness, and inflammation, leading to faster recovery times and improved overall performance 1 3 4.

Reduced Inflammation

Plant-based diets are associated with a significant reduction in inflammation, which is crucial for athletes as it helps in reducing muscle soreness, tendonitis, and joint pain. The high antioxidant content in plant foods, which is 64 times higher than in animal foods, plays a key role in this anti-inflammatory effect 1 3 4.

Health and Longevity

Vegan athletes often report improved overall health, including reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. This can lead to increased career longevity and better long-term health outcomes 1 3 4.

Performance Metrics

Studies have shown that vegan athletes can achieve similar or even superior performance metrics compared to their omnivorous counterparts. For example, vegans have demonstrated superior submaximal endurance and supported muscle and strength development through plant-sourced proteins 4.

Practical Considerations

While a plant-based diet can be highly beneficial, it is important for vegan athletes to ensure they meet their energy and nutrient requirements. This includes paying attention to “red flag” nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, and B-vitamins, which may be less abundant or less well-absorbed from plant sources 3 4. In summary, a well-planned plant-based diet can provide significant performance advantages for vegan athletes, including enhanced energy levels, improved blood flow, increased muscle efficiency, reduced inflammation, and faster recovery times. These benefits make a plant-based diet a viable and attractive option for athletes seeking to optimize their performance and overall health.

Sources:

User

What are the common misconceptions about vegan diets in sports

AI answer

There are several common misconceptions about vegan diets in the context of sports and athletic performance, which are addressed in the following points:

Myth #1: Vegans are Malnourished and Get Ill Often

This misconception suggests that vegan diets lack essential nutrients, leading to malnutrition and frequent illnesses. However, evidence indicates that well-planned vegan diets can be highly nutritious and even superior in quality compared to other diets. Studies have shown that vegan diets can provide all necessary nutrients and may reduce the risk of various chronic diseases 2.

Myth #2: Vegan Diets Lack Protein

There is a widespread belief that vegan diets are insufficient in protein, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth. However, plant-based sources such as legumes, beans, lentils, tofu, and plant-based protein powders can provide adequate protein for athletes. Proper planning and consideration of protein sources can mitigate this issue 1 2 4.

Myth #3: Vegan Diets are Inadequate for High-Intensity Sports

Many believe that vegan diets cannot support the high energy and nutrient demands of intense athletic training. However, well-planned vegan diets can meet these demands by ensuring adequate energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes. Athletes need to focus on consuming foods rich in carbohydrates, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals, which are abundant in plant-based diets 1 2 4.

Myth #4: Vegan Diets Will Slow Down Recovery

The idea that vegan diets hinder recovery after intense exercise is another misconception. In fact, plant-based diets are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants, which can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, potentially speeding up recovery. Studies have shown that vegan athletes can achieve similar or even better recovery outcomes compared to their omnivorous counterparts 2.

Myth #5: Vegan Diets are Automatically Healthy and Promote Weight Loss

While vegan diets can be very healthy, it is incorrect to assume that all vegan diets are automatically beneficial. The presence of high amounts of processed vegan foods rich in fats, sugars, and starchy carbohydrates can negate any health benefits. A balanced and well-planned vegan diet is essential for optimal health and performance 2.

Myth #6: Vegan Diets Lead to Deficiencies in Key Nutrients

There is a concern that vegan diets may lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. While this is true if the diet is not well-planned, careful consideration and supplementation can mitigate these deficiencies. Athletes need to be aware of these “red flag” nutrients and ensure they are adequately supplied through their diet or supplements 1 2 3.

Myth #7: Vegan Diets are Superior for Athletic Performance

Some claims suggest that vegan diets are inherently superior for athletic performance. However, there is no concrete evidence to support the idea that vegan diets enhance performance, adaptation, or recovery more than other diets. While vegan diets can be optimal for athletes, they do not offer a universal performance advantage 1 3 4.

In summary, these misconceptions highlight the importance of careful planning, education, and awareness about the nutritional needs and benefits of a vegan diet for athletes.

Sources:

End of Alcohol

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 22:44:43 -0700

Perplexity: Influencers are blending science and superstition to help people stop drinking.

Exported on 31/10/2024 at 22:54:49 from Perplexity.ai - with SaveMyChatbot

User

Summarize End of Alcohol.

AI answer

The article from Wired discusses the changing attitudes towards alcohol consumption, particularly among younger generations like Gen Z. Here are the key points:

Shifting Attitudes Towards Alcohol

There’s a growing trend of people, especially younger adults, choosing to drink less or not at all.
This shift is driven by various factors, including health concerns, financial considerations, and changing social norms.

The “Sober Curious” Movement

A new wave of non-alcoholic beverages and alcohol-free social spaces is emerging.
Many people are experimenting with periods of sobriety or reduced alcohol consumption.

Health and Wellness Focus

Increased awareness of alcohol’s negative health effects is contributing to the trend.
Many view abstaining from alcohol as part of a broader wellness lifestyle.

Economic Factors

The high cost of drinking, especially in urban areas, is deterring some from regular alcohol consumption.
The alcohol industry is adapting by investing in non-alcoholic alternatives.

Cultural Shift

Social media and changing work cultures are influencing drinking habits.
There’s less pressure to drink in social situations, particularly among younger generations.

Future of Alcohol

While alcohol isn’t disappearing, its role in society is evolving.
The article suggests a future where alcohol consumption is more moderate and less central to social interactions.

The article portrays a complex picture of changing attitudes towards alcohol, indicating a potential long-term shift in drinking culture, especially among younger generations 1.

Sources:

User

What are the potential health impacts discussed in the article

AI answer

The articles discuss various potential health impacts associated with different substances and environmental factors. Here are the key health impacts mentioned:

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)

Reproductive Effects: Decreased fertility, increased high blood pressure in pregnant women 1.
Developmental Effects: Low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, behavioral changes in children 1.
Cancer Risk: Increased risk of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers 1.
Immune System: Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response 1.
Hormonal Interference: Interference with the body’s natural hormones 1.
Cardiovascular and Metabolic: Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity 1.

Particulate Matter (PM)

Cardiovascular Issues: Premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat 2.
Respiratory Problems: Aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing 2.
General Health: Increased risk for people with heart or lung diseases, children, older adults, and certain minority and low socioeconomic status populations 2.

Microplastics

Toxic Effects:
- Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage: Observed in experimental models like cells, organoids, and animals 3.
- Organ Dysfunction: Including hepatotoxicity, disruption of lipid metabolism 3.
- Metabolic Disorders: Altered metabolic processes 3.
- Immune Response: Inflammatory responses, immune imbalance 3.
- Neurotoxicity: Adverse effects on the development of brain-like tissue 3.
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity: Effects on reproductive and developmental health 3.
Chronic Diseases: Potential links to various chronic diseases through epidemiological evidence 3.

Alcohol

Short-Term Effects:
- Memory Loss and Blackouts: Hangovers, memory loss, and blackouts 5.
Long-Term Effects:
- Gastrointestinal Problems: Stomach ailments 5.
- Cardiovascular Issues: Heart problems 5.
- Cancer: Increased risk of various cancers 5.
- Liver Damage: Liver cirrhosis 5.
- Brain Damage: Serious memory loss, brain damage 5.
- Mental Health: Worsening of existing conditions like depression or inducing new problems such as depression or anxiety 5.
Reproductive Health:
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Learning, health, and social effects on the fetus, brain injury, birth defects, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities 4.
- Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Increased risk of miscarriage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, placental abnormalities, and negative impacts on breastfeeding 4.

These health impacts highlight the significant risks associated with exposure to PFAS, particulate matter, microplastics, and excessive alcohol consumption.

Sources:

Perplexity

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 10:49:18 -0700

There Are No ‘Ethical Alternatives’ To A Plant-Based Diet arv

Answer (Default):

Peter Godfrey-Smith’s recent article in The Guardian explores his experiences with a “near-vegan” diet and the ethical implications of animal consumption. He reflects on the challenges of adhering to a fully plant-based diet, suggesting alternatives like humanely farmed meat, wild-caught fish, and conventionally farmed dairy as potential compromises for those concerned about animal welfare but unable to maintain strict veganism¹.

Godfrey-Smith, a professor focused on animal consciousness, grapples with the cognitive dissonance surrounding dietary choices. He acknowledges that while some may argue for humane farming practices, the fundamental act of killing animals remains ethically contentious. He raises questions about societal speciesism, highlighting that the treatment of animals considered pets versus those raised for food reflects deep-seated biases².

Critics argue that Godfrey-Smith’s reasoning lacks coherence, particularly when he suggests that humane treatment justifies continued consumption. They emphasize that regardless of farming methods, the end result is still death for the animals involved. The article also critiques the notion that fishing practices are acceptable based on historical precedent, asserting that modern ethical standards should not be dictated by ancestral behaviors³.

In terms of health, Godfrey-Smith reports negative experiences with his diet, which included fish oil supplements rather than being strictly vegan. This raises questions about the adequacy of his dietary planning and whether his symptoms were related to dietary changes or other factors like illness⁴.

Ultimately, the article concludes that for those motivated by ethical concerns regarding animal welfare, true alignment with these values necessitates a commitment to veganism, as any compromise fails to address the core issues at stake⁵.

Citations:

Animals Can Work Together arv sci

Answer (Default):

The article discusses various examples of animal cooperation and mutualistic relationships in nature, challenging the common perception of the animal kingdom as purely competitive and ruthless. Here are some key points:

Types of Symbiotic Relationships

There are three main types of symbiotic relationships:

Commensalistic: One species benefits while the other is unaffected
Parasitic: One species benefits at the expense of the other
Mutualistic: Both species benefit from the interaction

Examples of Animal Cooperation

Coral Grouper and Moray Eel Coral groupers recruit moray eels to help them hunt by using specific body movements to communicate⁶. The grouper signals the eel to follow and then indicates the location of hidden prey. This collaboration increases hunting success rates for both species.

Coyote and Badger Coyotes and badgers work together to hunt ground squirrels and prairie dogs⁷. The badger digs into burrows while the coyote waits at the exit, covering all escape routes. This teamwork improves hunting success for both animals.

Tarantula and Dotted Humming Frog Tarantulas allow dotted humming frogs to live in their burrows⁸. The frog gains protection from predators, while the tarantula’s eggs are protected from ants, which the frogs eat. This mutually beneficial relationship ensures the safety of both species.

Pistol Shrimp and Goby Pistol shrimp and gobies form a lifelong partnership⁹. The shrimp builds and maintains burrows, while the goby acts as a lookout due to its superior eyesight. This collaboration provides safety and shelter for both species.

Unexpected Interspecies Interactions

The article also mentions several instances of animals helping other species without apparent benefit:

An Indian rhesus monkey adopting and caring for a homeless puppy
A Bornean orangutan rescuing a drowning bird
A bear saving a drowning crow
Humpback whales defending smaller fish from orcas

These interactions demonstrate that animal behavior can sometimes extend beyond simple survival instincts, showing compassion or altruism across species lines¹⁰.

Conclusion

While competition and violence exist in nature, the animal kingdom also exhibits numerous examples of cooperation and mutualism¹¹. These relationships highlight the similarities between animals and humans, demonstrating that different species can work together for mutual benefit or even act altruistically.

Citations:

Animals Can Work Together 2 arv sci diy

Answer (Default):

Types of Symbiotic Relationships

There are three main types of symbiotic relationships:

Commensalistic: One species benefits while the other is unaffected
Parasitic: One species benefits at the expense of the other
Mutualistic: Both species benefit from the interaction

Examples of Animal Cooperation

Coral Grouper and Moray Eel Coral groupers recruit moray eels to help them hunt by using specific body movements to communicate¹². The grouper signals the eel to follow and then indicates the location of hidden prey. This collaboration increases hunting success rates for both species.

Coyote and Badger Coyotes and badgers work together to hunt ground squirrels and prairie dogs¹³. The badger digs into burrows while the coyote waits at the exit, covering all escape routes. This teamwork improves hunting success for both animals.

Tarantula and Dotted Humming Frog Tarantulas allow dotted humming frogs to live in their burrows¹⁴. The frog gains protection from predators, while the tarantula’s eggs are protected from ants, which the frogs eat. This mutually beneficial relationship ensures the safety of both species.

Pistol Shrimp and Goby Pistol shrimp and gobies form a lifelong partnership¹⁵. The shrimp builds and maintains burrows, while the goby acts as a lookout due to its superior eyesight. This collaboration provides safety and shelter for both species.

Unexpected Interspecies Interactions

The article also mentions several instances of animals helping other species without apparent benefit:

An Indian rhesus monkey adopting and caring for a homeless puppy
A Bornean orangutan rescuing a drowning bird
A bear saving a drowning crow
Humpback whales defending smaller fish from orcas

These interactions demonstrate that animal behavior can sometimes extend beyond simple survival instincts, showing compassion or altruism across species lines¹⁶.

Conclusion

While competition and violence exist in nature, the animal kingdom also exhibits numerous examples of cooperation and mutualism¹⁷. These relationships highlight the similarities between animals and humans, demonstrating that different species can work together for mutual benefit or even act altruistically.

Citations:

What are some other examples of mutualistic relationships between animals

Answer (Default):

Here are several examples of mutualistic relationships between animals, highlighting the diverse ways in which different species benefit from each other:

Oxpecker and Rhinoceros or Zebra

Oxpeckers, a type of bird, land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks, flies, and other parasites from their skin. The oxpeckers gain food, while the rhinos and zebras receive pest control and warning calls from the oxpeckers when predators are near¹⁸¹⁹²⁰.

Clownfish and Sea Anemone

Clownfish live within the protective tentacles of sea anemones, which are poisonous to most other fish. The clownfish clean the anemone’s tentacles, keeping them free from parasites and luring prey within the anemone’s reach. In return, the anemone provides the clownfish with protection from predators²¹²²²³.

Pistol Shrimp and Goby

Pistol shrimp and gobies form a mutualistic relationship where the shrimp maintains and digs burrows, while the goby, with its better vision, acts as a lookout for predators. The goby alerts the shrimp to danger, and in return, the shrimp provides the goby with a safe place to live²⁴²⁵²⁶.

Termites and Intestinal Flagellates

Termites have intestinal flagellates that help digest the cellulose in wood, which the termites consume. The flagellates get a meal, and the termites benefit from the digestion of their food. This is an example of obligate mutualism, where neither species can survive without the other²⁷²⁸²⁹.

Acacia Ants and Bullhorn Acacia

Acacia ants live in the thorns of the bullhorn acacia tree and receive food and shelter. In return, the ants protect the tree from browsing animals and other herbivores. This is another example of obligate mutualism³⁰.

Hermit Crabs and Sea Anemones

Hermit crabs attach sea anemones to their shells, which serve as bodyguards, protecting the crabs from predators with their barbed tentacles. The anemones benefit from the free ride across the seabed provided by the hermit crabs³¹.

Colombian Lesserblack Tarantula and Dotted Humming Frog

The tarantula allows the frog to live in its burrow, providing the frog with protection from predators. In return, the frog eats carnivorous ants that threaten the tarantula’s eggs³².

Drongos and Meerkats

Drongos act as lookouts for meerkats, warning them of predators. While the drongos sometimes exploit this relationship by raising false alarms to steal food from fleeing meerkats, the primary benefit is mutual, with meerkats gaining protection and drongos often receiving genuine warnings and occasional food³³.

Sharks and Pilot Fish

Pilot fish swim alongside sharks, cleaning parasites and food fragments from the shark’s teeth and skin. In return, the pilot fish receive protection from other predators³⁴.

Coyote and Badger

Coyotes and badgers hunt together, with the badger digging into burrows and the coyote waiting outside to catch fleeing prey. This cooperation increases the hunting success for both species³⁵.

Spider Crab and Algae

Spider crabs have algae living on their backs, which provides camouflage, protecting the crabs from predators. The algae benefit from a stable and protected environment to live and grow³⁶³⁷.

These examples illustrate the varied and often intricate ways in which different animal species can benefit from each other through mutualistic relationships.

Citations:

[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[Mutualistic Relationships - New England Complex Systems Institute](https://necsi.edu/mutualistic-relationships) ↩︎
[Mutualism: Symbiotic Relationships - ThoughtCo](https://www.thoughtco.com/mutualism-symbiotic-relationships-4109634) ↩︎
[Mutualism | Types, Examples, & Facts - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/mutualism-biology) ↩︎
[10 Mutualism Examples - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRn62gtgntY) ↩︎
[Mutualism: Symbiotic Relationships - ThoughtCo](https://www.thoughtco.com/mutualism-symbiotic-relationships-4109634) ↩︎
[Mutualism | Types, Examples, & Facts - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/mutualism-biology) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[10 Mutualism Examples - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRn62gtgntY) ↩︎
[Mutualism: Symbiotic Relationships - ThoughtCo](https://www.thoughtco.com/mutualism-symbiotic-relationships-4109634) ↩︎
[10 Mutualism Examples - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRn62gtgntY) ↩︎
[Mutualism | Types, Examples, & Facts - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/mutualism-biology) ↩︎
[Symbiotic relationships in ecology - Wild Earth Lab](https://wildearthlab.com/2022/09/28/symbiotic-relationships/) ↩︎
[Mutualism | Types, Examples, & Facts - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/mutualism-biology) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[6 Surprising Symbiotic Relationships - Wildlife Woods](https://wildlifewoods.net/blog/2018/8/23/6-surprising-symbiotic-relationships) ↩︎
[10 Mutualism Examples - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRn62gtgntY) ↩︎
[Mutualism | Types, Examples, & Facts - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/science/mutualism-biology) ↩︎

Crueltyfree Fashion

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:00:30 -0800

A vegan lifestyle avoids using animal-based materials in apparel such as fur, leather, wool, down, and silk. Using animals to get these requires they be imprisoned, exploited and even killed. Fashion does not ever need to inflict cruelty onto other sentient beings and many companies provide alternatives to animal products.

The following guide from Lulus provides information to help you to dress without cruelty …

A Guide To Vegan and Cruelty Free Clothes & Fashion

Stories

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 22:25:03 -0800

Personal experiences with fireworks and those discharging them will be collected here. These can include not only bad experiences, but also ones on how a community stopped fireworks displays.

You can send us your story by filling out the form by clicking here.

If accepted, you will see it printed below. Please provide a general location (eg city or district). If you want your name published, please provide it as well (otherwise your story will be posted as anonymous).

Definitely do not enjoy the 3 times a year residential areas of the community are available to set off fireworks. I have a 12 year old chocolate lab who seems to have super sonic hearing for the sounds of the fireworks. To see her cuddled into a corner of the room trembling with slobber pouring out of her mouth is heartbreaking. No matter how loud the tv is and the prescriptions I give her do not have any effect on her. This is just my dog , how many other pets , livestock and wildlife are affected by this preventable nonsense. Please help to stop this cruelty to pets livestock and wild animals. CVRD this is now in your hands.
(Bruce, Shawnigan Lake BC)

Almost 2 years ago my best buddy, a beautiful St. Bernard + Great Pyrenees Cross named Kippy came into my life. He took his self- imposed job of guarding me seriously. He adapted to city life, with its ambulance sirens and other noises very well - except for fireworks! It seems that some people in Victoria like to “celebrate” every occasion, from New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, May Day, Canada Day, US Independence Day, parties at the beginning of classes at UVic, Halloween, you name it and for any excuse day, with ear-splitting explosions at irregular intervals. My poor dog is totally traumatized and goes into a psychotic state panting to the point of choking, circling around the room endlessly and uncontrollably for hours, throughout the night and then for days following, despite all the prescription drugs and calming treats that might knock him out for short periods. That means that those times are ruined for me too and impact my health.
Maybe it’s a fun thing for some children to be allowed to play with fireworks from the late afternoon onwards before their parents start up later again in the evening, but that is short-sighted. There is no reason a few people should be allowed to spoil celebrations for others. It really does need to be made illegal AND enforced. Are we not civilized?
(Maidie, Victoria BC)

Fireworks is pollution! Particulate pollution, light pollution, and most importantly noise pollution! No one needs this snap crackle pop which is harmful to animal and people.
Stop These Obnoxious Pyrotechnics!
(prad, Shawnigan Lake BC)

Our cat Ophelia has been spooked by fireworks. I’ve seen her look startled and dart to a hiding spot to stay safe. So I’ve seen that the stress caused by fireworks is real. And it is unnecessary. This New Year’s my husband and I were awakened and couldn’t get back to sleep because of the noise of fireworks in our neighborhoods. Many neighbors complained of the same experience.So fireworks can cause really unhealthy disruptions for many.
(Ranjana, Shawnigan Lake BC)

Back to
Fireworks Frustration Homepage

Media

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 22:20:11 -0800

Various media related to fireworks will be gathered here. The items will contain quoted excerpts in italics. Any editorial commentary will be shown inside [].

Fireworks Hurt
Our mission is to encourage the Nova Scotia Government to enact a ban on the sale and use of consumer fireworks.

Ban Fireworks
Let’s get as many to join as we can and I will personally drive to number 10 and get them twats to listen … it’s easy to ban fireworks … BUT they like the tax so it’s gonna be hard work.
[This is a Facebook group with 100+ members.]

THE FIREWORK CAMPAIGN UK
Campaigning to reform UK firework legislation

Our site has both a newsletter and discussion Elists anyone is welcome to join.

Silent Fireworks

They really aren’t silent, but the noise level is reduced by half. So does that make them twice as good as regular fireworks? Not likely! However, if you insist on setting off fireworks, these are a way of being nominally more considerate to your neighbors which include both humans and animals.

Silent Fireworks: How Good Are They & What Are They?
Soundproof Panda
Not everyone likes the bangs, whistles and screeches of fireworks. For some people and most animals, the unexpected loud noises cause a lot of fear and anxiety turning a fun firework display into a nightmare.

It’s time for silent fireworks
Jane Desmond, The Hill
In the first half of June in N.Y.C., for example, the city received 80 times the number of fireworks complaints this year than last.

‘Quiet Fireworks’ Promise Relief for Children and Animals
Steph Yin, The New York Times
A new genre of fireworks displays caters to audiences that can do without the noise, but they will be hard to find this Fourth of July …
[An article from June 2016.]

The Drone Show

Drone displays may be an intelligent and definitely more spectacular alternative to the snap-crackle-pop stuff and cost effective in the long run. They are worth exploring as a replacement to fireworks because they are likely not as harmful to our communities of humans and animals.

Drone Light Shows “Way Cooler” Than Fireworks
GrrlScientistSenior Contributor
Drone light shows differ from fireworks displays because drones are reusable, and do not produce chemical and noise pollution.

Are Drones Replacing Fireworks?
RocketIt With environmental hazards, increasing costs and state-wide bans now forcing many areas to cease Fourth of July fireworks displays, it’s difficult to argue that this age-old tradition isn’t in need of a 21st century overhaul.

Some Drone Videos on YouTube.

The Future of Fireworks

400ft Tall Halloween Light and Drone Show!

Paramount+ Drone Show at Vivid Sydney

1000 Drones Flying at Burning Man 2022

Seattle’s virtual New Year’s at the Needle show

News Articles

Below are media articles from various sources organized by year.

2024

Germany: Police and doctors urge national fireworks ban
SOCIETYGERMANY, 24-12-31
German police and medical associations have repeated calls for a nationwide ban on the private use of fireworks, citing their reckless and dangerous use around New Year celebrations.

Pennsylvania man killed when fireworks explode in his garage
The Associated Press, 24-07-01
A man was killed when some fireworks exploded at his Pennsylvania home.

Victoria’s first Canada Day drone show could be a test for the future of fireworks
Robyn Bell, Environment News, 2024-06-30
The show in the sky will take off on Monday, mixing high-tech and traditional Coast Salish art.

2023

Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory
Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press, 23-10-02
At least two Environment Canada meteorologists warned that linking Diwali fireworks to air pollution in an air quality advisory could be perceived as discriminatory, internal emails show, but the advisory was still published. [The real issue is not whether it is discriminatory, but whether it is correct. Using culture as an excuse to justify harmful activities is just as harmful. Also see this article.]

Squamish Nation Fireworks Regulation pdf
Squamish Nation, 23-09-08
prohibited the sale, purchase, possession, and/or discharge of fireworks on Squamish Nation reserve lands of any kind effective November 1, 2022 … Council passed a resolution continuing to support the ban on fireworks sales, use and discharge on August 4, 2023.

Surrey homeowner sues neighbour after Halloween fireworks cause fire damage
Susan Lazaruk, The Province 23-08-28
The homeowner says his neighbour and an unnamed invited guest lit fireworks at a social gathering on Oct. 31, 2021, causing “significant fire, smoke and water damage”

Italian town becomes the first city in the world to switch to silent fireworks.
Animals Everyday 23-08-22
The first municipality in the world to totally transition to utilizing exclusively silent fireworks is Collecchio, an Italian town in the Parma District of Italy.

As much as B.C. loves its fireworks, some residents are pushing Ottawa to retire them
Chad Pawson, CBC News, 23-07-15
Whether fireworks are appropriate is an on-going debate between those who want pets and people sensitive to noise to be protected, others who see fireworks as costly and polluting, and those who want the traditional fun to continue.

A large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Thailand kills at least 9 people
The Associated Press, CTV, 23-07-29 A large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand on Saturday killed at least nine people … at least 115 people were hurt, and that many were in serious condition … about 500 to 800 people who live nearby may have to be moved to a temporary shelter.

Coun. Hanson wants complete ban on fireworks in District of North Vancouver
Gagandeep Ghuman,North Shore Daily Post, 23-07-26
Every Halloween and new year, we get many complaints from people about fireworks. It’s upsetting to animals and there is an environmental impact from all the smoke and it’s bad for the wild animals. I believe the time has come to focus on ensuring that everyone can enjoy Halloween.

The dangers of fireworks: increased fire risk in drought and decreased air quality
Amber Twardy, ABC57, 23-07-03
Although fireworks can seem like a harmless way to celebrate the Fourth of July, they’re actually more dangerous than most people realize.

July 4th firework mishaps claimed lives and injured dozens
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 23-07-06
These incidents are among nearly a half-dozen reported firework-related fatalities police and fire officials said have taken place across the nation during this year’s Fourth of July festivities.

Is it time for drones to replace fireworks at Vancouver’s Celebration of Light?
Gordon McIntyre, 23-07-04
Compared to the explosive kind, drones are quieter, safer, better for the environment and don’t scare the bejesus out of pets.

Replacing Fireworks With Light Shows for the Holiday
Bonnie Riva Ras, Deputy Editor, Goodnet 23-06-30
Futuristic light shows are a better choice this summer.
[Although light shows are indeed a better choice, just how much better they are should be examined further.]

Hacking the Fireworks Firewall
prad, towardsfreedom 23-06-29
Ending fireworks frustration requires understanding the game.

Fireworks should be banned says advocacy group
Diane Strandberg 23-06-27
BC animal advocacy group says fireworks exploding in the night sky is an outdated and dangerous way of celebrating — and should be banned.

Council of Saanich Presentation Video
Lavinia Rojas Schultz and Ranjana Basu 23-06-12
[Lavinia @ 2:35 and Ranjana @ 12:30 spoke about why a fireworks ban should be implemented.]

Summer fireworks can traumatize pets and cause wildlife to flee
Kendra Coulter, The Conversation, 23-06-01
Animal caretakers, wildlife rehabilitators and fire services see firsthand the damaging — and sometimes fatal — effects whenever and wherever fireworks are deployed.

People got stupid with fireworks all over Toronto on Victoria Day
Jack Landau 23-05-23
Toronto’s main fireworks display was held over Ashbridge’s Bay, and police were out in full force to prevent a repeat of the chaotic events witnessed during 2022’s Victoria Day celebration.

Petition started to reverse cancellation of Canada Day fireworks
Stephanie Babych 23-05-23
The petition, started by Common Sense Calgary, calls for city council to step in and reverse the choice to cancel the July 1st fireworks display. The group labels the decision as “nonsense.”
[The article also states that the ban attempts to address environmental and cultural issues. The pyrotechnic show is also friendlier to wildlife.]

Brampton bans personal fireworks ahead of long weekend celebrations
Global News 23-05-19
The City of Brampton enacted a ban on all fireworks last year. As Victoria Day approaches, Sean O’Shea reports on how locals feel about the ban.

Fireworks within CVRD still a hot topic; some directors want a complete ban
Robert Barron 23-04-26
Acton said the CVRD is way behind many large municipalities and other jurisdictions which have completely banned fireworks.

Crowd-Pleasing Fireworks Are Not So Pleasing to the Planet
Jessica Han, Global Commons 23-04-19
Fireworks are used to please crowds, celebrate big holidays, and end festivals with a bang – literally. But at what environmental cost? Especially when climate change has made its way to the forefront of the planet, it is important to consider the environmental impact of fireworks.

Victoria residents ask council for fireworks ban due to impact on pets
Ella Matte, Victoria News 23-01-16
Several Victorians want the city to enact a fireworks ban due to the impact of noise on pets and people with PTSD
[Meeting Minutes show that the 4 individuals were Lavinia Rojas: Fireworks Ban (D.6); Jen Dobell: Ban Fireworks for Animals, Environment, People with PTSD (D.7); Shon Shum: Banning of Fireworks ( ); Teri Millis: Fireworks (D.9).]

2022

Fireworks are NOT Inclusive – and Outdated in a Modern Society
Liz, The Fireworks Campaign UK 22-11-06
Many people are adversely affected by fireworks and yet society does not include their needs in the lack of regulation we have around fireworks. I remember a lady who got in touch with us, whose husband is a war veteran. He almost died in combat and she finds it so distressing to see him go clammy and shake when fireworks go off.

Delta police investigating fireworks-involved assaults after Halloween gathering
Black Press Media Staff 22-11-02
Police say hundreds of youth gathered on Oct. 31, causing property damage and targeting pedestrians … multiple pedestrians and first responders were assaulted with fireworks …young people were reported setting off fireworks for at least four hours

Fireworks are a Halloween tradition in B.C., but many cities regulate them
The Canadian Press 22-10-27
While some cities permit fireworks on Halloween night, many municipalities across the province have banned their use, including Vancouver, Kelowna, Coquitlam, Kamloops and Surrey.

Are Fireworks Really Important for Diwali Celebrations?
Jack Dutton, Newsweek, 22-10-22
Fireworks are a more modern phenomenon when it comes to Diwali celebrations … “They are not necessary, and the festival does not lose its significance in any way if they are absent.”

How Fireworks Pollute Our Drinking Water
MCWEC 22-06-27
Air pollution is a well known concern with fireworks displays, but often overlooked is the impact lingering debris in air, water and land has on drinking water.

Edmonton firefighters want tighter rules on fireworks
Sean Amato, CTV News Edmonton 22-05-31
Officials with the fire department are concerned about accidental blazes and injuries and are recommending councillors ban amateur displays and only allow shows with professional oversight and paid permits.

Online petition urges city to ban private firework sales, displays in London
Colin Butler, CBC News 22-05-25
An online petition is urging city council to institute a ban on the private sale and display of fireworks inside city limits, citing safety reasons, pollution and people setting them off illegally in the weeks leading up to and after statutory holidays.

Private fireworks should be banned
Robert Barron 22-02-03
I was amazed that no cars had exploded, no houses burned down.

CVRD won’t ban fireworks; at least not yet
Robert Barron 22-04-18
District will invite municipalities and First Nations to participate in discussions.

CVRD favours fireworks ban, but worried about practicality
Robert Barron 22-02-03
Some directors want a total ban.
[Others aren’t sure it can be enforced.]

N.S. horse owner calls for ban of consumer fireworks
Alex Cooke, Global News 22-01-10
A Nova Scotia horse owner is calling for the ban of consumer fireworks after spending another New Year’s Eve trying to keep her animals calm.

2021 and earlier

Managing PTSD during fireworks season
Emily Bashforth 21-11-01
While fireworks season can be an exciting time for many, this time of year can be really difficult for people with PTSD. Fireworks displays can be beautiful to look at, but the loud noises they create can be triggering if someone has trauma from an experience in their past. It’s important we don’t forget about people with PTSD during fireworks season.

Police say fireworks issues in the Valley need to be addressed
Robert Barron 21-11-19
“We see lots of injuries,” RCMP Insp. Chris Bear says.

Halloween fire costs plunge in Vancouver in first year of firework ban
Simon Little, Global News 21-11-03
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says the city saw a massive plunge in costs associated with the use of fireworks this Halloween, the first year the city’s ban on the sale and use of consumer fireworks was in effect … Over Halloween weekend in 2020, the service reported a total dollar loss for fireworks-related incidents to $408,000 … This year, that figure dropped to just $5,500.

Vancouver authorities say they were too busy to enforce new fireworks ban on Halloween
St. John Alexander 21-11-01
Vancouver police and firefighters admit Halloween is often the busiest night of the year, and claim they just don’t have the resources to enforce the city’s new fireworks bylaw.
[Fireworks need to be banned. Lack of resources are often a problem, so the approach should incorporate an effort to make fireworks unpopular, much in the way that smoking has been made unpopular since the 1980s.]

It’s Time To Ban Fireworks
Jordan Reichert 21-10-31
Fireworks Diminish the Real Star We Should be Celebrating: Nature.

National government petition on fireworks launched ahead of Halloween
Vincent Plana 21-10-29
A petition on the House of Commons website calling for federal action against fireworks has gained the support of the BC SPCA. It was started by BC resident Lavinia Rojas and authorized by Laurel Collins, a Member of Parliament under the New Democratic Party.

Firework bans don’t work …
Michael Briones 21-07-12
Concerns raised in Regional District of Nanaimo regarding negative impact on animals … The Canadian National Fireworks Association official advocates education as a better solution than banning the sale and use of fireworks. [Note that CNFA is, according to their website “leading national voice to advocate on behalf of the fireworks industry” and works to “promote the industry through … Consumer Fireworks, Display Fireworks, …” blah, blah, blah. Their ‘be a good-neighbor’ schtick sounds nice, but is just warm-fuzzy deception.]

NHL goalie dead from chest trauma in July 4 fireworks blast
The Canadian Press 21-07-05
Autopsy finds Columbus player Matiss Kivlenieks died after firework tilted and fired toward people.

The Hidden Harms Of Fireworks On Wildlife And People
Alannah Hardcastle, Random Acts of Green, 21-05-24
You’ll want to change the way we celebrate special occasions when you learn the harmful effects of fireworks on the environment.

Councillor wants ban on fireworks in North Vancouver district
Staff Report, North Shore Daily Post, 20-10-14
District of North Vancouver councillor Megan Curren is bringing forward a motion to direct staff to ban the sale and use of fireworks, including smoke generating pyrotechnic devices by March 2021.

Fireworks can torment veterans and survivors of gun violence with PTSD
Arash Javanbakht, The Conversation, 20-07-01
For some combat veterans, the Fourth of July is not a time to celebrate the independence of the country they love. Instead, the holiday is a terrifying ordeal.

FIREWORKS
Lake Cowichan Gazette
A collection of articles/videos regarding fireworks usage in the CVRD. Some of the links here have been presented above.

The Trouble With Fireworks
blogger Nichole Sawatzky
[This blog article summarizes many of the issues surrounding fireworks discharges.]

What the Hell is Going on With the Nonstop Fireworks, Every Single Night?
Kevin Kinkead, Sports Writer
Loud bangs and explosions, beginning at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. and going until midnight or later. It’s been everywhere in Philadelphia, and worse than normal. These explosions are bigger and louder and they’re taking place weeks before the Fourth of July, which is different from years past…

How fireworks can affect your health and the ecosystem
Maggie Macintosh, CBC News 19-07-20
Environmentalists are questioning whether minutes-long sparkly spectacles are worth fireworks’ long-term effects on human health and wildlife.

Back to
Fireworks Frustration Homepage

Prazen

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 13:55:56 -0700

These are zenish short stories merrily modified from various sources.

Zen Comics by Ioanna Zalajan
Radical Zen: The Sayings of Joshu by Youl Hoffmann

A man of enlightenment and wisdom

Student: Oh master, where does the man of enlightenment and wisdom go after he dies?

Master: How should I know?

Student: Because you, master, are a man of enlightenment and wisdom!

Master: That may be so, but I am not dead.

Become a Buddha

Zen master Baso, when he was young, was caught meditating all over the place by his teacher who asked him “Why are you meditating so much?”

Baso answered, “To become a buddha.”

His teacher pick up a piece of slate and started polishing it.

Baso asked, “Why are you polishing the slate so vigorously?”

Teacher replied, “To turn it into a mirror.”

Baso laughed, “No amount of polishing is going to turn a slate into a mirror?”

Teacher replied, “No amount of cross-legged sitting is going to turn one into a buddha”

Baso then understood.

But just to be sure, his teacher hit him with a staff on the head.

Detachment

The student went to the zen master in elation!

“Oh master,” he joyously exclaimed, “I am so happy and feel so free. I have achieved detachment at last!”

The master hit him on the head with a stick.

“Owww!! Why did you do that?” whined the student rubbing his head.

The master said, “To detach you from your detachment”.

Empty

The elated student rushed in to see his master!

“I am empty! I have released my attachments!”, he exclaimed.

“Indeed.” said his master.

“I have no desires! I have no yearnings! I have no ego! I am empty!”

The master hit him on the head with his staff.

“Owww!!!”, yelled the student in pain and anger. “Why did you do that, old monk?”

His master asked: “If you are so empty, where did all that anger come from?”

Essence

Monk: What is the essence of essences?

Joshu: Just how long have you been essencing yourself up like this?

Monk: My concern for discovering essence has been going for a long, long time.

Joshu: A fool such as you are lucky to have met me just in time, before you completely essenced yourself out!

Go away!

A would-be student knocked on the gate of a zen master. The master opened the gate and asked: “What do you want?”

The student answered: “O master you are so learned. I beg you to teach me!”

The master slammed the gate shut.

The student knocked again.

“What do you want now?”

“Please, please I must have you as my teacher.”

Again the master slammed the gate shut.

Once again the student knocked.

“What is it now?”

“Master please! i really want to learn!”

The master said: “Very well then” and open the gate.

Once inside, the elated and beaming student asked: “Master! what are you going to teach me first?”

The master replied: “To go away!”

and promptly threw the student out and slammed the gate.

Knowledge and Understanding

When the ordinary man gains knowledge, he becomes a sage.
When the sage achieves understanding, he becomes an ordinary man.

There was an episode in the Kung Fu series from the 70s where young Kwai Chang Caine had lost his parents. He was very sad and complained of loneliness to his blind teacher, Master Po. “Do you not hear the birds singing?”, Po asked, “Do you not notice the crickets jumping or the snakes moving in the grass? In such a crowded place, you feel you are alone. Now tell me, which one of us is the more blind?”

Seeing the tao

Student: Master why can I not see tao?

Master: So long as there is an I, there is no seeing tao.

Student: Master can you see tao?

Master: So long as there is you and I, tao cannot be seen.

Student: Then if you and I disappear, can tao be seen?

Master: If you and I disappear, who is there to see tao?

So what boy?

A monk in training says to the zen master: “Greetings master! I have travelled much and studied under many acquiring much guidances and insight. I come now to you for illumination!”

The master scratches his head and picks up a twig on the ground. Without saying anything, he gives the student the twig. The student assumes the zazen posture and meditates deeply. In his mind, the twig grows into a tree and then is produced a beautiful orchard which gradually blossoms into a field, a country, the planet and finally the universe!

He goes back to the master and relates these wonders: all life is one in its eternal existence with everything else animate and inanimate - such is the ubiquitous unity of the universe!

The master scratches his head again, takes the twig from the monk’s outstretched hand and asks: “So what boy?”

The duel

An aikido master was heading to a town where he knew there was someone insisting on challenging him. He could have taken the person down easily, but he would not let ego dictate and he passed through the outskirts avoiding his would-be opponent.

Thus the master won the real duel.

The flag

A zen master and two students were walking on a path through the forest. as they came out of it they saw a flag pole with a large flag fluttering in the breeze.

One student exclaimed, “Look the flag is moving!”

His companion thought for a moment and suggested, “The wind is moving!”

The master said, “The mind is moving.”

The precious stone

When two dragons fight over a precious stone which one wins?
The one who loses lacks nothing. The one who gains does not need it.

The two dragons

The student went to the master with what he found to be a wonderfully enlightening story:

An old man told his grandson, “There is a battle between two dragons inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, apathy, lies, ego and fear. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, kindness, humility, empathy and truth. The boy thought about it and asked, “Grandpa, which dragon wins?” The old man quietly replied, “The one you feed.”

“Such a great story, is it not master?”, concluded the student.

The master smiled and said, “It is that, but what makes you think either dragon is hungry?”

Praphorisms

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:08:14 -0700

This is an ever-growing list of quotations attributed to various individuals throughout history.

Al-Khafaji Amir Wadi

To my brother Faiz, whose ideals are like the stars: I could never reach them, but I chart my course by them. (dedication in Numerical Methods In Engineering Practice)

Adams Samuel

“Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” essay in The Public Advertiser, 1749

Angelkate Rose

(Aka meangel; paingel; derangel; strangel; spongel because she’s such a softie when she wants to be; braingel when being intellectual; pungel when being punny.)

I was eternally safe in the stillness of forever, which was the ultimate truth.

Guided by your hand, illuminated by your light
You give me courage to do what is right

Love from beyond now I understand
You only want to give when you hold out your hand

When a fork is tuned… it is tuned.

I wasn’t sure if I would be able to take a pic of the source of creation on a sony/canon.

Hm… then neither do I!

Is it so much about what I think… or is it pure joy at the gift having been received with pure joy?

Perhaps not so much invisible… because when I point it out… you look in that direction and see it too! Sees the same rainbow

I had a pretty good devil around whom I feel angelic. ;)

The song of your soul crystalised into music. It is like there is such a deep connection to the still centre… that all movement is grounded in that… as that.

Hymn to Her is the perfect title because it is her singing his lyrics… just the way that he wrote them… because tracing his steps makes her feel closer to him… as if they were singing together. She is not making the song her own… she is hearing his song through her own lips… as if their minds are one in that moment.

He continues to lecture himself through her… Lose the image of being ‘someone who doesn’t do this often’… because it is not even about music… it is about channelling… and when channelling… there is no time… and no image… and no music.

Well… while she’s on a role… When one is on the right side… one need not hit home with accuracy… but merely acknowledge that one is already home!

it is about accepting the seemingly extraordinary as ordinary.

== From: Angelkate Rose <angelkaterose@aol.co.uk> Subject: Re: Hey :) To: prad@towardsfreedom.com Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 16:59:35 -0400 (EDT)

I have been looking at my false-self because I cannot live with it and have been trying to ‘change’ it… but I have realised that when I change a perception of myself to it’s opposite and supposed ‘positive’ alternative, I still feel uncomfortable, disconnected and still in ego, plus it doesn’t feel authentic because I am also sometimes the ’negative’ thing that I am attempting to escape having a part of my identity. So I realised that any identity is a limitation, because I am not just one thing- I am two opposites and I am neither of them, I am everything and I am nothing. An identity is a set of labels and that is my suffering… so perhaps by seeing that I am both I can realise that I am nothing and therefore I can choose what to be in each moment… any preconceived idea that I have of myself veils my awareness of what I exist as in the moment… of what arises.

From: prad <prad@towardsfreedom.com> Subject: Re: Hey :) To: Angelkate Rose <angelkaterose@aol.co.uk> Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2012 18:12:55 -0700

why not just pick an image that you find worthwhile and just be it. ==

Bach Richard

And then you will be ready to begin the most difficult, the most powerful, the most fun of all. You will be ready to begin to fly up and know the meaning of kindness and love.

Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours.

Don’t be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.

Here is a test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t.

Jonathan is that brilliant little fire that burns within us all, that lives only for those moments when we reach perfection.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of the same family grow up under the same roof.

Bentham Jeremy

The question is not, Can they reason? nor Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?”

BigG

Thanks just came back from Thompson no wonder this province is ranked high for many diseases. Obesity is rampant. I honestly believe most humans are not being humans anymore with all the gmo processed foods, meds, booze and drugs the light is on but no one is home in many of them. I think we are in the age of gmo humans.

Bridgeman Percy William

The operational approach demands that we make our reports and do our thinking in the freshest terms of which we are capable, in which we strip off the sophistications of millenia of culture and report as directly as we can on what happens.

The attitude which the man in the street unconsciously adopts towards science is capricious and varied. At one moment he scorns the scientist for a highbrow, at another anathematizes him for blasphemously undermining his religion; but at the mention of a name like Edison he falls into a coma of veneration.

Coincidence is what you have left over when you apply a bad theory.

[He believed that through such pursuit humanity really will improve, that it would acquire a “courageous nobility”]
And in the end, when man has fully partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, there will be this difference between the first Eden and the last, that man will not become as a god, but remain forever humble.

Cowper William

Life owes us nothing. We owe life everything. The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a [worthwhile] purpose.

Dijkstra Edsger

The question of whether machines can think is about as relevant as the question of whether submarines can swim.

Dunham Barrows

Historically speaking, the content of philosophy is what is left over after the sciences departed. Nobody took ethics, not even the sociologists; nobody took logic; nobody took esthetics, nobody took (for who would want?) metaphysics. These subjects, therefore, remain part of philosophy’s content, despite the fact that the mathematicians eye logic covetously and the gentlemen of the fine arts would like to ravish esthetics. The subjects themselves, I am happy to report, have thus far resisted all blandishments. (from Man Against Myth p.11)

Emerson Haven

[The following gem is from an address given in 1928 by Dr. Haven Emerson, Columbia University]

Youth is not a time of life. It is a state of mind. It is not a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the motions. Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of 50 more than in a youth of 20. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair - these are the long years that bow the head and turn the growing spirit back to dust. You are as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.

Emerson Ralph Waldo

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.

Einstein Albert

As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.

Although I am a typical loner in daily life, my consciousness of belonging to the invisible community of those who strive for truth, beauty, and justice keeps me from feeling isolated. (Courtesy of Miriam)

Cinderella (Disney 2015)

I believe that animals listen and speak to us if we only have the ear for it. That’s how we learn to look after them … I have to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer. Have courage and be kind.
~ Ella’s mother

Just because it’s what’s done doesn’t mean it’s what should be done!
~ Ella

And so Kit and Ella were married. And I can tell you, as her fairy godmother, that they were counted to be the fairest and kindest rulers the kingdom had known. And Ella continued to see the world not as it is, but as it could be, if only you believe in courage, and kindness, and occasionally, just a little bit… of magic.
~ Ella’s fairy godmother

Francis of Assissi

All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.

If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men. Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission - to be of service to them wherever they require it.

Lord, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Frank Anne

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.

Women should be respected as well! Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share? Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?…Women, who struggle and suffer pain to ensure the continuation of the human race, make much tougher and more courageous soldiers than all those big-mouthed freedom-fighting heroes put together!

I know what I want, I have a goal, an opinion, I have a religion and love. Let me be myself and then I am satisfied. I know that I’m a woman, a woman with inward strength and plenty of courage.

Boys will be boys. And even that wouldn’t matter if only we could prevent girls from being girls.

Earning happiness means doing good and working, not speculating and being lazy. Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction.

People who have a religion should be glad, for not everyone has the gift of believing in heavenly things.

Franklin Benjamin

Debates [should] be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without […] desire of victory.

Galbraith John

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.

Gale Donald

A pessimist, they say, sees a glass of water as being half empty; an optimist sees the same glass as half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty.

Gandi Mahatma

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.

Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.

When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it - always.

It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.

My nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger and leaving dear ones unprotected. Between violence and cowardly flight, I can only prefer violence to cowardice. I can no more preach nonviolence to a coward than I can tempt a blind man to enjoy healthy scenes.

One needs to be slow to form convictions, but once formed they must be defended against the heaviest odds.

Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

I abhor vivisection with my whole soul. All the scientific discoveries stained with innocent blood I count as of no consequence.

Experience teaches that animal food is unsuited to those who would curb their passions. But it is wrong to over-estimate the importance of food in the formation of character or in subjugating the flesh.

I hold today the same opinion as I held then. To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.

I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.

I do feel that spiritual progress does demand at some stage that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants.

A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

Gell-Mann Murray

However, history shows clearly that humanity is moved forward not by people who stop every little while to try to gauge the ultimate success or failure of their ventures, but by those who think deeply about what is right and then put all their energy into doing it

Gibran Kahil

Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.

Gould Glenn

The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but rather the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity. (In his recordings, Gould sought to overcome our basis instincts and encourage a kind of altered state of consciousness, a participation in some kind of higher unity.)

Isolation is the indispensable component of human happiness.

Theirs [the Beatles] is a happy, cocky, belligerently resourceless brand of harmonic primitivism… In the Liverpudlian repertoire, the indulged amateurishness of the musical material, though closely rivaled by the indifference of the performing style, is actually surpassed only by the ineptitude of the studio production method. (Strawberry Fields suggests a chance encounter at a mountain wedding between Claudio Monteverdi and a jug band.)

I detest audiences - not in their individual components, but en masse I detest audiences. I think they’re a force of evil. It seems to me rule of mob law.

The nature of the contrapuntal experience is that every note has to have a past and a future on the horizontal plane.

We went out in the boat and I was the first to catch a fish and when the little perch came up and started wriggling about, I suddenly saw this thing entirely from the fish’s point of view - it was such a powerful experience. I picked up my fish, and said I was going to throw it back. At that moment - this has remained with me as a sort of block against people who exert influence over children - the father [a neighbor from Uptergrove] suddenly pushed me back into my seat, probably for the sensible reason that I was rocking the boat. Then he took the fish out of my reach at which I went into a tantrum and started jumping and up and down, stomping my feet and pulling my hair and stuff like that. And I kept it up until we got into shore. I refused to speak to those children for the rest of the summer, of course, and I immediately went to work on my father to convince him that he should abandon fishing. It took me ten years, but this is probably the greatest thing I have ever done.

Graham Collier

The influence of a beautiful, helpful character is contagious, and may revolutionize a whole town.

Grenfell Wilfred

The service we render to others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth. It is obvious that man is himself a traveler; that the purpose of this world is not “to have and to hold” but “to give and serve.” There can be no other meaning.

Huxley Thomas Henry

It is the fate of all good science to be replaced by its progeny.

There is but one right, and the possibilities of wrong are infinite.

The ultimate court of appeal is observation and experiment… not authority.

The scientific spirit is of more value than its products, and irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors.

The only question which any wise man can ask himself, and which any honest man will ask himself, is whether a doctrine is true or false.

Time, whose tooth gnaws away everything else, is powerless against truth.

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.

Science is simply common sense at its best, that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic.

Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every conceived notion, follow humbly wherever and whatever abysses nature leads, or you will learn nothing.

Teach a child what is wise, that is morality. Teach him what is wise and beautiful, that is religion!

The politicians tell us, ’You must educate the masses because they are going to be masters.’ The clergy join in the cry for education, for they affirm that the people are drifting away from church and chapel into the broadest infidelity. The manufacturers and the capitalists swell the chorus lustily. They declare that ignorance makes bad workmen; that England will soon be unable to turn out cotton goods, or steam engines, cheaper than other people; and then, Ichabod! Ichabod! The glory will be departed from us. And a few voices are lifted up in favour of the doctrine that the masses should be educated because they are men and women with unlimited capacities of being, doing, and suffering, that it is as true now, as it ever was, that the people perish for lack of knowledge.

Jake

What this serves to demonstrate, is that just because an action is more drastic, does not mean that it’s more effective. Burning down one factory farm and getting caught doesn’t make you a hero to animals, it makes you a hero to your target’s competitors.

When you allocate your sloth wisely, productivity ensues.

Make compassion a reflex!

King Martin Luther

We do not need allies who are more devoted to order than to justice.

Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.

A right delayed is a right denied.

Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

I submit to you that if a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.

Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.

The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.

Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. This is the interrelated structure of all reality. You can never be what you ought to be until I become what I ought to be.

One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them.

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

There comes a time when silence is betrayal.

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.

Lincoln Abraham

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

McKee Jamie

How can I have a bad day?! I love this game! (Speaking it the 1960s at the Boulevard Club, Toronto, ON about badminton when asked why he never has a bad day.)

Mohammed Renea

On Mother’s Day, we celebrate the fierce love, tenderness, and devotion that mothers bring into the world. It’s also a moment to remember the animal mothers whose stories are rarely told—those separated from their babies in laboratories, where both are used in experiments they never chose and cannot escape.

These mothers bond. They protect. They grieve. They feel fear, stress, and pain. Their babies do too. Love and emotion are not human inventions; they are shared across species, woven into the fabric of life itself.

Today is a reminder that we can choose a kinder path. Modern non‑animal research methods already exist—methods that are not only more humane, but also more accurate, more efficient, and less expensive. Compassion and scientific progress are not opposites; they can move forward together.

This Mother’s Day, may we honour all mothers by speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and by supporting alternatives that spare animals from suffering while advancing human health with greater precision and humanity.

[Wording Polished by Perplexity AI]

Moynihan Patrick

You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.

Newton Issac

I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.

Nickep

I feel that we need assertive affirmations and commanding paragraphs, which take authority and ‘slam down’ our opponents viewpoints. The reason for this, is that the opposition has some evil memes, and that they need to be broken. the way to do this isn’t by defending ourselves from their rants; and thus we explain ourselves to the nth degree: which does the opposite of what we intend. But to face our situations and force them to break their own statements which were irrational, and get them to see the truth in what we’re saying…

See, people who advocate animal abuse and animal suffering, through vivisection and experiments, or for what we aren’t designed to eat, as food, aren’t evil, but mislead and brainwashed, we could easily break their propaganda, which is showing itself in insecurity in their views, and also to be both socially independant and vegan.. see, most of the opposition, that aren’t in authority, aren’t ’evil’ or doing it for cruelty, but that cruelty is a byproduct that they don’t actually see each day and thus aren’t reminded of it - they do it because it’s socially acceptable, and they don’t feel secure enough to make their own independent thoughts…

So, the fact is that we need to be authoritative and command subliminallly in our propositions, and our conclusions will naturally form in their minds as if that was their own ideas…

Nietzsche Friedrich

Idleness is the parent of psychology.

Niemöller Martin

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Pope John Paul 2

Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.

Poppins Mary

Practically perfect people never allow sentiment to muddle their thinking.

prad

I will spark your sanity, you temper my madness.

Those who talk a lot but do little suffer from a condition known as yapathy.

Impact need not be flamboyant. It can be subtle and stealthy.

Justice has no need for compassion nor does it need to be blind.

People wanting to get to heaven is likely why hell is so crowded.

The head is harder to hit, but can be made ineffective if you take the body out from underneath.

Compassion: It is illogical to think that the way to bring about compassion is by being compassionate. To eliminate villainy, you will likely have to get your hands dirty. So chill!

Popular opinion: One should never be swayed by popular opinion. There is nothing wrong with having popular opinion see you as immoral or worse. Popular opinion is generally immoral in itself since it is guided by what people want to believe than what is ethical.

Sometimes in some situations, more people choose to believe what is ethical than what is convenient.

There is nothing decent about appearing to be decent.

What one should be guided by are not the opinions of others but by established values that don’t change according to one’s whims and fancies. This approach handles the fact that people who like Trump and Putin don’t care what others think, but unfortunately, also don’t care about any values. Thus, they take a good thing and turn it into a bad one.

YAAAAAY: You Are An Awkward Animation Are You

Expect and insist on the best from others and you will never be disappointed with yourself.

Might may not be right, but might can certainly make right.

Making things happen from within a system is possible. Doing the same from outside the system is also possible. However participating in the system you are trying to change may prove to be difficult simply because there are vested interests that can get in the way.

If one is going for something worthwhile that others cannot see then it is silly to be concerned about what others are thinking.

In any endeavor, it is counterproductive to worry about whether one will be successful or not, for doing so tends to mess up one’s strategy. It’s a bit like driving in that thinking about the destination is not a good idea when you’re supposed to be paying attention to the road.

Those who violate the gold rule are no longer entitled to the protection it offers.

Showing neutrality in the face of brutality is an atrocity.

Peace and love may work fine when the other side cooperates, but if they don’t they should be helped.

Engineers don’t make mistakes! They only increase their tolerances.

There is little point in appearing to be ethical when fighting that which is unethical: your personal purity is better grown in a petri dish.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing, but there are many wrong ways to do the right thing. When doing the right thing, there may be merit in choosing some of those ‘wrong’ ways. The ends can justify the means and those who are excessively attached to their ‘high’ morals often do the victims of injustice an unforgivable disservice.

The ‘good’ are far too busy acting good to do any good.

No point in being a good person if you are unwilling to be a better one.

Don’t complain unless you really have something to complain about. If you do, then figure out what to do about it, instead of complaining.

It is difficult to get on with things that matter when one spends time on those that don’t.

The universe waits not for the sanction of our beliefs.

Prefer to be a monster in a good cause than be a saint in a monstrous one.

Look for the pradeal instead of rushing in.

Love and compassion would have a better chance of taking hold if their advocates were a little less loving and a little less compassionate.

If you want to clean house, you are going to have to get your hands dirty and take out the trash.

True happiness is having our systems work efficiently and effectively.

Being addicted is yet another self-indulgent act.

Psychological damage is more practical than physical damage.

Perfection is being true to worthwhile values by translating them to action.

Never accept someone for who they are, for they are not.

Trust no one, including this one!

The Les Miserable phrase “to love another person is to see the face of god” is a reasonably good one, but the order is backwards. Only when you have made yourself worthy to see the face of god, does love come into it.

Hercules, Hunchback, Mermaid by Disney bring out very profound ethical values as well as zen. Hercules for instance becomes a ‘sage’ when he is transformed into a god through his nobility, but chooses to be mortal through understanding and thereby an ordinary man.

Using the excuse that no one is perfect because everyone kills microbes and steps on insects is like whining about background radiation. The physicist tries to minimize it and thereby sees the truth of reality better. You can’t do anything about some things, but there’s a lot you can do much about - and that’s how you do get to see the truth.

Do only that which aligns with your purpose. Do not define your purpose though for you can only do things that are in alignment with your purpose.

It is bad enough that people who know something, talk nonsense about it. Far worse is when those who know nothing about something talk the same way.

Rotten apples should not be seen as something for the garbage, but as fuel for the compost.

The only worthwhile opinion is a correct one.

Some have a desperate need to be ridiculous.

Society tends to honor its live conformers and its dead reformers. You don’t have to be dead though to be honored. Radicals do pay the price of being labelled fanatical and that’s a pretty good honor.

Reimbursement need not necessarily be made to the benefactor. A societial or evolutionary contribution is often of greater value.

Anything that has the strong potential of evil may well be evil.

When info was scarce, people wanted the truth. Now that it’s not, they want truth to be customized.

Some of us do things on the spur of the last moment.

Planting a curse on someone is likely not going to be an intelligent effort. Without understanding the way mechanisms work, it can be very counterproductive to want things to turn out a certain way. Say there is a certain group of people with a bad member in it. One of them wishes a curse upon the bad person to die miserably and alone. While the idea may possibly have some appeal, it does not take into account the mechanism by which this execution will take place. For instance, one possible scenario is that the entire group dies from a horrible plague with the curse holder going last. Interesting examples were provided in the genie X-Files episode, where the genie kept pointing out that Mulder’s wishes were not sufficiently specific. Lack of awareness in this area generally occurs when wishes are made through vindictiveness or lack of control. The same holds true for good wishes - they can be costly as well. Hence, wanting something to be a certain way is better thought out very carefully and not wanting, as per Lao Tse, may be best.

For instance, I pull a ribbon around the corner and carbonicule the cat chases it. As far as his focus is concerned, the tip is moving and there is no awareness that someone is pulling it. In fact, the focus is so strong (and limited for this game) that it matters little when he comes around the corner to find that I was pulling it - he is still interested in the part that’s moving and there is no loss in pleasure in chasing it.

If you don’t want constipation, change your diet.

life isn’t about staying still and stagnating.
life is movement and growth, awareness and awakenings.
neither is love about accepting someone for who they are.
love is a gift from the divine for all beings. as such it becomes our duty to channel that gift to those nearest to us, so that they can move and grow, so that they become aware and awake.
you are evolving, carly. have you ever noticed how “love” is contained in the word “evolve”?
your husband has a chance to be bourne in the wake of your transformation … and then add his own ripples in harmony with the ever-flowing stream on which we all journey.
(to carly on 30bad)

I truly would be a great admirer of myself if it were not for my even greater humility.

The key to manipulation is not feeling anything, so that you can feel anything.

Honor noble principles for they are the only ballast in troubled times.

Regarding Angel’s insistence that she needs to fast for more than 7 days:
“it took god 7 days to create the world - what makes you think you need longer?”
Unfortunately, she didn’t fully appreciate the brillance of the above comment and started arguing absurdly about it (eg you don’t believe in that stuff and it isn’t factual).

Being full of yourself is a sure recipe for indigestion.

Morality may be the end product of perfect discipline.

If sex really were an expression of spirituality, then sages would have been the ultimate porn stars of history!

It’s about how we merge in thought and action with what is right.
It’s about how we add our voices in harmony to what is truth.
It’s about how we blend into the flow of existence, discovering with humility and contributing with gratitude.

Inspiration is like the battle, while discipline is the war itself. The former carries uncertainities, but through the latter these can be overcome.

As we travel, there may be some moments when i walk behind you to make sure you don’t fall; there may be some moments when i walk ahead and reach for your hand so you can take the next step with confidence.

Focus is good, but focus at the expense of awareness isn’t.

We do what we do because it needs to be done. We do it without expectation or want … and then the world really does straighten itself.

When two beings see the same rainbow, imagine how close they must be!

No self-respecting enlightened master ever calls him/herself one, for it is not a path of humility. The master therefore each day remains calm for no achievement can ever surpass that state.

May all who do so much for the most worthwhile and essential cause in history, see themselves as they truly must be - undaunted by the irrefutable task at hand and undented by the illusive passage of time.

If something seems too good to be true, it is important to make it so.

Truth does not stop being truth simply because it is spoken by a hypocrite. Even an animal abuser is entitled and correct to speak against animal abuse.

Desire for something in the future is bad enough.
Desire for something in the past is downright idiotic.

You may not like to lose, but if you’re fighting the wrong battle, you have already lost.

It’s easy for one to pass responsibility to someone else, but you aren’t going to pass the consequences.

I will wait for you, but I won’t wait with you.

Keep the door open, but don’t end up being the doorstop.

Never forget the past. You do so at your own risk!

It’s unhealthy to induce vomiting after each meal. Better to exercise so your consumption doesn’t become baggage as the past sometimes does for some people.

Always be happy, never be satisfied.

Always forgive, never forget.

Those who have found the way do not hand out business cards.

When dragons come to heal the earth.

pradagio

From Honor:

Never be yourself, when you can be someone better.
~ Queen Rhae

May the earth befriend you, as have we.
~ Marieke

If we could only be as kind to every soul regardless of what they are wearing in this life.
~ Breena

The one who gives should not remember the giving, but the one who receives must never forget.
~ Vaishobob

Royalty is never born. It is forged from one’s attitude and action, from one’s courage and conviction.
~ Prince Jestin

From Tryangles:

How should we on this trip abide?
Be always happy, but never satisfied!
~ Barra

So take that chance and make bold your move!
Triumph or disaster, naught do they prove!
~ Ardal

Life’s not ‘bout the comfort of just lying still.
Reach for those stars and the dharma fulfil!
~ Elysse

Our strengths are stronger than our weaknesses.
~ Elysse

Robert Pynn

Everything is set in the clear and distinct air. Judgment is without suspension, thought without reflection, action without consideration. (advent song)

Roosevelt Theodore

Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong.

Sculley Matthew

Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind’s capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights, power or a claim to equality, but in a sense, because they don’t. They all stand unequal and powerless before us.

Schweitzer Albert

I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.

Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.

Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

The true worth of a man is not to be found in man himself, but in the colours and textures that come alive in others.

Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight… the truly wise person is colorblind.

Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.

A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.

A man does not have to be an angel in order to be saint.

You must not expect anything from others. It’s you, of yourself, of whom you must ask a lot. Only from oneself has one the right to ask everything and anything. This way it’s up to you – your own choices – what you get from others remains a present, a gift.

What does Reverence for Life say abut the relations between [humanity] and the animal world? Whenever I injury any kind of life I must be quite certain that it is necessary. I must never go beyond the unavoidable, not even in apparently insignificant things. The farmer who has mowed down a thousand flowers in his meadow in order to feed his cows must be careful on his way home not to strike the head off a single flower by the side of the road in idle amusement, for he thereby infringes on the law of life without being under the pressure of necessity.

Civilization can only revive when there shall come into being in a number of individuals a new tone of mind, independent of the prevalent one among the crowds, and in opposition to it – a tone of mind which will gradually win influence over the collective one, and in the end determine its character. Only an ethical movement can rescue us from barbarism, and the ethical comes into existence only in individuals.

Ethics cannot be based upon our obligations toward [people], but they are complete and natural only when we feel this Reverence for Life and the desire to have compassion for and to help all creatures insofar as it is in our power. I think that this ethic will become more and more recognized because of its great naturalness and because it is the foundation of a true humanism toward which we must strive if our culture is to become truly ethical.

Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.

Shaw George Bernard

The most tragic thing in the world is a man of genius who is not a man of honor.

A fashion is nothing but an induced epidemic.

England and America are two countries separated by a common language.

Why should you call me to account for eating decently?

The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that’s the essence of inhumanity.

All great truths begin as blasphemies.

No public man in these islands ever believes that the Bible means what it says: he is always convinced that it says what he means.

The sex relation is not a personal relation. It can be irresistibly desired and rapturously consummated between persons who could not endure one another for a day in any other relation.

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

When a man wants to murder a tiger he calls it sport: when the tiger wants to murder him he calls it ferocity. The distinction between Crime and Justice is no greater.

“Will you be the father of my next child? A combination of my beauty and your brains would startle the world,” but he replied: “I must decline your offer with thanks, for the child might have my beauty and your brains.”

When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.

“You see things; you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say ‘Why not?”

Animals are my friends…and I don’t eat my friends.

Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.

In heaven an angel is no one in particular.

We cut the throat of a calf and hang it up by the heels to bleed to death so that our veal cutlet may be white; we nail geese to a board and cram them with food because we like the taste of liver disease; we tear birds to pieces to decorate our women’s hats; we mutilate domestic animals for no reason at all except to follow an instinctively cruel fashion; and we connive at the most abominable tortures in the hope of discovering some magical cure for our own diseases by them.

I don’t know if there are men on the moon, but if there are they must be using the earth as their lunatic asylum.

The secret of being miserable is to have the leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not.

SICP

In general, when modeling phenomena in science and engineering, we begin with simplified, incomplete models. As we examine things in greater detail, these simple models become inadequate and must be replaced by more refined models.

Sir Cole (The Knight Before Christmas)

A knight is sworn to valor and virtue. His blade defends the good, and his might upholds the weak. His temper shall be led by patience, and his kindness will give aid to those who seek it.

This is a variation of the knight’s code (from The Library of Knighthood):

The knight is sworn to valor.
His heart knows only virtue.
His blade defends the helpless.
His might upholds the weak.
His words speak only truth.
His wrath undoes the wicked.
The right can never die,
If one man still recalls
The words are not forgot,
If one voice speaks them clear.
The code forever shines,
If one heart holds it bright

Smith Gary

150 years ago, they would have thought you were absurd if you advocated for the end of slavery. 100 years ago, they would have laughed at you for suggesting that women should have the right to vote. 50 years ago, they would object to the idea of African Americans receiving equal rights under the law. 25 years ago they would have called you a pervert if you advocated for gay rights. They laugh at us now for suggesting that animal slavery be ended. Some day they won’t be laughing.

Spock

You may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.

The glory of creation is in its infinite diversity and the ways our differences combine to create meaning and beauty.

Steinem Gloria

A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.

Women have two choices: Either she’s a feminist or a masochist.

A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.

Women have always been an equal part of the past. We just haven’t been a part of history.

Law and justice are not always the same. When they aren’t, destroying the law may be the first step toward changing it.

Stephenson Neal

Emacs outshines all other editing soft-ware in approximately the same way that the noonday sun does the stars. It is not just bigger and brighter; it simply makes everything else vanish. (In the Beginning… Was the Cammand Line)

Sztybel David

Centering on human-made abstractions above all, instead of on the animals themselves as individuals is oddly anthropocentric.

Tagore Rabindranath

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where the words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action - Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Teresa Mother

Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Thoreau Henry David

A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.

Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.

Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.

Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. God will see that you do want society.

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

In wildness is the preservation of the world.

It is never too late to give up your prejudices.

Most are engaged in business the greater part of their lives, because the soul abhors a vacuum and they have not discovered any continuous employment for man’s nobler faculties.

Who thinks that they can kill time without injuring eternity?

Tricia

For me what works is service. i feel that i am here to serve animals and be their voice. i rescue domestic animals from abuse, which gives me a sense of direct action and do much in the way of spreading veganism, with farm walks, handing out literature, and postings at pet stores. Also do fur protests, circus protests and protested at our medical college to end the use of pigs.

everywhere i go i talk with people about the atrocities to animals raised for food and always have a trunk full of pamphlets and dvds such as meet your meat and earthlings.

we have 11 rescued animals which keep us from getting overwhelmed with animal suffering since they need much care, exercise and love.

it is unacceptable to me that some people take longer than others to stop eating animals. most people who would see an injured bird would try to help him/her so why not extend that compassion to the rest of the animals. people don’t have to do anything except change their eating habits, nothing compared to the hell on earth animals are living.

i no longer waste my time with those who aren’t receptive to our message, there are too many others who need to hear it.

i used to go to bed and start feeling guilty that i was warm, comfortable and safe and would think of all the animals suffering in barren cages, cold, afraid and unable to even turn around. it was stupid, since my not getting a good nights sleep wasn’t helping the animals and would prevent me from being productive.

now when i go to bed i clear my mind and rest. if negative thoughts enter i acknowledge them and let them pass though not giving them the attention or light they need to persist. i fall asleep within minutes.

keep doing what you can for the animals and continue to spread your message to everyone you meet. as long as we are doing what we can, we can keep moving forward without getting bogged down with hatred of people and frustration. there are still times i become misanthropic, but realize there are many good humans i love and don’t focus on what is out of my hands.

Twain Mark

In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, Brave, Hated and Scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him, for then it costs NOTHING to be a Patriot.

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the and the blind can see.

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.

The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Wade Paul

Let me set out my stand right now; this kind of crap disgusts me.

Tyler Alexander Fraser

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.

Wiesel Elle

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

Winston Churchill

If you’re going through hell, keep going.

Zelenskyy Volodymyr

Freedom must be armed better than tyranny.

The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.

Vecado

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:34:06 -0700

This is an excellent business which provides a variety of high-quality vegan pet foods such as Ami, Benevo, Vegepet, Evolution, Gourmet …

The site also provides information links to research, customer stories and a blog.

Check them out here: Vecado.

Marc Bekoff

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:32:31 -0800

Marc Bekoff is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. An internationally prominent lecturer on animal behavior, cognitive ethology and behavioral ecology, Marc has contributed immensely to these fields via original papers, books and even videos. Additionally, he was a competitive cyclist winning the Tour du Haut Var for his age group in 1986!

This is a link to his website.

Links

Wikipedia: Marc Bekoff

Literati: Marc Bekoff

Animal Consultants International: Marc Bekoff

Huffington Post: Marc Bekoff

EnlightenNext Magazine: Marc Bekoff Biography and Resources

University of Colorado: Marc Bekoff Professor Emeritus

Psychology Today Experts: Marc Bekoff

Boulder Masters Cycling: Marc Bekoff

Vegan Sporting Association: Marc Bekoff

Marc Bekoff - Gentle Giant of the Animal World

Marc Bekoff’s work at the Boulder County Jail (as part of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program)
(pdf article from Camera paper)
(pdf article from New Scientist 21 March, 2009)

Kids & Animals by Marc Bekoff, foreword by Jane Goodall
follow above link for more details then click on image to download pdf book
or get the pdf book directly

Marc Bekoff’s moon bear rescue work with Animals Asia
(pdf article from New Scientist 2009/05/02)

(pdf)
Treat us better or leave us alone! Marc Bekoff explains

(pdf)
Animals are rarely violent and never to the extent we are. We can learn a lot from them - if we only open our minds and hearts to who they really are, writes Marc Bekoff.

Organizations

Co-founder with Jane Goodall:
Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Citizens for Responsible Animal Behavior Studies in 2000

Board of Directors:
The Cougar Fund, The Fauna Sanctuary

Advisory Board Member and/or Council:
Living with Wolves, Greenvegans, Animal Defenders, Project Coyote, National Museum of Animals & Society, Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group

Honorary Board Member:
Rational Animal

Honorary Member:
Animalisti Italiani, Fundacion Altarriba

Patron:
Captive Animals’ Protection Society

Scientific Expert Advisory Panel Member:
Voiceless, The Animal Protection Institute

Faculty Member:
Humane Society University

Awards

2005 The Bank One Faculty Community Service Award 2009 St. Francis of Assisi Award by the Auckland (New Zealand) SPCA

Videos

Animal Emotions - An interview with Professor Marc Bekoff

An interview with Professor Marc Bekoff on RTE Radio 1’s Pat Kenny Show (September 3rd, 2008).

Marc Bekoff–Animal Sentience

Insights into animal intelligence and feeling.

Science & Animal Activism with Marc Bekoff

Marc Bekoff shares insights drawn from a lifetime studying animals.

Marc Bekoff - Animal Behavior and Emotions

Video is unavailable presently.

Insight into the Emotional Lives of Animals with Dr. Marc Bekoff

This video is no longer available because the YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated.

Marc Bekoff speech at 2010 Voiceless Awards

Here, he delivers the keynote address at the 2011 Voiceless Awards, which celebrate animal proteciton in Australia. Marc reflects on the need to give animals respect and compassion.

Edwin Rutsch & Marc Bekoff: Dialogs on Building a Culture of Empathy and Compassion

There is a video embedded in the page.

Books

The Emotional Lives of Animals
Beckoff
Skillfully blends extraordinary stories of animal joy, empathy, grief, embarrassment, anger, and love with the latest scientific research confirming the existence of emotions that common sense and experience have long implied.

Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals
Bekoff, Pierce
We argue that animals feel empathy for each other, treat one another fairly, cooperate towards common goals, and help each other out of trouble. We argue, in short, that animals have morality.

Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships
Bekoff, Nystrom
Humans and animals live together on earth, but as we increasingly reshape ecosystems to accommodate larger populations, technology, and increased consumption, animals are greatly affected.

Listening to Cougar
Bekoff, Lowe
Spellbinding tribute to Puma concolor honors the big cat’s presence on the land and in our psyches.

Animals Matter
Bekoff
A biologist explains why we should treat animals with compassion and respect.

Animals at Play: Rules of the Game
Bekoff
Emphasizes how animals communicate, cooperate and learn to play fair and what happens when they break the rules.

Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Vol 1
Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare Vol 2
Bekoff
Remains the only reference to cover the entire scope of animal rights and welfare from a global interdisciplinary perspective, with an international team of contributors assembled by Marc Bekoff covering animal treatment issues in the United States, China, India, Kenya, Australia, and many other nations.

The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons For Expanding Our Compassion Footprint
Bekoff
Driven by moral imperatives and pressing environmental realities, Bekoff offers six compelling reasons for changing the way we treat animals.

The smile of a dolphin
Bekoff
A fascinating look at the complex emotional lives of animals presents firsthand accounts by leading animal behavior researchers that offer a compelling argument that humans are not the only creatures to experience emotion.

Minding animals: awareness, emotions, and heart
Bekoff
An exhilarating tour of the emotional and mental world of animals, where we meet creatures who do amazing things.

Animal passions and beastly virtues
Bekoff
Draws world-wide attention for its originality and its probing into what animals think about and know as well as what they feel, what physical and mental skills they use to live.

The Ten Trusts
Goodall, Bekoff
Addresses various aspects of animal welfare, animal rights and what can be done to assist in providing a better life for the animals of the world.

Animal play: evolutionary, comparative, and ecological perspectives
Bekoff, Byers
Careful, quantitative studies of social, locomotor and object play behaviour are now beginning … to shed light on many other aspects of both animal and human behaviour.

Species of Mind: The Philosophy and Biology of Cognitive Ethology
Allen, Bekoff
A philosopher and a cognitive ethologist, approach their work from the perspective that many animals have minds and rich cognitive lives.

The cognitive animal: empirical and theoretical perspectives on animal cognition
Bekoff, Allen, Burghardt
A comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary field of animal cognition. The contributors include cognitive ethologists, behavioral ecologists, experimental and developmental psychologists, behaviorists, philosophers, neuroscientists, computer scientists and modelers, field biologists, and others.

Suburban Howls: Tracking the Eastern Coyote in Urban Massachusetts
Way, Way, Bekoff
This book is about the experiences and findings of a biologist studying coyote ecology and behavior in urbanized eastern Massachusetts.

Angel Dogs with a Mission: Divine Messengers in Service to All Life
Anderson, Anderson, Bekoff
This fascinating book puts the spotlight on working dogs – those heroic canines who have found ways to give back more than sloppy kisses and happy snuggles.

Coyotes: Biology, Behavior and Management
Bekoff
a classic of the canid literature. Originally published in 1978, Coyotes: Biology, Behavior and Management pulled together much disparate research in coyote evolution, taxonomy, reproduction, communication, behavioral development, population dynamics, ethology and ecological studies.

Strolling with our kin: speaking for and respecting voiceless animals
Bekoff
Bekoff takes the reader on a philosophical and ethical odyssey examining how We can all live in harmony with our fellow kin. He asks us to explore our thoughts and expand our views of a world made up of many species, only one of which is human.

Nature’s Life Lessons: Everyday Truths from Nature
Carrier, Bekoff
Using everyday behaviors in Nature, this delightful and whimsical book celebrates the link between the natural world and quirky humans.

Integral Ecology: Uniting Multiple Perspectives on the Natural World
Zimmerman, Esbjorn-Hargens, Bekoff, Hochachka, Tissot, Riddell
Unites valuable insights from multiple perspectives into a comprehensive theoretical framework-one that can be put to use right now.

Selected blog post titles from Psychology Today

These are various articles by Marc posted in his Psychology Today blog. The short descriptions are provided too. Some of these articles can serve as introductions to various academic papers by Marc. You can subscribe to his blog via rss feed.

Baboons Distinguish Real Words From Nonsense Words
Non-reading baboons can learn to distinguish written real words from nonsense words. Recognizing visual word forms is a key component of literacy and these data provide the first animal model. Once again, we learn that we are not alone in demonstrating some fascinating and sophisticated cognitive skills.

Bowerbirds: Do They Have Green Thumbs?
Male bowerbirds appear to grow a garden to attract females. What they do seems to be cultivation, the result of which is increased mating success. The more we learn the more blurred is the border between “us” and “them”.

The National Museum of Animals & Society
The National Museum of Animals & Society (NMAS), the first of its kind, centers on the full spectrum of human-animal studies (anthrozoology, our relationships with, and perceptions of, other animals) including the history of protecting animals and the importance of humane education in their collections, exhibitions, and programs.

Friends With Benefits
Nonhumans show us why we all need others we can count on. They help in times of need, it feels good to have close friends, and it’s good for an individual’s health and well-being. The more we study other animals the more we learn about their fascinating lives and about ourselves. We should be proud of our animal heritage.

Our Complex and Contradictory Relationships with Other Animal Beings
Just about every day is a mixed bag for nonhuman animals. To wit, we’ve recently learned that dolphins are more socially complex than previously recognized and that St. Jude Hospital plans to raise money from horrific raccoon hunts using coondogs. We need to, and easily can, change our ways.

The Superior Human? Who Do We Think We Are?
This fascinating documentary is well worth watching. While we are unique and special so too are other animals. Human exceptionalism that translates into supposed superiority and domination over “lower” species is based on bad biology and this film dismantles specious speciesism.

Humans Help Stranded Dolphins: Some Much Needed Good News
Watch humans help save stranded dolphins in Brazil. I hope this wonderful story will help to maintain or restore your faith in the goodness and decency of humans who choose to help, rather than to harm, other animals.

Trapped Wolf Used for Target Practice
Wolf torture continues and is praised by some while critics’ lives are threatened. This story of a trapped wolf who was also used for target practice (teaser image) should outrage people and get them to do something to stop this reprehensible behavior.

Wicked Tuna: NGS Supports Killing These Majestic Beings
The NGS glorifies killing these majestic fish for unneeded meals. What’s to be admired for causing incredible pain and suffering to these imperiled sentient beings, all in the name of entertainment and money? What did the tuna do to deserve the label “wicked”? Why are they the evil ones in this one-sided slaughter?

Dolphin Confidential: A Woman and the Dolphins She Loves
“Dolphin Confidential” is an inspirational book about a woman scientist and the “urban” L. A. dolphins she comes to love. Maddalena Bearzi shows that bonding with animals does not preclude doing solid science and serves as a role model for those who want to become scientists and feel free to display feelings for the animals they study.

Killing Other Animals For Food Does Not Make us Human
There’s nothing spiritual about killing innocent animals for unneeded meals. The claims hunters, who are meat-eating zealots, put forth using flowery prose about how hunting makes us human and that those who don’t hunt are “missing something” are self-serving and ignore what the hunted animals are thinking and feeling.

A Dog and a River Otter: a Most Amazing Friendship
Watch Rio, a dog, play with his wild river otter friend. The river otter comes to visit Rio everyday and they frolic wildly and obviously enjoy it immensely. This incredible video will make your day.

Bonobos Rescue Friends in Need Because Females Lead
These amazing apes travel long distances to find and help lost friends. It’s suggested this is because their social groups are led by females for whom the unity of the group is very important. This is another example showing animals are far more caring, compassionate, and kind than we give them credit for.

It’s Coyote Killing Time Once Again
Utah and Nova Scotia wage war on these fascinating native animals using programs that have been scientifically proven not to work. The wanton, senseless, and merciless killing of coyotes and other animals is ineffective and must be stopped. Why is it that some people enjoy killing other animals?

Trumping Wildlife: Heinous Trophy Hunting, Not Conservation
Donald Trump’s sons clearly enjoy going on very expensive canned trophy hunts. These macho boys write off their heinous and sick killing spree in the name of conservation as if it’s good for the animals, their habitats, and local people, as they proudly pose with corpses and body parts.

Thrill-seeking Bees, A Bathing Bear, and Chimpanzees In the News
Bees are wired for adventure and a bear takes a bath using a tool. A new movie called “Chimpanzee” will be airing soon and Disneynature will contribute 20 cents per ticket to the Jane Goodall Institute for the Disneynature Tchimpounga Nature Reserve Project with a minimum of $100,000 pledged to this program.

Elephants Mourn Loss of “Elephant Whisperer” Lawrence Anthony
Elephant grief and mourning include the loss of their human friend. Broken-hearted elephants visited the home of Lawrence Anthony, known as the elephant whisperer, to express their sorrow. They had not been seen there for a very long time. Clearly we’re not the only animals who possess the cognitive and emotional capacities for suffering the loss of others.

Flies On Booze and Apes On Apps
Flies drink alcohol to ward off parasites and live longer than teetotallers, and captive orangutans use iPads to enrich their lives. They may even communicate with others over long distances using FaceTime or Skype.

Green: Environmental Devastation and the Last Hours of an Orangutan’s Life
A heart-wrenching documentary about the last hours of a female orangutan’s life. Some people deny the devastating and violent impacts we have globally, and few have the opportunity to see them first hand, but they are realities we must, and can, reverse now. It’s very easy to avoid products that cause unspeakable harm to innocent animals and their homes.

Is Chimpanzee Research Necessary? No, Say Many Scientists
Rigorous reviews of available data on the use of chimpanzees and other animals in biomedical research show that we actually learn very little about treating human disease from these models. Wide-ranging support to remove chimpanzees from laboratories and place them safely in sanctuaries upholds these conclusions.

The Need for “Wild” Play: Let Children Be the Animals They Need to Be
A new book called “Evolutionary Playwork” shows that youngsters need to “get down and dirty” and engage in “wild” play, but they’re not. According to play expert Bob Hughes, “ג€¦ if the activity is bounded by adult rules, if it is stiff, formalised and dominated by the need to score points and flatter one’s ego, that is not play, it is something else.” The same for adults.

Say It Isn’t So: Major Atrocities Against Animals
Canadian conservation officers slaughter 145 bears and numerous dead animals discovered at Oregon State University. The teaser image is of a live raccoon caught by its rear leg and attempting to escape by weaving itself through a fence. Wildlife Services left it to die after illegally setting traps and snares. You can stop this violence.

Animals: A New Ethics (Resurgence Magazine)
In this special edition of Resurgence magazine you’ll read new wide-ranging essays by animal advocates including campaigners, activists, authors, philosophers, scientists, lawyers, charity heads, poets, and artists. It’s truly an up-to-date landmark publication.

Makin’ Bacon: Unspeakable and Grisly Abuse On a Pig Farm
Pigs on pig farms suffer greatly despite supposed concerns for the welfare. They’re shot, tossed around as if they’re mere objects, forced to live without proper veterinary care, and slapped, kicked and beaten into submission with the use of pig boards, iron bars, and gate rods. This reprehensible abuse must be stopped and you can help do this at your next meal.

Wearing Pain: Canada Goose’s Fur Policy Is Lame and Self-Serving
There is no reason to kill animals for clothing. In the process of becoming a coat or trim, the bones of coyotes and many other animals go snap, crackle, and pop as they’re tortured unrelentingly. Canada Goose’s fur policy is laden with self-serving justifications and errors all in the name of money and the unnecessary slaughter of animals for clothing.

Dogs, Homeless People, and Love: A Picture Is Worth Many Many Words
The photos to which I refer here show clearly that dogs are our best friends. They’re able to love with no or very few holds barred and bring much joy and warmth to those who are down on their luck. We’re so lucky to have dogs in our lives. We should embrace and celebrate their willingness to share love and learn from them.

Social Dominance Is Not a Myth: Wolves, Dogs, and Other Animals
Social dominance is a real phenomenon but has been widely misunderstood and misused. Nonhuman (and human) animals dominate one another in a number of ways, but simple and narrow explanations of what dominance is, how it’s expressed, and how it influences behavior don’t necessarily hold across species, within species, or across different contexts.

Nika and Her Animal Friends: A Most Inspirational Rescue
Meet Nika and her animal friends who rescued her from a life of hell. After years of abuse and neglect Nika has made a remarkable recovery in the company of some wonderful nonhuman animal “therapists” and loving human animals.

Chancer and Iyal: A Dog, His Boy, and His Dog
Chancer, a golden retriever, takes care of a youngster with severe cognitive disabilities. Chancer is one of many dogs who give hope to those who need it. The reciprocal bond, the life line, formed between humans and their canine companions is awe-inspiring and win-win for all. Bless all the dog beings and human beings who work in these wonderful programs.

Chimpanzee Abuse: Extreme Cruelty Caught on Tape
If you doubted that chimpanzees are horrifically abused in laboratories, watch this short video. To quote the head of the center, Thomas Rowell: “There were five minutes or less of video where you said to yourself, you know, I wish so and so hadn’t said this … Or I wish they’d have been more careful here.” Imagine what the chimpanzees were feeling.

Chimpanzees Should Not Be Treated as Books in a Library
Chimpanzees are sentient beings who should not be stockpiled and kept in tiny cells as if they’re mere objects because they may have to be used in horrific research in the future. They are making small gains in the on-going, and often deceptive battle, to keep them locked up, but they need all the help we can offer.

Hunters Upset When Dogs Are Trapped, but Still Want to Hunt
Trapping animals causes intense and enduring pain, suffering, and death. Hunters who are opposed to trapping, as many are, also want to be able to kill other animals but get very upset when their dog(s) is harmed, as they should. Why don’t the pain, suffering, and death of other animals matter?

Close Encounters of the Gorilla Kind
A video well-worth watching to see friendly and inquisitive gorillas pet and groom a human. The portrayal of animals as being mean and violent is simply wrong. It’s a misrepresentation of who they really are. Sit back and enjoy this amazing encounter between a human ape and one of our close relatives.

“What Were Wars?” Don’t Blame Other Animals For Human Violence
Human war is a choice and non-human animals should not be blamed for our violent leanings. Scientific data show clearly that other animals are predominantly peaceful beings and we must factor this into our attempts to justify war-mongering, but more importantly to stop it. We need to develop a science of peace and build a culture of empathy.

“The Grey” Has It All Wrong About Wolves
Media, this time “The Grey”, once again misrepresents and vilifies animals. In this movie wolves are the victims of sensationalism and long-dead myths that can hurt efforts to protect and conserve these endangered animals. Actors also ate two wolves who were brought to the set to get them in the mood for the wild. No joke.

Empathic Rodents Get a Wee Bit More Protection Sort Of
New guidelines recommend larger cages for families of mice and rats who are used in invasive research. But the recommended sizes are ridiculously small and are not hard-and-fast rules. Yet researchers are in a tizzy about the added costs to their work. Mice and rats are highly sentient and emotional beings who display empathy. They deserve far more protection.

A Snowboarding Crow Playing and Having Fun
Watch a “snowboarding crow” obviously having fun. Many animals love to play and when they can’t find a friend with whom to romp they entertain themselves. We can learn a lot about ourselves by watching other animals play.

Whales and Dolphins at Play: A Great Lift That’ll Make Your Day
Watch wild humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins play with one another and smile, smile, smile. This is a great example of cooperation between two amazing species.

They Kill Sheep, Don’t They? My Deep Apologies
A video showing a soldier ruthlessly beating a sheep, most likely to death, has surfaced. My deep regrets and apologies for posting it - I admit I sobbed when I saw it - but something has to be done about this horrific event. It is an insult to all human beings, especially those who honorably serve our country.

“Are You with the Right Mate?” The Media’s Misuse of Chimpanzees
The misrepresentation of animals influences how they are perceived and these misperceptions are known to be harmful to the conservation status of these endangered beings.

Drowning Rats and Human Depression: Positive Psychology for Whom?
Does exposing rats to aggressive encounters and making them swim until they give up hope and drown really have anything to do with human depression? Not really, yet horrific experiments continue under the guise of positive psychology.

Chimpanzees: I Know What You Don’t
During the past few years we’ve learned amazing facts about the astonishing cognitive, emotional, and moral lives of other animals. And 2012 is starting off with a bang as we learn that chimpanzees know what others don’t know and tell them about the presence of dangerous snakes. These field data suggest that chimpanzees have a theory of mind.

Dead Cow Walking: The Case Against Born-Again Carnivorism
Cows, pigs, chickens, and other animals raised for food are sentient beings who have rich emotional lives. No matter how “humanely” they’re raised, their lives can be cashed out simply as “dead cow/pig/chicken walking.” Whom we choose to eat is a matter of life and death.

Heartless Hunting: Maiming Then Killing Deer With No Remorse
The writer of a failed attempt at a poetic essay claims “I hate to kill” but nonetheless does it thoroughly irresponsibly.

Primate Social Behavior: Nature “Versus” Nurture Once Again?
Genes seem to play a large role in the social behavior of many nonhuman primates but not for other other species including coyotes and wolves. Much more research is needed to see just how far these new findings apply as they surely will inform future studies of animal behavior and conservation projects. Is it nature and nurture or nature or nurture?

Mathematical Pigeons Are Amazing But Not So Surprising
Pigeons can learn abstract rules about numbers and these new and exciting data support what’s long been known about the numerical competency or “counting ability” of other captive and wild birds. Clearly, calling someone a birdbrain is a compliment. Bird brains are very active and their cognitive abilities rather remarkable and highly evolved.

Rewilding Our Hearts: Maintaining Hope and Faith in Trying Times
In troubled times it’s difficult to remain hopeful and positive. Here I offer some practical guidelines for a new positive and personal social movement that is based on rewilding our hearts. Not only will nonhuman animals and their homes benefit, but so will we as we make a major paradigm shift

Empathic Rats and Ravishing Ravens
Rats and ravens caution us about proudly tooting our “aren’t we special” horn. A new study shows rats display empathy-driven behavior to help other rats in distress while another has demonstrated that ravens use body language and gestures to communicate with other ravens.

Tool Use by a Dingo and a Dog
Read about and watch Stirling, a young male dingo, use a tool, and also about Grendel, a dog, make and use a back scratcher from a bone. As time goes on more and more animals are observed making and using tools.

Chimpanzees in Research: Lies, Lies, and More Lies
Researchers who abuse chimpanzees act as if moratoriums and agreements don’t matter, as if they’re above it all. They’re not and each of us can easily do something now to stop the continued abuse of chimpanzees in invasive research.

Grief, Mourning, and Broken Hearted Animals
There’s no doubt many animals grieve the loss of family and friends. Mounting evidence clearly shows we’re not the only animals who possess the cognitive and emotional capacities for suffering the loss of others.

Minding Animals as Persons: Beatrice, My Mother, and Jethro, My Dog
My mother Beatrice and my dog Jethro shared many traits that warrant calling a being a person. When my mother suffered serious physical and psychological decline she was still considered a person as she well should have been. Yet Jethro and other animals do not warrant that status. Nothing is lost by viewing nonhuman animals as persons.

“What In the World Do My Essays Have To Do With Psychology?”
Knowing about nonhuman animals has everything to do with human psychology. What we think, know, feel, and believe about animals should strongly influence how we interact with them but often it doesn’t. Animals are merely property in the eyes of the law and enjoy little to no legal standing. This, in and of itself, tells us lots about human psychology.

Circuses: Wild Animals Do Not Belong in the Cruelest Show on Earth
Circuses do nothing for the animals themselves or for other members of their species despite claims to the contrary. Circuses make no contributions to conservation. They serve no purpose other than “entertainment” if you dare to call watching abused and terrorized animals performing stupid and unnatural tricks “entertainment”.

What Makes Us Uniquely Human?
Are we the only animals who mentally time travel and have a theory of mind? Some people think so but there are data that suggest we’re not. Are we exceptional in some ways? Yes we are but so are other animals.

Rampant Wolf Killing Makes Some People Happy
In just 2 weeks 44 wolves have been killed, or as some say “bagged,” in Montana. Some people actually find the deplorable slaughter of these magnificent animals makes them happy and to be encouraging. How in the world did such shameful and sick attitudes toward sentient beings ever evolve? Would they kill their dog? I’m afraid to ask.

Whales in Captivity: Are They Legally Slaves?
Does keeping whales (and perhaps other animals) in captivity violate the 13th Amendment ban on slavery? A pending lawsuit can change how we perceive and use other animals. It surely will lead to much needed discussion about the ways in which humans wantonly and routinely use and abuse animals in entertainment and in other venues.

Fish Don’t Like Being Hooked
Fish are sentient beings who don’t like being hooked either in their mouth by a human or by other fish whom they punish when they steal their food.

Is Eating Dogs Different from Eating Cows and Pigs?
A cancelled dog-eating festival in China has raised strong world-wide protest as it should. And so should the horrific conditions in which factory farmed animals are forced to live before they go to slaughter and as they’re being killed. We must face our choices in food head-on and be consistent about who winds up in our mouth.

Bloodbath in Ohio: Numerous Exotic Animals Killed After Being Freed
Numerous exotic animals were killed in Ohio after they were released from a private reserve. No humans were attacked. It’s too late to bring these animals back and give them the life they deserved. But regulations and laws about keeping unprotected exotic animals must be implemented and vigorously enforced.

9/11 Dogs: The Devoted Dozen Who Still Bless Our Lives
Twelve rescue dogs who worked tirelessly and selflessly during the chaos of 9/11 still survive. Say hello, read about them and see wonderful portraits in a collection called “Retrieved”, and send your very best wishes to these amazing dog beings.

Moon bears, wasps, and sexy seals: Animals aren’t dumb
Doctors call for the closure of cruel bear farms across Asia, wasps recognize individual faces, and female sea lions appear to be more in control of sex than previously thought. Animals are not dumb. They’re sentient, smart, and emotional, and can reason about the effects of their behavior. This is a photo of Jonah, a moon bear on his way to freedom.

Chimpanzees In the Crossfire: Are They Cleverer Than Us?
We shouldn’t be asking who’s cleverer than whom. Rather, we should ask what individuals of different species need to do to be card-carrying members of their species. This information will help us learn more about who we are and who “they” are and help us protect them in captivity and in the wild.

Animal and Humans: Meaningful Meetings of Common Minds
International meetings and growing general interest show that animals matter. A recent gathering concerned with social justice and the treatment and conservation of great apes, hosted by the Arcus Foundation, made it abundantly clear that we all must be concerned with how these and other amazing beings are treated and do something now to improve their (and our) lives.

Boobies In the News (Birds That Is)
Abused baby boobies grow up to be abusers themselves. This is the first evidence from a wild animal that, as in humans, abuse can be socially transmitted to future generations.

Animal Minds and the Foible of Human Exceptionalism
Human exceptionalism, the belief that human beings have special status based on our unique capacities, is misleading and has serious social, political, and environmental consequences for how we treat other animals and their homes. We need to be more humble and act with greater compassion and empathy for other beings.

Slaughtering Sentience: Rampant killing of wildlife by our government continues
Wildlife Services, a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture, ruthlessly kills millions of animals. In 2010 they slaughtered more than five million animals and spent more than $126 million to do so with no concern for the well-being of their victims. The amount of pain, suffering, and death for which they’re responsible is reprehensible.

Are great apes “ultraviolent”?
Sensationalist media often misrepresents other primates as violent beings, but available data show this is not the case. Across the board, great apes and other animals are predominantly cooperative. Of course, there are very rare examples of what could be called evil violence, but we should not use nonhumans to justify our evil ways.

Emotional honeybees and brainy jellyfish: More “surprises” in animal behavior
Honeybees display pessimism and jellyfish make complex decisions using a brain. The more we study fascinating animals the more we learn about their cognitive and emotional capacities.

Animals in the news: Self-aware chimpanzees, doomed wolves, and retired race horses
We continue to learn fascinating facts about the cognitive and emotional capacities of other animals and continue to mistreat them with little or no concern for their well-being. It’s time for a widespread social movement, a revolution of sorts. It ain’t rocket science. Other animals truly depend on our goodwill and we can all do something to help them along.

Dog Killed by Wildlife Services: The Horrific War On Wildlife Knows No Bounds or Decency
Government workers continue to ruthlessly kill wildlife and domesticated animals, showing no regard for the safety of people, including children, and their companion animals. Bella, a dog who died because Wildlife Services blatantly ignored EPA directives, would still be alive if they showed any common sense and decency.

The human-animal bond revisited: Power is not license to do what we please because we can
Wayne Pacelle’s book about our kinship with other animals is a must read. Readers will learn a lot about the other beings with whom we share Earth and also about the issues with which we must deal as we move into the 21st century. Every individual counts and each of us can easily make positive differences in the lives of animals with little effort.

The moral lives of animals: What did Herman Melville have to say about animals?
Many animals display moral intelligence in various social situations. This new and highly original book summarizes what we know and also provides numerous exciting ideas for future research and debate. It’s no longer nature red in tooth and claw.

Caring about animal abuse has a lot to do with human psychology
Our relationships with other animals require psychological studies. Conservation psychology, conservation education, and humane education can help us further our understanding of how we relate to other animals and what we can and must do to improve these interactions for their well-being and ours. When animals lose, we lose.

Victims of vanity: Wearing animals is donning pain and suffering
The fur industry is guilty of untold torture and tries to hide it. There are numerous and easy ways to buy non-animal clothing alternatives and each of us can remove reprehensible cruelty from the world if we made more humane and ethical choices. There is no reason at all to wear animals.

Empathic chickens and cooperative elephants: Emotional intelligence expands its range again
Chickens feel one another’s pain and elephants know when they need help and cooperate with one another to obtain a reward. When you eat chicken you’re eating pain and misery and it’s a matter of who’s for dinner, not what’s for dinner, because these amazing birds are highly sentient beings, as are elephants and numerous other animals.

Killing animals redux: Animal damage control means unrelenting slaughter and a huge waste of money
The 80th anniversary of the Animal Damage Control Act is a time for mourning. Animal genocide continues and the “problems” that prompt this wanton killing aren’t solved. What a waste of $120 million. Community-based programs, such as the Marin County Strategic Plan for Protection of Livestock and Wildlife, are more humane and more effective alternatives.

Wolves in the crosshairs once again: Politicians attempt to sidestep the Endangered Species Act
Attempts to fast track delisting wolves crosses party lines and conveniently ignores science. Montana Democratic senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester have proposed another delisting bill despite a federal court ruling that said that wolves should be protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Whipping horses doesn’t work and new observations of grief in chimpanzees
Research shows that whipping horses doesn’t make a difference in races and new observations show that chimpanzees mourn dead infants. Once again science shows how we can improve our relationships with animals who we use for entertainment and how remarkable other animals are.

Kids & animals: What are they thankful for and what are their dreams?
Kids can tell us how we should treat other animals. We should listen to them. A new book offers a unique glimpse of what kids around the world are thankful for and what their dreams and hopes are. The book centers on the guiding principles of Jane Goodall’s world-wide Roots & Shoots program.

Animal genocide government style: Our tax dollars at work
Our government wantonly and discompassionately slaughters millions of animals a year using our tax dollars. Ecosystems are also destroyed by this horrific and reprehensible killing. We need to stop this unrelenting war on wildlife and foster coexistence.

“Do fish feel pain?” redux: An interview with the author who shows of course they do
Fish feel pain and are far more intelligent than previously thought. The United States is ten years behind Europe concerning the keeping and killing of fish claims the author of “Do Fish Feel Pain?”, who supports sport fishing and eats fish. This is important to note because caring about animal welfare is not a “radical” point of view as some claim.

Dog learns more than 1000 names and chimpanzees make dolls
Increasing evidence shows just how smart and creative animals can be. It’s best to keep an open mind about the cognitive skills of other animals because “surprises” are regularly forthcoming.

Cruelty can’t stand the spotlight: Ending animal abuse is merely a click away so let’s make it a New Year’s resolution
It’s easy to end animal abuse with a few clicks of your mouse. Cruelty can’t stand the spotlight and each of us can make a positive difference in the lives of billions of animals. Please place ending animal abuse high among your New Year’s resolutions.

Kangaroos: These iconic animals are relentlessly slaughtered throughout Australia and they shouldn’t be
These iconic animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They’re not. Kangaroos, including young joeys, are killed by the millions each year. Scientists have shown there’s little evidence to support this wanton slaughter. Let’s stop the slaughter and make this the century of compassion.

Dead Cow Walking
National Hamburger Day is a celebration that shouldn’t happen. Eating cows causes unnecessary suffering and death and is risky because of the serious diseases they carry from their lives on factory farms. Benefits of making humane choices are supported by solid scientific research.

Jane Goodall: A brief glimpse of a most amazing woman
What an amazing and unanticipated life was awaiting Jane Goodall after she arrived at the Gombe Stream reserve 50 years ago. It frightens me to think where we would be if she hadn’t made that fateful trip to East Africa in 1960.

Motherhood: Lessons from dolphins
Good mothering in dolphins is socially determined not genetic. Social factors rather than genes influence reproductive success in dolphins.

Crows and tools: Calling someone a birdbrain can be a compliment
Young crows learn to make complex tools in ’tool school’ by watching adults. Being a birdbrain isn’t really an insult.

Bees versus computers: Pea-brained bees win the “traveling salesman problem”
Tiny bee brains beat computers in solving the “traveling salesman problem.”

Compassionate Conservation Finally Comes of Age: Killing in the name of conservation doesn’t work
Compassionate conservation is no longer an oxymoron. Ethics must be firmly implanted in conservation biology, even if difficult questions move us outside of our professional and personal comfort zones. Ethical questions must be addressed, even if asking them means some projects might be put on hold temporarily or abandoned.

“Oh, I know animals suffer, but I love my steak”: The self-serving resolution of the “meat paradox”
Many people continue to eat animals knowing they suffer before they wind up at the end of their fork. A new study shows that the “meat paradox” is resolved for some by denying moral status and emotions to meat animals.

Dogs know what others know: Some new and exciting findings about our best friends
Dogs show evidence of having a theory of mind in that they are able to attribute beliefs and knowledge to others.

Demonic, Warlike Animals Are the Rare Exception, Not the Rule: Wild Justice In Animals Redux
There is no evidence that animals are inherently warlike. We need to stop using animals to justify our own cruel, evil, and warlike behavior.

Compassionate squirrels and good people helping oiled and other wildlife
Squirrels and people display compassion and Zimbabwe calls off a wildlife trade deal with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Meat for sex? A blown “fact”
Male chimpanzees don’t trade meat for sex as previously assumed. So, bartering for sex in humans might be a more recent phenomenon.

Animals, kids, and slaughterhouse effects on crime: Some recent findings
Kid’s reasoning about animals is not universal and research shows a relationship between the presence of slaughterhouses and an increase in local crime.

Apes say “no” with a head shake, animals are lefties and righties, and getting out in nature is good. Duh!
Animals say “no” by shaking their head and show handedness. While we are different from other animals we are also rather similar. And, being “out in nature” is good for us. Duh!

Using hamsters to save ferrets: The need for compassionate conservation
Hamsters for dinner? Golden hamsters are bred solely to be used to train black-footed ferrets to kill. The harm done to hamsters violates ethical principles because it constitutes premeditated and intentional harm that could easily be avoided.

Fish do feel pain: Yes they do, science tells us
Fish do feel pain, so they do not like being hooked even if they’re tossed back in the water

“Mice are lousy models for clinical studies”: Animal models in biomedical research
Publication bias leads to major overstatement of efficacy. It’s time to develop non-animal models that are more reliable and more ethical

Animal Abuse: The Need For a Registry
Much research has shown a close relationship between animal and human abuse.

Going to slaughter: Should animals hope to meet Temple Grandin?
The lives of slaughterhouse animals are marked by constant fear, terror, and anxiety and cannot be made humane by any acceptable definition of the word

Tool use in animals: Mammals, birds, and other animals make and use tools and do other “surprising” things
Mammals, birds, and other animals make and use tools and show many other complex patterns of behavior

Who’s moral? We’re not alone in the moral arena
We’re not alone in the moral arena - a follow-up

Are nonhuman animals more moral than human animals? Yes they are
Humans and nonhuman animals are highly cooperative and empathic, more so than we’ve previously believed. And you donג€™t find mass warfare in animals as you do in humans so if you want to cast it that way, you could say animals are more moral.

Do Less Harm: Ants and a Simple New Years Resolution
Ants are amazing animals. Cutting off their legs isn’t a mere “makeover.” What did the ants think and feel about being mutilated?

Who we eat is moral question: Vegans have nothing to defend
Vegans don’t have to apologize for, or defend, their humane and ethical choices of who to put in their mouth

Do animals have spiritual experiences? Yes they do
Available evidence says “Yes, animals can have spiritual experiences.” We are not alone in the emotional, moral, or spiritual arenas.

Animal love: Hot-blooded elephants, guppy love, and love dogs
Love is a troubling, confusing, and mysterious emotion in humans but maybe less so in animals. People don’t hesitate to say they love another individual - human or nonhuman - and then intentionally harm them.

Grief in animals: It’s arrogant to think we’re the only animals who mourn
There is no doubt that many animals experience rich and deep emotions. It’s not a matter of if emotions have evolved in animals but why they have evolved as they have. We must never forget that our emotions are the gifts of our ancestors, our animal kin. We have feelings and so do other animals.

Morality in Tooth and Claw
Animals are “in.” This might well be called the decade of the animal. Research on animal behavior has never been more vibrant and more revealing of the amazing cognitive, emotional, and moral capacities of a broad range of animals. It’s becoming clear that animals have both emotional and moral intelligences.

Animal Emotions, Animal Sentience, Animal Welfare, and Animal Rights
Labeling an individual an animal “welfarist” or “rightist” connotes important messages about their views on animal exploitation and animal protection.

Factory Farming Without Animal Suffering Isn’t Okay
Even if animals don’t feel pain that’s no reason to keep them on factory farms or even to eat them.

Animals Feelings and Fur: Who (Not What) We Wear is An Ethical Choice
If one doubts that animals have deep feelings consider what they endure as they become unnecessary clothing. It’s easy to say that animals used for fur (and leather) don’t like how they’re treated.

Individual Animals Count: Speciesism Doesn’t Work
Spare the chimps, boil the shrimps, shock the mice, kill the lice, eat the hogs, pith the frogs, blind the rabbits, what drives these habits? Much animal use is driven by the similarities rather than the differences between humans and other animals. Philosopher Lynne Sharpe points out that how we explore and ponder the similarities and differences among animals depends on how we define ourselves.

Conservation Psychology and Animal and Human Well-being
Our relationships with animals are frustrating, challenging, paradoxical and range all over the place. We love animals and harm them in a myriad of ways and many people wonder not only why we continue to do this but also what we can do to give animals the respect, compassion, and love they deserve. A relatively new and rapidly emerging field called conservation psychology can help us improve our relationships with other animals.

A fox, a cougar, and a funeral
Many animals have rich and deep emotional lives. A few years ago I was lucky enough to observe a funeral ritual by a female red fox. Others have also seen similar events. In 1947 a naturalist on the East Coast saw a male fox lick his mate as she lay dead, and the male also protected his mate quite vigorously.

Do Animals Know Who they Are?
Did David Graybeard, the chimpanzee who was first observed to use a tool by Jane Goodall, have any idea of who he was? Do elephants, dolphins, cats, magpies, mice, salmon, ants or bees know who they are? Was Jethro, my late companion dog, a self-conscious being? Do any of these animals have a sense of self? What do these animals make of themselves when they look in a mirror, see their reflection in water, hear their own or another’s song or howl, or smell themselves and others? Is it possible that self-awareness “Wow that’s me!” is a uniquely human trait?

Stalking, Hunting, Stress, and Emotion
Let’s face it, “gone huntin’” and “gone fishin’” usually mean “gone killin’.” But death is often a blessing, a relief from the pain and suffering of being stalked, crippled or mutilated, and dying agonizingly slowly. Some who hunt and fish truly enjoy the richness of the experience, but they don’t want to make animals suffer. Perhaps if they fully realized the intense pain and suffering for which they’re responsible while stalking, they’d forego the emotional rush of the experience. And, there are lots of ways to experience nature and have quality time with family and friends without intruding on, and stressing, injuring, or killing, other animals.

Animals’ lives matter: Sentience and feelings count
Nonhuman animals have many of the same feelings we do and share the same neural structures that are important in processing emotions. So, why do we unrelentingly slaughter sentience? Animals experience contagious joy and the deepest of grief, they get hurt and suffer, and they take care of one another. They have a point of view on what happens to them, their families, and their friends.

Animal Emotions and Beastly Passions: We’re Not the Only Emotional Beings
As a scientist who’s studied animal emotions for more than 30 years, I consider myself very fortunate. I love what I do. I love learning about animals, and I love sharing what my colleagues and I discover with others. Whenever I observe or work with animals, I get to contribute to “science” and develop social relationships same time, and to me, there’s no conflict between these activities. Emotions are the gifts of our ancestors. We have them and so do other animals. We must never forget that.

Anthropomorphic Double-Talk: Can Animals Be Happy But Not Unhappy? No!
Over the years Iג€™ve noticed a curious phenomena. If a scientist says that an animal is happy, no one questions it, but if a scientist says that an animal is unhappy, then charges of anthropomorphism are immediately raised. This “anthropomorphic double-talk” seems mostly aimed at letting humans feel better about themselves. It is very misleading.

Wild Justice and Moral Intelligence in Animals
Do animals have a sense of morality? Do they know right from wrong? In our forthcoming book, Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals, philosopher Jessica Pierce and I argue that the answer to both of these questions is a resounding “yes.” “Ought” and “should” regarding what’s right and what’s wrong play important roles in the social interactions of animals, just as they do in ours.

Papers (with abstracts)

Some of these items have been found through Google Scholar.

Canis latrans
Bekoff - Mammalian Species, 1977 - JSTOR Canis latrans Say, in James, 1823: 168.
Type locality Engineer Cantonment, about 19.2 km SE present town of Blair, Washington Co., Nebraska. Canis ochropus Eschscholtz (1829: 1). Type locality Sacramento River Valley near Sacramento, California. Lyciscus cagottis …

Mammalian dispersal and the ontogeny of individual behavioral phenotypes
Bekoff - American Naturalist, 1977 - JSTOR
Explanations of dispersal mechanisms in mammals that have stressed the importance of aggression by dominant (?) individuals as the immediate cause of the dispersal of less aggressive (more subordinate?) individuals are insufficient for explaining recent data collected on a variety of mammals. In fact, avoidance of social interaction at the time of dispersal is more characteristic of some species in which individuals emigrate. Studies that have investigated genetic correlates of dispersal in rodent populations that undergo regular cycles are few and have not provided any “causative” explanations. In various canids and rodents, behavioral interactions at the time of dispersal do not appear to provide the necessary stimuli for dispersal. These observations suggest that knowledge of the behavioral interactions that occur before dispersal may provide a key to understanding both interspecific and intraspecific differences in social organization and dispersal patterns. It is suggested that individuals who have the most difficulty interacting with littermates will not develop strong social ties with their siblings and will be the most likely individuals to disperse of their own accord. This hypothesis is testable by collecting data on the social interaction patterns of individual littermates throughout early development and during dispersal. In this way, the importance of a heretofore neglected factor in dispersal-namely, the relationship between the behavioral antecedents of dispersal and which individuals disperse at what age, and in what manner can be assessed.

Mammalian play: training for the unexpected
RC Newberry, Bekoff - Quarterly Review of Biology, 2001 - JSTOR
In this review, we present a new conceptual framework for the study of play behavior, a hitherto puzzling array of seemingly purposeless and unrelated behavioral elements that are recognizable as play throughout the mammalian lineage.Our major new functional hypothesis is that play enables animals to develop flexible kinematic and emotional responses to unexpected events in which they experience a sudden loss of control. Specifically, we propose that play functions to increase the versatility of movements used to recover from sudden shocks such as loss of balance and falling over, and to enhance the ability of animals to cope emotionally with unexpected stressful situations. To obtain this “training for the unexpected,” we suggest that animals actively seek and create unexpected situations in play through self-handicapping; that is, deliberately relaxing control over their movements or actively putting themselves into disadvantageous positions and situations. Thus, play is comprised of sequences in which the players switch rapidly between well-controlled movements similar to those used in “serious” behavior and self-handicapping movements that result in temporary loss of control. We propose that this playful switching between in-control and out-of-control elements is cognitively demanding, setting phylogenetic and ontogenetic constraints on play, and is underlain by neuroendocrinological responses that produce a complex emotional state known as “having fun.” Furthermore, we propose that play is often prompted by relatively novel or unpredictable stimuli, and is thus related to, although distinct from, exploration. We present 24 predictions that arise from our new theoretical framework, examining the extent to which they are supported by the existing empirical evidence and contrasting them with the predictions of four major alternative hypotheses about play. We argue that our “training for the unexpected” hypothesis can account for some previously puzzling kinematic, structural, motivational, emotional, cognitive, social, ontogenetic, and phylogenetic aspects of play. It may also account for a diversity of individual methods for coping with unexpected misfortunes.

The development of social interaction, play, and metacommunication in mammals: an ethological perspective
Bekoff - Quarterly Review of Biology, 1972 - JSTOR
Analysis of the dynamics of the ontogeny of social interaction is of critical importance in order that behavioral development may be comprehended in its own right, and the relationship between infant and adult behavior understood.In this review, general concepts of behavioral development in mammals are discussed and analyzed, and the many variables that are involved are considered. When it is impossible to control or observe the social interaction of the developing organism in its natural environment, captive subjects should be used. There is increasing evidence that results obtained with the latter are related to social organization observed in the wild. Play behavior is operationally defined on the basis of a comprehensive review of the literature and of personal observations of the social development of canids. The essential “need” for social interaction during infant life is discussed, as is the phenomenon of behavioral neoteny. The concept of metacommunication, and its relationship to social development are analyzed, and the role of ritualization in the evolution of metacommunicative signals is considered.

Social play and play-soliciting by infant canids
Bekoff - American Zoologist, 1974 - Soc Integ Comp Biol Abstract
The development of social interaction was studied in infant coyotes, beagles, and wolves. In this paper, social play behavior is discussed. Social play may be characterized in a number of ways: (i) actions from various contexts are incorporated into labile (unpredictable) temporal sequences; (ii) the play bout is typically preceded by a metacommunicative signal which indicates what follows is play; these signals are also observed during the bout; (iii) certain actions may be repeated and performed in an exaggerated manner; (iv) the activity appears pleasurable to the players. By comparing these three species, some insight into the dynamics of social play may be gained. Coyotes were the least successful in soliciting play. When they did play, 90% of all bouts had been previously solicited. Coyotes also tended to use the most successful signals most frequently. This trend was not observed in the beagles or the wolves. By taking into account the fact that infant coyotes are significantly more aggressive than either infant wolves or beagles, the differential ontogeny of social play can be explained. Some of the functions of social play in canids are discussed, and it is concluded that social play is a valid class of social behavior and lends itself nicely to quantitative study.

Play signals as punctuation: The structure of social play in canids
Bekoff - Behaviour, 132, 1995 - ingentaconnect.com
Actions called play signals have evolved in many species in which social play has been observed. Despite there being only few empirical demonstrations, it generally is accepted that play signals are important in the initiation (“I want to play”) and maintenance (“I still want to play”) of ongoing social play. In this study I consider whether a specific and highly stereotyped signal, the bow, is used to maintain social play in adult and infant domestic dogs, infant wolves, and infant coyotes.To answer this question the temporal placement of bows relative to actions that are also used in other contexts (dominance or predatory encounters) such as biting accompanied by rapid side-to-side shaking of the head was analyzed to determine if bows performed during ongoing social play are used to communicate the message “I want to play despite what I am going to do or just did - I still want to play”. The non-random occurrence of bows supports the hypothesis that bows are used to maintain social play in these canids when actions borrowed from other contexts, especially biting accompanied by rapid side-to-side shaking of the head, are likely to be misinterpreted. (see html))

Life history patterns and the comparative social ecology of carnivores
Bekoff, Daniels, Gittleman - Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 1984 - JSTOR
The mammalian order Carnivora is characterized by a great range of behavioral, ecological, and morphological adaptations, as well as substantial intraspecific variability (ie behavioral scaling; see 324).

[Social ecology and behavior of coyotes](http://www.rockies.ca/coyotes/files/social behavior and ecology of coyotes - beckoff.pdf) (pdf)
Bekoff, Wells - Adv. Stud. Behav., 1986 - rockies.ca
Coyotes, Canis latrans, are medium-sized members of the order Carnivora (weight: about 8-20 kg; length: approximately 1-1.4 m) that range from as far south as Costa Rica and Panama (Vaughan, 1983), throughout the continental United States and Canada, to northern Alaska (Young and Jackson, 1951; Gier, 1968; Bekoff, 1977a, 1978a, 1982). Within, and perhaps outside of, these gener- al boundaries the range of coyotes appears to be expanding due primarily to their high reproductive potential, great dispersal ability, and opportunistic food habits (Vaughan, 1983). Coyote expansion has also been facilitated by the elimination of large competitors such as gray wolves (Canis lupus), with whom they usually compete unsuccessfully (Gier, 1975; Carbyn, 1982) and avoid (Fuller and Keith, 1981). Furthermore, coyotes show a marked ability to compensate for increased human exploitation (Knowlton, 1972; Sterling et al., 1983). They are able to exist and reproduce successfully in extremely diverse habitats ranging from sea level to 2000-3000 m, including deserts, open grasslands, broken and dense forests, and large cities such as Los Angeles, California (Howell, 1982; Wirtz et al., 1982). As Gier (1975) stressed, neither altitude, latitude, nor vegetation restricts their survival.

Intentional communication and social play: how and why animals negotiate and agree to play
Bekoff, Allen - Animal play: Evolutionary, comparative, and ג€¦, 1998 - books.google.com
To return to our immediate subject: the lower animals, like man, manifestly feel pleasure and pain, happiness and misery. Happiness is never better exhibited than by young animals, such as puppies, kittens, lambs, &c., when playing together, like our own children. Even insects play together, as has been described by that excellent observer, P. Huber, who saw ants chasing and pretending to bite each other, like so many puppies. (Charles Darwin 1871/1936, p.448)\\ Pierre Huber (1810, p. 148), in his book about the behavior of ants, claims that if one were not accustomed to treating insects as machines one would have trouble explaining the social behavior of ants and bees without attributing emotions to them. (see html))

Simulation analyses of space use: home range estimates, variability, and sample size
Bekoff, Mech - Behavior Research Methods, 1984 - Springer
Simulations of space use by animals were run to determine the relationship among home range area estimates, variability, and sample size (number of locations). As sample size increased, home range size increased asymptotically, whereas variability decreased among mean home range area estimates generated by multiple simulations for the same sample size. Our results suggest that field workers should ascertain between 100 and 200 locations in order to estimate reliably home range area. In some cases, this suggested guideline is higher than values found in the few published studies in which the relationship between home range area and number of locations is addressed. Sampling differences for small species occupying relatively small home ranges indicate that fewer locations may be sufficient to allow for a reliable estimate of home range. Intraspecific variability in social status (group member, loner, resident, transient), age, sex, reproductive condition, and food resources also have to be considered, as do season, habitat, and differences in sampling and analytical methods. Comparative data still are needed.

Vigilance, flock size, and flock geometry: information gathering by western evening grosbeaks (Aves, Fringillidae)
Bekoff - Ethology, 1995 - Wiley
Online Library Vigilance (scanning) and other behavior patterns were studied in free-ranging Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) at feeders to assess how flock size and flock geometry influenced the behavior of individual birds. The present results indicate that the way in which individual grosbeaks are positioned with respect to one another effects many aspects of their behavior, especially when a flock contains four or more birds. Birds in a linear array who have difficulty seeing one another, when compared to individuals organized in a circle who can easily see one another, are (1) more vigilant, (2) change their head and body positions more often, (3) react to changes in group size more slowly, (4) show less coordination in head movements, and (5) show more variability in all measures. These differences in behavior can be explained from a cognitive ethological perspective that favors intentional or representational explanations. Specifically, the data suggest that individual grosbeaks, when scanning and moving about, are visually monitoring the flock in which they are feeding and gathering information about a number of variables including flock size, what others are doing, where others are, which individuals are present, phenotypic features of flock members, food resources, or the location of potential predators. Individuals likely use visual records of the behavior and perhaps the phenotypic features of others, and this information influences various aspects of their behavior. (see html))

Social communication in canids: Evidence for the evolution of a stereotyped mammalian display
Bekoff - Science, 1977 - sciencemag.org
The variability in the duration and form of the canid play bow was studied in infant coyotes, wolves, wolf-dog hybrids, beagles, and adult free-ranging dogs. Both duration and form showed marked stereotypy. It appears that the role of this context-specific social signal in the communication of play intention has been fostered by selection for “morphological” stereotypy.

Social play behaviour. Cooperation, fairness, trust, and the evolution of morality
Bekoff - Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2001 - ingentaconnect.com
Here I briefly discuss some comparative data on social play behaviour in hope of broadening the array of species in which researchers attempt to study animal morality. I am specifically concerned with the notion of ג€˜behaving fairly’. In the term ג€˜behaving fairlyג€™ I use as a working guide the notion that animals often have social expectations when they engage in various sorts of social encounters the violation of which constitutes being treated unfairly because of a lapse in social etiquette. I will cash this out below in my discussion of social play behaviour. (get pdf)

Group size and vigilance in pronghorns
Lipetz, Bekoff - Zeitschrift Tierpsychologie, 1982 - Wiley Online Library
The relationship between group size and vigilance in pronghorn antelopes (Antilocapra americana) was examined. As group size increased, the proportion of vigilant pronghorns decreased. Individuals in larger groups foraged longer than those in smaller groups. However, only solitary individuals foraged for significantly less time than individuals in all other group sizes. Solitary females with fawns present foraged for significantly less time than solitary males; solitary females without fawns present had intermediate foraging times. Peripheral individuals appeared to be more wary than those in the center of groups; the first two individuals to lift their heads were more likely to be on the periphery. Individuals lifted their heads at random with respect to one another.

Biological function, adaptation, and natural design
Allan, Bekoff - Philosophy of Science, 1995 - JSTOR
Recently something close to a consensus about the best way to naturalize the notion of biological function appears to be emerging. Nonetheless, teleological notions in biology remain controversial.

An observational study of scent-marking in coyotes, Canis latrans
Wells, Bekoff - Animal Behaviour, 1981 - Elsevier
Urination and defaecation patterns of free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) were studied in the Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, Wyoming, for two years. The vast majority of urinations by adult males and females were involved in marking, and differentiating between marking and elimination may not be necessary. Our results may be summarized as follows: (1) raised-leg urinations (RLU) performed by males were most frequently used in marking. (2) Females marked throughout the year using the squat (SQU) posture. (3) Snow tracking and reading snow sign resulted in a gross underestimate of the relative frequency of SQU’s and a large overestimate in the relative frequency of defaecations (DEF) when compared to results obtained by direct observation. (4) There was sexual dimorphism for the contexts in which marking occurred. Overall, marking by males was associated with courtship and mating, with travelling, and with aggression. Marking by females was associated with the acquisition and possession of food and with the denning season. (5) Marking rates per coyote increased in groups larger than two animals. (6) RLU marking rates were greatest in areas of high intrusion when compared to denning areas and areas in which non-group members infrequently tresscent odours are important in orienting individuals in space but do not represent in and of themselves barriers to movement.

Kin recognition in vertebrates: what do we really know about adaptive value?
Blaustein, Bekoff, Byers, Daniel - Animal Behaviour, 1991 - Elsevier
The ability of an animal to discriminate between kin and non-kin (kin recognition) has been the subject of numerous recent investigations. Grafen (Anim. Behav., 1990, 39, 42ג€“54) recently reported that the evidence in support of kin recognition is weak and the data illustrating a preference for kin to associate in the laboratory may be more consistently explained as species recognition. It is suggested here, however, that in many cases it may be impossible to distinguish between species recognition and kin recognition, but in some cases, kin recognition seems apparent. It is also emphasized that very little is known about the adaptive value of kin recognition.

Ecology and social responsibility: the re-embodiment of science
Bradshaw, Bekoff - Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2001 - Elsevier
As global environmental problems intensify, ecology is increasingly drawn into the social arena, and many ecologists feel caught between two competing models of science: a science apart from society and a science directly engaged with society. Interdisciplinary research and integrative theories are helping resolve this conflict by providing a common framework for both biophysical and social sciences. The incorporation of the human dimension into ecology is reversing a century-old trend of separation and reintegrating science into the human experience. ([get pdf](http://www.kerulos.org/learn_more/pubs_trans_assets/TREE-2001B and B.pdf))

Cognitive ethology: Slayers, skeptics, and proponents
Bekoff, Allen (1997) Cognitive Ethology: Slayers, Skeptics, and Proponents.
In this paper we identify three major groups of people (among some of whose members there are blurred distinctions) with different views on cognitive ethology, namely, slayers, skeptics, and proponents. Our analyses are based on our reading of some published reviews of Donald Griffin’s works in cognitive ethology and other clearly stated opinions concerning animal cognition, in the sense of attribution of mental states and properties such as beliefs, awareness, and consciousness. Slayers Slayers deny any possibility of success in cognitive ethology. In our analyses of their published statements, we have found that they sometimes conflate the difficulty of doing rigorous cognitive ethological investigations with the impossibility of doing so. Slayers also often ignore specific details of work by cognitive ethologists and frequently mount philosophically motivated objections to the possibility of learning anything about animal cognition. Slayers do not believe that cognitive ethological approaches can lead, and have lead, to new and testable hypotheses. They often pick out the most difficult and least accessible phenomena to study (e.g. consciousness) and then conclude that because we can gain little detailed knowledge about this subject, we cannot do better in other areas. Slayers also appeal to parsimony in explanations of animal behavior, but they dismiss the possibility that cognitive explanations can be more parsimonious than noncognitive alternatives, and they deny the utility of cognitive hypotheses for directing empirical research. Skeptics Skeptics are often difficult to categorize. They are a bit more open-minded than slayers, and there seems to be greater variation among skeptical views of cognitive ethology than among slayers’ opinions. However, some skeptics recognize some past and present successes in cognitive ethology, and remain cautiously optimistic about future successes; in these instances they resemble moderate proponents. Many skeptics appeal to the future of neuroscience, and claim that when we know all there is to know about nervous systems, cognitive ethology will be superfluous (Bekoff, 1993a; it should be noted that Griffin, 1992 also makes strong appeals to neuroscience, but he does not believe that increased knowledge in neurobiology will cause cognitive ethology to disappear). Like slayers, skeptics frequently conflate the difficulty of doing rigorous cognitive ethological investigations with the impossibility of doing so. Skeptics also find folk psychological, anthropomorphic, and cognitive explanations to be off-putting. Proponents Proponents recognize the utility of cognitive ethological investigations. They claim that there are already many successes and they see that cognitive ethological approaches have provided new and interesting data that also can inform and motivate further study. Proponents also accept the cautious use of folk psychological and cognitive explanations to build a systematic explanatory framework in conjunction with empirical studies, and do not find anecdotes or anthropomorphism to be thoroughly off-putting. Some proponents are as extreme in their advocacy of cognitive ethology as some slayers are in their opposition. But most proponents are willing to be critical of cognitive ethological research without dooming the field prematurely; if cognitive ethology is to die, it will be of natural causes and not as a result of hasty slayings. (see html)

Population and social biology of free-ranging dogs, Canis familiaris
Daniels, Bekoff - Journal of Mammalogy, 1989 - JSTOR
Population size and density, age structure, survivorship patterns, sex ratios, and social organization of urban, rural, and feral dog (Canis familiaris) populations were examined in Cd. Juarez, Mexico (urban site) and on the Navajo reservation (rural and wild sites) between June 1983 and December 1984. Urban and rural dogs were less social than expected whereas feral dogs characteristically lived in packs. Seasonal variation in the structure of feral dog packs was influenced by reproduction, both directly (pups born into the pack) and indirectly (pregnant females may temporarily emigrate form the pack to give birth).

Social play behavior
Bekoff - Bioscience, 1984 - JSTOR
Recent studies clearly indicate that animal play is an important behavioral phenotype, and that detailed analyses of the phenomenon are useful for furthering our understanding of the evolution of social behavior and the interaction of phylogeny, ecology, and behavioral development. This article is concerned mainly with evolutionary, ecological, and developmental aspects of social play behavior in mammals.

Social, spacing, and cooperative behavior of the collared peccary, Tayassu tajacu
Byers, Bekoff - Journal of Mammalogy, 1981 - JSTOR
Social behavior of the collared peccary was studied on the lower, eastern slopes of the Mazatzal Mountains, Arizona. The social unit in this species is a cohesive herd, in which small inter-individual distances are maintained. Two conspicuous acts, one olfactory and one auditory, functioned to maintain close spacing. Social interactions were brief but tended to synchronize the activities of animals and also to bring them closer together. Amicable and neutral actions occurred far more frequently than agonistic interactions. Most agonistic behavior did not involve physical contact. Cooperative nursing, predator defense, and feeding occurred; all adults were tolerant of young, and males showed little overt competition over estrous females. The absence of sexual dimorphism, the 1:1 sex ratio within social groups, and the small, precocial litters in this species suggest an evolutionary history of pronounced sociality. Kin selection possibly was important in the evolution of social behavior in peccaries.

On aims and methods of cognitive ethology
Jamieson, Bekoff - Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association ֲ© 1992
Philosophy of Science Association In 1963 Niko Tinbergen published a paper, “On Aims and Methods of Ethology,” dedicated to his friend Konrad Lorenz. Here Tinbergen defines ethology as “the biological study of behavior,” and seeks to demonstrate “the close affinity between Ethology and the rest of Biology.” Tinbergen identifies four major areas of ethology: causation, survival value, evolution, and ontogeny. Our goal is to attempt for cognitive ethology what Tinbergen succeeded in doing for ethology: to clarify its aims and methods, to distinguish some of its varieties, and to defend the fruitfulness of the research strategies that it has spawned.

Behavioral ecology of coyotes: social organization, rearing patterns, space use, and resource defense
Bekoff, Wells - Zeitschrift fֳ¼r Tierpsychologie, 1982 - Wiley Online Library
Two groups of coyotes in which genealogical relationships were known were studied in the Grand Teton National Park, outside of Jackson, Wyoming, U.S.A., from 1977ג€“1982. One group, a pack consisting of parents and some non-dispersing and non-breeding offspring, defended a territory and the food (mainly elk carrion) contained within it, especially during winter, and also had helpers at den sites (5 of 6 were males). The other group, a mated resident pair, all of whose young dispersed during the first year of life, did not defend a territory and never had helpers at dens. Delayed dispersal and retention of some offspring as helpers was related to the presence of an abundant, clumped, and defendable winter food resource. Dispersing yearlings suffered higher mortality than did non-dispersing individuals.
Litter size was the same for the pack and resident pair; litter size was not significantly correlated with number of adults in the group or with the number or percentage of pups that survived to 5ג€“6 months of age. The presence of pack helpers was not significantly correlated with pup survival, although there was a positive correlation (rs = +0.37) between the number of adults attending a den(s) and pup survival. Helpers rarely fed pups and their presence had no appreciable effect on juvenile weight. Helpers partook in den-sitting (pup-guarding), but they did not reduce the amount of time that parents spent at den sites. Helpers also actively initiated and took part in territorial and food defense. The proportion of times that pack members initiated defense was inversely related to intruder density (r = ג€“0.94).

Wild justice and fair play: cooperation, forgiveness, and morality in animals
Bekoff - Biology and Philosophy, 2004 - Springer
In this paper I argue that we can learn much about lsquowild justicersquo and the evolutionary origins of social morality ג€“ behaving fairly ג€“ by studying social play behavior in group-living animals, and that interdisciplinary cooperation will help immensely. In our efforts to learn more about the evolution of morality we need to broaden our comparative research to include animals other than non-human primates. If one is a good Darwinian, it is premature to claim that only humans can be empathic and moral beings. By asking the question lsquoWhat is it like to be another animal?rsquo we can discover rules of engagement that guide animals in their social encounters. When I study dogs, for example, I try to be a lsquodogocentristrsquo and practice lsquodogomorphism.rsquo My major arguments center on the following lsquobigrsquo questions: Can animals be moral beings or do they merely act as if they are? What are the evolutionary roots of cooperation, fairness, trust, forgiveness, and morality? What do animals do when they engage in social play? How do animals negotiate agreements to cooperate, to forgive, to behave fairly, to develop trust? Can animals forgive? Why cooperate and play fairly? Why did play evolve as it has? Does lsquobeing fairrsquo mean being more fit ג€“ do individual variations in play influence an individual’’s reproductive fitness, are more virtuous individuals more fit than less virtuous individuals? What is the taxonomic distribution of cognitive skills and emotional capacities necessary for individuals to be able to behave fairly, to empathize, to behave morally? Can we use information about moral behavior in animals to help us understand ourselves? I conclude that there is strong selection for cooperative fair play in which individuals establish and maintain a social contract to play because there are mutual benefits when individuals adopt this strategy and group stability may be also be fostered. Numerous mechanisms have evolved to facilitate the initiation and maintenance of social play to keep others engaged, so that agreeing to play fairly and the resulting benefits of doing so can be readily achieved. I also claim that the ability to make accurate predictions about what an individual is likely to do in a given social situation is a useful litmus test for explaining what might be happening in an individual’’s brain during social encounters, and that intentional or representational explanations are often important for making these predictions. ([get pdf](http://animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Morality/Speciesism/Wild Justice.pdf))

Reflective ethology, applied philosophy, and the moral status of animals
Bekoff, Jamieson - Perspectives in ethology, 1991 - agris.fao.org
Currently there is an unprecedented interest in ethological studies of nonhuman animals. Much of this interest is motivated by a desire to learn more about animals themselves. For scientists assuming this stance, a secondary goal is to use this knowledge to assess the place of humans in the natural order of things, stressing continuity or discontinuity depending on one’s views. Others, however, study animals primarily to apply this knowledge to human behavior. We argue that behavioral research demands the rigorous application of methods that are minimally harmful to the animals being studied. We argue for a moderate, but rigorous and uncompromising, position on issues of animal welfare. A number of areas that in our opinion require careful scrutiny before research should be permitted are identified. It is a privilege to study nonhumans even in what seem to be noninterventive situations, and we should reflect on what we are doing by empathizing with the animals that are being studied. From this point of view, ethological interest and philosophical concerns with morality, mind, and science complement one another. Thus, ethology and philosophy should inform one another with respect to the way in which animals are studied, and how data are analyzed, applied, and disseminated.

[[http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1641/0006-3568(2000)050%5B0861:AEEPN%5D2.0.CO;2][Animal emotions: exploring passionate natures]]
Bekoff - BioScience, 2000 - BioOne
Current interdisciplinary research provides compelling evidence that many animals experience such emotions as joy, fear, love, despair, and griefג€”we are not alone. ([get pdf](http://sobek.colorado.edu/~irvinel/Animals and Society Readings/Bekoff Animal Emotions.pdf))

Avian play: comparative evolutionary and developmental trends
Ortega, Bekoff - The Auk, 1987 - JSTOR
Classified 26 extant avian orders as having species with either primarily altricial or precocial young. 10 of the 12 of these orders in which play has reportedly occurred were comprised of altricial species. Findings are related to the development of the avian forebrain.

Predation by wild coyotes: behavioral and ecological analyses
Wells, Bekoff - Journal of Mammalogy, 1982 - JSTOR
Predatory behavior of coyotes (Canis latrans) was studied between 1977 and 1980 in the Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, Wyoming. Major prey were voles (Microtus spp.), Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus), pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides), and grasshoppers (Locustidae). Coyotes typically rushed and ran down squirrels; when hunting mice, coyotes pounced and stabbed at them with their forepaws. Sequence structure was similar, though sequences directed to squirrels were significantly more variable. When juvenile coyotes hunted mice, sequences were similar to those performed by adults that hunted mice. Adults and juveniles were about equally successful. The size of prey last eaten influenced the interval until the next search was initiated; the larger the prey, the longer the interval. However, the time interval since the last capture and the outcome (capture or failure) of the next predatory attempt were not correlated. Durations of search, orient, and stalk were longer in short (< 10 cm) grass than in tall grass; stalk, orient, and total durations also were more variable in short grass. Coyotes that hunted in short grass were more successful. Durations of all acts were shorter and coyotes were more successful in snow less than 10 cm deep than in deeper snow. Mean orient and total durations were more variable in deep snow. Height of ground-cover apparently affected coyote movements and the way in which cues from prey were perceived. Local wind conditions did not affect capture success. Coyotes were least successful when they hunted mice and more successful when they hunted squirrels. More time was spent searching and stalking squirrels.

Predicting flock vigilance from simple passerine interactions: modelling with cellular automata
Bahr, Bekoff - Animal behaviour, 1999 - Elsevier
Vigilance in flocks can be described and modelled as a plausible set of local interactions between neighbouring birds. Each bird in the modelled flock chooses to feed or to scan based solely on whether or not its neighbours are feeding or scanning. This simple model has the ability both to reproduce observations that have not been previously explained and to predict flock behaviours that might be confirmed with future field studies. Examples include simulations showing decreased vigilance with increased flock size (as observed in the field), greater time spent scanning when obstacles such as trees are present (as observed) and a coordinated feed/scan pattern (that is predicted to become increasingly coordinated when the birds look up from feeding more frequently). The numerical model also predicts that flock geometry influences vigilance. If two flocks are the same size, individuals in the one with the larger perimeter will spend more time scanning. This prediction could be tested with field studies and already has been observed empirically for two limiting cases: birds arranged in a line (high perimeters, high scan times) and birds in a circle (lower perimeters, lower scan times). As demonstrated by its multiple successes, cellular models of this type are a powerful new approach to understanding bird flock behaviours.

What Does Kin Recognition Mean?
Byers, Bekoff - Ethology, 1986 - Wiley Online Library
The phenomenon of kin recognition has gained much attention, because of HAMILTON’S (1964) now famous prediction, that an animal ideally should base its treatment of another conspecific on the degree to which it is related to that individual. Most authors working in this field have been careful to state that, in studying “recognition”, they do not imply any kind of cognition. Nevertheless, the way in which the word “recognition” is used in many papers, implies, if not cognition, at least some kind of as yet unobserved neural activity.

Reflections on animal selves
Bekoff, Sherman - Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2004 - Elsevier
Is self-cognizance a uniquely human attribute, or do other animals also have a sense of self? Although there is considerable interest in this question, answers remain elusive. Progress has been stymied by misunderstandings in terminology, a focus on a narrow range of species, and controversies over key concepts, experimental paradigms and interpretations of data. Here, we propose a new conceptual and terminological framework, emphasizing that degrees of self-cognizance differ among animals because of the cognitive demands that their species-specific social structures and life-history characteristics have placed upon them over evolutionary time. We suggest that the self-cognizance of an organism falls at a point on a continuum of social complexity and conscious involvement.

Cognitive ethology and the explanation of nonhuman animal behavior
Bekoff - 1995 - cogprints.org
In this paper I attempt to provide a convincing case for the importance of cognitive ethological investigations for advancing our knowledge of animal cognition. Cognitive ethology is broadly defined as the evolutionary and comparative study of nonhuman animal (hereafter animal) thought processes, consciousness, beliefs, or rationality, and is an area in which research is informed by different types of investigations and explanations. After (1) a brief discussion of the agenda of cognitive ethology, in which three different views of cognitive ethology are considered as is the relationship of cognitive ethology as a science to other branches of science, I (2) argue that folk psychological explanations and empirical data both are important to cognitive ethological research and conclude that the former are not as weak and as dispensable as some claim; (3) appeal to some case studies in recent analyses of social play behavior and antipredatory behavior (vigilance against potential predators) to make the point that folk psychology works well with empirical data and to provide examples in which the cognitive ethological perspective has proven to be a good heuristic; and (4) make some suggestions for future research. Cognitive ethology is alive, has a bright future, and has much to gain from a broad interdisciplinary perspective. Comparative approaches to cognitive science are very fruitful and have much to offer. (see html)

Physical development in coyotes (Canis latrans), with a comparison to other canids
Bekoff, Jamieson - Journal of Mammalogy, 1975 - JSTOR
Few detailed data are available on physical development in members of the family Canidae and there are few published papers that include information on the coyote (Snow, 1967; Gier, 1968; Bekoff, 1974a).

An Observational Study of Coyote (Canis latrans) Scentmarking and Territoriality in Yellowstone National Park
Allen, Bekoff, Crabtree - Ethology, 1999 - Wiley Online Library
Free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) living in neighboring packs were observed in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, from Jan. to May 1997. Through direct observation, we recorded the location of coyote scent marks and information regarding the identity of the marking animal. Patterns of scent-marking were then analyzed spatially and demographically. All of the evidence from the present study supports a strong relationship between scent-marking and territoriality in these coyotes, and all predictions were met. A preponderance of scent marks was found in the periphery of territories. Most of those marks were raised-leg urinations (RLUs) and forward-lean urinations (FLUs), postures associated very strongly with males, particularly dominant individuals. Ground-scratching was also closely associated with these types of marks and was performed more on the periphery of territories than in the interior. A complete lack of overlap of adjacent territories and very limited overlap of movements into territories fits classic definitions of territory and home range. Scent-marking seems to be strongly associated with the establishment and maintenance of these boundaries between packs of coyotes competing for the same resources in a limited space.

Intentional icons: Towards an evolutionary cognitive ethology
Bekoff, Allen - Ethology, 1992 - Wiley Online Library
In most species in which social play has been observed, play-soliciting signals have evolved. These social signals appear to be important in communicating play intention. Here, using the work of Ruth Millikan as a working guide and canid play bows as an example, we argue that (i) some play signals may be simple intentional icons and (ii) senders and receivers are cooperating devices, in that the disposition of senders to produce play-soliciting signals and the disposition of receivers of play signals to respond appropriately to play invitations, have evolved together. Millikan’s views of social communication are difficult to render and are virtually untested. However, her stance, while philosophically controversial, is somewhat consistent with early ethological views of social communication. Thus, in combination with classical ethological positions, Millikan’s position could serve as a useful guide not only to inform and motivate future empirical research in cognitive ethology, but also to stimulate ethologists to reconsider, in innovative ways, nonhuman animal cognition. To reject the empirical utility of Millikan’s theory because of its difficulty or on philosophical grounds would be premature and would represent a confusion of empirical with philosophical issues.

Precopulatory and copulatory behavior in coyotes
Bekoff, Diamond Journal of Mammalogy Vol. 57, No. 2 (May, 1976), pp. 372-375
Little is known about the behavioral aspects of reproductive biology in coyotes (Canis latrans), but there is a considerable amount of information concerning reproductive anatomy and physiology (see Bekoff, 1974, 1976; Diamond, 1976, for reviews).

Social play in coyotes, wolves, and dogs
Bekoff - BioScience, 1974 - JSTOR
In this paper, the development of social play behavior in coyotes, wolves, and beagles is discussed, as are the ways in which “play intention” is communicated and a “play mood” maintained. Coyotes were observed to fight more and play less than wolves or beagles of the same age, and the differential development of social behavior in these canids may play some role in determining the later species-typical social organization observed in adults.

Motor training and physical fitness: Possible shortand longterm influences on the development of individual differences in behavior
Bekoff - Developmental Psychobiology, 1988 - Wiley Online Library
Individual differences in the behavior of young and adult animals have been documented in diverse species. Possible sources of such variation are of interest to scientists representing many disciplines, including behavior, genetics, and population and evolutionary biology. Two variables that may be important in the ontogeny and maintenance of behavioral differences are (1) individual physical (aerobic and anaerobic) fitness and (2) possible genetic variations underlying individual abilities to engage in, and to benefit from, motor training early in life. The differential development of aerobic and anaerobic capacities may play a significant role in the ontogeny of individual differences in the performance of various motor skills. There also may be short- and long-term consequences of variations in physical fitness that influence individual abilities to perform energy demanding acts during aggressive encounters, interactions with prey or predators, and courtship and breeding. Genetic studies of a limited number of species indicate that specific genotypes are correlated with individual variations in motor performance, even among conspecifics. Multidisciplinary research concerning possible relationships among the ontogeny of physical fitness, genetics, and variations in behavior is needed. Recent work on the relationship between individual differences in physical fitness and variations in the behavior of adult cold-blooded vertebrates provides a good model for comparative research on warm-blooded species.

Cognitive ethology and the treatment of non-human animals: How matters of mind inform matters of welfare.
Bekoff - Animal Welfare, 1994 - psycnet.apa.org
Anthropocentric claims about the ways in which non-human animals interact in their social and non-social worlds are often used to influence decisions on how animals can or should be used by humans in various sorts of activities. Thus, the treatment of individuals is often tightly linked to how they are perceived with respect to their ability to perform behavior patterns that suggest that they can thinkג€”have beliefs, desires, or make plans and have expectations about the future. This article reviews some basic issues in the comparative study of animal minds and discusses how matters of mind are related to matters of welfare and well-being. Much comparative research still needs to be done before any stipulative claims can be made about how an individual’s cognitive abilities can be used to influence decisions about how she or he should be treated. The author stresses the importance of (1) subjectivity and common sense along with the use of empirical data in making decisions about animal welfare, and (2) viewing subjective assessments in the same critical light that is used to evaluate supposedly objective scientific facts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Wild justice, cooperation, and fair play: Minding manners, being nice, and feeling good
Bekoff - The origins and nature of sociality, 2004 - mendeley.com
(From the chapter) In this chapter I consider various aspects of the evolution of cooperation and fairness using social play behavior in animals, especially mammals, as my exemplar of an activity in which one would expect to see ongoing negotiations of cooperation and agreements to behave fairly because the social dynamics of play require that players agree to play and not to fight or to mate with one another. I am specifically concerned with the notion of “behaving fairly.” By “behaving fairly” I use as a working guide the notion that animals often have social expectations when they engage in various sorts of social encounters the violation of which constitutes being treated unfairly because of a lapse in social etiquette. I conclude that social play might be a “foundation of fairness.” I also argue that it is through social cooperation that groups (communities) are built from individuals agreeing to work in harmony with other individuals. Whether or not individuals lose various “freedoms” when balanced against the benefits that accrue when they work for the “good of a group” is unknown and needs to be studied more carefully in various species. Further, based on recent research on the neurobiology of human cooperation, I argue that “being fair” may feel good for animals as well. Lastly, I stress that in our efforts to learn more about the evolution of social morality we need to broaden our comparative research to include animals other than nonhuman primates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)

Quantitative analyses of the ontogeny of predatory behaviour in coyotes, Canis latrans
Vincent, Bekoff - Animal Behaviour Volume 26, Part 1, February 1978, Pages 225ג€“231
Four infant coyotes (Canis latrans) were studied in order to describe quantitatively the development of predatory behaviour. Our results indicated that prior play and agonistic experience had virtually no effect on later predatory success. Also, there was no relationship between an individual’s social rank and its prey-killing ability. Latency to kill was shortened when animals were tested in, pairs and hunger level was not related to latency to kill. The results are discussed with respect to current functionalist theories of play behaviour and Leyhausen’s concept of the relative hierarchy of moods. The practice theory of play should be reconsidered in light of the results of this and other recent studies.

Behavioural budgeting by wild coyotes: the influence of food resources and social organization
Bekoff, Wells - Animal Behaviour Volume 29, Issue 3, August 1981, Pages 794ג€“801
Daytime behavioural budgets of coyotes (Canis latrans) living in the Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, Wyoming, were analysed in order to determine how activity patterns were influenced by food resources and social organization. In winter, coyotes rested more and hunted less than in other seasons. Pack-living coyotes rested more and travelled less than resident pairs or solitary residents or transients during winter months when the major food resource was ungulate (predominantly elk, Cervus canadensis) carrion. A mated female living in a pack rested significantly more and travelled significantly less than a mated female living only with her mate (as a resident pair) during winter. We predict that in times of food shortage, pack-living coyotes, and particularly reproductive females, might be at an advantage when compared to resident pairs and solitary individuals.

Play and the evolution of fairness: a game theory model
Dugatkin, Bekoff - Behavioural Processes Volume 60, Issue 3, 31 January 2003, Pages 209-214
Bekoff [J. Consci. Stud. 8 (2001) 81] argued that mammalian social play is a useful behavioral phenotype on which to concentrate in order to learn more about the evolution of fairness. Here, we build a game theoretical model designed to formalize some of the ideas laid out by Bekoff, and to examine whether fair strategies can in fact be evolutionarily stable. The models we present examine fairness at two different developmental stages during an individual’s ontogeny, and hence we create four strategies fair at time 1/fair at time 2, not fair at time 1 not fair at time 2, fair at time 1/not fair at time 2, not fair at time 1/fair at time 2. Our results suggest that when considering species where fairness can be expressed during two different developmental stages, acting fairly should be more common than never acting fairly. In addition, when no one strategy was evolutionarily stable, we found that all four strategies we model can coexist at evolutionary equilibrium. Even in the absence of an overwhelming database from which to test our model, the general predictions we make have significant implications for the evolution of fairness.

Cognitive ethology, vigilance, information gathering, and representation: Who might know what and why?
M Bekoff - Behavioural processes, 1995 - Elsevier
Cognitive ethology, a relatively new interdisciplinary and integrative science, is under attack with respect to its scientific status. However, there also are strong supporters of research in this area. In this paper I consider (1) some of the topics in which cognitive ethologists are interested, (2) possible connections between cognitive analyses of social behavior and philosophical concepts including intentionality and representation, (3) recent work on vigilance or scanning behavior in highly social birds, Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus), that benefits from taking a cognitive perspective, and (4) what may be gained by taking a cognitive approach to the study of social behavior and what may be lost by not doing so. My study of vigilance indicates that the way in which individuals are positioned with respect to one another influences their behavior, and that when a flock contains four or more birds there are large changes in scanning and other patterns of behavior that may be related to how grosbeaks attempt to gather information about other flock members. When birds are arranged in a circular array so that they can see one another easily compared to when they are arranged in a line that makes visual monitoring of flock members more difficult, birds who have difficulty seeing one another are (i) more vigilant, (ii) change their head and body positions more often, (iii) react to changes in group size more slowly, (iv) show less coordination in head movements, and (v) show more variability in all measures. These differences in behavior argue against the pooling of data collected on individuals feeding in different geometric arrays. The variations in behavior also may say something about if and how individuals attempt visually to represent their group to themselves–how they form, store, and use records of the behavior of others to inform their own future behavior. (see html)

Animal consciousness
Allen, Bekoff - The Blackwell Companion to 2007 - Wiley Online Library
There are many reasons for philosophical interest in nonhuman animal (hereafter animal) consciousness. First, if philosophy often begins with questions about the place of humans in nature, one way humans have attempted to locate themselves is by comparison and contrast with those things in nature most similar to themselves, i.e., other animals. Second, the problem of determining whether animals are conscious stretches the limits of knowledge and scientific methodology (beyond breaking point, according to some). Third, the question of whether animals are conscious beings or mere automata, as Cartesians would have it, is of considerable moral significance given the dependence of modern societies on mass farming and the use of animals for biomedical research. Fourth, while theories of consciousness are frequently developed without special regard to questions about animal consciousness, the plausibility of such theories has sometimes been assessed against the results of their application to animal consciousness.

Intentionality, social play, and definition
Allen, Bekoff - Biology and Philosophy Volume 9, Number 1, 63-74
Social play is naturally characterized in intentional terms. An evolutionary account of social play could help scientists to understand the evolution of cognition and intentionality. Alexander Rosenberg (1990) has argued that if play is characterized intentionally or functionally, it is not a behavioral phenotype suitable for evolutionary explanation. If he is right, his arguments would threaten many projects in cognitive ethology. We argue that Rosenberg’’s arguments are unsound and that intentionally and functionally characterized phenotypes are a proper domain for ethological investigation.

Postnatal neural ontogeny: Environmentdependent and/or environmentexpectant?
Bekoff, Fox - Developmental psychobiology, 1972 - Wiley Online Library
Recent advances in the study of postnatal neural development, an adaptive process dependent on an intimate interplay of both genetic and environmental factors, are reviewed in mouse, rat, cat, and man. Since developmental neuroanatomical studies provide a useful and relevant way of approaching the much belabored and controversial nature-nurture issue, behaviorally oriented workers should be made aware of the heuristic value of the field as both an impetus and a guide for future research, and as a means for providing explanations for observations unexplainable at the ethological or behavioral descriptive level. The conclusion reached in this review is that postnatal neural ontogeny is both environment-dependent and environment-expectant. To divide the process into mutually exclusive halves is indefensible.

The variability of some motor components of social play and agonistic behaviour in infant eastern coyotes, Canis latrans var.
Hill, Bekoff - Animal Behaviour, 1977 - Elsevier
The duration and stereotypy (in terms of duration) of three actions, stand-overs (SO), general-bites (GB), and scruff-bites (SB), were measured during social play and agonistic interactions in infant eastern coyotes (Canis latrans). The rate of biting was also calculated. We found: (1) SO’s and GB’s lasted a significantly shorter time during play; (2) when performed during playful interactions, all three acts showed more stereotypy; (3) there was no significant difference between the rates of occurrence of biting during the two situations. A discussion of the exaggerated nature of play behaviour is presented, particularly concerning the form of the motor actions that are used during this activity.

Nonrandom nest-site selection in Evening Grosbeaks
Bekoff, AC Scott - Condor, 1987 - JSTOR
Nest-site selection was studied in Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) living in two areas (Eldora and Wild Basin) of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. One hundred and twenty-nine original variables were reduced to compare nesting (NS; n = 49) and nonnesting control (NNS; n = 10) sites using multivariate and univariate statistics. Overall, four of the five variables best discriminating between NS and NNS were measures of habitat density (deciduous stem intersect, deciduous canopy cover) or shrub dispersion (large clumps, irregular matrix). Although there were distinct differences between the two NS with respect to shrub dispersion, canopy cover, and the relative proportion of major vegetation, NS were more open than NNS within the same area. In both Eldora and Wild Basin, grosbeaks showed a preference for ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) in which to build high camouflaged nests, close to the main tree trunk, predominantly with southern or northern exposures. We suggest that these nest locations provide (1) high visibility for detection of potential predators, (2) the opportunity for grosbeaks to see their nests from a distance, (3) easy access for departure and arrival, (4) aid in thermoregulation, and (5) protection from wind and rain and increased nest stability. (get pdf)

Aggression, dominance, and social organization in Evening Grosbeaks
Bekoff, Scott - Ethology, 1989 - Wiley Online Library
Relationships between social behavior and ecology are of great interest to ethologists and behavioral ecologists. For example, limited comparative data have already resulted in the development of broad explanations for possible interrelationships between patterns of social interaction and food supply in diverse species. Here, we analyzed agonistic behavior, dominance relationships, and social organization in evening grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) living near Boulder, Colorado U.S.A. We found marked seasonal variations in mean rates of agonistic behavior, mean sex ratios, and mean flock sizes. Rates of agonistic encounters were positively correlated with group size and the number of adult males present. Generally, adult males dominated (>>) adult females, young males, and young females; young males >> adult and young females; and young females >> adult females. Adult males were most aggressive during the beginning of the breeding season.
The formation of large flocks of grosbeaks most likely facilitates locating the dispersed and locally irruptive food on which these birds depend, and may also confer protection against predators. We suggest that flocks of grosbeaks composed of mainly transient birds are maintained by (1) low rates of noncontact aggressive encounters and (2) the rare occurrence of potentially disruptive fights, both of which appear to result from birds’ being able to assess the likely outcome of an encounter with another animal using phenotypic cues such as wing length, weight, and especially plumage. The ability to predict the outcome of an aggressive encounter may also be important in the integration of young birds into flocks.

Time, energy and play
Bekoff, Byers - Animal behaviour, 1992 - psycnet.apa.org
Makes suggestions for evaluating the amount of time and energy young mammals devote to social and nonsocial play. Suggestions include considering how the percentage of energy expended in play is expressed and expressing the cost of play in terms of alternative uses for the time and energy invested in play. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Spatial and temporal resource use by feral and abandoned dogs
Daniels, Bekoff - Ethology, 1989 - Wiley Online Library
We compared spatial and temporal patterns of resource use by feral and abandoned domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) on the Navajo reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Community dumps provide locally abundant food resources utilized both by feral dogs and dogs abandoned at the dump site. Although population parameters were much the same for feral and abandoned dogs, the use of space varied distinctly and reflected behavioral differences in the way each population responded to the absence of human control, the need to acquire food, and the developmental state of pups. Temporal use of resources by feral dogs varied seasonally with the age of pups in one pack, but not in a second pack. Priority of access to local resources may be influenced by aggressive interactions among dogs at a dump. Barking may serve to warn dogs already present at a dump that competitors have arrived.

Naturalizing anthropomorphism: behavioral prompts to our humanizing of animals
Horowitz, Bekoff - Journal of The Interactions of People ג€¦, 2007 - ingentaconnect.com
Anthropomorphism is the use of human characteristics to describe or explain nonhuman animals. In the present paper, we propose a model for a unified study of such anthropomorphizing. We bring together previously disparate accounts of why and how we anthropomorphize and suggest a means to analyze anthropomorphizing behavior itself. We introduce an analysis of bouts of dyadic play between humans and a heavily anthropomorphized animal, the domestic dog. Four distinct patterns of social interaction recur in successful dog-human play: directed responses by one player to the other, indications of intent, mutual behaviors, and contingent activity. These findings serve as a preliminary answer to the question, “What behaviors prompt anthropomorphisms?” An analysis of anthropomorphizing is potentially useful in establishing a scientific basis for this behavior, in explaining its endurance, in the design of “lifelike” robots, and in the analysis of human interaction. Finally, the relevance of this developing scientific area to contemporary debates about anthropomorphizing behavior is discussed. (get pdf)

Vole population cycles: kin-selection or familiarity?
Bekoff - Oecologia, 1981 - Springer
The recent paper by Charnov and Finerty (1980) on Vole population cycles offers a unique view of population fluctuations in these rodents. These authors invoke kin-selection as a factor that may contribute to vole cycles …

Behavioral taxonomy in canids by discriminant function analyses
Bekoff, Hill - Science, 1975 - psycnet.apa.org
Applied the technique of linear discriminant function analysis to behavioral data that were collected on infant canids. The method was first tested with a known cross between a wolf and a dog and proved to be valid, indicating that quantitative analyses of behavioral phenotypes can be used in assessing taxonomic relationships. In addition, the controversial New England canid was determined by behavioral analysis to be more closely related to coyotes than to wolves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

The social deprivation paradigm: Who’s being deprived of what?
Bekoff - Developmental Psychobiology, 1976 - Wiley Online Library
Abstract unavailable.

Ecological analyses of nesting success in evening grosbeaks
Bekoff, AC Scott - Oecologia, 1989 - Springer
We studied the nesting success of Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) inhabiting two areas of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado from 1983ג€“1987. Sixty-four nests were followed during building, incubating, brooding, and fledging; 54.7% were successful (young fledged). The largest number of nests failed during incubation. Nests started later were more successful than nests begun earlier in the season. Failure was most likely due to severe weather, abandonment during building, or predation. Specific habitat characteristics of grosbeak nesting sites and where nests were placed in trees were consistently associated with nesting success. Successful nests, when compared with nests that failed, were: (1) built in more open areas characterized by dispersed vegetation and a higher minimum canopy, (2) oriented in more southerly directions, (3) built closer to the main trunk of the nest tree, and (4) built in larger trees. Current ideas about whether or not birds actually select nest-sites are briefly discussed. We conclude that some grosbeaks ldquooptimally selectrdquo nest sites where the likelihood of producing fledglings is higher than in other areas.

Animal passions and beastly virtues: Cognitive ethology as the unifying science for understanding the subjective, emotional, empathic, and moral lives of animals
Bekoff - Zygonֲ®, 2006 - Wiley Online Library
In this essay, my response to four papers that were presented at the 2004 annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in a session devoted to my research on animal behavior and cognitive ethology, I stress the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration for coming to terms with various aspects of animal behavior and animal cognition. I argue that we have much to learn from other animals concerning a set of big questions including who we are in the grand scheme of things, the role science (science sense) plays in our understanding of the world in which we live, what it means to know something, what some other ways of knowing are and how they compare to what we call science, and the use of anecdotes and anthropomorphism to inform studies of animal behavior. I ask, Are other minds really all that private and inaccessible? Can a nonhuman animal be called a person? What does the future hold if we continue to dismantle the only planet we live on and persecute the other animal beings with whom we are supposed to coexist? I argue that cognitive ethology is the unifying science for understanding the subjective, emotional, empathic, and moral lives of animals, because it is essential to know what animals do, think, and feel as they go about their daily routines in the company of their friends and when they are alone. It is also important to learn why both the similarities and differences between humans and other animals have evolved. The more we come to understand other animals, the more we will appreciate them as the amazing beings they are, and the more we will come to understand ourselves. (get pdf)

Nesting behaviour of Abert squirrels (Sciurus aberti)
Bekoff - Ethology, 1994 - Wiley Online Library
Nesting behaviour of Abert squirrels (Sciurus aberti), including site selection and use, was studied in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder County, Colorado. Only females were observed building nests, although both males and females maintained nests once they were built. Communal nesting by Abert squirrels was rare, but the majority of observed nest sharings involved unrelated male and female pairs. A total of 14 variables were used to evaluate the nests (n = 49) inhabited by Abert squirrels from May 1988 to Jun. 1991. All nests were located in Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees. The majority of nests were constructed of twigs and located in the upper one-third of the canopy, near the trunk, on the south-east side of the tree. Trees with nests were predominantly located in closed stands. Nest trees, when compared with unused control trees that were equally accessible to squirrels, were significantly different from control trees in five of nine variables. Nest tree crowns intertwined with a larger number of adjacent tree crowns than did control tree crowns. Nest trees were also significantly taller than control trees, but subdominant to adjacent trees within a stand. Seasonal and diurnal patterns of nest use indicate that Abert squirrels do not choose nest locations on the south-east sides of trees to facilitate behavioural thermoregulation. Rather, Abert squirrels select nest site locations to (1) maximize accessibility and (2) maximize structural stability which may provide protection from wind and rain.

Playing with Play What Can We Learn About Cognition, Negotiation, and Evolution?
Bekoff - The evolution of mind, 1997 - cogprints.org
In these papers we mainly consider how analyses of social play in nonhuman animals (hereafter animals) can inform inquiries about the evolution of cognitive mechanisms. Social play is a good behavioral phenotype on which to concentrate for when animals play they typically perform behavior patterns that are used in other contexts (e.g. predation, aggression, or reproduction). Thus, individuals need to be able to tell one another that they do not want to eat, fight with, or mate with the other individual(s), but rather, they want to play with them. In most species (primarily mammals) in which play has been observed, specific actions have evolved that are used to initiate or to maintain play. Furthermore, sequences of play usually differ from nonplay sequences (within species) and self-handicapping has also been observed, in which, for example, dominant individuals allow themselves to be dominated only in the context of play. In our consideration of how play is initiated and maintained, we discuss issues including the evolution of play, the ecology of play, the sorts of information that are shared during play, what cognitive psychologists who study humans can learn from cognitive ethologists who study other animals, and what play can tell us about the emergence of mind in animals. These essays draw on literature from ethology, psychology, and philosophy. (see html)

Teleology, function, design and the evolution of animal behaviour
Bekoff, Allen - Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 1995 - Elsevier
Concerns about teleological language in evolutionary biology focus on the notions of function, design and adaptation. Accounts that naturalize these ideas are currently popular. In keeping with recent developments in evolutionary theory and philosophy of biology, three naturalistic analyses of function ג€” current utility, historical function, and functions as capacities ג€” should be differentiated. All have roles to play in biology, although the historical conception seems the most central to evolutionary theory. While rarely distinguished from function, design should be regarded as an extension of historical function. We consider the utility of this distinction for the study of behaviour.

Observations of scent-marking and discriminating self from others by a domestic dog (Canis familiaris): tales of displaced yellow snow
Bekoff - Behavioural processes, 2001 - Elsevier
Little is known about what stimuli trigger urinating or scent-marking in domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, or their wild relatives. While it is often suggested that the urine of other animals influences urinating and scent-marking patterns in canids, this has not been verified experimentally. To investigate the role of urine in eliciting urinating and marking, in this pilot study I moved urine-saturated snow (yellow snow) from place-to-place during five winters to compare the responses of an adult male domestic dog, Jethro, to his own and others’ urine. Jethro spent less time sniffing his own urine than that of other males or females, and that while his interest in his own urine waned with time it remained relatively constant for other individuals’ urine. Jethro infrequently urinated over or sniffed and then immediately urinated over (scent-marked) his own urine. He marked over the urine of other males more frequently than he marked over females’ urine. The method used here can be extended to other species for which experimental data are lacking. Though based on one dog, these novel data may further our knowledge of the role of scent-marking in territorial behavior and of sex differences in territory acquisition and maintenance.

Animals in science: some areas revisited
Bekoff, Gruen, Townsend, Rollin - Animal behaviour, 1992 - Elsevier
Science is a human activity, and as such, it is not value-free. Not only do subjective views permeate all types of science, they also prevail in many moral debates concerning how animals are used for primarily anthropocentric ends, even when formal philosophical argument is put forth. Four issues are addressed that demand closer attention by those who are seriously engaged in the collection, interpretation, and explanation of behavioural data. (1) It is important to recognize that an animal’s point of view is actually an animal’s point of view from a human’s point of view. (2) Attempts to quantify pain and suffering in animals are fraught with difficulties, and despite the best intentions, do not eliminate human responsibilities. (3) Appeals to science to resolve difficult questions concerning animal suffering must be combined with other factors including common sense and moral and ethical commitments. (4) When in doubt, err on the side of the animals. Those who study animal behaviour and behavioural ecology need to be particularly aware of problems of animal welfare for these types of research involve field observations, studies of captive animals, and experiments. In addition, findings from cognitive ethological investigations are used to inform and motivate discussion of human moral and ethical obligations to animals.

Predation and aversive conditioning in coyotes
Bekoff, Gustavson, Kelly, Garcia - Science (New York, NY, 1975 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Abstract unavailable.

Experimentally induced infanticide: the removal of birds and its ramifications
Bekoff - The Auk, 1993 - JSTOR
There currently is great interest in the ethical issues surrounding research on nonhuman animals (hereafter animals), including field studies of behavior and behavioral ecology (American Society of Mammalogists 1987, Oring et al. 1988, Michener 1989,Animal Behavior Society 1991, Bekoff and Jamieson1991, Cuthill 1991, Bekoff et al. 1992). Thus, a study (Emlen et al. 1989) of experimentally induced infanticide in Wattled Jacanas (Jacana jacana) deserves scrutiny, for there are some matters of concern centering on: (i) the review process for publication; (ii) the methods used to remove two adult female jacanas; (iii) the maiming and killing of seven their infants by replacement females a direct result of the deliberate removal of the mothers the young birds (for further discussion some ethical implications of infanticide studies, see Elwood 1991; for recent review of studies of cognition, pain,and stress in birds,see Elzanowsk and Abs 1991, Gentle 1992); and (iv) questions con- cerning trade-offs between the importance acquir ing different types of knowledge and the types of animal research that are permissible in the pursuit of this knowledge. (get pdf)

Cognitive ethology and applied philosophy: the significance of an evolutionary biology of mind
Bekoff, Jamieson - Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 1990 - Elsevier
The broad field of cognitive ethology, in which internal mental states are inferred from the behavior they explain, is receiving increased attention nowadays from diverse scientists and philosophers. The nature of the results and how they are presented greatly influence how humans assess their place in the natural world and how they view other animals. The attribution of consciousness and intelligence to other animals suggests that they have moral rights. The results of comparative cognitive ethological analyses and how they are presented may play a large role in defining the domain of morally permissible research, and in the development of research strategies including decisions on feeding and housing, treatment, handling, and what happens to animal subjects when the research is completed. Scientists and philosophers interested in the evolution of behavior and mental continuity can have a significant impact on how others view the world.

Cognitive ethology and the intentionality of animal behaviour
Allen, Bekoff - Mind & language, 1995 - Wiley Online Library
Cognitive ethologists are in need of a good theoretical framework for attributing intentional states. Heyes and Dickinson (1990) present criteria that they claim are necessary for an intentional explanation of behavior to be justified. They suggest that questions of intentionality can only be investigated under controlled laboratory conditions and they apply their criteria to laboratory experiments to argue that the common behavior of approaching food is not intentional in most animals. We dispute the details of their argument and interpretation of the laboratory experiments. While criteria such as those suggested have a role to play in comparative studies of cognition, both laboratory and field studies are important for assessing the applicability of intentional explanations across different taxa.

Prenatal motility and postnatal play: Functional continuity?
Bekoff, Byers, Bekoff
Behavioral continuity is a current topic of major interest in developmental psychobiology.

Possible functions of predator harassment in pronghorn antelopes
Lipetz, Bekoff
Predator harassment (Berger, 1979) usually is a rarely observed form of defense in ungulates that involves chasing of a predator by members of prey species.

Development, the conveniently forgotten variable in" true kin recognition."
Byers, Bekoff
Points out that in his sweeping dismissal of the existence of kin recognition (because kin recognition should be restricted narrowly to instances of apparently innate kin recognition), A. Grafen (see record 1990-16435-001 ) ignores a large body of information concerning behavioral development. He also ignores the strongest cases of kin recognition: offspring recognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Integrating humans and nature: reconciling the boundaries of science and society
Bekoff - Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 2000 - elibrary.ru
abstract unavailable

Consciousness and self in animals: some reflections
Bekoff - Zygonֲ®, 2003 - Wiley Online Library
In this essay I argue that many nonhuman animal beings are conscious and have some sense of self. Rather than ask whether they are conscious, I adopt an evolutionary perspective and ask why consciousness and a sense of self evolvedג€”what are they good for? Comparative studies of animal cognition, ethological investigations that explore what it is like to be a certain animal, are useful for answering this question. Charles Darwin argued that the differences in cognitive abilities and emotions among animals are differences in degree rather than differences in kind, and his view cautions against the unyielding claim that humans, and perhaps other great apes and cetaceans, are the only species in which a sense of self-awareness has evolved. I conclude that there are degrees of consciousness and self among animals and that it is likely that no animal has the same highly developed sense of self as that displayed by most humans. Many animals have a sense of body-ness or mine-ness but not a sense of I-ness. Darwin’s ideas about evolutionary continuity, together with empirical data (science sense) and common sense, will help us learn more about consciousness and self in animals. Answers to challenging questions about animal self-awareness have wide-ranging significance, because they are often used as the litmus test for determining and defending the sorts of treatments to which animals can be morally subjected. (get pdf)

Carruthers on nonconscious experience
Bekoff - Analysis, 1992 - analysis.oxfordjournals.org
In a recent article Peter Carruthers claims that ‘in the case of brutes: since their pains are nonconscious (as are all their mental states), they ought not to be allowed to get in the way of any morally-serious objective’ (p. 269). We believe that Carruthers’s argument for this conclusion involves both fallacious reasoning and false premisses. (get pdf)

Virtuous nature
Bekoff - New Scientist, 2002 - csa.com
It is generally believed that humans are the only creatures on Earth with a moral sense. The author disagrees and argues from observations of animals living in the wild that animals living in groups have a sense of fair play built on moral codes of conduct that help cement their social relationships. Draws heavily on recent reviews of research by Stephanie Preston and Frans de Waal, from the Yerkes Primate Center, Atlanta and Stanley Kuczaj’s group at Southern Mississippi University in Hattiesburg which shows that empathy is more widespread among animals than is generally accepted and a wide range of species behave in ways that support the claim that empathy has its roots in evolution. The recognition that animals have a moral dimension to their existence strengthens the case that the human race should accept its moral responsibility towards other animals.

The evolution of social play: Interdisciplinary analyses of cognitive processes
Bekoff, Allen - The cognitive animal, 2002 - books.google.com
Progress in understanding animal cognition requires interdisciplinary collaboration, among biologists, psychologists, cognitive scientists, neuroscientists and philosophers. In our own case, as a biologist and philosopher, our work has combined empirical and conceptual studies of social play. In this chapter we describe how our personal interests have contributed to our cooperative efforts. Our work is rooted in a series of long-term empirical studies of social play. When he decided to study social play for his doctoral research, many people told Marc that it was a waste of time for it was impossible to define and many others before had tried to study it and failed. While this provided the perfect challenge for a graduate student who had the full support of his advisor, Michael W. Fox, Marc frankly thought that his research on play would end when he received his degree. He was very wrong indeed. (get pdf)

Deep ethology, animal rights, and the Great Ape/Animal Project: Resisting speciesism and expanding the community of equals
Bekoff - Journal of Agricultural and environmental Ethics, 1997 - Springer
In this essay I argue that the evolutionary and comparative study of nonhuman animal (hereafter animal) cognition in a wide range of taxa by cognitive ethologists can readily inform discussions about animal protection and animal rights. However, while it is clear that there is a link between animal cognitive abilities and animal pain and suffering, I agree with Jeremy Bentham who claimed long ago the real question does not deal with whether individuals can think or reason but rather with whether or not individuals can suffer. One of my major goals will be to make the case that the time has come to expand. The Great Ape Project (GAP) to The Great Ape/Animal Project (GA/AP) and to take seriously the moral status and rights of all animals by presupposing that all individuals should be admitted into the Community of Equals. I also argue that individuals count and that it is essential to avoid being speciesist cognitivists; it really doesn’t matter whether dogs ape or whether apes dog when taking into account the worlds of different individual animals. Narrow-minded primatocentrism and speciesism must be resisted in our studies of animal cognition and animal protection and rights. Line-drawing into lower and higher species is a misleading speciesist practice that should be vigorously resisted because not only is line-drawing bad biology but also because it can have disastrous consequences for how animals are viewed and treated. Speciesist line-drawing also ignores within species individual differences.

Empathy: Common sense, science sense, wolves, and well-being
Bekoff - Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2002 - Cambridge Univ Press
Empathy is likely more widely distributed among animals than many researchers realize or perhaps are willing to admit. Studies of social carnivores, other group-living animals, and communication via different modalities will help us learn more about the evolutionary roots and behavioral, sensory, and cognitive underpinnings of empathy, including what it means to have a sense of self. There are also important implications for debates about animal well-being.

Predation by “shooting” in archer fish, Toxotes jaculatrix: Accuracy and sequences
Bekoff, Dorr - Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1976 - psycnet.apa.org
Studied 4 adult shooting archer fish in a captive situation. The accuracy with which they “shot” for prey and the sequences that they performed during shooting were analyzed. Ss were successful in shooting at suspended prey 25.5% of the time. Shooting was preceded by a series of 6 acts. The typical sequence, based on an analysis of transition probabilities, was Orient, Swim, Rotate Vertically, and Shoot. Leaping out of the water and a 2nd vertical rotation were also observed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)

Awareness: Animal reflections
Bekoff - Nature, 2002 - nature.com
Researchers are interested in animal awareness because they are curious to discover what animals might know about themselves. There are, however, long-held and polarized views about the degree of self-awareness in animals.

The evolution of animal play, emotions, and social morality: on science, theology, spirituality, personhood, and love
Bekoff - Zygon, 2001 - Wiley Online Library
My essay first takes me into the arena in which science, spirituality, and theology meet. I comment on the enterprise of science and how scientists could well benefit from reciprocal interactions with theologians and religious leaders. Next, I discuss the evolution of social morality and the ways in which various aspects of social play behavior relate to the notion of behaving fairly. The contributions of spiritual and religious perspectives are important in our coming to a fuller understanding of the evolution of morality. I go on to discuss animal emotions, the concept of personhood, and how our special relationships with other animals, especially the companions with whom we share our homes, help us to define our place in nature, our humanness. It is when we take the life of another being in the ritual of compassionately euthanizing them (putting them to sleep) that who we are in the grand scheme of things comes to the fore. I end with a discussion of the importance of ethological studies, behavioral research in which a serious attempt is made to understand animals in their own worlds, inquiries in which it is asked, What is it like to be another species? Species other than nonhuman primates need to be studied. I plead for developing compassionate, heartfelt, and holistic science that allows for interdisciplinary talk about respect, grace, spirituality, religion, love, Earth, and God. (get pdf))

Interactions among dogs, people, and the environment in Boulder, Colorado: A case study
Bekoff, Meaney - Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 1997 - ingentaconnect.com
From September 1995 to April 1996 we studied interactions among dogs, people, and the environment in Boulder, Colorado. Data on behavioral disturbances by off-leash dogs who were accompanied by a person were collected with respect to dog-dog and dog-human interactions, dog-wildlife encounters, dogs trampling vegetation, and dogs entering and disturbing bodies of water. A questionnaire also was administered. Behavioral data showed that off-leash dogs generally did not travel far off trail, that when they did it was for short periods of time, and that they rarely were observed to chase other dogs, disturb people, chase wildlife, destroy vegetation, or enter bodies of water. Results from analyses of the questionnaire (skewed toward non-dog owners) showed that dog owners and non-dog owners agreed that people were more disruptive to the environment than dogs and that unruly people were more problematic than unruly dogs. We conclude that the well-being and interests of dogs should not summarily and dismissively be compromised when dogs and people attempt to share limited space that can be used by all parties for recreational purposes. Indeed, a higher percentage of people reported that the quality of dogs’ experience of the outdoors would be compromised more than their own enjoyment if dogs could not walk off-leash in areas where this is currently permitted. The methods used and the results from this case study can serve as a model for other locations in which dogs and people compete for limited spatial resources. (get pdf))

Animal Play and the Evolution of Morality: An Ethological Approach
Allen, Bekoff - Topoi, 2005 - Springer
In this paper we argue that there is much to learn about wild justice and the evolutionary origins of morality behaving fairly by studying social play behavior in group-living mammals. Because of its relatively wide distribution among the mammals, ethological investigation of play, informed by interdisciplinary cooperation, can provide a comparative perspective on the evolution of ethical behavior that is broader than is provided by the usual focus on primate sociality. Careful analysis of social play reveals rules of engagement that guide animals in their social encounters. Because of its significance in development, play may provide a foundation of fairness for other forms of cooperation that are advantageous to group living. Questions about the evolutionary roots of cooperation, fairness, trust, forgiveness, and morality are best answered by attention to the details of what animals do when they engage in social play how they negotiate agreements to cooperate, to forgive, to behave fairly, and to develop trust. We consider questions such as why play fairly? Why did play evolve as it has? Does being fair mean being more fit? Do individual variations in play influence an individuals reproductive fitness? Can we use information about the foundations of moral behavior in animals to help us understand ourselves? We conclude that there is likely to be strong selection for cooperative fair play because there are mutual benefits when individuals adopt this strategy and group stability may also be fostered. Numerous mechanisms have evolved to facilitate the initiation and maintenance of social play, to keep others engaged, so that agreeing to play fairly and the resulting benefits of doing so can be readily achieved.

Aquatic animals, cognitive ethology, and ethics: questions about sentience and other troubling issues that lurk in turbid water (pdf)
Bekoff - Diseases of aquatic organisms, 2007 - i-mar.cl
In this general, strongly pro-animal, and somewhat utopian and personal essay, I argue that we owe aquatic animals respect and moral consideration just as we owe respect and moral consideration to all other animal beings, regardless of the taxonomic group to which they belong. In many ways it is more difficult to convince some people of our ethical obligations to numerous aquatic animals because we do not identify or empathize with them as we do with animals with whom we are more familiar or to whom we are more closely related, including those species (usually terrestrial) to whom we refer as charismatic megafauna. Many of my examples come from animals that are more well studied but they can be used as models for aquatic animals. I follow Darwinian notions of evolutionary continuity to argue that if we feel pain, then so too do many other animals, including those that live in aquatic environs. Recent scientific data (‘science sense’) show clearly that many aquatic organisms, much to some people’s surprise, likely suffer at our hands and feel their own sorts of pain. Throughout I discuss how cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds) is the unifying science for understanding the subjective, emotional, empathic, and moral lives of animals because it is essential to know what animals do, think, and feel as they go about their daily routines. Lastly, I argue that when we are uncertain if we are inflicting pain due to our incessant, annoying, and frequently unnec- essary intrusions into the lives of other animals as we go about ‘redecorating nature’ (removing animals or moving them from place to place), we should err on the side of the animals and stop engaging in activities that cause pain and suffering. (get pdf))

Variations in avoidance responses to humans by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)
Lengas, Bekoff - Journal of mammalogy, 1987 - JSTOR
Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludomcianus) are gregarious rodents that typically live in large colonies (Hoogland, 1979; King, 1955, 1959). The characteristic avoidance response displayed by these small mammals to the approach and presence of nonhuman predators (King, 1955) consists of an alarm bark that servers to warn other group members of impending danger, followed by running to the burrow and hiding (for details see Waring, 1970).

Cheek rubbing as grooming by Abert squirrels
Halloran, Bekoff - Animal behaviour, 1995 - Elsevier
Cheek rubbing is thought to be a form of active scent marking in many terrestrial and arboreal sciurids. However, some observations of arboreal sciurids suggest that cheek rubbing may also be a form of self-grooming. The purpose of this study was to examine possible functions of cheek rubbing by free-living Abert squirrels, Sciurus aberti. When the frequencies of behaviour patterns that occurred within a cheek-rubbing sequence were compared to the frequencies of acts that occurred at other times, grooming and alert behaviour patterns had a higher probability of occurring, whereas travelling, nesting, and various social behaviour patterns (such as chasing) had a significantly lower probability of occurring during cheek-rubbing sequences. Food-related behaviour patterns or grooming usually preceded cheek rubbing. Cheek rubbing also did not predominantly occur at home-range boundaries or at nest sites. Although passive scent marking cannot be ruled out, these results suggest that cheek rubbing by Abert squirrels has evolved more as a form of self-grooming to remove food residue, rather than as active scent marking.

Animal minds, cognitive ethology, and ethics
Allen, Bekoff - The Journal of ethics, 2007 - Springer
Our goal in this paper is to provide enough of an account of the origins of cognitive ethology and the controversy surrounding it to help ethicists to gauge for themselves how to balance skepticism and credulity about animal minds when communicating with scientists. We believe that ethicists arguments would benefit from better understanding of the historical roots of ongoing controversies. It is not appropriate to treat some widely reported results in animal cognition as if their interpretations are a matter of scientific consensus. It is especially important to understand why loose references to cognitive ethology by philosophers can signal ignorance of the field to scientists who are more deeply immersed in the relevant literature. Understanding the variety of approaches to cognitive phenomena in animals is essential if such capacities are to form the foundation of scientifically-informed ethical reasoning about animals. (get pdf))

Animal welfare and individual characteristics: A conversation against speciesism
Bekoff, Gruen
It seems impossible for a human being not to have some point of view concerning nonhuman animal (hereafter animal) welfare. Many people make decisions about how humans are permitted to treat animals using speciesist criteria, basing their decisions on an individual’s species membership rather than on that animal’s individual characteristics. Although speciesism provides a convenient way for making difficult decisions about who should be used in different types of research, we argue that such decisions should rely on an analysis of individual characteristics and should not be based merely on species membership. We do not argue that the concept of species is never useful or important. To make our points, we present a conversation among a skeptic, an agnostic, and a proponent of the view that our moral obligations to an animal must be based on an analysis of that individual’s characteristics. In the course of the discussion, concepts such as personhood, consciousness, cognitive ability, harm, and pain are presented, because one’s understanding of these concepts informs his or her ethical decisions about the use of animals by humans. ([get pdf](http://home.ku.edu.tr/canerdogan/public_html/comm/animal welfare.pdf)))

Fighting patterns in young coyotes: initiation, escalation, and assessment
Bekoff, M Tyrrell, VE Lipetz, Jamieson - Aggressive Behavior, 1981 - Wiley Online Library
The fighting patterns of young coyotes were studied and 2,350 fights were analyzed. Our results can be summarized as follows: 1) No major injuries were sustained by any of the infants, even in unritualized bouts. 2) In pairs, there was no relationship between social rank and the proportion of fights that were initiated by either animal. 3) Dominant animals were more likely than subordinate individuals to escalate first (perform the first unprovoked dangerous move) during short interactions and to escalate and then subsequently win short fights. 4) Highest-ranking (alpha) individuals in litters did not fight the most. 5) Alpha individuals initiated 73% of the fights in which they partook. Alpha coyotes initiated and then won 86% of the contests that they initiated. 6) For fourth-ranking coyotes in litters, there was a perfect positive correlation between the proportion of times that they initiated fights and the proportion of times that they initiated and then won encounters. They initiated interactions least with the first- to third-ranking animals. 7) Alpha and fourth-ranking animals escalated about the same proportion of the time, but alpha coyotes escalated and then won a greater proportion of fights. 8) Both alpha and fourth-ranking animals initiated and then escalated the greatest proportion of time with individuals nearest in rank, with whom they may have experienced the greatest difficulty in assessing relative social standing. 9) Our data suggested that individuals, especially in litters, were able to make pre-fight assessments but that they were not perfect with respect to this ability. During-fight assessments appeared to be easier to make, using escalation to test an opponent.

Cognitive ethology: The comparative study of animal minds
Bekoff - Blackwell Companion to Cognitive Science, 1995 - cogprints.org
Cognitive ethology is the comparative, evolutionary, and ecological study of nonhuman animal (hereafter animal) minds including thought processes, beliefs, rationality, information-processing, and consciousness. It is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field of science that is attracting much attention from researchers in numerous and diverse disciplines including those interested in animal welfare (Cheney and Seyfarth, 1990; Ristau, 1991; Griffin, 1992; Allen and Bekoff, 1995, 1997; Bekoff and Allen, 1996; Bekoff and Jamieson, 1996). Cognitive ethology can trace its beginnings to the writings of Charles Darwin, an anecdotal cognitivist (Jamieson and Bekoff, 1993), and some of his contemporaries and disciples. Their approach incorporated appeals to evolutionary theory, interests in mental continuity, concerns with individual and intraspecific variation, interests in the worlds of the animals themselves, close associations with natural history, and attempts to learn more about the behavior of animals in conditions that are as close as possible to the natural environment where selection has occurred. They also relied on anecdote and anthropomorphism to inform and to motivate more rigorous study. In addition, cognitive ethologists are frequently concerned with the diversity of solutions that living organisms have found for common problems. They also emphasize broad taxonomic comparisons and do not focus on a few select representatives of limited taxa. Many people inform their views of cognitive ethology by appealing to the same studies over and over again (usually those done on nonhuman primates), and ignore the fact that there are many other animals who also show interesting patterns of behavior that lend themselves to cognitive studies. (see html))

Resisting speciesism and expanding the community of equals
Bekoff - BioScience, 1998 - JSTOR
Resisting speciesism and expanding the community of equals he issues with which those interested in nonhuman animal (hereafter “animal”) protection must deal are numerous, diverse, difficult, and extremely contentious; interdisciplinary work is needed to try to come

Redecorating nature: reflections on science, holism, community, humility, reconciliation, spirit, compassion, and love (pdf)
Bekoff - Human Ecology Review, 2000 - Citeseer
Numerous humans - in my opinion, far too many - con- tinue to live apart from nature, rather than as a part of nature. In this personal essay I discuss various aspects of traditional science and suggest that holistic and heart-driven compassionate science needs to replace reductionist and impersonal science. I argue that creative proactive solutions drenched in deep caring, respect, and love for the universe need to be developed to deal with the broad range of prob- lems with which we are confronted. Simply put, I have had enough. I want the world to be a better place for all of its inhabitants and time is not on our side. I feel a deep sense of urgency and passionate impatience. We are worrying about wildness as it is disappearing right in front of our eyes - as I write and we discuss. Thus, I am willing to open myself to criticism, to be vulnerable for expressing views that are not part of main-stream science. Rather than take a doomsday view that the world will not even exist in 100 years if we fail to accept our unique responsibilities, it is more disturbing to imagine a world in which humans and other life coexist in the absence of any intimacy and interconnectedness. Surely we do not want to be remembered as the generation that killed nature. To illustrate some of my points, I discuss various aspects of translocation studies in which animals are moved about from one place to another in humans attempts to redecorate nature. In these projects interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary and disciplinary boundaries must be trespassed. I also emphasize the importance of teaching chil- dren well for their and our futures rest on their developing a deeply-rooted caring ethic. My vision is to create a world- wide community in which humans perceive themselves as a part of nature and not apart from her, in which humans who are overwhelmed and whose spirits and souls have been robbed and squelched by living in and amongst steel, con- crete, asphalt, noise, and a multitude of invasions of their pri- vate space reconnect with raw nature - with the wind in their faces, the odors of wild flowers, and the sounds, sights, odors, and touch of other animals and inanimate environs. A world in which sensing is feeling. Nature is our uncondi- tional friend and reconnecting with nature can help overcome alienation and loneliness. The power of love must not be underestimated as we forge ahead to reconnect with nature. (get pdf))

Feralization: the making of wild domestic animals
Bekoff - Behavioural processes, 1989 - Elsevier
The widely accepted viewpoint that feralization is the reverse of domestication requires that the feralization process be restricted to populations of animals and, therefore, cannot occur in individuals. An alternative, ontogenetic approach is presented in which feralization is defined as the process by which individual domestic animals either become desocialized from humans, or never become socialized, and thus behave as untamed, non-domestic animals. Feralization will vary among species and, intraspecifically, will depend upon an individual’s age and history of socialization to humans. Because feralization is not equated with morphological change resulting from evolutionary processes, species formation is not an accurate indicator of feral condition.

Deep ethology
Bekoff - Intimate relationships, embracing the natural world, 1997 - cogprints.org
The first four quotations make me ill – the fifth make me feel good. I continually ask myself how in the world can anyone who has any – even minimal – grounding in the world, write so coldly and objectively about the pain and suffering that they produce in nonhuman, not subhuman, animals (hereafter animals), or be so arrogant as to make claims like those of Professor Howard, a biologist who often appeals to his lifelong work with animals to motivate his positions on animal welfare. How are they able to detach themselves from themselves and the animals about whom they are trying to learn. Research should be fun; are they really having fun? And, if so, then how can producing pain and suffering be fun? Respecting all individual’s lives and treating them with dignity should direct every single one of our interactions with the animals with whom we share the planet. (see html))

Minding animals, minding earth: Old brains, new bottlenecks
Bekoff - Zygon, 2003 - Wiley Online Library
I emphasize the importance of broadening behavioral, ecological, and conservation science into a more integrative, interdisciplinary, socially responsible, compassionate, spiritual, and holistic endeavor. I stress the significance of studies of animal behavior, especially ethological research concerned with animal emotions in which individuals are named and recognized for their own personalities, for helping us to learn not only about the nonhuman animal beings with whom we share Earth but also about who we are and our place in nature. We are best understood in relationship with others. To this end I develop the notions of minding animals and deep ethology. Animals are sources of wisdom, a way of knowing.
We are all citizens of Earth, members of a global community in which intimate reciprocal and beneficent peaceful relationships are mandatory. A world without cruelty and with boundless compassion, respect, grace, humility, spirituality, and love would be a better world in which to live. We have compelling responsibilities for making Earth a better and more peaceful habitat for all beings. It is essential that we do better than our ancestors. We must reflect and step lightly as we redecorate nature. Time is not on our side.
I plead for the development of heartfelt and holistic science that allows for joy and play. Science need not be suspicious of things it cannot fully understand. We must not avert our eyes or other senses from the eyes and voices of other beings who urgently need our uncompromising and unconditional aid and love. We can do much more than we have done for animals and the Earth.

The ontogeny and organization of comfort behavior in Adelie penguins
Bekoff, Ainley - The Wilson Bulletin, 1979 - JSTOR
The development of comfort behaviors in Adֳ©lie Penguins and the organization of comfort activities in adults, were studied at Cape Crozier, Ross Island, Antarctica. Non-oiling and dry-oiling (feathers not wet) comfort sequences were compared to one another; these results were then compared to data collected by Ainley (1974) on wet-oiling by adults immediately after they emerged from the sea. For purposes of analyzing the ontogeny of non-oiling comfort activities, chicks were grouped into 3 groups: 7-13, 14-20 and 21-28 days of age. Dry-oiling was observed in chicks 35-43 days of age. Our results were as follows. (1) Only yawning occurred on the day after hatching. The earliest preening movements appeared on day 7 (breast and belly preening). Oil distribution behaviors appeared between days 30-33, the same period during which the oil gland became functional. The first dry-oiling sequence was observed on day 35. (2) There was no difference in the duration of non-oil comfort sequences between chicks over 13 days of age and adults. Chicks performed fewer acts per min than did adults and therefore the mean number of acts per sequence was lower in chicks. (3) In general, behaviors were randomly distributed throughout comfort sequences. Exceptions include oiling by adults and chicks, bill-to-wing-edge by adults, and back preening by chicks. (4) During transitions from 1 act to another, chicks aged 21-28 days remained on the same side of the body and in the same area with the same relative frequency as non-oiling adults. (5) Dry-oiling by chicks and adults shared many common characteristics: (i) oiling occurred non-randomly in the beginning of the sequences, (ii) the relative frequency of occurrence of breast and belly preening was the same, (iii) during transitions from 1 act to another, the groups did not differ with respect to remaining on the same side of the body and in the same body area, (iv) actions leading to and immediately following oiling occurred very frequently (> 78%) on the same side of the body to which the head was turned when gathering oil in the bill. (get pdf))

Animal Emotions and Animal Sentience and Why They Matter: Blending ‘Science Sense’ with Common Sense, Compassion and Heart (pdf)
Bekoff - Animals, Ethics and Trade. London: Earthscan, 2006 - landofpuregold.com
Discussions of animal emotions and animal sentience are wonderful for raising difficult and frustrating questions. This chapter is intended to be a non- traditional essay and I hope it generates kind discussion and that what I talk about is not dismissed on the grounds that Im simply losing my mind. I assure you Im not. Well, at least I think Im not. I simply want to put forth some ideas that some might find controversial. Throwing caution to the wind is a good thing to do from time to time. It makes us dig deeply into our minds and hearts to see who we are and what we think about matters at hand. And sometimes we dont like where we end up, which can be outside of our com- fort zones. (get pdf))

Translocation effects on the behavior of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus)
Farrar, Coleman, Bekoff, Stone - Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactios of People & Animals, 1998 - ingentaconnect.com
We examined the effects of translocation on Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) anti-predator behavior by recording response distances and response times to a human intruder in three colonies containing native, translocated, and combined native and translocated prairie dogs. The translocated prairie dogs barked alarms and concealed themselves at significantly greater intruder distances than mixed or native colonies. However, individuals in different colonies did not differ in the time taken to return to a burrow, to conceal themselves after a human approached the colony, or in the time elapsed after concealment until an animal reappeared. Translocated prairie dogs exhibited nearly twice the distance sensitivity to intrusion as native prairie dogs. Increased sensitivity to disturbance complicates management considerations of translocated populations that are subject to human traffic. This increase in sensitivity may necessitate translocation to isolated or undisturbed sites, protecting sites from disturbance, translocating larger groups of prairie dogs, or all three in order for translocated populations to persist.

Social cognition: Exchanging and sharing information on the run
Bekoff - Erkenntnis, 1999 - Springer
In this essay I consider various aspects of the rapidly growing field of cognitive ethology, concentrating mainly on evolutionary and comparative discussion of the notion of intentionality. I am not concerned with consciousness, per se, for a concentration on consciousness deflects attention from other, and in many cases more interesting, problems in the study of animal cognition. I consider how, when, where, and (attempt to discuss) why individuals from different taxa exchange social information concerning their beliefs, desires, and goals. My main examples come from studies of social play in mammals and antipredator behavior in birds. Basically, I argue that although not all individuals always display behavior patterns that are best explained by appeals to intentionality, it is misleading to argue that such explanations have no place in the study of animal cognition.

Animals, nature, and ethics
Bekoff, Hettinger - Journal of mammalogy, 1994 - JSTOR
Recently, Howard (1993, Journal of Mammalogy, 74:234-235) argued for the defensibility of research on nonhuman animals (hereafter animals). Unfortunately, his essay is unnecessarily combative, lacking in detail, unbalanced, and poorly argued. Howard (1993) unfairly and mistakenly stereotypes as biologically naive anyone who rejects his position that nature’s poor treatment of wild animals justifies animal research. Those interested in the morality of animal research deserve better guidance than what Howard (1993) provides. Here, we analyze Howard’s (1993) claims and their implications, present relevant literature on ethics and animals, and conclude that much work remains to be done to understand and properly appreciate the moral dimensions of animal research. The questions raised about uses of animals by humans in various activities, including research, are difficult and demand careful interdisciplinary analysis. Simple answers should not be expected. We explore some of the issues and make them accessible to a wide audience, including practicing scientists.

Measuring dominance and constructing hierarchies: an example using mule deer
Tomback, Wachtel, Driscoll, Bekoff - Ethology, 1989 - Wiley Online Library
Important issues that are still unresolved in the study of animal social groups are how dominance is measured and how individuals are ranked. Based on observations of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), we constructed hierarchies for the same 26 bucks using five potential correlates of dominance and three measures based on the outcome of agonistic interactions. Data for each of six behavior measures were converted to ranks by six different numerical techniques.
Different measures of behavior resulted in different hierarchies. This was especially so when the hierarchy based on sparring rates was compared to hierarchies based on other criteria. Although our results showed that dominance is not a unitary concept, several measures of dominance were highly correlated with one another. Thus, one measure, in some instances, may be a good but imperfect predictor of dominance defined by other criteria.
For data sets based on index scores or rates of performing behavior, the mean difference and standard-error difference ranking methods had distinct advantages. Both produced equally weighted ranks that minimized the effects of sampling errors.

Why Good Welfare Isn’t Good Enough: Minding Animals and Increasing Our Compassionate Footprint
Bekoff - Annual Review of Biomedical Sciences, 2008 - arbs.biblioteca.unesp.br
In this brief essay I take a broad perspective on the notion of unraveling welfare and consider animals living in different conditions ranging from caged individuals in laboratories and zoos to free-living or almost free-living wildlife. Ill step outside of the laboratory because billions of animals are slaughtered for food in an industry that tortures them on the way to their reprehensible deaths and at the places at which they are slaughtered. Furthermore, government agencies around the world kill millions of free-living and wild animals because theyre supposedly pests. This is a different sort of essay but I hope it will stimulate people to rethink what we mean by the phrase animal welfare in a broad and constructive ways because the way people interact with animals in laboratories is influenced by how they see animals in other contexts including outside of caged environments. Unraveling animal welfare means unscrambling our interrelationships with other animals by asking difficult questions about who we think we are, who we think they are, what we think we know, what we actually know. Ill argue that good welfare isnt good enough because existing laws and regulations still allow animals to be subjected to enduring pain and suffering and death in the name of science, which really means in the name of humans. We must do better for all animals and we can do so by taking into account the perspective of the each and every individual who we use for research, education, amusement, and for food and clothing. We must also consider individuals who we house in zoos and move around as if theyre pieces of furniture, for example, when zoos redecorate themselves because they need an ambassador for a given species or because an individual no longer brings in money. And we must also consider the fate of individuals when we redecorate nature by moving animals here and there for our and not their benefit; is it permissible to trade off the life of an individual for the good of their species? The emotional lives of animals are not all that private, hidden, or secret and animal emotions and sentience force us to care for them and to protect them from pain, suffering, and death. I conclude that everyone can do more to increase their compassion footprint and list ten reasons why animals are asking us to treat them better or leave them alone, and these reasons also bear on the unraveling of animal welfare. (get pdf))

Effects of serial lesions in cat visual cortex on a brightness discrimination
Bekoff, Lockwood, - Brain Research, 1973 - psycnet.apa.org
Reports the effects on a dark-light discrimination of serial unilateral lesions of the visual cortex of cats and compares these results with the previously reported effects of simultaneous, bilateral lesions.

Collecting birds: The importance of moral debate
Bekoff, Elzanowski - Bird Conservation International, 1997 - Cambridge Univ Press
In a recent article in this journal, Remsen (1995) attacked moral (and other) objections to killing birds for museum collections, objections that are frequently raised by the general public and scientific community alike. The only grounds for moral objections against killing birds that Remsen considers and rejects are reverence for all life or personal (p. 157; all page references refer to Remsen 1995), that is sentimental (p. 165) reasons. What Remsen ignores is avian sentience and the moral imperative of respecting it.

[[http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1641/0006-3568(2000)050%5B0635:RNDSHF%5D2.0.CO;2][Redecorating nature: Deep science, holism, feeling, and heart]]
BEKOFF - BioScience, 2000 - BioOne
Back off, man, I’m a scientist. I’ve been haunted by this bumper sticker for many years. I’m a scientist. I love what I do.Doing science is fun. When I first saw this slogan, it bothered me because I thought it sent a false message concerning the arrogance of scientists …

Behavioral interactions and conflict among domestic dogs, black-tailed prairie dogs, and people in Boulder, Colorado
Bekoff, Ickes - Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 1999 - ingentaconnect.com
Interactions among domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), and people were studied at Dry Creek, Boulder, Colorado. Our objective was to develop a basic understanding of the nature of dog-prairie dog interactions in this recreational area, because this is an issue that has high visibility and over which there is conflict in Boulder: There are those who want dogs to run free regardless of their impact on the behavior and lives of prairie dogs and those who want to protect prairie dogs and have dogs restrained or go elsewhere. We found that dogs clearly influenced the behavior of prairie dogs, however, no prairie dogs were known to be caught or killed by any dog during the course of study. Prairie dogs disturbed by dogs were more alert (vigilant) and wary of dogs and played less than undisturbed individuals. However, disturbed prairie dogs were less wary of the presence of humans than undisturbed animals. People tried to stop dogs from harassing prairie dogs only 25% of the time. A survey showed that 58% of people polled at Dry Creek (all dog owners) did not believe that prairie dogs should be protected even if dogs are a problem. Increased human responsibility would likely go a long way towards reducing existing conflict among people wanting to protect prairie dogs and those who do not. Boulder city officials have not yet incorporated our data into their immediate management plans. However, by identifying the nature of dog-prairie dog encounters and specific areas of conflict among people who side either with dogs or prairie dogs, in the future, proactive strategies grounded by empirical data can be developed and implemented so that the interests of all parties can be accommodated.

Too stressed to work
Baldwin, Bekoff - The New Scientist Volume 194, Issue 2606, 2 June 2007
Scientists must provide lab animals with decent living conditions or accept that their results could be useless

Social play and physical training: When not enough may be plenty
Bekoff - Ethology, 1989 - Wiley Online Library
HOLE’S (1988) detailed analysis of temporal aspects of social play in laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) is an excellent example of what is needed in play research. Nonetheless, I believe that his and others’ (McDonald 1977; also see Fagen 1981) rejection of the importance of social play for physical training based on the duration of play bouts is premature …

Home range use by Abert squirrels: a comparative analysis
Bekoff - The Southwestern Naturalist, 2000 - JSTOR
We compared data from an analysis of space use by Abert squirrels (Sciurus aberti) performed in 1991 with data from a previous study performed in 1971 at the same study site (Farentinos, 1979). In both studies, home range estimates based on the 100% minimum convex polygon (MCP) method were positively correlated with sample size. The number of home range sightings used for calculations in the current study was significantly larger for both males and females when compared to that used by Farentinos (1979), as were estimates of home range. Results from the current study also contradict Farentinos’ earlier findings that males have larger home ranges during the breeding season than the nonbreeding season, and that males have larger home ranges during the breeding season than females year around. The method used to estimate home range sizes may have influenced the results, and the 100% MCP method may be of limited use for drawing meaningful biological comparisons, unless sample size is held constant.

Beyond monkey minds: Toward a richer cognitive ethology
Bekoff, Townsend, Jamieson - Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1994 - Cambridge Univ Press
The stimulating discussions presented in the BBS target article by Cheney & Seyfarth (C&S) (1992) and in the commentaries concerning their book, How monkeys see the world (C&S 1990b), clarify many issues in the growing field of cognitive ethology.

The public lives of animals (pdf)
Bekoff - Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2006 - blueskybroadcast.com
A few years ago I visited a major American university where I was asked to give a talk on the nature of animal emotions. My colleague, Bill, came up before the lecture to say hello and I asked him how his dog Reno was doing. For more than five minutes Bill extolled Renos deep emotional life he loves to play with his friends, misses Bill when hes gone, has separation anxiety and tears up garbage and books when hes alone, and a few days ago Reno got jealous when Bill gave his daughter attention … Following my talk Bill accused me of being too anthropomorphic and too sure of myself. He did it in a sort of light-hearted academic way. When he was done I simply asked him to recall for the audience the conversation that we had before my lec- ture about Renos emotional life. Bill turned slightly red … (get pdf))

The other side of silence: Rachel Carson’s views of animals
Bekoff, Nystrom - Zygon, 2004 - Wiley Online Library
The publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in 1962 is widely regarded as one of the major events that launched the modern environmental movement. Silent Spring is a compelling blend of stories, natural history, human val- ues, and biological facts. In this essay we consider Carsons attitude toward animals in Silent Spring and in other texts. Despite the facts that she was raised to love Nature and ani- mals, little direct attention has been given to Carsons views about our moral responsibilities to, and the moral standing of animals. Carson favored responsible stewardship, was more of an animal welfarist and environmentalist/conservation biologist who privileged ecosystems and species than an ani- mal activist who privileged individuals, and she did not advo- cate an animal rights agenda. There is clear tension in Carsons text. Often she seemed troubled by attempting to come across as a moderate and practical scientist and some of her words, when considered out of context, could lead one to label Carson as an animal rightist. While some of Carsons text favors human-centered interests, she did not believe that only humans counted. Her warnings about silent springs silent seasons must be taken seriously, perhaps even more seriously than when they were penned more than four decades ago. Surely, on the other side of silence, await magic, awe, and Natures cacophony of sounds along with a panoply of innumerable other sensory (visual and olfactory) experiences that help us to feel at one with all of Nature. We must be careful never to allow Nature to be silenced. Carson was a passionate and extremely influential activist, and there is no doubt that if there were a world of Rachel Carsons in charge of our global environmental policies, we and our fellow animals would surely be in much better shape than we currently are. (see pdf))

Feeding decisions by Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri): The utility of a logistic regression model for analyses of where, what, and with whom to eat
Bekoff, C Allen - Ethology, 1999 - Wiley Online Library
It is widely recognized that animal behavior is simultaneously affected by many variables. Both the study of interactions between these variables under naturalistic conditions and the proper statistical analysis of data derived from such studies remain particular problems for ethologists. In the present study we investigated choices by Stellers jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) selecting between two feeding locations under a variety of conditions. A multifactor logistic regression analysis of our data showed that the jays behavior was simultaneously affected by several variables, including proximity of the feeding site to cover, food preferences, and the presence of conspecifics and other animals. We found that (1) jays strongly preferred an unoccupied feeder over one occupied by another jay or a sympatric mammal with the effect of squirrels being much greater than that of other jays, (2) contrary to our expectations, in the absence of a reason to prefer the other feeder, the jays generally selected the feeder that was further from nearest cover, and (3) the presence of sunflower seeds on one feeder but not on the other provided a reason to prefer the feeder offering sunflower seeds. The logistic regression analysis provided a more complete and integrated model of the birds behavior than more commonly used univariate methods. Our approach and results are also applicable to studies of other animals. While univariate analyses are useful in some instances, multifactor procedures reveal more details about the interactions of single factors and future experimental studies can take advantage of this additional knowledge.

The animal’s point of view, animal welfare and some other related matters
Bekoff - Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1991 - Cambridge Univ Press
To study animal welfare empirically we need an objective basis for deciding when an animal is suffering. Suffering includes a wide range of unpleasant emotional states such as fear, boredom, pain, and hunger.

Do Dogs Ape–or Do Apes Dog–and Does it Matter–Broadening and Deepening Cognitive Ethology
Bekoff - Animal L., 1997 - HeinOnline
In Rain Without Thunder, Gary Francione raises numerous important issues and takes on many important people. The phrase “rain without thunder” made me think about the notion of animals without minds - animals without thoughts or feelings. This idea is troublesome …

Are you feeling what I’m feeling?
Bekoff - The New Scientist, 2007 - Elsevier
If you doubt that non-human animals have emotions, just look at them, listen to them and inhale the odours that pour out when they interact with friend or foe. I believe that what you see on the outside speaks volumes about what is happening inside an animal’s head and heart. Not long ago, the notion that animals have emotions was considered subversive, but opinion is changing. In recent years, reputable scientific journals have published research about moral dogs and chimps, joyful rats, grieving elephants, empathetic mice and fearful fish. Just watching a frolicking wolf, a whimpering dog, or a squealing piglet having his tail and testicles cut off without an anaesthetic is enough to convince me that these are emotional beings. The evidence of a single anecdote may not be very scientific, but as philosopher Dale Jamieson says, the plural of anecdote is data. What’s more, anecdotes such as those I recount in this article can also inspire new research.

Animal emotions, wild justice and why they matter: Grieving magpies, a pissy baboon, and empathic elephants
Bekoff - Emotion Space and Society, 2009 - mendeley.com
In this article regarding comparative and evolutionary research on animal emotions and morality, the author holds that non-human animals have emotional lives, and considers human emotions as gifts from other animals. Emotions serve as a social glue to bond animals with one another, catalyze and regulate a wide variety of social encounters among friends, lovers, and competitors, and permit animals to behave adaptively and flexibly using various behavior patterns in a wide variety of venues. In addition, emotions are also important in nonsocial situations and influence how humans and other animals relate to their wider environment. The author asserts that non-human animals have a kind of moral intelligence, and presents scientific theory, experimental evidence, and anecdotal evidence to support that view.

Intentionality, Social Play, and Definition
Bekoff - Bekoff/Jamieson, 1996 - books.google.com
Many behavioral biologists consider play an important behavioral phenotype. They have a hard time, however, coming up with a consensus definition of play. Most biologists who have observed mammals in the field can give examples of behaviors they consider to be playful …

SPACE-OUT: graphics programs to study and to simulate space use and movement patterns
Bekoff, Wieland, Lavender - Behavior Research Methods, 1982 - Springer
Recent reviews (Koeppl, Slade, & Hoffmann, 1975; Michener, 1979; Waser & Wiley, 1980, and references therein) have stressed the importance of spatial analyses for furthering our understanding of the ways in which space use and movements within an animal’s home …

The question of animal emotions: an ethological perspective
Bekoff - Mental Health and WellBeing in Animals, 2004 - Wiley Online Library
It is hard to watch elephants’ remarkable behavior during a family or bond group greeting ceremony, the birth of a new family member, a playful interaction, the mating of a relative, the rescue of a family member, or the arrival of a musth male, and not imagine that they feel …

Group living, natal philopatry, and Lindstroem’s lottery: It’s all in the family
Bekoff - Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 1987 - en.scientificcommons.org
Group living, natal philopatry, and Lindstrom’s lottery: It’s all in the family (1987).

Increasing Our Compassion Footprint: The Animals’ Manifesto
Bekoff - Zygon, 2008 - Wiley Online Library
Our relationships with animals are wide-ranging. When people tell me that they love animals and then harm or kill them I tell them I’m glad they don’t love me. Many individuals, including scientists, ignore their responsibility when they interact with animals and fail to recognize that doing something in the name of science, which usually means in the name of humans, is not an adequate reason for intentionally causing suffering, pain, or death. Good welfare usually is not good enough. Existing regulations allow animals to be treated in regrettable ways that demean us as a species. Compassion is the key for bettering both animal and human lives. A good way to make the world a more compassionate place for animals is to increase our compassion footprint. We could begin by deciding that we will not intrude on animals’ lives unless our actions are in the best interests of the animals irrespective of our desires. It is simple to make more compassionate choices about what we eat and wear and how we educate students, conduct research, and entertain ourselves at the expense of animals. The time to make these changes is long overdue. ([get pdf](http://literati.net/Bekoff/Increasing our compassion footprint.pdf)))

Feeding behavior in Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri): effects of food type and social context
Bekoff, Allen, Wolfe - Bird Behavior, 12, 1997 - ingentaconnect.com
In this study we analyzed various factors affecting the activities in which Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) engaged while feeding. We found that the rate of pecking at seeds by jays was affected by available seed type and the presence and activity of nearby conspecifics. Jays at an artificial feeding platform seemed to pay attention to other individuals, in that they pecked at a lower rate when another jay was nearby, except when the otherjay was feeding at a different platform. The decreased feeding rate when twojays shared the same feeding platform is contrary to the widely reported pattern of increased feeding and decreased scanning correlated with increased group size in various species. Our analysis suggests that this pattern of behavior fits with observations that Steller’s jays show site-specific dominance, mutual interference at a concentrated food source, and do not live in structured flocks with consistent membership.

Afterward: Ethics and the study of animal cognition
Jamieson, Bekoff - Readings in Animal Cognition, 1996 - books.google.com
In the heyday of logical empiricism (circa 1930-1960), science was seen as the purest of human activities. There was a single thing that was" the scientific method"; observations were distinct from and unaffected by theoretical commitments; theories were “sets of sentences” that made no essential referenc to knowers; explanation and prediction were regarded as formal relations between sentences that in principle could be made mechanical, and all of this theorizing, explaining, and predicting was thought to be uncontaminated by values.

Should scientists bond with the animals who they use? Why not
Bekoff - Psycoloquy, 1993 - en.scientificcommons.org
This volume is a rare find, an edited volume that is worth reading in its entirety. A combination of information from studies on captive and wild animals is needed to come to a fuller understanding of the many different aspects of scientist-animal interactions.

Cunning coyotes: Tireless tricksters, protean predators
Bekoff - Model systems in behavioral ecology, 2001 - books.google.com
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are amazing carnivores. They are many things to many people. They wear many faces that affect different people in different ways. They are victims of their own success.

Breeding behavior of evening grosbeaks
Bekoff - Condor, 1991 - JSTOR
From 1983-1987 we studied the breeding behavior of Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) living in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. These birds were typically monogamous; at only one of 64 nests (1.6%) was polygny documented. Reproductive behaviors performed by adult males and females were first analyzed across all mating seasons and then with respect to five consecutive nest stages (build/egg laying, incubate, brood, brood/fledge, fledge) and the outcome (success or failure) of individual nests. Adult males and females contributed unequally to the ten most frequently observed behaviors; half were performed almost exclusively by one or the other sex. Males typically fed and protected their mates and what we presumed to be their young; whereas females usually built the nest, incubated, brooded, and also fed their young. Feeding, soft calling from the perch, and fecal removal were performed relatively equally by adult males and females. The success or failure of nests was not associated with patterns of parental behavior. Our results indicate that Evening Grosbeaks formed a partnership in which they divided the effort involved in nest preparation and raising the young at the high altitude where this population was observed.

Functional aspects of play as revealed by structural components and social interaction patterns
Bekoff - Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1982 - Cambridge Univ Press
Functional aspects of play as revealed by structural components and social interaction patterns.

Where’s the brain? Geometric and cognitive underpinnings of group-size effects on vigilance
Bekoff - Behavioural processes, 2003 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Where’s the brain? Geometric and cognitive underpinnings of group-size effects on vigilance.

Life-history patterns and sociality in canids: body size, reproduction, and behavior
Bekoff, Diamond - Oecologia, 1981 - Springer
Empirical associations among co-adapted traits such as body size and patterns of reproduction, development, and behavior are unknown for most animal species, despite numerous theories suggesting otherwise. One way to study these complex relationships is first to consider closely related species and then to generalize findings to other groups. In the present study, relationships among body size, reproductive patterns, development, and sociality were examined in 17 members of the family Canidae (canids). Large canids are more social than smaller species, and offspring of large species achieve independence and tend to breed first at a later age. Large females give birth to absolutely larger young, but relative to their own body weight they allocate fewer resources to bringing a large pup to term. Overall, sexual dimorphism in size is small to moderate, and this is associated with monogamous mating habits and paternal care of young.

[[http://www.jstor.org/stable/info/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051\0171:SRCASM\2.0.CO;2][Science, religion, cooperation, and social morality]] BEKOFF - BioScience, 2001 - JSTOR
Few scientists and religious scholars have seriously pondered how science and religion can be reconciled. But times are changing. Not long ago I attended two meetings that brought together scientists, theologians, and religious scholars to discuss just that issue. The first gathering was part of the Science and the Spiritual Quest II program () sponsored by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences in Berkeley, California. The other was organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Participants at both of these meetings spoke freely about science (evolutionary biology, ethology, neuroscience, anthropology, psychology), theology, religion, and God, and made a lot of progress in their interdisciplinary efforts to address the confluence of religion and science. Social morality is a subject at the intersection of religion and science, one that can unite people from different disciplines. Many peoplelaymen, theologians, scientistswonder whether some nonhuman animal beings (hereafter animals) have codes of social conduct that regulate their behavior during social encounters. Charles Darwin’s ideas about evolutionary continuitythat behavioral, cognitive (intellectual), and emotional variations among different species are differences in degree rather than in kindare often invoked in such exercises.

But is it research? What price interdisciplinary interests?
Bekoff - Biology and Philosophy, 1994 - Springer
That interdisciplinary work has become the rule, rather than the exception, in many branches of science and in many areas of the humanities, is a gross understatement. One needs only to consider the rifles of various journals, the names of various professional societies, or peruse the shelves of book stores to see that interdisciplinary interests abound.

A method for the analysis of activity and spatial relations in animal groups
Bekoff, Corcoran - Behavior Research Methods, 1975 - Springer
Scientists interested in animal social organization frequently need to ask questions concerning the interindiual spatial relations among members of a group (the use of space), but often omit consideration of the ways in which interindividual spatial relations and individual activity patterns are related to one another.

Considering Animals Not Higher Primates
Bekoff - Zygon, 2003
In this essay I argue that many nonhuman animal beings are conscious and have some sense of self. Rather than ask whether they are conscious, I adopt an evolutionary perspective and ask why consciousness and a sense of self evolved - what are they good for? Comparative studies of animal cognition, ethological investigations that explore what it is like to be a certain animal, are useful for answering this question. Charles Darwin argued that the differences in cognitive abilities and emotions among animals are differences in degree rather than differences in kind, and his view cautions against the unyielding claim that humans, and perhaps other great apes and cetaceans, are the only species in which a sense of self-awareness has evolved. I conclude that there are degrees of consciousness and self among animals and that it is likely that no animal has the same highly developed sense of self as that displayed by most humans. Many animals have a sense of body-ness or mine-ness but not a sense of I-ness. Darwin’s ideas about evolutionary continuity, together with empirical data (science sense) and common sense, will help us learn more about consciousness and self in animals. Answers to challenging questions about animal self-awareness have wide-ranging significance, because they are often used as the litmus test for determining and defending the sorts of treatments to which animals can be morally subjected. (get pdf))

Animal play and behavioral diversity
Bekoff - The American Naturalist, 1975 - JSTOR
Fagen’s (1974) recent paper concerning selective and evolutionary aspects of animal play provides very interesting reading for those scientists interested in this category of behavior.

Ignoring nature: Why we do it, the dire consequences, and the need for a paradigm shift to Save animals, habitats, and ourselves
Bekoff, Bexell - Human Ecology Review, 2010 - humanecologyreview.org
We live in a wounded world that is in dire need of healing. We all should be troubled and terrified by what we have done and continue to do. Humans have made huge and horrific global messes that need to be repaired now. The overrid- ing sense of turmoil is apparent to anyone who takes the time to pay attention. Researchers and non-researchers alike are extremely concerned about unprecedented global losses of biodiversity and how humans suffer because of our destruc- tive ways. We are animals and we should be proud and aware of our membership in the animal kingdom. However, our unique contribution to the decimation of the planet and its many life forms demeans us. (get pdf))

Minding animals, minding earth: Science, nature, kinship, and heart
Bekoff - Human Ecology Review, 2003 - humanecologyreview.org
This paper emphasizes the importance of broadening behavioral, ecological, and conservation science into a more integrative, interdisciplinary, socially responsible, compassionate, spiritual, and holistic endeavor.2,3 I will stress the significance of studies of animal behavior, especially ethological research concerned with animal emotions, in which individuals are named and recognized for their own personalities and temperaments, for helping us not only to learn about the nonhuman animal beings (hereafter animals) with whom we share Earth, but also for learning about who we are, our place in Nature, our humanness. We can be best understood in relationship to others. I will also develop the notions of minding animals and deep ethology. Animals are a way of knowing; sources of wisdom. I am an optimist, a hopeful human being. I never say never. I ache with the pains of other beings and also feel pangs when I feel inanimate landscapes being destroyed. Surely we do not want to be remembered as the generation that killed Nature. Now is the time for everyone to work for universal planetary peace. There is no alternative to world peace and we must sow seeds without hesitation to accom- plish this urgent goal. It is essential that we do better than our ancestors. No one could argue that a world with significantly less, rather, no cruelty and boundless compassion, respect, grace, humility, spirituality, peace, and love would not be a better world in which to live and raise our children and theirs. We are all citizens of Earth, members of a global community in which intimate reciprocal and beneficent peaceful relationships are mandatory. We have compelling responsibilities for making Earth a better and more peaceful habitat for all beings. Time is not on our side. We must reflect and step lightly as we redecorate Nature. I yearn for a seamless tapestry of oneness, a warm blan- ket, a soul-scape, of deep and reciprocal friendships in which all individuals count, a single community in which individuals are at one with all others, in which the seer and the seen are one, a community in which it feels good and makes indi- viduals happy to be kind to others. My own dreams and spirituality are based on a deep and passionate drive for reconciliation, a seamless unity a wholeness and oneness motivated by trust, compassion, respect, grace, humility, and love. I plead for developing heartfelt and holistic science that allows for fun, joy, and play, along with interdisciplinary talk about kindness, generosity, compassion, respect, grace, humility, spirituality, peace, and love. Science need not be suspicious of things it cannot fully understand. We must never avert our eyes or our other senses from the eyes and voices of all other beings, our kin, our friends, who urgently beg for and truly need our immediate, uncompromising, and uncon- ditional aid and love. We are obliged not to do so. We certainly can do much more than we have done for animals and Earth. (get pdf))

Predatory Strategies and Behavioral Diversity
Bekoff - American Biology Teacher, 1983 - eric.ed.gov
Briefly discusses the view that behavior may be thought of as a phenotypic adaptation that can be quantitatively studied, and then considered in more detail ways in which predatory animals, especially mammals, satisfy their need for food. Topics covered include predatory behavior, hunting modes, prey selection, hunting success, and others. (JN)

The view from Japan
Bekoff, Goodall - Nature, 2001 - nature.com
The past decade has seen enormous growth in the study of animal cognition. Anecdotal reports and detailed observational experiments abound for many species and for diverse cognitive skills.

Action in Cognitive Ethology
Bekoff - A Companion to the Philosophy of Action, 2010 - Wiley Online Library
Understanding the actions that animals perform during different contexts is central to learning about what animals know, desire, intend, believe, and feel. While philosophical discussions of action theory focus almost exclusively on humans, there is quite a lot of information …

The great divide
Bekoff - A review of Wynne, 2004 - americanscientist.org
Do animals think? Well, surely some do, you may think. And an increasing number of researchers across disciplines would agree with you: They are trying to determine hownot whetheranimals consciously process information about their social and nonsocial environments. What is going on in the minds of animals? Do they have desires and beliefs? Zealots abound at both ends of a spectrum that ranges from those who believe that animals are merely thoughtless robotic automatons to those who argue that all are thinking creatures with rich cognitive lives. I imagine that the truth lies somewhere in the middle: A number of animals have the capacity for thinking about certain situations and showing flexible, adaptable behavior, whereas others may behave reflexively, with little or no thought at all.

Integrating Values and Ethics into Wildlife Policy and Management Lessons from North America
Fox, Bekoff - Animals, 2011 - mdpi.com
Few animals provoke as wide a range of emotions as wolves. Some see wolves as icons of a lost wilderness; others see them as intruders. As the battle continues between wolf proponents and opponents, finding solutions that resolve conflicts while supporting the integrity of nature is challenging. In this essay we argue that we need to make room for wolves and other native carnivores who are re-colonizing areas from which they were extirpated. Strategies that foster coexistence are necessary and wildlife agencies must consider all stakeholders and invest adequate resources to inform the public about how to mitigate conflicts between people/domestic animals, and predators. Values and ethics must be woven into wildlife policy and management and we must be willing to ask difficult ethical questions and learn from past mistakes. (get pdf))

Jonathan Balcombe

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:15:58 -0800

Jonathan Balcombe holds three biology degrees and specializes in the study of ethology with a PhD in this area of study. A leading animal behavior researcher he is also an author and speaker.

Below are excerpts from Alexandra’s excellent article about Jonathan:

“It’s easy to come away with a sense that it’s a hard-struggled life out there, but it’s a life worth living,” observes Dr. Balcombe. He has found that many species share related physiologies and behavior patterns as humans, and are thus able to feel such emotions as pain, pleasure, and passion.

What’s more, Dr. Balcombe firmly believes that animals have many lessons that we humans can learn from. “I am an avid animal watcher… they teach me new things every time I watch them carefully and the more I understand the more there is to learn,” says Balcombe.

This is the link to his own site, jonathan-balcombe.com which contains information about his books, writings, courses etc.

Biographical Profile

Jonathan Balcombe was born in England, raised in New Zealand and Canada, and has lived in the United States since 1987. He has three biology degrees, including a PhD in ethology (the study of animal behavior) from the University of Tennessee, where he studied communication in bats. He has published over 40 scientific papers on animal behavior and animal protection.

He is the author of four books, including Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good, Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals, and The Exultant Ark: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure (pdf).

Formerly Senior Research Scientist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, he is currently Chair of the Animal Studies Department with the Humane Society University.

Jonathan lives with his family in Germantown, Maryland. In his spare time he enjoys biking, baking, birdwatching, piano, and trying to understand his two cats.

Links

Jonathan Balcombe
This is the main site and contains information about Jonathan’s books, writings, courses etc.

MacMillan Speakers: Jonathan Balcombe
Animal behavior expert Jonathan Balcombe is a passionate advocate for animals and their living spaces. His highly acclaimed books Pleasurable Kingdom and Second Nature present animals in a new light and presage a revolution in the human-animal relationship. His most recent book, The Exultant Art: A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure (2011), received a glowing review in the New York Times. A PhD scientist and vegan, Balcombe’s dynamic message resonates with timely issues that affect everyone, including climate change, biodiversity, and personal health. He has given lectures and presentations on six continents.Jonathan Balcombe was born in England and raised in New Zealand and Canada. He studied biology at Canada’s York University and Carleton University before earning a PhD in ethology (animal behavior) from the University of Tennessee. He has written over 40 scientific papers and book chapters, and many lay articles on animal behavior and animal protection.

PCRM: Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D., M.S.
Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D., M.S., is a research scientist with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nationwide organization of physicians and laypersons that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition, and addresses controversies in modern medicine, including ethical issues in research …

TEM Style: Jonathan Balcombe, ethical man
TEM is proud to present Jonathan Balcombe (seen here with Lucy, the rat) as the first-ever feature in our Ethical Men series. Congrats, Jonathan!

New Zealand Center for Human-Animal Studies: Dr Jonathan Balcombe (USA)
Jonathan Balcombe was born in England, raised in New Zealand and Canada, and has lived in the United States since 1987. He studied biology at York University and Carleton University in Canada before earning his doctorate in ethology (animal behavior) from the University of Tennessee, studying communication in bats. He has written many scientific papers and lay-articles on animal behavior, humane education, and animal research …

Free From Harm: Interview with Jonathan Balcombe
Author, ethologist and biologist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe is breaking new ground in our understanding of and appreciation for animals.

OneKind: Jonathan Balcombe on The Exultant Ark
Jonathan Balcombe is an academic and also a successful author of a number of popular books about animals emotions: specifically animals' pleasure.

Blogspot: Jonathan Balcombe
The musings and reflections of a biologist as enthralled with animal life as he is dissatisfied with humanity’s current relationship to it.

Jonathan Balcombe: A Passionate Ethologist
An excellent, concise essay about ethologist Dr. Balcombe and some of his remarkable work.

Humane Society University, a pioneer in the animal studies movement
Moody octopuses, altruistic bats and honeybees that vote are academic fodder for Washington’s newest university.

Media Press

Farm animals deserve humane treatment (Washington Post)
One often sees the term “extremism” applied to certain acts of animal activism, but never is it used in reference to the extreme cruelties routinely carried out by the animal industries themselves [“As eco-terrorism threat diminishes, governments keep eyes on activists,” front page, March 11]. To list just a few: We take newborn calves from their mothers so that the latter may be milked, crowd hens into tiny cages for egg production, sear off the sensitive beak tips of female chicks, toss the male chicks into meat-grinders or into bins to suffocate, and consign pregnant sows to metal-and-concrete stalls in which they can barely move for weeks.

That these practices remain legal makes them no less cruel. Fortunately, consumers can make the non-extreme decision to refrain from funding factory farming by choosing to purchase alternative products.

Jonathan Balcombe, Germantown

Jonathan Balcombe: ‘Stop being beastly to hens’ (The Guardian)
Animal behaviour scientist Jonathan Balcombe says that our treatment of animals remains medieval despite a flood of studies shedding light on how they experience the world

How to Have Fun Like Monkeys, Whales and Foxes (Wired Science)
Balcombe surveys a new generation of studies into animal feelings, especially animal pleasure. Accompanying the scholarship are photographs of animals seeming to enjoy themselves: hippos and flying foxes, zebrafish and sharks, parrots and polar bears, a whole animal kingdom of pleasure.

Jonathan Balcombe: “Second Nature” (Diane Rehm Radio Show)
Humans aren’t the only beings who communicate, feel emotions and have self-awareness. Drawing on the latest research, an animal behaviorist explains why people need to change the way they treat other living creatures.

Videos

Why Vegan? Lessons From An Animal Scientist

As a scientist who chooses a plant-based diet, Jonathan Balcombe is not your typical biologist. In this riveting, richly-illustrated presentation, Balcombe reveals startling new discoveries in the realms of animal cognition and emotional complexity–from optimistic starlings, to choosy fishes, to dogs who object to unfair treatment.

Interview - Jonathan Balcombe

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals
Interview with Jonathan Bascombe author of “Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals” recorded May 29, 2010 in Seattle.

Dr. Jonathan Balcombe on Our Relationship to Animals

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals
“Jonathan Balcombe is a rare being, a scientist who has escaped the narrow orthodoxies of institutional science, an intelligent human being who is more than ready to recognize intelligences of other kinds, an intuitive and empathetic observer who nevertheless does not abandon the highest standards of intellectual inquiry.”
–from the Forward by J.M Coetzee, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

Dr. Jonathan Balcombe at the 2010 VSDC Life-Affirming Thanksgiving celebration

Jonathan Balcombe as guest speaker at the 2010 Vegetarian Society of DC Life-Affirming Thanksgiving celebration.

Friends for Life (Jonathan Balcombe)

Composed and performed by Jonathan Balcombe.

Dr. Jonathan Balcombe on Individuality in Fish

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals
Bshary, R. “Machiavellian Intelligence in Fishes.” In Fish Cognition and Behavior , edited by C. Brown et al., pp. 223-242. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006.

Dr. Jonathan Balcombe on Animal Virtue and Fairness

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals
Brosnan, S.F., and F.B.M. de Waal. “Monkeys reject unequal pay.” Nature 425 (2003): 297-299.

Books and Reviews

The Exultant Ark - A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure

Jonathan P. Balcombe

Nature documentaries often depict animal life as a grim struggle for survival, but this visually stunning book opens our eyes to a different, more scientifically up-to-date way of looking at the animal kingdom. In more than one hundred thirty striking images, The Exultant Ark celebrates the full range of animal experience with dramatic portraits of animal pleasure ranging from the charismatic and familiar to the obscure and bizarre. These photographs, windows onto the inner lives of pleasure seekers, show two polar bears engaged in about of wrestling, hoary marmots taking time for a friendly chase, Japanese macaques enjoying a soak in a hot spring, a young bull elk sticking out his tongue to catch snowflakes, and many other rewarding moments. Biologist and best-selling author Jonathan Balcombe is our guide, interpreting the images within the scientific context of what is known about animal behavior. In the end, old attitudes fall away as we gain a heightened sense of animal individuality and of the pleasures that make life worth living for all sentient beings.

The Exultant Ark - A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure

Review in NY Times

True to its subtitle — “A Pictorial Tour of Animal Pleasure” — “The Exultant Ark” showcases surprising, funny, touching, sad, heartwarming pictures by photographers all over the world. Dr. Balcombe’s text is a serious examination of the subject of animal pleasure, a study that “remains nascent and largely neglected in scientific discourse.” But it also delights us along the way with Dr. Balcombe’s observations and examples.

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals

Jonathan P. Balcombe

For centuries we believed that humans were the only ones that mattered. The idea that animals had feelings was either dismissed or considered heresy. Today, that’s all changing. New scientific studies of animal behavior reveal perceptions, intelligences, awareness and social skills that would have been deemed fantasy a generation ago. The implications make our troubled relationship to animals one of the most pressing moral issues of our time. Jonathan Balcombe, animal behaviorist and author of the critically acclaimed Pleasurable Kingdom, draws on the latest research, observational studies and personal anecdotes to reveal the full gamut of animal experiencefrom emotions, to problem solving, to moral judgment. Balcombe challenges the widely held idea that nature is red in tooth and claw, highlighting animal traits we have disregarded until now: their nuanced understanding of social dynamics, their consideration for others, and their strong tendency to avoid violent conflict. Did you know that dogs recognize unfairness and that rats practice random acts of kindness? Did you know that chimpanzees can trounce humans in short-term memory games? Or that fishes distinguish good guys from cheaters, and that birds are susceptible to mood swings such as depression and optimism? With vivid stories and entertaining anecdotes, Balcombe gives the human pedestal a strong shake while opening the door into the inner lives of the animals themselves.

Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals

Review by Kim Stallwood

Balcombe’s writings are a carefully crafted balance of academic rigor and empathic wisdom.

Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good

Jonathan P. Balcombe

Pleasurable Kingdom presents new evidence that animals - like humans - enjoy themselves. From birds to baboons, insects to iguanas, animals feel good thanks to play, sex, touch, food, anticipation, comfort, aesthetics, and more. Combining rigorous evidence, elegant argument and amusing anecdotes, leading animal behavior researcher Jonathan Balcombe shows that the possibility of positive feelings in creatures other than humans has important ethical ramifications for both science and society. For more information please visit the author’s website at www.pleasurablekingdom.com

The Use of Animals in Higher Education: Problems, Alternatives, & Recommendations

Jonathan P. Balcombe

The Use of Animals in Higher Education is well-researched and annotated and international in scope, with a primary focus on the US. It addresses secondary education as strongly as higher education, with quite a focus on elementary education as well. (get pdf)

Beyond Animal Research Articles at PCRM

Heart Attack Experiments in Animals
Heart attacks are virtually unknown in mice and rats, probably because their natural life spans are just two to three years, their heart physiology is different from that of humans, and, of course, they avoid fast-food restaurants. But, unfortunately, some animal experimenters have nonetheless attempted to artificially induce heart problems in these hapless creatures.

Animal Research and Mobile Phones: Getting a Bad Connection
A recent article in the British Medical Journal asks “Where is the evidence that animal research benefits humans?” The authors examined systematic reviews of six areas of animal research and presented evidence that it had not informed human medicine. For two of the six areas, clinical trials were conducted at the same time as the animal studies, and for three others, clinical trials went ahead despite evidence of harm from the animal studies. Overall, the analysis reveals both a practical and a perceived disconnect between animal and human studies. The authors conclude that “new animal studies should not be conducted until…their validity and generalisability to clinical medicine has been assessed.”

Bone-Breaking Experiments
Understanding how bones break and heal and developing treatments are all important and worthwhile medical endeavors. Unfortunately, some experimenters deliberately break healthy animals’ bones. Each year dozens of such studies are published; these experiments are conducted on many different animals, including dogs, rats, mice, rabbits, pigs, sheep, and goats.

The Misunderstood Rat
Rats are one of the world’s least understood creatures. Stigmatized as filthy “pests” for centuries, these inquisitive opportunists are actually naturally sociable and make excellent companions. New scientific studies show that there is more to rats than laboratory supply companies would have us believe.

Animal Smoking Experiments
Scientists like to joke that smoking is a leading cause of statistics. It’s an amusing observation, but sadly, when it comes to animal experimentation, it’s all too true. Despite the failure of numerous animal studies during the 1950s and 1960s to reveal a clear link between cigarette smoking and cancer—and despite our established knowledge from human clinical data that smoking is deadly - smoking experiments on animals continue.

Animal Smoking Experiments: Part II
Scientists have known for decades that smoking can have devastating effects on human health. Yet researchers continue to conduct smoking experiments on animals. Do such experiments offer new insights? In an earlier column (Part I), I discussed several recent animal smoking experiments that appear merely to confirm what is already known from human studies. To investigate further, I followed up on four of these animal studies (all published in 2004) using the National Institutes of Health’s online PubMed database.

The Guinea Pigs Deserve a Hearing
Many years ago I remember seeing in a physiology textbook two photographs of a guinea pig’s inner ear, taken under a microscope before and after exposure to destructively loud noise. The first image showed the sensitive cochlear hairs arranged in neat rows; in the second they looked like a stand of trees flattened by a violent hurricane.

Animals Still Used in Motion Sickness Experiments
If you’ve ever suffered motion sickness, you know that it’s a miserable feeling. Other animals are also vulnerable, and for at least 50 years scientists have been subjecting monkeys, dogs, cats, rats and other species to experiments designed to make them ill.

Migraine Research, Part 1
According the UK-based Migraine Trust Association (www.migrainetrust.org), migraine is the most common neurological condition in the developed world … There is no cure, but there are many available treatments. Despite this, animals bear the brunt of scientific curiosity about migraine. Cats, monkeys, pigs, guinea pigs, and rats are all being used in headache research. These experimental subjects are not suffering from migraines (at least not that we can tell), but their skulls are opened up and their brains tweaked, probed and drugged in a parade of experiments designed, it seems, more to advance scientific careers than useful knowledge.

Migraine Research, Part II
In last month’s column, I described a small sampling of “migraine” studies on animals, involving usually terminal, invasive procedures on unconscious (anesthetized) animals (cats, monkeys, rats, etc.) who have no way of communicating symptoms. But other researchers are pursuing very different paths. The following sampling of recent studies underscores the broad range of human clinical methods available for advancing our understanding of this important condition …

A Stunning Waste of Pigs
A recent story appeared in New Scientist concerning the use of stun guns for immobilizing dangerous persons … The New Scientist report mentioned that, in response to concerns about human deaths associated with Taser use, animal tests were being initiated to assess their effects on the hearts of anesthetized pigs.

Confining Rodents in Laboratory Cages Has Troubling Consequences
Throughout history, human societies have dealt with criminals by confining them in small cells. Not only does imprisonment remove the offender from daily life, but by taking away the inmate’s freedom and autonomy it constitutes punishment … Animals caged in laboratories find themselves in comparable circumstances.

Chimeras: Beyond Our Moral Depth?
The chimeras I learned about as a biology student—obscure, strange-looking fishes of the ocean depths—are not the same as the ones now at the center of a debate in medical ethics. These chimeras are made by man, not by nature. As stem cell technology marches ahead, science now has the means to create creatures that blur the line between humans and other animals. The specter of a half-chimp/half-man or a mouse with a human brain is no longer the stuff of science fiction.

Sarin: Terror in the Laboratories
Originally developed as a chemical warfare agent in 1938, the nerve gas sarin became a household word when it was used in a terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway system in March 1995 (one of three such incidents in Japan between 1994 and 1998). Long-term health effects on Gulf War veterans have also been attributed to possible low-level sarin exposure. Despite the pitfalls of trying to extrapolate across species, animals have been exposed to sarin in hundreds of laboratory experiments dating back at least to the late 1950s.

Anorexia Nervosa and Animal Experiments
Anorexia is a terrible illness that afflicts some two million Americans, mostly young women. Not surprisingly, there is a concerted effort to understand and address anorexia and other eating disorders. A search for “anorexia nervosa” on the NIH’s PubMed online database yielded more than 8,600 studies. Most are human clinical studies—but not all. Many researchers are being funded to perform experiments on animals, usually (male) rats. But because rodents don’t spontaneously develop eating disorders, experimenters must create “animal models” of the condition.

Anorexia Nervosa: The Potential of Nonanimal Research
In last month’s column, I presented some examples of studies in which rats are starved and exercised in a futile attempt to model anorexia nervosa (AN), a uniquely human condition. As I researched these studies, I also encountered numerous human clinical studies. The following recent examples illustrate just some of the broad range of research strategies available for human-based research into eating disorders.

Homeopathy: Healing Some, Harming Others
My local paper recently profiled the Samueli Institute for Information Biology (SIIB), a nonprofit medical research organization that emphasizes complementary medicine, such as acupuncture and homeopathy, a system of medical practice that treats a disease especially by the administration of minute doses of a remedy that would in healthy persons produce symptoms similar to those of the disease. The organization’s stated mission is strongly geared towards healing, and its goals include alleviating suffering, enhancing well being, and establishing sustainable healthcare approaches. So far, so good. Then I noticed that the article mentioned animal studies.

Homeopathy Research: Efficacy Studies
Because homeopathy involves giving vanishingly small quantities of ingredients to patients, side effects are rare and treatments essentially harmless. That does not mean they are effective, however. The animal studies I described in last month’s column were trying to address efficacy, not safety. As the following examples from 2005 show, researchers have a variety of means for assessing alternative treatments in humans without resorting to cruel animal studies.

Mice on Soy
A recent study from the University of Colorado made headlines when it was reported that a soy-based diet worsened heart disease in male mice carrying a mutation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Depressed Mice Study Is Inhumane and Clinically Irrelevant
A study published in the prestigious journal Science reported on the apparent role of a protein (called p11) in fighting depression. However, most of the depressed subjects in this study weren’t people—they were mice.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is implicated in about 5,000 to 7,000 infant deaths yearly in the United States … A considerable amount of this research is in the clinical setting … There are also many animal studies …

Blogs and Opinions at firstscience.com (selected)

(Unfortunately, the links to these items are unavailable at firstscience.com presently.)

Cultured Sparrows
… one enterprising sparrow had probably stumbled on this available food source (perhaps by accident while trapped?), and it was adopted by other birds. Sparrow culture.

Steve Irwin Stung by the Press
… I think Irwin would have objected to those headlines announcing his death by stingray, in which the ray was said to have “attacked” him. The animal acted in defense. With its poor word-choice, the press succumbed to the lure of sensationalism, or maybe just ignorance, and undid some of the good that Irwin had done.

Empathic Mice
A widely reported recent study documented evidence that house mice show empathy …

Animal Testing my Patience
A recent BBC news article on the rise in animal use in UK labs contained the following statement from a pro-vivisection spokesperson. “Animal testing for medical research is unavoidable.” The person who said this needs an English lesson.

Bird-Brains Not
A new study of bird behavior [www.sciencenews.org/articles/20061118/fob6.asp] adds to a burgeoning body of evidence that birds aren’t the bird-brains they were once thought to be.

Fish Scale New Heights of Social Sophistication
These studies add to a growing body of evidence that fishes are nothing like the thoughtless, unfeeling automatons they were once thought to be. That’s no comfort to anyone concerned about humankind’s voracious plundering of the world’s fish populations, but nature has her own agenda, and easing humanity’s conscience isn’t on the list.

One Man’s Waste
We owe a lot to insects for helping to keep the world clean. Were it not for the flies and beetles, the world would soon be awash with organic waste, and disease and squalor would run rampant.

Tea: Black is Beautiful
A new study reported in the European Heart Journal finds that adding milk to one’s tea may blunt its cardiovascular benefits

An Elephant Talks - Are We Listening?
The English intellectual Cyril Connolly once quipped that: “imprisoned in every fat woman [or man] a thin one is wildly signalling to be let out.” I find that sentiment rather apt for a teenaged elephant who made international news last week for having mastered eight words of human speech

A Negative Review Ain’t Necessarily So
I consider myself fortunate that nearly a year passed before my latest book (www.pleasurablekingdom.com) received a negative review. BioScience [Vol. 57(1): Pp. 83-84] has published a review titled “Feelings do not a science make” by Oxford University biologist Marian Stamp Dawkins which takes me to task for a variety of perceived mis-steps. A colleague posted Dawkins’s review on his list-serve and it generated a fusillade of responses in defense of animal experiences …

Sharp Weapons, Sharp Minds
Recent news of chimpanzees fashioning and using deadly weapons grabbed headlines last week … Less headline-grabbing was the latest in a series of elegant studies of food caching and recovery in scrub jays …

It’s Time the Fur Flew
Each time I see someone wearing fur, a little bit of my faith in humanity dies … Perhaps there’s still hope for the demise of an industry that should have gone out with the arrival of the loom.

What Does A Rat Know, Anyway?
Those who defend animal research often like to point out that about ninety percent of the animals used are rodents, namely mice and rats. The upshot is that we should all breathe a sigh of relief. “Oh, they’re just rodents. Why should we be concerned?”

A Chimp Haven
Earlier this week I visited a facility for chimpanzees given over to retirement by research laboratories that no longer want them.

A Dog Named Chester
What is special about this “dog” is that he isn’t the coddled canine whose ancestors barked at lurking predators and accepted scraps at stone-age firesides … He is a rodent … When I think of Chester’s cousins being obliterated for someone’s amusement, I wonder which species is more noble: ours or his. For all our technology and culture, humankind has a knack for moral fickleness.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for apes?
In late April, an Austrian judge denied personhood status and legal guardianship for 26-year-old Matthias Pan, who was kidnapped as an infant in Sierra Leone after his mother was shot. Brought to Austria illegally, Pan was sold to a research laboratory where he lived alone in a cage and was experimented on for many years before finally being released to a sanctuary. In her concluding statement, the judge explained that she never doubted that Pan should be considered a person, but she did not want to set a precedent that might weaken the case of humans with legal guardians.

Man Bites Shark, Apes Publish Paper
I recently reviewed a book (Anthrozoos, Vol. 20(1)) with the charmingly buoyant title of “Killing Animals.” The book’s introduction includes the sobering news that we humans kill more animals today than we have at any point in history.

Siding with the Amphibian
… as I stood there looking at this frog and contemplating her grim outlook in this man’s clutches, empathy for the frog overcame me and I quickly released her in the grass … Last week my 13-year old daughter spared another leopard frog through a noble act of conscience. She asked to use alternatives instead of dissecting a dead leopard frog in her 7th grade science class.

Blogs from Psychology Today (selected)

Falling for Birds, One at a Time
Nearly 3,000 Red-winged Blackbirds fell dead from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas on New Year’s Eve.

From Skinny Bitch to Bill Clinton: The Rise of Veganism
Have you noticed the word “vegan” lately? If you live in America and you read a newspaper or popular magazines, the chances are you have. If you watch television, you probably even know how to pronounce it properly.

Extinction Folly - Review of Paper Tiger: A Visual History of the Thylacine
Today, rewards offered for a living specimen seem like wishful thinking.

Man vs. Wild, Bear Grylls, and the Violent Nature Myth
A few months ago, surfing the television, I happened upon a scene in which a fit-looking young man forcibly removed a rattlesnake from beneath a shrub and smashed its head in with a rock. As he did so, he warned of the danger posed by these reptiles. How ironic.

Peter Singer, Vioxx, and the Future of Animal Testing
No human enterprise illustrates our deep-seated sense of superiority than the use of animals in product and drug testing.

It’s Time (magazine) to Respect Cows
Animal minds made big news this month with Time magazine dedicating its cover story to the topic. “Inside the minds of animals,” by Jeffrey Kluger, provides an engaging glimpse into some of the exciting recent discoveries in animal cognition. That title is an improvement over that of a February 2006 Scientific American article which asked meekly, “Do Animals Have Feelings?” as if there should remain any doubt about that.

Jane GoodAll Things Wonderful
I dedicate this blog entry to Jane Goodall on the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking research on wild chimpanzees.

Whales, Whaling, and Humanity
In Morocco this week, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) decided to uphold its international moratorium on commercial whaling. That decision just might be a litmus test for the evolution and maturity of humankind. Lifting the ban would have been a symbolic reminder that we remain mired in a way of thinking that sees other sentient animals merely as resources for humans to treat as we please-a recapitulation of an arcane might-makes-right mindset that justified colonialism and slavery, the subjugation of women, and the denial of civil rights.

Beneath the Surface of an Oil Spill
As the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico hemorrhages toward its third month, there’s a big question about which very little is being said: How is it making the fish feel? How is the quality of life for individual fishes being impacted by this latest marine ecological disaster?

Sometimes it hurts when you duck
I walked into the office of the owner of Hudson Valley Foie Gras (HVFG). Since opening in 1989, HVFG has become America’s largest producer of the fatty duck livers treasured by gourmets and reviled by animal advocates. I wasn’t there to purchase foie gras. I was there on a covert assignment for PETA … But like slavery and the denial of votes to women before it, foie gras is vulnerable to exposure as an abomination in civilized society.

Vulture Culture
I met a vulture once. She had been on the losing end of a collision with a car. Unable to fly again, she went on occasional outings where people could see her up close. I met her at an animal welfare fair in a high school gymnasium. She was a black vulture, Coragyps atratus. She stood on a wooden perch, and seemed perfectly at ease in these unnatural surroundings. She was remarkably unlike my preconceptions of vultures. She had deep, black eyes. She blinked. She moved her head slowly to observe the goings on. She wasn’t smelly or scruffy as I had shallowly imagined vultures to be. She looked immaculate. She had a presence. If I had to choose one word to describe her it would be dignified. She wasn’t an object but a subject – a thinking, feeling being.

Papers (with abstracts)

Some of these items have been found through Google Scholar. Certain links are unavailable, but we will try to locate the articles through other means.

Laboratory routines cause animal stress
Balcombe, Jonathan P.; Barnard, Neal D.; Sandusky, Chad
Eighty published studies were appraised to document the potential stress associated with three routine laboratory procedures commonly performed on animals: handling, blood collection, and orogastric gavage. We defined handling as any non-invasive manipulation occurring as part of routine husbandry, including lifting an animal and cleaning or moving an animal’s cage. Significant changes in physiologic parameters correlated with stress (e.g., serum or plasma concentrations of corticosterone, glucose, growth hormone or prolactin, heart rate, blood pressure, and behavior) were associated with all three procedures in multiple species in the studies we examined. The results of these studies demonstrated that animals responded with rapid, pronounced, and statistically significant elevations in stress-related responses for each of the procedures, although handling elicited variable alterations in immune system responses. Changes from baseline or control measures typically ranged from 20% to 100% or more and lasted at least 30 min or longer. We interpret these findings to indicate that laboratory routines are associated with stress, and that animals do not readily habituate to them. The data suggest that significant fear, stress, and possibly distress are predictable consequences of routine laboratory procedures, and that these phenomena have substantial scientific and humane implications for the use of animals in laboratory research.

Vocal recognition of pups by mother Mexican free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana
JP Balcombe - Animal Behaviour, 1990 - Elsevier
The ability of Mexican free-tailed bat mothers and pups to recognize vocalizations of their presumptive kin (pup isolation calls and mother echolocation calls, respectively) was tested using playbacks of recorded calls. Captive individuals were presented with calls of two bats, one presumptive kin and the other a stranger, from opposite sides of a circular wire arena. Response was determined by amount of time spent on each side of the arena, time spent in contact with a cloth bat model in front of each speaker, and number of separate contacts with each model. For the latter two measures, mothers showed a significant preference for the calls of their presumptive pups. Pups were attracted to adult echolocation calls, but did not show preference for calls of different mothers. The ages of pups appears to have had no effect on the responsiveness of either pups or mothers to the playbacks. This study demonstrates vocal kin recognition by mothers, and suggests an important role for acoustic cues in mother-pup reunions in this species. The findings do not preclude the possibility that vocal recognition of mothers by pups also occurs.

Vocal recognition in Mexican free-tailed bats: Do pups recognize mothers?
JP Balcombe, Gary F. McCracken - Animal Behaviour, 1992 - Elsevier
Mother Mexican free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana, produce ‘directive’ calls while searching for pups inside cave maternity roosts. These calls consist of highly repetitive pulses of sound uttered in rapid sequence. Calls are sufficiently intense that they are perceptible above the substantial background noise within roosts at distances of at least 1 m. Calls are stereotyped within individuals, and statistically discriminable between individuals. These characteristics are expected for vocalizations that function for mother—pup reunions, and are shared with directive calls described previously in other bats. Mother T. b. mexicana directive calls are statistically no less discriminable than are the isolation calls of pups. Playback experiments, using recordings made inside the cave colony, show that pups perceive directive calls and are strongly attracted to them.

Eavesdropping by bats: the influence of echolocation call design and foraging strategy
JP Balcombe, M. Brock Fenton - Ethology, 1988 - Wiley Online Library
We used playback presentations to free-flying bats of 3 species to assess the influence of echolocation call design and foraging strategy on the role of echolocation calls in communication. Near feeding sites over water, Myotis lucifugus and M. yumanensis responded positively only to echolocation calls of conspecifics. Near roosts, these bats did not respond before young of the year became volant, and after this responded to presentations of echolocation calls of similar and dissimilar design. At feeding sites Lasiurus borealis responded only to echolocation calls of conspecifics and particularly to “feeding buzzes”. While Myotis, particularly subadults, appear to use the echolocation calls of conspecifics to locate feeding sites, L. borealis appears to use the calls of a foraging neighbour attacking prey to identify opportunities for ‘stealing’ food.

Student/teacher conflict regarding animal dissection
J Balcombe - The American Biology Teacher, 1997 - JSTOR
IN 1993, a medical student at the University of Colorado was compelled to transfer to another university when she failed a course for refusing to participate in a required laboratory exercise that involved performing lethal procedures on anesthetized dogs.

Animal carcinogenicity studies: 1. Poor human predictivity (pdf)
Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey and Jonathan Balcombe
The regulation of human exposure to potentially carcinogenic chemicals constitutes society’s most important use of animal carcinogenicity data. Environmental contaminants of greatest concern within the USA are listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) chemicals database. However, of the 160 IRIS chemicals lacking even limited human exposure data but possessing animal data that had received a human carcinogenicity assessment by 1 January 2004, we found that in most cases (58.1%; 93/160), the EPA considered animal carcinogenicity data inadequate to support a classification of probable human carcinogen or non-carcinogen. For the 128 chemicals with human or animal data also assessed by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), human carcinogenicity classifications were compatible with EPA classifications only for those 17 having at least limited human data (p = 0.5896). For those 111 primarily reliant on animal data, the EPA was much more likely than the IARC to assign carcinogenicity classifications indicative of greater human risk (p < 0.0001). The IARC is a leading international authority on carcinogenicity assessments, and its significantly different human carcinogenicity classifications of identical chemicals indicate that: 1) in the absence of significant human data, the EPA is over-reliant on animal carcinogenicity data; 2) as a result, the EPA tends to over-predict carcinogenic risk; and 3) the true predictivity for human carcinogenicity of animal data is even poorer than is indicated by EPA figures alone. The EPA policy of erroneously assuming that tumours in animals are indicative of human carcinogenicity is implicated as a primary cause of these errors.

The future of teratology research is in vitro
Bailey, Jarrod; Knight, Andrew; Balcombe, Jonathan
Birth defects induced by maternal exposure to exogenous agents during pregnancy are preventable, if the agents themselves can be identified and avoided. Billions of dollars and manhours have been dedicated to animal-based discovery and characterisation methods over decades. We show here, via a comprehensive systematic review and analysis of this data, that these methods constitute questionable science and pose a hazard to humans. (get pdf)

Animal carcinogenicity studies: 2. Obstacles to extrapolation of data to humans (pdf)
Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey and Jonathan Balcombe
Due to limited human exposure data, risk classification and the consequent regulation of exposure to potential carcinogens has conventionally relied mainly upon animal tests. However, several investigations have revealed animal carcinogenicity data to be lacking in human predictivity. To investigate the reasons for this, we surveyed 160 chemicals possessing animal but not human exposure data within the US Environmental Protection Agency chemicals database, but which had received human carcinogenicity assessments by 1 January 2004. We discovered the use of a wide variety of species, with rodents predominating, and of a wide variety of routes of administration, and that there were effects on a particularly wide variety of organ systems. The likely causes of the poor human predictivity of rodent carcinogenicity bioassays include: 1) the profound discordance of bioassay results between rodent species, strains and genders, and further, between rodents and human beings; 2) the variable, yet substantial, stresses caused by handling and restraint, and the stressful routes of administration common to carcinogenicity bioassays, and their effects on hormonal regulation, immune status and predisposition to carcinogenesis; differences in rates of absorption and transport mechanisms between test routes of administration and other important human routes of exposure; 4) the considerable variability of organ systems in response to carcinogenic insults, both between and within species; and 5) the predisposition of chronic high dose bioassays toward false positive results, due to the overwhelming of physiological defences, and the unnat- ural elevation of cell division rates during ad libitum feeding studies. Such factors render profoundly difficult any attempts to accurately extrapolate human carcinogenic hazards from animal data.

Alternatives to the use of animals in higher education (pdf)
Jan van der Valk, David Dewhurst, Ian Hughes, Jeffrey Atkinson, Jonathan Balcombe, Hans Braun, Karin Gabrielson, Franz Gruber, Jeremy Miles, Jan Nab, Jason Nardi, Henk van Wilgenburg, Ursula Zinko and Joanne Zurlo
This is the report of the thirty-third of a series of workshops organised by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM). ECVAM’s main goal, as defined in 1993 by its Scientific Advisory Committee, is to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods which are of importance to the biosciences and which reduce, refine or replace the use of laboratory animals.

Dissection: The scientific case for alternatives
J Balcombe - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2001 - Taylor & Francis
This article presents the scientific argument that learning methods that replace traditional nonhuman animal-consumptive methods in life science education-so-called alternatives to dissection-are pedagogically sound and probably superior to dissection. This article focuses on the pedagogy, a learning method’s effectiveness for conveying knowledge.

Animal carcinogenicity studies: 3. alternatives to the bioassay (pdf)
Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey and Jonathan Balcombe
Conventional animal carcinogenicity tests take around three years to design, conduct and interpret. Consequently, only a tiny fraction of the thousands of industrial chemicals currently in use have been tested for carcinogenicity. Despite the costs of hundreds of millions of dollars and millions of skilled personnel hours, as well as millions of animal lives, several investigations have revealed that animal carcinogenicity data lack human specificity (i.e. the ability to identify human non-carcinogens), which severely limits the human predictivity of the bioassay. This is due to the scientific inadequacies of many carcinogenicity bioassays, and numerous serious biological obstacles, which render profoundly difficult any attempts to accurately extrapolate animal data in order to predict carcinogenic hazards to humans. Proposed modifications to the conventional bioassays have included the elimination of mice as a second species, and the use of genetically-altered or neonatal mice, decreased study durations, initiation–promotion models, the greater incorporation of toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic assessments, structure-activity relationship (computerised) systems, in vitro assays, cDNA microarrays for detecting changes in gene expression, limited human clinical trials, and epidemiological research. The potential advantages of non- animal assays when compared to bioassays include the superior human specificity of the results, substantially reduced time-frames, and greatly reduced demands on financial, personnel and animal resources. Inexplicably, however, the regulatory agencies have been frustratingly slow to adopt alternative protocols. In order to decrease the enormous cost of cancer to society, a substantial redirection of resources away from excessively slow and resource-intensive rodent bioassays, into the further development and implementation of non-animal assays, is both strongly justified and urgently required.

Non-breeder asymmetry in Florida scrub jays
JP Balcombe - Evolutionary Ecology, 1989 - Springer
The data of Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick (1984) show a statistically significant asymmetry in the sex ratio of non-breeders when one of the breeders is not the non-breeder’s parent. I propose that the asymmetry is attributable to a combination of two factors acting on non-breeders: the value of inheriting a territory, and incest avoidance. Although natal territories are only occasionally inherited by non-breeders, and then apparently only by males, therate of inheritance is significantly higher for parent/step-parent breeders (n=6) than when both breeders are the non-breeder’s parents (n=1). An alternative hypothesis, that stepparents determine the non-breeder asymmetry by ousting potential rivals, might also explain the data, but evidence is currently lacking.

Animal pleasure and its moral significance
J Balcombe - Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2009 - Elsevier
This paper presents arguments for, and evidence in support of, the important role of pleasure in animals’ lives, and outlines its considerable significance to humankind’s relationship to other animals. In the realms of animal sentience, almost all scholarly discussion revolves around its negative aspects: pain, stress, distress, and suffering. By contrast, the positive aspects of sentience – rewards and pleasures – have been rarely broached by scientists. Yet, evolutionary principles predict that animals, like humans, are motivated to seek rewards, and not merely to avoid pain and suffering. Natural selection favours behaviours that enhance survival and procreation. In the conscious, sentient animal, the drives to secure food, shelter, social contact, and mates are motivated by desire (appetitive behaviour) and reinforced by pleasure (consummative behaviour). This is reflected in animals’ behaviour in the realms of play, food, sex, and touch. Despite the heuristic value of interpreting animal behaviour through the proximate (experiential) lens, scholarly study of animals remains entrenched almost exclusively in the ultimate (evolutionary) sphere. Not just science but also ethics suffer for this, for when we see animals as only the products of a competitive struggle for survival, we risk overlooking the positive qualities of their lives. Pleasure has moral import for such practices as factory farming and laboratory research, for it amplifies the moral burden of depriving animals the opportunity to lead fulfilling, enjoyable lives.

Animals Society Courses: A Growing Trend in Post-Secondary Education
J Balcombe - Society and Animals, 1999 - ingentaconnect.com
A survey of college courses addressing nonhuman animal ethics and welfare issues indicates that the presence of such courses has increased greatly since a prior survey was done in 1983. This paper provides titles and affiliations of 67 of 89 courses from the current survey. These courses represent 15 academic fields, and a majority are entirely devoted to animal issues. The fields of animal science and philosophy are proportionally well represented compared with biology and wildlife-related fields. An estimated 5000 or more North American students are now receiving instruction in these issues each year. While the availability of courses in animal issues is still sporadic, it is unprecedentedly high and seen as an important component of changing social values toward nonhuman animals.

Animal carcinogenicity studies: implications for the REACH system (pdf)
Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey and Jonathan Balcombe
The 2001 European Commission proposal for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) aims to improve public and environmental health by assessing the toxicity of, and restricting exposure to, potentially toxic chemicals. The greatest benefits are expected to accrue from decreased cancer incidences. Hence the accurate identification of chemical carcinogens must be a top priority for the REACH system. Due to a paucity of human clinical data, the identification of potential human carcinogens has conventionally relied on animal tests. However, our survey of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) toxic chemicals database revealed that, for a majority of the chemicals of greatest public health concern (93/160, i.e. 58.1%), the EPA found animal carcinogenicity data to be inadequate to support classifications of probable human carcinogen or non-carcinogen. A wide variety of species were used, with rodents predominating; a wide variety of routes of administration were used; and a particularly wide variety of organ systems were affected. These factors raise serious biological obstacles that render accurate extrapolation to humans profoundly difficult. Furthermore, significantly different International Agency for Research on Cancer assessments of identical chemicals, indicate that the true human predictivity of animal carcinogenicity data is even poorer than is indicated by the EPA figures alone. Consequently, we propose the replacement of animal carcinogenicity bioassays with a tiered combination of non-animal assays, which can be expected to yield a weight-of-evidence characterisation of carcinogenic risk with superior human predictivity. Additional advantages include substantial savings of financial, human and animal resources, and potentially greater insights into mechanisms of carcinogenicity.

Which drugs cause cancer? For and against: Cancer bioassays
Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey, Jonathan Balcombe
FOR Despite President Nixon’s War on Cancer, launched in 1971, and billions of dollars spent since then, cancer remains the second-leading killer of Americans. Around 40% of us will get cancer, and half of us will die from it. 1 This cease-less tide of human suffering …

Medical training using simulation: Toward fewer animals and safer patients (pdf)
J Balcombe - ATLA-NOTTINGHAM-, 2004 - Citeseer
This paper presents the current status of computer-based simulation in medicine. Recent technological advances have enabled this field to emerge from esoteric explorations in academic laboratories to commercially available simulators designed to train users to perform medical procedures from start to finish. Today, more than a dozen companies are producing virtual reality simulators and interactive manikins for training in endoscopy, laparoscopy, anaesthesia, trauma management, angiography, and needle insertion. For many of these procedures, thousands of animals are still being used in training. Yet simulation has many advantages that can transcend scientific, ethical, economic and logistical problems that arise when using animals. The first validation studies of medical simulators began appearing in the late 1990s, and the early results indicate that these devices measure what they are intended to, and that they can improve performance relative to traditional learning methods. In addition to expanded use for new and existing minimally invasive procedures, medical simulators began appearing in the late 1990s, and the early results indicate that these devices measure what they are intended to, and that they can improve performance relative to traditional learning methods. In addition to expanded use for new and existing minimally invasive procedures, medical simulators will probably soon be used in physician credentialing, and they may someday allow surgeons to rehearse procedures in a patient-specific operating environment. Replacing animals with simulators in medical training is limited no longer by technical feasibility but by a willingness of the medical community to embrace it.

Laboratory rodent welfare: Thinking outside the cage
J Balcombe - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2009 - Taylor & Francis
This commentary presents the case against housing rats and mice in laboratory cages; the commentary bases its case on their sentience, natural history, and the varied detriments of laboratory conditions. The commentary gives 5 arguments to support this position: (a) rats and mice have a high degree of sentience and can suffer, (b) laboratory environments cause suffering, (c) rats and mice in the wild have discrete behavioral needs, (d) rats and mice bred for many generations in the laboratory retain these needs, and (e) these needs are not met in laboratory cages.

Verbal Vivisection
J Balcombe - Organization & environment, 2000 - oae.sagepub.com
This commentary revisits and provides some further analysis on Dunayer’s critique of language use by the animal research community. Without question, such language is often used to distort and soften certain harsh realities of vivisection. The commentator elaborates on the terms consent, sacrifice, euthanasia, and vivisection and reflects on the particular challenges faced by any writer who sets out to assail the use of language by another interest group. For in doing so, the writer risks falling into the same traps of manipulative or prejudicial language that are being denounced. Dunayer is not immune to this, but she raises some valid and provocative points along the way.

Animal Dissection
J Balcombe - 1998 - eric.ed.gov
Killing animals for classroom dissection causes animal suffering, cheapens the value of life, and depletes wild animal populations, yet it remains commonplace. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) addresses the issue in this information packet which includes a fact sheet and three resource lists “on Dissection.” The fact sheet discusses the numbers of animals killed for dissection in schools, kinds of animals used, sources of animals, industry methods, lack of industry oversight, student feelings, legislation, available alternatives, educational pros and cons, and suggestions for student action. An annotated list of studies on attitudes toward dissection includes 13 studies of student attitudes from elementary school through medical school. A second annotated bibliography addresses comparative studies of dissection and other animal uses in education. These studies include comparisons of student performance between groups performing dissection and those learning using models, computer simulation, lecture, or sequential slides. The studies also review field-based animal research as opposed to laboratory-based studies of animal behavior.

Intelligent, social rat can find joy in a hostile world
J Balcombe - Nature, 2005 - nature.com
One has to admire the guile and tenacity of the lone rat described by James Russell and colleagues (“Intercepting the first rat ashore”, Nature 437, 1107; 2005). This rat lived for ten weeks on a small, booby-trapped island, visited by trained rat-killing dogs, before swimming a quarter of a mile to a neighbouring island, where he survived a further two months of concerted efforts to eliminate him.

EuroNICHE 10th Anniversary Conference
J Balcombe - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1998 - Taylor & Francis
The European Network of Individuals and Campaigns for Humane Education (EuroNICHE) held its 10th conference November 28 through 30 in Hoek van Holland, The Netherlands. EuroNICHE describes itself as" an international network of students, teachers, and other …

Laboratory animals deserve better legal protection
J Balcombe - Nature Medicine, 2008 - nature.com
Given that she is head of the National Association for Biomedical Research, Frankie Trull’s professed concern for animal welfare in her interview is disingenuous considering her organization’s history of campaigning to ensure that rats, mice and birds be excluded from Animal Welfare Act (AWA) protections. The idea that these animals are not worthy of AWA coverage is unscientific and unethical. Rats and mice, in particular, continue to be exposed to such torments as inescapable electric shocks and force-feedings. Are these really what anyone would consider “the most humane conditions”?

Dissection: The Scientiﬁc Case for Alternatives (pdf)
J Balcombe - 2001 - my.psychologytoday.com
This article presents the scientiﬁc argument that leaming methods that replace tradi-tional nonhuman animal-consumptive methods in life science education——so-called alternatives to dissection-are pedagogically sound and probably superior to dissection.

ECVAM Workshop on Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Higher Education
J Balcombe - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1999 - Taylor & Francis
The movement for alternatives to the use of animals in laboratories has focused primarily on testing and research and relatively little on education, yet educational use of animals is substantial-numbering annually many millions of animals worldwide. The potential for …

Humane Science Projects: Suggestions for Biology Studies
Balcombe, Jonathan P., Comp.
This paper lists 35 studies in biology which can be tailored to suit the full range of student age groups and are designed to involve most or all of the key elements of the scientific process (study design, data collection and presentation, and experimental manipulation). Examples of some studies are: (1) study the growth of molds on food items under different growing conditions; vary foods and growing conditions; (2) study absenteeism in school; relate to colds, flu, other illnesses; (3) visit a local pond where bats forage at dusk; time of arrival of the bats on different nights and compare with time of year; estimate insect abundance by counting sudden changes of flight direction; and (4) conduct a behavioral study of your companion animal(s) at home: e.g., to what sounds do they respond; compare response to different vocal inflections; examine play behavior, etc. (get pdf)

Toward Genuine Rodent Welfare: Response to Reviewer Comments
J Balcombe - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2009 - Taylor & Francis
I’m grateful to the editors for soliciting critiques of my commentary and for the opportunity to respond. Because one of the respondents (Patterson-Kane, 2010 12. Patterson-Kane, E. 2010/this issue. Thinking outside of our cages. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science …

Self-Harm in Laboratory-Housed Primates: Where Is the Evidence That the Animal Welfare Act Amendment Has Worked?
J Balcombe, H Ferdowsian,D Durham - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2011 - Taylor & Francis
The 1985 amendment to the United States Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to promote psychological well being of primates in the laboratory represents an acknowledgment of an important welfare problem concerning nonhuman animals. How effective has this amendment been? Perhaps the best-known contributor to psychological distress in primates in the laboratory is nonsocial housing; yet, available analyses suggest that little progress has been made in avoiding single-caging of these animals. Another way to assess psychological well being is to examine rates of self-abusive behavior in laboratory primates. If the AWA has been effective, then post-AWA self-harm rates might be lower than pre-AWA rates. However, when we attempted to determine those rates from published studies, data were too sparse to allow a rigorous statistical analysis; of 139 studies reporting primate self-harming behavior, only 9 contained data allowing estimation of self-harming behavior rates. We conclude that the current system of laboratory animal care and record keeping is inadequate to properly assess AWA impacts on primate psychological well being and that more is required to ensure the psychological well being of primates.

Michael Greger

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:59:14 -0800

Dr. Michael Greger is a major catalyst for the vegan movement!

Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized speaker on a number of important public health issues. All proceeds from his speaking engagements and the sale of his books and DVDs are donated to charity. His 501(c)3 nonprofit NutritionFacts.org is the first science-based, non-commercial website to provide free daily videos and articles on the latest discoveries in nutrition.

Go to Dr. Greger’s site and also visit his NutritionFacts.org which is one of the best resources on the internet!

Nutrition Facts

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 01:52:05 -0800

This is one of the best sites on the internet! Dr. Michael Greger has made serious nutrition science available to the layperson through videos that delve into the huge number of published papers on diet.

Find out what the latest science is saying about your favorite foods to help you make the healthiest choices for you and your family.

Watch our free videos on more than 2,000 health and nutrition topics with new videos and articles uploaded every day.

Go to nutritionfacts.org and also check out Greger’s own site.

Crueltyfree Beauty Shopping

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 15:31:36 -0800

Many products in our everyday life are tested on animals. This testing involves cruelty to the animals who are imprisoned, exploited, and eventually killed. Skin-care products and makeup do not need testing since they can be made with safe ingredients.

Some companies are working to make sure all of their products are cruelty-free, and if you want to convert your future purchases into only those that are cruelty-free, there are many resources available in the following guide from The Parlor, to help you do so …

A Guide to Cruelty-Free Beauty Shopping

Booklicious

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 15:28:59 -0800

Are you a lover of books? Are you a parent looking for book recommendations for your young child or teenager? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

LouAnne Taylor has put together a wonderful website for children and parents alike, to find age appropriate books and learning about the importance of literacy …
Booklicious

Confessions of a Medical Heretic

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 14:31:31 -0800

Covers issues from unnecessary surgeries and prescribed drugs to preventive medicine and home births.

Link to book.

Cost of That Bag of Potato Chips

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 20:31:24 -0800

As I walk through the aisles of the grocery store I am amazed at the collection of cardboard, plastic, metal, and glass sitting on the shelves. One must ask oneself where does this all come from and where does it go?

One particular aisle that is unique is the Potato Chip aisle. I guess it is unique in the sense of how a whole aisle is dedicated to this particular product. I call it a product because we really can’t call it food now can we?

Most potato chips range in the price of $.99 cents to about $2.99 for the more exotic and healthier chips.. Like there is such a thing as a healthy potato chip! Once oil is heated (even olive oil), it becomes a potent substance that can only do the body harm. So don’t be fooled into believing a lot of the so called health companies claiming their chips are so healthy.

When I look at a bag of potato chips I see the price at $1.99 and think that is pretty inexpensive or is it?

If we think for a moment, we have become so conditioned into believing that certain foods are natural because the packaging says so, but when is the last time that you saw lettuce in your garden with plastic wrapping all over it?

So then, what really is the cost of the potato chips? Although I have never worked in a processing plant of potato chips, I have to use common sense here. I think we can all agree the potatoes must be harvested. This would require water and most likely chemicals to allow the potatoes to grow.

They then either harvest the potatoes by paying people to pick the potatoes or use a vehicle that requires fuel and a driver to operate the vehicle.

Once the potatoes are harvested they are then placed in a vehicle which needs fuel and a driver to transport the goods to the plant.

In the plant where the potatoes are made into potato chips they use lights, water to wash, electricity to run the machines, people, chemicals and plastic to put the chips into.

The chips are then placed into cardboard boxes and placed into a vehicle which requires more fuel and a driver to transport the product to a local depot or store. Of course, if it is not local, then the product is shipped by air/vehicle which requires more fuel.

Once it arrives in the store the driver unloads the product in the warehouse of the store. Then the stock person takes the cardboard apart and places the product on the shelves with sign SPECIAL ONLY $1.99!

Is it only $1.99?

This was a quick illustration of what had to take place in order for this product which has no benefit in the human or any living animals diet. The amount that was spent on wages, fuel etc. would be very high for these products. However the manufacturers know a couple of things. First of all, although $1.99 sounds inexpensive the cost of potatoes is inexpensive as well: you could probably buy 5-10 times the amount of potatoes had you bought them in their natural state. Secondly, they know how addictive the product is and what better kind of customer to have than one who becomes addicted to your product. It provides the manufacturer a steady customer who becomes dependent on it.

The biggest costs are the environmental ones: the fuels, chemicals, vehicles etc. used have a bigger impact than anything. What’s inside the plastic wrapping will be used in a few minutes by the consumer, yet the plastic will remain for many, many years in our land files and pollute our beautiful planet. The cost of the Potato Chips is far greater than $1.99.

The next time you see an item that your wanting to purchase ask yourself what is the real cost of my using this product? The biggest difference we can make is in through our choices at the grocery stores. Our dollar is powerful - please use it wisely.

Eat foods in their Raw state - you will not only benefit your pocket book, but the planet as well.

What Is a Vaccine?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:05 -0800

OUCH! That Vaccine Is POISON!!!!

These are your children. They do not belong to the state. Your child was not born into this world to furnish money to the medical profession. You are responsible for your child’s care and training. If you betray your child by giving it over to this modern moloch, you deserve your fate. Parents owe certain responsibilities to their children. One of these is certainly to guard these children against attack from all foes, including the foes of their health. It is the duty of every parent to “refuse and resist” vaccination for his or her children, wherever such a parent may live and whatever the circumstances under which vaccination is demanded. Fight, go to jail, resist in every possible manner the cow-pus bullies and their putrescent points.

Vaccine means pus - it is the fluid product of suppuration.

To vaccinate a person is to produce disease in that person. It is an effort to prevent disease by producing disease.

A message from Robert S. Mendelsohn, M.D.:

The greatest threat of childhood disease lies in the dangerous and ineffectual efforts made to prevent them through mass immunization.

The picture of vaccination is a black one, but it is by no means the whole picture. It is almost impossible to exaggerate the evils of this filthy, superstitious practice, and any physician or vaccine propagandist who asserts vaccination is harmless, is either an ignoramus or a liar.

The Word vaccine comes from vacca, which is Latin for “cow”, because the first vaccination in 1796 was smallpox made from cowpox sores.

A vaccine is a preparation containing a weakened or “killed” solution of a specific bacterium, virus, or germ believed to produce a disease. After it is injected into the body, the humoral immune system wages a protective response, developing antibodies to the disease-organism’s foreign proteins.

The theory is that the antibodies “remember” the antigen and will neutralize them in the future, thereby giving immunity to the illness.

The problem with that, is that it is only a theory!

Vaccine and serums are given on the theory that they “act” in the same way as one “attack” of an “infectious” disease in immunizing the patient against a second “attack.” Dr. Herbert Shelton has proved in his Regeneration Of Life that this theory, that one “attack” immunizes against a second “attack,” to be illogical, unscientific and contrary to the facts.

Let me explain…

Actual statistics and records from around the world show that infectious diseases, for example, smallpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, and scarlet fever, began to disappear long before vaccines were ever on the scene.

According to the World Health Statistics Annual, 1973-1976, Vol. 2, there has been a steady decline of infectious diseases in most developing countries. It appears to be that proper sanitation, and proper diet, and good water supplies play a major role in the decline of “infectious” diseases.

There are just so many cases of vaccinated children having an outbreak of the same disease they were vaccinated for. Not only that but having a “weird strain” of the disease.

I will get more in detail with this as this page develops.

How many times have you heard that the school system will not let your child into school because your child has not been vaccinated? Forget the school system! Home School!

(Please look into what your state or province law says about vaccines)

Don’t you ever wonder why this is? Why is everyone so worried about the unvaccinated if all the other school kids have been vaccinated and the vaccines are effective?

Because, the truth is that vaccines are not effective, and to push and threaten people into vaccinating their kids is a billion dollar business!

With all of the side effects that happen such as brain damage and death, it makes me wonder what are the long term effects that we do not know of yet, such as genetic changes to our bodies. There is a growing suspicion that immunization against relatively harmless childhood diseases may be responsible for the dramatic increase in autoimmune disease since mass inoculations were introduced. These are fearful diseases such as cancer, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Loe Gehrig’s disease, lupus erythematosus, and the Guillian-Barre syndrome. An autoimmune disease can be explained simply as one in which the body’s defense mechanisms cannot distinguish between foreign invaders and ordinary body tissues, with the consequence that the body begins to destroy itself. Have we traded mumps and measles for cancer and leukemia?

The bottom line is that the doctors and nurses are injecting our newborn’s and our children with all of this toxic material at birth and throughout childhood. They give the same amount of vaccine to a newborn that they give to a fully grown adult. We don’t do that with any other drug!

Of course if you do inject your infant or child with these disease causing viruses, and germs into their little bodies they will fight it off with an immune response. That is what the body is supposed to do, and it works very well when left alone, and not messed with, with medical voodoo! But babies’ immune systems are so fragile and not yet fully developed at birth, their little systems may not be able to handle all of the toxic material injected directly into their bloodstreams. This is not the natural virus itself, it is man-made and called a vaccine.

I strongly feel that instead of creating and pushing vaccines we should be thinking about Natural Hygiene, which includes proper diets, (the Raw Food diet) exercise and rest, which in turn builds up the immune system naturally.

When you follow the basic laws of nature your body will not be diseased! Your body will never have a reason to eliminate poisonous toxins through detoxification. Your body is a powerful machine that knows how to fully take care of itself! When you become ill, it is not because you caught something, it is because your body is eliminating toxins. So, when you try and treat it with aspirin, drugs, vaccines or whatever, you are doing more damage to your body. When you poison your body with these toxic drugs, your body has to stop healing, and try and fight off what you just put into your body! Remember, in nature there is no such thing as immunity. Just as wrong acts of mechanics will cause an airplane to malfunction, even crash, so, too, your wrong acts will cause your body to malfunction and “crash” with some debilitating illness.

We should also encourage moms to breastfeed their newborn babies for a good year or longer, which builds their immune system naturally through their mother.

A human mother’s milk, for human baby, is superior than any concoction!!!!

A message from T.C. Fry:

Do not get caught up in these commercial voodoo games. They are deadly as well as costly. Healthful living always produces health. Vaccines and drugs are always disease-producing and deadly. When your child becomes ill, a little fasting and a nontoxic diet of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds will restore high-level health.

There is no need for your child to suffer or die at the hands of a voodoo commercial monster with a voracious appetite for your dollars.

TODO …
links of relevance
library references

You Just Made It My Business!

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:05 -0800

I came across this comment the other day: “You shouldn’t be so judgmental! Everyone should be allowed to eat whatever they want without worrying about some vegan nut judging them. It’s none of your business what I eat! Each to their own I say!”

No!!! Wrong!!!! I’m going to tell you why that’s a load of …

You share this world! You share this world with other people! What you do impacts on other beings! Animals. The planet. It’s not each to their own, buddy.

You live in a world of seven billion people!

There are these people saying “Oh! I’m not judgmental. I don’t wanna judge. I don’t judge people. So don’t judge me.”

Everybody judges!
It’s just that some people pretend they don’t judge.
Are you one of them?

You’re judging me.
I’m judging you.
Let’s just get over it and get on with it. Ok?

You may like to think that what you do is none of my business, but you’re wrong! Here’s why.

When you eat in a way that leads to the starvation of a child every two seconds - you just made it my business!

When you smoke and you pollute my air - you just made it my business!

When you eat in a way that leads to the extinction of 137 plant and animal species every single day - you just made it my business!

When how you eat leads to an innocent, voiceless animal getting a meathook in its face or its throat slit violently - you just made it my business!

When the murder-burger you are stuffing in your gob leads to the destruction of 67 square feet of rainforest everytime - you just made it my business!

When my taxes have to pay for your disease care, your diabetes medication, your kemo, your heart disease operation, your pharmaceutical allowance! I don’t want my taxes to go to that! - you just made it my business!

When we have water-shortages due to you wanting to eat your grassfed meat and dairy products - you just made it my business!

When your mindless corpse-crunching and pus-slurping leads to the abuse and slaughter of one million animals every single hour - you just made it my business!

When your diet requires the most inefficient, wasteful, environmentally destructive method of producing food imaginable - you just made it my business!

When your fat, sweaty, meaty spare tires begin to consume my side of the airplane seat - you just made it my business!

When the way you eat leads to 90% of the amazon rainforest destroyed forever - you just made it my business!

When the excrement you literally eat from feces in-fused meat put me at risk from e. coli and samonella poisoning from cross contaminating - you just made it my business!

When you know diddly-squat about nutrition, but instantly become an expert when you hear the word veganism mentioned - you just made it my business!

You’re going to hear from me.
I’m going to speak up.
I’m going to tell you where you are full of it.

The only reason you feel judged is because you’re doing the wrong thing.

Here is Freelee’s video of this post:

Time Management Essentials

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:04 -0800

“I’m too busy!” “I don’t have time!” “I have too many things to do!”

Is this you?

Well, at least you aren’t bored! One solution may be to do less, but Murphy’s truism “Tasks always expand to fill the time allotted” ensures that you will only get less done in more time! Another solution is to use organizational tools that help you to work more efficiently. Though we can’t make more time (there are only 24 hours in a day), we can make ourselves more effective.

Time Management Systems (TMS) provide tools for greater efficiency. These tools range from simple tasklists to elaborate planners even to computerized systems. They’re great if you use what’s right for you.

A good way to develop the ideal TMS is to start with a daily tasklist. Write down things you would like to do for today. As you complete each task, cross it out and as a new task appears, put it down. This simple, effective system ensures you don’t spend more time on your TMS than on doing the tasks! If scheduling is important, get a daily planner and place your tasks in there. As you acquire a deeper understanding of your lifestyle, you may look at the other possibilities that are available.

Tools are fine, but what they are used for is essential. We need to carefully consider what it is we do. This goes deeper than merely ‘doing less’ to the key issue of one’s purpose. Establishing ‘our purpose’ isn’t just a matter of writing down a handful of goals or dreams. It really deals with the question “Who am I?”. The answer to the question “Who am I?” will determine “What I do”.

Let’s look back through our own history and examine things we have done (remembering that hindsight is 20/20). Why is it that some of these events seem to be worthwhile and others worthless (or even downright regrettable)? The ‘worth’ has to do with you. Some actions align very well with who you are and others don’t. Ever say “It’s just not me”? Sometimes that phrase is used to get out of doing something, but often it is a sincere expression of your existence.

In practical terms, a task is worth doing if it is in honest alignment with who you are. If you are ever in doubt, if a job feels uncomfortable, if you have too many things to do, or if you are doing them poorly, it is worth questioning “Does this align with who I am?”.

The answer may surprise you.

“But there are lots of things I have to do even if I don’t want to ….” Well, this is the whole point. It is time to examine those things. For instance, I get to spend a lot of time with my seven year old, Kyron, because I work from our home. He is very creative and sometimes his efforts result in a trail of imaginations all over the house. I don’t want to clean it up, but it is a job that has to be done. I could deal with the urgency of the matter and clean it up, but I don’t. The “Who am I?” says my role is to foster a sense of personal responsibility in my son. That takes priority over the urgency (which doesn’t look all that urgent anymore). So guess who cleans up? Kyron says he dislikes cleaning and insists he will never take anything out ever again to play with, but he does and he cleans up too (in fact, he voluntarily did the vacuuming for me the other day).

We must not let urgencies pollute those things that really are important. It is easy to ’lose the forest for the trees’ and so we must realize that getting wrapped up in a myriad of urgencies keep us from participating in things of value. (Urgencies, by the way, vaporize as quickly as they seem to appear - just get sick for a few days and see what happens to them as the world continues to spin.)

As written in The Magnificent 7:

“We all have 24 hours in each day: here at last is equality. What should we do with this time, which is our life? Do we invest our time in actions that fulfill our purpose here? Live your time well, for it is all you can call your own!”

True Health Freedom

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:04 -0800

Health care for everyone! Relief from disease and suffering!

This is the rallying cry of today, as it was yesterday and will be in the foreseeable future.

Man has experimented with countless techniques, therapies and remedies in order to alleviate his pains…..and we are still looking. Is the answer now in sight? Are we closing in on the panacea of health?

Let us probe deeply and discover marvelous treasures …

Introduction

Shelton relentlessly taught and promoted a practical, sensible and extremely effective system of achieving overall human health and happiness - Natural Hygiene.

Dr. Herbert Shelton (1895-1985) was an iconoclast and rebel health pioneer. Standing on the shoulders of prior progressive and independent thinkers, Shelton relentlessly taught and promoted a practical, sensible and extremely effective system of achieving overall human health and happiness - Natural Hygiene. The name comes from two words: Natural - in harmony with Nature, and Hygiene - the science of good health.

Many of the principles of this natural science of human health can be traced far back into history, but modern thinking, theorizing and codification into a wholistic, grand paradigm began in the United States of America in 1822 through the work of Dr. Isaac Jennings, M.D. The work was greatly expounded upon by Dr. R.T.Trall, M.D. around 1862, and still further by Dr. J.H.Tilden, M.D. at the turn of the century.

Shelton was by far the most prolific thinker and writer on the subject, and he was steadfast in promoting self-reliance. Examining a few philosophical tidbits from his article “Principles of Natural Hygiene”(1) allows us to cut right to the chase:

Natural Hygiene is that branch of biology which investigates and applies the conditions upon which life and health depend, and the means by which all health is sustained in all its virtue and purity, and restored when it has been lost……Natural Hygiene is not a system of therapeutics. It professes to build health in all forms of diseased states by the employment of hygienic agents alone and without the employment of poisons or resort to enervating palliatives or therapies of any nature. In the class of hygienic agencies can be included only the actual necessities of life - food, air, water, sunlight, rest, sleep, relaxation, exercise, play, warmth, cleanliness, hope, faith, courage - and the means of securing these. Constructive surgery forms the only non-hygienic measure endorsed by the Natural Hygienist.

The truth should be self-evident that any method or system that destroys the independence and autonomy of the individual and makes one forever dependent upon another person or class of people is not natural. Any system that of itself creates a privileged class who can, by law or otherwise, lord it over their fellow people destroys true freedom and personal autonomy. Any system that teaches the sick that they can get well only through the exercise of the skill of someone else, or through the operation of something else, and that they remain alive only through the tender mercies of the privileged class, has no place in Nature’s scheme of things, and the sooner it is abolished, the better will humankind be. It was no more a part of the original scheme of things that people should be a supplicate at the feet of the healers than that lions or cod-fish should be. It matters not whether a person is dependent on the physician, the osteopath, the chiropractor or the psychoanalyst, that person is a slave to that class upon which one depends. Therapeutics makes slaves of men and women. This is an evil and cannot endure. Natural Hygiene uses no treatments…..none. A hygienist is a guide, a teacher. I’m not a treatment peddler. I do not treat symptoms. We always first look for the cause. The hygienist does not use the word cure.

The healing principle is always in the living system itself. All living organisms are self-constructing, self-defending and self-repairing. Teach men and women to prevent disease by avoiding its causes rather than attempt to cure it by administering the causes of other diseases [drugs] - then health and happiness will abound everywhere. We are convinced that mankind can be educated in correct principles and trained in right practices so that sickness will cease to trouble us. It is our business to teach people how to prevent disease and not merely how to take care of themselves when ill. I am well aware of the revolutionary character of the principles I have presented…..but I am convinced that the physical salvation of the human race depends upon their acceptance.

These statements by the late Dr. Shelton reflect his search for truth and his understanding that humanity is born to be free and autonomous; that the power and intelligence that created a fully mature human from a microscopic fertilized ovum is the same power that will maintain us in excellent health and well-being. All it takes is some basic education in the natural laws that govern us, the Earth, the Universe.

All it takes is some basic education in the natural laws that govern us, the Earth, the Universe.

More recently, Dr. Thomas Hanna (1928-1990), a philosopher, writer and researcher, spent much of his time studying and teaching in the area of somatic education. He, like Shelton, stood on the shoulders of great visionaries that came before him: F. Matthias Alexander (creator of the Alexander Method), Moshe Feldenkrais and others. Likewise, he synthesized and improved upon the works of these predecessors. Combining insights gathered from neurology, physiology and sensory education, Hanna created a body awareness and movement improvement technique he called “Somatics”.

Hanna: “Underneath I have enormous anger because I see so many people abused.”

In an interview entitled Mind Over Movement(2), Hanna put it like this:

My own interest, first of all, for myself, and second of all for any person I deal with, is to do anything I can to inculcate freedom. Freedom, independence and autonomy is what human life is all about. This is what we grow up to become - totally autonomous, self-determining, self-balancing, self-healing, self-regulating, self-correcting. We’re magnificent creatures for becoming just that. Usually we don’t come off being so. In various ways - emotionally, psychologically, physically - we get enslaved. And we don’t have either the confidence or the ability to choose and truly conduct our own affairs and take care of ourselves. The truly burning and major issue of the 20th century - how can we become more autonomous human beings - rather than depending on authoritarian experts who give advice on everything.

The whole thing is to let people get a taste of freedom; for self-reliance. You’ve got to be competent and confident enough to be independent and autonomous because freedom means that you’re capable of being self- responsible. The human life has no other aim, as far as I can see than for human beings to become self-regulating and self-directing. Human freedom is at the heart of all issues. It’s the only issue there is of human and moral philosophy: how can you help people become more free?

What I do is education…..not therapy. My main concern is in knowledge that frees. We do things in one or two sessions and the problem is gone. And they (the clients) are utterly in command and aware of what went on. Thoughtful medical people know the limitations of medicine. Arrogant ones are dangerous…..the excruciating unhappiness is to know what I know and realize it’s going to take years to get these ideas across to the establishment of traditional thinking that has a hard time absorbing them. The impatience that I feel is with physicians who damage and hurt people and are arrogant about it. Underneath I have enormous anger because I see so many people abused…..I’ve got certain talents, certain understandings; it’s in some sense my personal obligation to myself and other human beings to help them in any way I can. It has nothing to do with power. It has to do with loving people; being concerned about the human condition.

Hanna’s love of freedom permeated all his work; he understood that much of the misery of humanity stemmed from a lack of self-responsibility, which was mostly due to a lack of education. To chip away at this wall of ignorance was his primary mission.

[Author’s note: The goal of this article is to reintroduce into the realm of true health care some age old wisdom, seen through contemporary eyes. That wisdom is simply this:

Daily practice of their precepts of Natural Hygiene, Somatics, and the Alexander Method will enable you to live a full, joyous and healthy life for all of your years. Embracing the philosophy and science will fortify your mind with the knowledge necessary to carry on through good times and bad.]

Natural Hygiene

The science of Natural Hygiene is about enhancing physical, emotional and mental well-being through education. It provides us with a simple, straightforward system for regaining and maintaining superb human health and beauty. Hygiene is personally empowering and liberating. It teaches independence and rational action. It banishes fear and ignorance regarding human health and how to keep it. Ultimately it is about freedom.

Hygiene is personally empowering and liberating. .. It banishes fear and ignorance regarding human health and how to keep it.

The principles of Natural Hygiene, to be universally true, must reflect and harmonize with Natural Law. Just what is natural law? Natural law is

Law which so necessarily agrees with the nature and state of man, that without observing its maxims, the peace and happiness of a society can never be created or preserved. Knowledge of natural law may be attained merely by the light of reason; from the facts, and of their essential agreeableness with the constitution of human nature.(3)

These are profound words. Everyone wants peace and happiness in our society. And we each want to experience it in our lifetime. To create this reality, as an individual and as a society, we need to learn about natural law and how to observe its maxims. We need to somatically experience how to realistically apply it to our lives.

… we need to learn about natural law and how to observe its maxims.

Natural Laws of Life

In 1925, Shelton detailed what he considered basic physical laws that governed the orderly processes of life in his monumental work Human Life - Its Philosophy and Laws(4):

Life’s Great Law: Every living cell of the organized body is endowed with an instinct of self-preservation, sustained by an inherent force in the organism called “vital force,” “life force,” or “nerve energy.” The success of each living organism - whether it be simple or complex - is directly proportional to the amount of its life force and inversely proportional to the degree of its activity.

The Law Of Order: The living organism is self-constructing, self-maintaining, self-directing, self-repairing, self-defending and self-healing.

The Law Of Action: Whenever action occurs in the living organism, as the result of extraneous influences, the action must be ascribed to the living thing which has the power of action - not to the dead thing whose leading characteristic is inertia.

The Law Of Power: The power employed, and consequently expended, in any vital or medicinal action is vital power; that is, power from within - not from without.

The Law Of Distribution: The power of the body, whether that power is great or little, is distributed in a manner proportionate to the importance and needs of the various organs and tissues of the body.

The Law Of Autolysis or The Law Of Conservation: Whenever nutritive absence is affected, the living organism’s reserves are conserved and economized: living structures are autolyzed (broken down) in the inverse order of their usefulness, while toxic substances are being eliminated. This Law refers to the state of fasting in humans.

The Law Of Limitation: Whenever and wherever the expenditure of vital power has advanced so far that a fatal exhaustion is imminent, a check is put upon the unnecessary expenditure of power; at that point the organism rebels against the further use of even an accustomed stimulant.

The Law Of Special Economy: The vital organism, under favorable conditions, stores up all excess of vital funds above the current expenditures as a “reserve fund” to be employed in time of special need.

The Law Of Vital Accommodation: The response of the organism to external stimuli is an instinctive one, based upon a self-preservative instinct which adapts or accommodates itself to whatever influence it cannot control or destroy.

The Law Of Stimulation or Dual Effect: Whenever a toxic or irritating agent is brought to bear upon the living organism, the body puts forth vital resistance - which manifests itself in an action at once accelerated, but also impaired. This resistance diminishes the bodily power precisely to the degree to which it accelerates action. The increased action is caused by the extra expenditure of vital power called out, not supplied, by the stimulatory process. In consequence, the available supply of power is diminished by this amount.

The Law Of Repose or The Law Of Compensation: Whenever action in the body has expended the substance and available energy of the body, rest is induced in order to replenish the body’s substance and energy.

The Law Of Selective Elimination: All injurious substances which gain admittance by any means into the living organism are counteracted, neutralized and expelled as fully as the bodily nerve energy supplies allow by such means and through such channels as will produce the least amount of harm to living structure.

The Law Of Utilization: The normal elements and materials of life are all that the living organism is ever capable of constructively utilizing, whether it is well or sick: no substance or process that is not a normal factor/element in physiology can be of any value in the structure of the living organism. That which is unusable in a state of health is equally unusable in a state of illness.

The Law Of Quality Selection: When the quality of nutriment being received by the living organism is higher than that of the present living tissue, the organism will discard lower-grade cells to make room for appropriating the superior materials into new and healthy tissue.

The Law Of Minimum: The development of living organisms is regulated by the supply of that element or factor which is least abundantly provided or utilized. The element or factor in shortest supply determines the amount of development.

The Law Of Development: The development of all or any parts of the living organism is measured in direct proportion to the amount of vital forces and nutritive materials which are directed to it and brought to bear upon it.

These Natural Laws of Life have been in operation since life on Earth began. The maximum expression of health proceeds from living in tune with these laws. We may debate the finer points; nevertheless, we are all subject to the causes and effects that have been elaborated.

If we agree that it is true that superb health springs naturally from obedience to Nature’s Laws, and we then compare that truth to conventional wisdom sanctioned by the present legalized health care system in the United States and most of the world, we see that two distinct paradigms (points of view) exist:

Newtonian/Descartes Mind/body split; reductionistic; only 3rd person/objective view is valid; the body is at the mercy of simple physical laws; the body’s inner intelligence frequently makes mistakes and must be “corrected” by employing external force, directly or indirectly, through the means of one of the thousands of therapies that exist.

Somatic/Quantum Physical Mind/Body/Spirit integrated and unified; wholistic; 1st and 3rd subjective and objective viewpoints together are valid (neither is complete without the other); the body works with and within physical laws; the body’s inner intelligence is always right and acts appropriately for the context within which it must function. Once we intuitively realize that the body is always striving toward health, and that we sabotage this process by deleterious actions, emotions and environments/situations that we put ourselves in (context), we can then take rational steps to correct the context, instead of wasting precious time and energy on further abnormal “therapies”.

… and 10% of all deaths are physician-caused.

The disastrous results of “helpful therapeutic intervention” attempted strictly through the paradigm of 3rd person objective classical science are obvious all around us. Annual statistics on the health of the American people from 1990 show that 95% past the age of four have some degree of atherosclerosis, 95% cannot pass a minimum physical fitness test, 33% will have cancer - 75% of these will die of it, 31 million have arthritis, 81 million are obese, 80 million suffer allergies, at least 28 million have high blood pressure, 12 million asthmatics, 160 million backache and headache sufferers, 200 million frequent constipation and indigestion problems, 1000 million colds a year, 1250 million visits to physicians, emergency rooms and outpatient clinics, and 10% of all deaths are physician-caused.

The general concensus is that 80% of human disease cannot be cured by medicine, 10% can be cured by medicine, and the other 10% is caused by medical intervention! Mind-boggling numbers to say the least!

Is all this sickness inevitable? Is this much suffering normal? I dare say not!

Is all this sickness inevitable? Is this much suffering normal? I dare say not! Observing life within natural surroundings, we notice that all wild animals are born, live healthfully, and then die according to natural patterns and genetic capabilities.

Throughout their lives they remain healthy and agile. If they survive into “old age”, they will die a natural death wherein all body organ systems more or less cease functioning together. I believe humans should live out our whole lives being just as agile, healthy and happy.

I will only deal with the application of natural law as it applies to our health. Keep in mind that Natural Laws fundamentally apply to all areas of our lives - government, money, economics, social tranquillity, agriculture, environment and so on. Once we grasp this natural order in all things, answers to most of society’s and humanity’s problems become clear.

I believe humans should live out our whole lives being just as agile, healthy and happy.

Natural Hygiene Philosophy

The timeless philosophy and platform of Natural Hygiene is rock-steady; it does not rest on shifting sands; it does not change directions like the wind. As we progress in our understanding of the wonderful and intricate workings of Nature and as we slowly come full circle toward embracing and protecting this Earth which makes our lives possible, we will come to cherish these eternal truths.

Shelton assembled some of these planks of the Hygienic platform in Human Life - Its Philosophy and Laws(5) from various writings of previous hygienic visionaries through the years, including but not limited to such authors as Isaac Jennings, Sylvester Graham, Russell Trall, Harriet Austin, John Tilden, Edward Dewey, and Susanna Dodds.

The timeless philosophy and platform of Natural Hygiene is rock-steady .. it does not change directions like the wind.

T. C. Fry masterfully put them all together as follows:

Natural Hygiene holds that life should be meaningful and filled with beauty, goodness and happiness.

Natural Hygiene holds that humans are inherently good, righteous and virtuous, and that their exalted character will be realized under ideal life conditions.

Natural Hygiene holds that superlative well-being is normal to human existence and necessary to the realization of the highest human ideals.

Natural Hygiene holds that supreme human excellence can best be realized in those who embrace those precepts and practices which are productive of well- being.

Natural Hygiene, which encompasses all that bears upon human well-being, constitutes the best way to realize the highest possible order of human existence.

Natural Hygiene is in harmony with nature, in accordance with the principles of vital existence, correct in science, sound in philosophy and ethics, in agreement with common sense, successful in practice and a blessing to mankind.

Natural Hygiene recognizes that the human body is fully self-constructing, self-preserving and self-healing, and that it is capable of maintaining itself in superb functioning order, completely free of disease, if its needs are met.

Natural Hygiene recognizes that human anatomy and physiology dictate specific needs and conditions to function at peak genetic capability. Supplied with these needs and conditions, in a proper balance, humankind will realize abounding health and joyous well-being.

Natural Hygiene recognizes that diseases are caused by improper life practices, especially dietary indiscretions. Illness proceeds from reduced nerve energy and consequent toxicosis (general systemic poisoning). Insufficient nerve energy arises from stressful dissipation, overindul-gence or deficiency of the normal essentials of life, or pollution of the body with substances not normal to it. Accordingly, recovery from sickness can be achieved only by discontinuing its causes and supplying conditions favorable to healing.

Natural Hygiene recognizes that a thorough-going rest, which includes fasting, is the most favorable condition under which an ailing body can purify and repair itself.

Natural Hygiene, which teaches that exalted well-being can be attained and maintained only through biologically correct living practices, is not in any sense a healing art or curing cult. It regards as mistaken and productive of much grief the idea that diseases can be prevented or overcome by agencies abnormal to our natural being. Consequently,

Natural Hygiene emphatically rejects (except in life or death emergencies and other extraordinary situations which will be touched upon later) all drugs, medications, vaccinations, treatments and therapies because they undermine health by interfering with or destroying vital body processes, cells and tissues. Therefore,

Natural Hygiene regards the body and mind as the inviolable sanctuary of an individual’s being.

Natural Hygiene holds that everyone has an inalienable right to have a pure and uncontaminated body, a pure and uncontaminated environment in which to live, to be free of abnormal compulsions and restraints, and to be free to meet his/her needs as a responsible member of society.

Basics

The study and practice of natural hygiene manifests its wonderful results most obviously in our physical health. Its benefits are not as tangible, but just as profound, to our mental, emotional and spiritual health. This is clearly true when viewed through “somatic” eyes since there is no real internally- experienced distinction between mind/body/spirit.

The result is what might be called a “Master List of To-Do’s” that need be practiced to realize ideal health.

Natural Hygiene concerns itself with the question: What are the ideal conditions upon which human life depends? It seeks to understand the relationship between action/non-action that is harmonious with natural law and the positive results therefrom.

On the flip side, the consequences that result from rejecting natural law are studied and explained. The result is what might be called a “Master List of To-Do’s” that need be practiced to realize ideal health. The funny thing is that living in this manner is, by and large, much easier than straining to live the many pathological practices promoted by approved higher authority - coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, thousands of medicines (poisons), etc.

T.C. Fry, in putting together his pamphlet entitled The Health Formula(6), has succinctly detailed the basic premises of a healthy life. An abbreviated version follows:

Above all, thou shalt not poison thyself! The fundamental principles that beget and maintain superlative health include:

Pure Air.

Pure Water - not mineralized/carbonated.

Comfortable temperature. Ideally a climate that allows many hours out-of-doors year-long

Cleanliness of body, both inside and out. Don’t pollute it internally by taking in anything other than pure air, pure water, sunshine and foods of our biological adaptation. We can also strive to keep ourselves externally clean without continually stripping away our natural body oils.

Adequate sleep. Nerve energy, which we use while awake, is generated while asleep.

Fresh, sun-ripened, uncooked foods (preferably organically grown and non- irradiated) of our biological adaptation. By this I mean foods that are most effectively and efficiently processed by our digestive systems. As humans are naturally frugivores, fruits should make up a major part of our diet. Vegetables, nuts and seeds that are palatable should complement it. Cooked foods should be considered of secondary and relatively inferior quality to uncooked foods; any food obtained from animals should be considered tertiary and of even more inferior quality.

Vigorous activity. Optimum health demands exercise and activity. Start out slowly and build to an energetic workout that revitalizes all your body’s systems.

Sunshine and natural light. Artificial light robs our bodies of much of the visible and non-visible spectrum that is crucial to high level functioning of our eyes and endocrine system.

Rest and relaxation. The siesta is a good example of allowing ourselves time to rejuvenate during the day.

Play and recreation. This should be both physical and mental in nature.

Emotional poise. Our feelings are born of the conditions of our lives. If we make our conditions right and maintain a positive attitude, our feelings will be euphoric and outgoing.

Security of life and its means. Insecurity leads to emotional stresses that rob us of well-being.

Pleasant environment. This applies to all our surroundings, including the people and animals that comprise them. Create and care for a garden. Invite birds and other wildlife into your surroundings. Beautify your home. Include a special place for meditation, music, etc.

Creative, useful work. Humans feel right only when they can fend for themselves and supply their needs by their own efforts. We should strive to make a living at those endeavors which come naturally to us; that we do well and with ease; that give us a sense of pride and self-esteem.

Self-mastery. When we know what makes us and the world tick, this knowledge will liberate our minds. The truth will set us free.

Belonging to a group or social circle. As gregarious creatures, humans thrive within a context of peers on some level, and friends. We need to interact with others about feelings, matters of intellectual moment, and life’s affairs and problems.

Inspiration, motivation, purpose and commitment.

Love, appreciation and esteem.

Personal growth in spiritual realms. Striving to know, understand and fulfill one’s purpose in life begets joy, wisdom and serenity.

Expression of sexual desires.

Satisfaction of the aesthetic senses. We must have harmony, beauty and goodness in our lives.

A sense of self-reliance and self-worth. Trusting our own inherent powers and our ability to do things is essential to well-being.

This is by no means a complete listing of all of life’s needs, but it covers the most basic ones. By reflecting on this list of life’s essentials, we can take the necessary steps to improve our lives.

As I work with my clients, I try to teach them about the normal needs of life

As I work with my clients, I try to teach them about the normal needs of life and how they can best change and improve their present lifestyle. It is an individual matter; each of us has our own hurdles to jump over.

We may have various physiological habits to conquer - smoking, alcohol and coffee drinking, various over and under the counter drug habits. We may have various psychological habits to overcome - negative/self-destructive thinking patterns, failure mentality, abandonment or abuse issues, relationship problems with family or friends.

As these harmful patterns are reversed, the patient must be taught how to live in tune with natural laws as best as they are able.

I have found that there are two areas of correct living that we most frequently misunderstand. These two are the realms of nutrition / elimination and body use (exercise/posture/gait). I will address each of these separately.

Nutrition in a Nutshell

Nutrition is the process of ingesting substances that build and maintain tissues. Nutritive substances include air, water, sunshine and food. Each of these is essential for superior health in human beings. Sunshine, in proper amounts, is required for proper eye, pituitary and pineal gland functioning. There are probably countless other benefits from natural light; we just don’t know about them yet. The importance of pure water and pure air is obvious. Food, however, is the big question mark. For every nutritionist and dietician out there, we will likely get exactly that many different opinions about our ideal food requirements. I’d like to break it down and make it simple.

The perfect foods for humans are fruits, complemented by various palatable vegetables, nuts and seeds.

All living things, from amoebas to humans, have genetically-determined foods of their biological adaptation - foods which look good, smell good, and taste good in their raw state as nature delivers them to us - foods that are easily and efficiently digested, assimilated, utilized and the waste products quickly eliminated by our bodies. For example:

Cows and Horses = Herbivores = Vegetation
Frogs and Lizards = Insectivores = Insects
Squirrels and Birds = Graminivores = Seeds/nut
Dogs and Cats = Carnivores = Animal Flesh
Pigs and Goats = Omnivores = Nearly Anything
Humans and Primates = Frugivores / Herbivores = Fruits and Vegetables

As one studies human anatomy and physiology, he/she arrives at the inescapable conclusion that we are constituted to be primarily vegetarians. The perfect foods for humans are fruits, complemented by various palatable vegetables, nuts and seeds. There is some evidence for the historic inclusion of a very small amount of animal products into our diet - maybe 1-2%. But the evidence for the use of any animal products is either speculative or inconclusive however, so everyone must experiment to see what works best for them.

There is some evidence for the historic inclusion of a very small amount of animal products into our diet - maybe 1-2%

These are the foods of our biological adaptation. They give us the most complete nourishment with the least amount of toxic by-products. The more we eat relatively harmful foods (grains < dairy products < dead animals, etc.), the tougher it is for our bodies to physiologically handle them and the more we poison ourselves.

Elimination

This process of self-poisoning is crucial to understand. Just as the process of nutrition is vitally important, the process of elimination is just as important .

This process of self-poisoning is crucial to understand.

Billions of cells are turned over daily. The non-recyclable parts of these spent cells and the toxins in the air we breathe and the water we drink must be eliminated. The non-digestible fiber and non-usable parts of food we eat must also be eliminated.

If we eat biologically correct foods, and if the stress levels in our lives is manageable, our eliminative faculties (liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, colon, etc.) are usually up to the task of maintaining an acceptably “clean” internal soma. But if stress is high, and/or we consume foods that are not suited to our digestive capabilities, the internal waste products pile up past the toleration point.

On the outside, we call these elimination processes colds, pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, appendicitis, herpes, acne, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, etc., etc.

The integrity of the whole organism is now threatened and the wisdom of the body begins a stepped-up process of elimination. It uses any and all outlets to rid itself of excess toxic materials. The channel it chooses is an individual matter - your body picks what is most appropriate for the toxin to be eliminated and your particular genetic make-up (See XII - The Law of Selective Elimination). On the outside, we call these elimination processes colds, pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, appendicitis, herpes, acne, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, etc., etc. The name doesn’t much matter, all are elimination processes.

When we think about what is going on, we realize that these things we call diseases are really not diseases at all. They are really the cure for a condition of the body called toxicosis (general bodily saturation with toxic waste products). As such, these eliminative processes should be cooperated with as much as possible. Instead, we are unaware of what is going on and we take even more poisons into our bodies in the form of drugs and medicines.

The body basically treats all incoming substances as nutritive or toxic. All medicines, drugs, potions, etc. are poisons. They are not usable in building or maintaining healthy cells or tissues. Therefore, the body must expend energy, vitamins, minerals and other important substances to eliminate them.

Think about it. How can a drug, which makes a healthy person sick (note the many “side effects” inherent in any drug), magically turn around and make a sick person well?

Think about it. How can a drug, which makes a healthy person sick .. magically turn around and make a sick person well?

What about “wholistic” therapies and treatments? First we should establish a good working definition of the word therapy. Dr. Ralph Cinque has defined therapy thusly:

Therapy - The treatment of disease by the application of some kind of force (whether mechanical, chemical, thermal, electrical or other) to the body to alter its structure or function. The key word in the definition of therapy is force. Therapy forces change upon the body. The force applied may be harsh or gentle; it may be pleasant or painful; it may be applied internally or externally; but without force there is no therapy. With therapy, there is always the possibility of producing adverse effects, and sometimes this is a certainty. This is because the essence of therapy is often not merely force, but outright violence against the body’s structure or function.(7)

I believe that the best way to illustrate the proper place for these treatments and therapies is to ask a few basic questions. Let us say that we are experiencing a pounding headache. Is it due to a lack of aspirin in the system? Is it caused by a deficiency of neck vertebral manipulations? Is it due to the absence of needles at certain acupuncture points? Are we missing specific herbal remedies, homeopathic remedies or crystal stones? Is our bloodstream and brain low on EDTA or other chelating (binding) agents? None of these therapies or substances provide anything that is usable by the body to build or maintain its cells and tissues. Most serve to further weaken our bodies by forcing them to waste energy on the effects of these toxic materials and therapies.

It is paramount that we understand the basic law of cause and effect. The aforementioned headache is an effect, and it has a definite cause (usually multiple). The cause is not a lack of therapies, drugs, manipulations, etc. If this were the case, we would need daily, constant intravenous drips into our arms full of aspirin, EDTA, herbal potions, and homeopathic preparations in order to prevent the headaches. At the same time, we would need to be careful not to dislodge the multitude of acupuncture needles strategically placed in our ears, head, hands, neck and other body parts, especially while the chiropractor is contorting our body in order to deliver his adjustments.

Pain is our warning alarm. .. It is there to teach us that something is definitely wrong and that changes must be made.

It is clear that all these approaches are palliative (to alleviate pain without removing the cause) and temporary, as long as natural laws continue to be violated. Pain is our warning alarm. Pain is a potent motivator. It is there to teach us that something is definitely wrong and that changes must be made. Otherwise, disease and pain will intensify. Sometimes it is better to relieve pain by whatever means available, especially when the suffering is causing unacceptable emotional turmoil. However, compassion in the form of “tough love” has a powerful role to play as well. Anyone familiar with the pain of addiction knows that the turning point back toward health and sanity comes when “the bottom” is reached. And each of us must experience our own “bottom”. This understanding also highlights the insidious nature of pain- killing therapies. They allow us to postpone true corrective action while we rely on false cures.

Dr. Anne Wilson Schaef makes this observation:

Medicine can help relieve some of the physical effects of the addictive process, and I question strongly the role of medicine in enabling the addictive process. For example, medicine often heroically rushes in to try to save people from the consequences of their indulging in their addiction (smoking, drinking, overworking or overeating) while steadfastly refusing to confront the addictive process as the root cause of the disease…..Yet, one way of looking at much of medicine (as it is now practiced) is as the systematic enabling of addictions; as what allows and supports addicts to continue to use until their deterioration is so far progressed that their is no hope of physical recovery…..they have taken the edge off just enough so that the society can indulge in and play with its addictive process. The field of psychotherapy has been especially guilty in this respect.(8)

If we do use a pain reliever of some sort, I believe the responsible and honest thing to do is to let the sufferer know that the treatment and/or therapy employed is in fact only palliative, and that the true cause has not been addressed. As such, the same or worse symptoms will reappear later.

Dr. Keki Sidhwa poetically describes the greater psychological damage inherent in the promotion of therapies and cures:

So what price this remedy mentality? Patients undergoing treatments and therapies are at a great disadvantage. The patient blindly assumes that the therapy he is receiving will ‘cure’ him and hence makes no effort to self- recovering from his disability.

This sort of remedy mentality perpetuates from one generation to another the wrong idea that disease is due to chance and that the only recourse is how to drastically reduce the signs and symptoms (warning alarms) of diseases as soon as possible. Such a mentality is a breeding ground for physical, intellectual, moral, emotional and spiritual decadence.

Instead of being made aware of his own immediate responsibilities, he is lulled into a comforting assumption of childlike innocence and ineffectuality. He is lulled into a false sense of security. He is not in any way to blame for the unwholesome state he finds himself; he cannot be expected to face the tasks of self-repair and readjustment. These burdens he hands over to the remedy.

With them go at least part of his most valuable assets - self-respect and self-reliance. Man cannot live imprudently with impunity.(9)

Nature is extremely fair in that she metes out disease and suffering in direct proportion to the degree that her laws are violated.

Nature is extremely fair in that she metes out disease and suffering in direct proportion to the degree that her laws are violated. Some call it karma, others realize that we are reaping what we have sown. Better that we grow in the understanding and practice of Natural Hygiene so that we may eliminate the causes of our diseases.

This, in a nutshell, is what goes on with most sickness and disease. The more we intuitively understand these simple processes of nutrition and elimination, the quicker we can rid ourselves of nearly all common diseases, permanently. Period.

With this understanding, we see that many mysterious and incurable conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, asthma, ulcers and many others are likely just more exotic manifestations of a condition of toxicosis. The most natural, quick and efficient way to deal with this intolerable state is to employ a pure water fast.

During any acute illness, the appetite naturally diminishes, usually to the point of fasting.

Fasting

An integral part of Hygienic care is the use of fasting for the recovery of health. Fasting is an instinctive action instituted by our living body when internal toxin levels reach a threshold that threatens the survival of our body. During any acute illness, the appetite naturally diminishes, usually to the point of fasting.

Definitions

‘Fasting’ and/or ‘Water Fasting’ - consuming only pure water as needed while allowing for total rest - body, mind and senses. The express purpose is to allow the body and mind maximum opportunity to free itself of debilitating influences (aka - detoxification).

‘Juice Fasting’ and/or ‘Juice Diet’ - consuming one kind or a variety of freshly extracted juices from fruits and/or vegetables instead of solid foods. The express purpose is to significantly ease the burden of digestion, thereby freeing up energy to accelerate internal detoxification.

Our body intelligently focuses its energy stores to the task of eliminating the offensive toxins. It diverts energy from the muscles and gastrointestinal tract; this is why we feel like lying down and only drinking fluids. Our body is most effectively and efficiently “curing” the underlying problem - toxin build-up.

Forcing food and excess physical activity upon the ailing organism slows down this cleansing process. Just the same, taking any medicine (drug, poison), short-circuits this body-instituted process of healing. Drugs simply make the problem worse.

Adding more virulent poisons and toxins (drugs, medicines) to a body that is already trying to rid itself of toxic material is damaging, injurious and unnecessary. The body is already “curing” the problem. “Cures” do not come from outside the body.

Drugs simply make the problem worse.

Some basic facts concerning fasting are that: Fasting is a highly regulated bodily process that occurs during the complete abstention from all food, supplements, protein/electrolyte drinks, etc. Only pure water is taken as desired.

Fasting begins when carbohydrate stores (mostly glycogen) are depleted. This happens within 12-24 hours. Fasting can continue as long as fat stores remain to be metabolized for fuel (ketosis). This is usually 5-6 weeks for the average person. Longer for the obese, shorter for the emaciated.

When fat stores have been metabolized past certain minimum levels, rapid autolysis of protein structures occurs. This is starvation.

Various hormones come into play during an extended fast. Significant ones include sustained increases of plasma growth hormone and adrenocorticotropin levels. These have important effects on ketosis and cellular protein conservation. Also, pancreatic release of insulin is diminished considerably.

As the body continues fasting, it scavenges any and all superfluous fat stores, abnormal tissues, adhesions, fibrous growths, etc. for autolysis and subsequent gluconeogenesis. All important organs and structures are preserved during fasting.

Growth and healing continue during the fast, but these processes slow during extended fasts.

Various “healing crises” may occur during the fast, which reflect the intelligent innate control of tissue repair and optimal healing. Our body is working at the degree and speed that it knows can best restore health.

Clear and prominent signs are given by our body before it moves into critical protein breakdown called starvation.

Fasts longer than 4 or 5 days require supervision by someone experienced with monitoring the progression and proper conclusion of extended fasts. In this way, maximum benefit can be obtained and preserved.(10)

The most difficult thing for health care practitioners is to do nothing .. intelligently

Fasting can provide the ideal context for tremendous healing to take place in our body. However, fasting is not a cure. Fasting doesn’t do anything. In fact, fasting is the best way to do nothing.

The most difficult thing for health care practitioners is to do nothing but simply set the stage (context) for our body’s own magnificent healing powers to take over. Yet in the vast majority of cases, intelligently doing nothing (not neglecting) is exactly the best thing to do.(11) Fasting simply provides the most favorable internal environment for the most rapid and effective healing to occur.

For those in the health professions, it is tempting to jump right in and “assist” the healing process with manipulation, bodywork, electrical modalities, colonics, supplements, etc. Yet the clinical experience gained from collectively supervising hundreds of thousands of fasts demonstrate that many of the “barriers” to healing are effectively autolyzed (eliminated) - cysts, calcium deposits, mucosal and fecal deposits, tumors, adhesions, pannus formations, and other similar scar-type tissues.

The practitioner must use his or her judgement carefully in such cases. Mild intervention may be of help, but it could just as easily hinder the healing process, forcing our body to divert precious resources prematurely to the newly-injured areas and generally squander vital energies. It is most often better to allow our body to achieve what it can during the fast and to then apply gentle supportive techniques later where warranted.

Yet the clinical experience gained from collectively supervising hundreds of thousands of fasts demonstrate that many of the “barriers” to healing are effectively autolyzed (eliminated) - cysts, tumors …

Appropriate Intervention

Dr. Ronald Cridland, in an article in Health Science(12) magazine, points out where appropriate medical intervention makes good common sense:

A primary principle of Natural Hygiene is the understanding that only our body (including our mind-Ed.) can heal. Whether we have an illness or a wound, it is our body that will heal it. Even when some form of medical or surgical treatment is appropriately and successfully employed, that procedure is not going to make the cells knit together or make the function return. Only our body (vital force) is capable of doing that.

There are situations, however, when medical or surgical intervention can be of great, sometimes life saving benefit. Generally speaking, these are times when the intervention, by removing as much as possible any interfering factors, helps provide the optimum healing environment, thus allowing our body to achieve its maximum healing potential.

But occasionally, medical or surgical intervention will maximize healing potential. When is medical and surgical care necessary?

Splinting/casting of severe bone fractures.
Cardio-pulmonary emergencies.
Organ failure emergencies; liver, kidney etc.
Severe shock; hypovolemic, anaphylactic, etc.
Extended anoxia due to severe acute asthma, grand mal seizure, pneumothorax, etc.
Severe dehydration due to vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Reconstructive surgery - cleft palate, defects or patent ductus arteriosis of the heart, other congenital defects, injuries, etc.
Elective surgery - cataracts, unstable chronic hernias, late stage prostatic hypertrophy, unresolved abscesses.
Obstetrics - life or death emergencies
Traumas/ bites/ wounds causing life or death emergencies.

We want to avoid medical and surgical treatment and hospitalization because it has serious risks. A healthy hygienic lifestyle, including fasting when appropriate, will prevent or resolve most acute and chronic illness. But occasionally, medical or surgical intervention will maximize healing potential. The medical or surgical forte is in areas of trauma or life or limb threatening emergencies where “high-tech” care improves the outcome, and this is where surgical or other intervention makes sense.

Living Wisdom

During these extended fasting periods, our body receives a well deserved period of physical, mental and emotional rest. During fasting, we can take time to get back in touch with the inner healing power that sustains us. It can be a very powerful experience. We have the internal somatic feeling of health returning.

There is the empowering intuitive knowledge that comes with knowing that we ourselves are achieving this return to health, not some doctor, drug, therapy, expert, etc. As Hanna proclaimed “…..And they (the clients) are utterly in command and aware of what went on.” Self-empowerment is strengthened. Self- respect increases. Self-responsibility is cultivated and expanded.

Greater freedom is realized. Many of the preceding concepts on nutrition, elimination, fasting, basic needs of life, etc. seem obvious and of simple common sense.

There is the empowering intuitive knowledge that comes with knowing that we ourselves are achieving this return to health, not some doctor, drug, therapy, expert, etc.

And that is the beauty of it. Spiritual Masters throughout the ages agree that greatly simplifying our life is a first and major step toward achieving health, wisdom, peace and serenity.

Internal Somatic Awareness

Another vitally important element of Natural Hygiene, indeed a defining characteristic of all life, is that of movement. Divisions include posture, tone, use, range of motion, gait, exercise and others. Fundamental to efficient and effective movement is a high level of awareness of what our bodies are doing. This sense of knowing how, where and what our bodies are doing is called our sixth sense - kinesthetic awareness. This kinesthetic sense is functioning all the time and it runs mostly on automatic pilot, allowing us to walk, run, eat, drink, etc. without really thinking about it.

Fundamental to efficient and effective movement is a high level of awareness of what our bodies are doing.

Most of our normal movement patterns are learned in infancy and early childhood. Though they may have achieved a desired goal at that time, it is very likely that these habitual movements are ineffective, inefficient and damaging to our structure as adults. Being habits, these patterns can be very difficult to break. Most healthcare practitioners completely overlook these deficiencies, especially those who should be more aware, such as osteopaths and chiropractors. Emphasis is given toward therapeutically strengthening “weak” muscles or otherwise forcefully “holding” odd postures thereby creating more habitual patterns on top of the old ones. Breaking this mold were two progressive human movement masters - F. Matthias Alexander and Thomas Hanna.

F. Matthias Alexander was a classical orator of the early 20th century who despaired of his chronic loss of voice during his performances. He developed a system for correcting his aberrant posture by observing himself carefully in several well-placed mirrors. He noticed movements he made while speaking that restricted his windpipe and his breathing. He attempted to inhibit these actions and gradually came to control and eliminate these habits.

In the process, Alexander gained valuable insight into concepts such as “body lengthening, “end-gaining and means-whereby” and “primary control” being the head/neck relationship in instigating forward movement. He, like Shelton and Hanna, realized that he was not delivering a therapy or a cure. He was educating his clients in more effective use of their bodies. His goal was to teach people how to keep improving themselves once the teacher was gone.

My personal experience with the Alexander method is limited, but I believe that a combination of Somatics and Alexander techniques can provide rapid improvements in use and function of our neuromusculoskeletal system. Alexander’s work was a great leap forward for the somatic/body awareness field.

A supple, healthy body will in turn impact strongly and positively on our feelings about ourselves and what we are capable of achieving.

Somatics, as conceived and codified by Hanna, might best be thought of as a system for reawakening our mind’s control of movement, flexibility and health. It employs our powers of focused concentration, careful deliberate movements and internal sensory awareness to overcome learned patterns of faulty movements and chronic muscular tension.

Somatics recognizes no mind/body split.

Current Western research is slowly coming to grips with the concept that 3rd person “objective” observation is not paramount to 1st person “subjective” feeling. In fact, they are of coequal importance for dealing with reality.

Somatics implicitly sees all life’s experiences as body/mind experiences. To experience life to its fullest, we need to maintain our soma (mind/body) in peak functioning condition.

Somatics movement awareness provides a simple yet dramatic technique for preserving neuromuscular fitness. A supple, healthy body will in turn impact strongly and positively on our feelings about ourselves and what we are capable of achieving. Hanna introduces his thesis in his book Somatics(13):

“Somatics movements can change how we live our lives, how we believe that our minds and bodies interrelate, how powerful we think we are in controlling our lives, and how responsible we should be in taking care of our total being. In fact, as these discoveries relate to our conception of what humans are and can be, they have broad philosophical implications for understanding the nature of our existence.

Our sensory-motor system (which senses our environment and then carries out a movement or action response) is a mechanism fundamental to all human experience and behavior. And to understand sensory-motor amnesia is to understand one of the fundamental causes of the malfunctions we have falsely believed to be the effects of aging. The fact is that, during the course of our lives, our sensory-motor systems continually respond to daily stresses and traumas with specific muscular reflexes.

These reflexes, repeatedly triggered, create habitual muscular contractions which we cannot - voluntarily - relax. These muscular contractions have become so deeply involuntary and unconscious that, eventually, we no longer remember how to move about freely. The result is stiffness, soreness, and a restricted range of movement.

This habituated state of forgetfulness is called sensory-motor amnesia (SMA). It is a memory loss of how certain muscle groups feel and how to control them. And, because this occurs within the central nervous system, we are not aware of it, yet it affects us to our very core. Our image of who we are, what we can experience, and what we can do is profoundly diminished by sensory-motor amnesia. And it is primarily this event, and its secondary effects, that we falsely think of as growing older.

The reflexes that cause sensory-motor amnesia are very specific. There are three, and I have named them the Red Light Reflex, the Green Light Reflex, and the Trauma Reflex. They are a crucial part of SMA and round out the enormously important discoveries of Hans Selye and Moshe Feldenkrais. Before discussing the three reflexes, however, it is important that I point out the following facts:

The effects of sensory-motor amnesia can begin at any age, but usually become apparent in our thirties and forties;

SMA is an adaptive response of the nervous system; and because SMA is a learned adaptive response, it can be unlearned.

Hanna: “These muscular contractions have become so deeply involuntary and unconscious that, eventually, we no longer remember how to move about freely.”

Philosophy and Theory

The obvious mind/body connection is central to somatics practice. Some cogent points:

Humans are psychosocial, self-organizing processes (Soma’s); we are exactly that which we sense ourselves to be.

Our bodies are exactly as active (motor response) as they are receptive (sensory response).

Every emotion has a neuromusculoskeletal representation; i.e. anger demonstrates as clenched teeth, wide open eyes, fast breathing; depression results in a stooped posture, lax muscles, shallow breathing, happiness is expressed with smiles, lowered heart rate, relaxed muscles, etc.

Important research in this area has been conducted by Dr. Hans Selye and Moshe Feldenkrais.

Selye basically proved that all biological organisms proceed through several definite stages when trying to cope with stress.

He called this response the General Adaptation Syndrome. His work dealt primarily with the endocrine (hormonal) responses to stress. He noted three general physiological states that the organism successively passed through:

Alarm - where the organism elicits many specific endocrine and sympathetic nervous system processes to prepare for action;

Resistance - where the organism sustains and modulates the Alarm processes to cope with continued stressors;

Exhaustion - where the organism cannot sustain continued Alarm responses due to depletion of resources.

Moshe Feldenkrais was a physicist and engineer who applied his mechanical expertise to the function of the human system. He noticed that when muscles and joints are dysfunctional, many times it is due to chronic contractions of the involved muscles.

He believed that the best way to alleviate these habitual contractions is not to forcefully stretch them, but to slowly and consciously contract them even further. As these careful movements are completed, these muscles spontaneously release some of their tension. At the same time, an increasing degree of conscious control is gained over the actions of these muscles. Feldenkrais put most of his emphasis on the musculoskeletal complications of the startle reflex, which will be explained shortly.

Thomas Hanna saw the connections between the pioneering work of Hans Selye and Moshe Feldenkrais. He combined the problems and treatments for genetically programmed responses, including the Red Light Reflex, the Green Light Reflex and neuromusculoskeletal responses to stress/injury, including the Trauma Reflex into a somatic rehabilitation and maintenance system called Somatics.

This bodily maintenance system, if practiced regularly as part of our daily routine, will yield tremendous benefits regarding strength, tone, flexibility, coordination and efficient use of our neuromusculoskeletal system.

Though we may not be able to live “perfectly” each and every day, we do now have a reliable yardstick with which to measure our progress.

Putting It All Together

Some will argue that it is well near impossible to meet all these conditions for health each and every day. Modern day living is far removed from nature in dozens of ways, they will say. That is true. However, the superiority of the Somatic and Hygienic systems lies not only in their simple wisdom and adherence to natural laws, but that they set out ideal standards for human health, based on anatomy and physiology.

Though we may not be able to live “perfectly” each and every day, we do now have a reliable yardstick with which to measure our progress. No longer must we jerk ourselves from one “expert” opinion to another, or concern ourselves with the latest health fad, looking for the silver bullet to health. We now have a gauge with which to accurately measure our health and lifestyles.

Likewise, we can easily gauge how well all other health-care systems and ideas measure up to the simple standards that nature decrees. Logically it can be seen that all other approaches to health improvement and maintenance will be successful to the degree that they employ Natural Hygiene (natural law), knowingly or not.

Every one of us practices Natural Hygiene every day to varying degrees. And we are healthy to precisely that degree.

Natural Hygiene is the optimal health system that harmonizes with Natural Law in all respects. Man did not create the principles of Natural Hygiene - Nature did. Hygienists, through observation, trial and error and the process of elimination simply wrote down and then practiced what nature decreed. These harmonious laws of nature work as well today as they have worked for millions of years.

Therapies come and therapies go. Nature’s ways of health are always there waiting for us to accept them.

The word “doctor” originally comes from a Latin word meaning teacher. The Hygienic/ Somatic/Alexander professional truly carries out their mandate - that of a teacher. Through their example, instruction, guidance, direction and support, we are continually invested with knowledge that will thereafter free us of the need for physicians, healers, analysts, experts and other authoritarians for the rest of our healthy lives. Enlightened and empowered with this knowledge, we are encouraged to share experiences and teach these experts and all others of this health-promoting and freedom-giving information. Those who may still be a bit skeptical of the claims made by teachers of Natural Hygiene, Somatics and the Alexander Method might consider this: .. there are no tremendous profits to be made by selling therapies, drugs, etc. We just have information to sell.

Natural Hygiene, Somatics and the Alexander Method teach us knowledge and skills that we can use to maintain wonderful health of mind/body/spirit for the rest of our lives. There is no stake in placing us on endless treadmills of therapies, drugs, medications, supplements or rituals.

This being so, there are no tremendous profits to be made by selling therapies, drugs, etc. We just have information to sell.

Body awareness gained through Somatics and Alexander techniques frees us from physical enslavement to unnatural therapies, manipulations, supplements and drugs. Hygienic awareness also frees us from physical enslavement to unnatural therapies, manipulations, supplements and drugs. All three free us from destructive mental and emotional dependence on experts and authority figures for our existence.

Our emphasis is on turning helpless, frightened patients into responsible, vigorous, knowledgeable and happy non-patients - permanently. The ultimate goal of the teachers of Natural Hygiene, Somatics and the Alexander Method is that nobody needs our services any longer.

Our emphasis is on turning helpless, frightened patients into responsible, vigorous, knowledgeable and happy non-patients - permanently.

This, I believe, is what constitutes truth in the field of human health. Does the approach under consideration foster self-respect, self-reliance, independence and autonomy? Or does it promote, directly or indirectly, co- dependence, addiction, deference to higher authority and ultimate slavery to pill, potion, procedure or person?

This characteristic of increasing freedom is what separates Natural Hygiene, Somatics and the Alexander Method from all the rest. “Let us have truth though the heavens fall."(14)

Though a Natural Hygiene/Somatic/Alexander mindset is simple, inexpensive and in agreement with common sense, it will take a tremendous degree of patience, tolerance and loving kindness to instill these effective practices into our culture. Yet, humankind and the Earth itself will take a terrible beating if we wait. As in matters of Spirit, this information must be learned and embodied individually - one person at a time. The herd mentality and majority rule just does not apply.

The challenge is for each of us to study and embrace these simple truths; to apply them to our own lives and evaluate the results. Rational action demands that we test these revolutionary concepts out personally and judge for ourselves. Nature and nature’s God will reward us tenfold for our efforts. We will not only know it; we will live it. Then, and only then, may we offer ourselves as teachers for the students who are ready.

There are millions of hurting people out there who need this knowledge desperately. Those of us who have healed our lives through applying these wonderful teachings of Alexander, Hanna and Shelton must pass them on. We owe it to our selves and to our brothers and sisters. One after another, we can build a groundswell of people that have reclaimed superb health, embraced self-responsibility, savored the experience of freedom and stand ready to work toward ever greater human mental, physical and spiritual evolution.

There are millions of hurting people out there who need this knowledge desperately.

References

Shelton, Herbert M., “Principles of Natural Hygiene”, Hygienic Review, 1949.
Hanna, Thomas, from the interview “Mind over Movement”; Mo Knaster, Massage Therapy Journal, Fall 1989.
Gifis, Steven H., Dictionary of Legal Terms, Barron’s 1983.
Shelton, Herbert M., Human Life - Its Philosophy and Laws, 1925, condensed and edited.
Shelton, Herbert M., compiled from various sources.
Shelton, Herbert M., compiled from various sources and edited by Fry, T.C.
Cinque, Ralph C., “Hygiene vs. Therapy”; Health Science, March/April 1993, p. 10-12.
Schaef, Anne Wilson, Beyond Therapy, Beyond Science; Harper Collins, 1992, p. 128-129.
idhwa, Keki, “Don’t Hand Out Remedies”; Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, June 1993.
act the American Natural Hygiene Society for a complete list of professionally supervised fasting establishments around the world.
By “doing nothing”, I specifically mean that the supervisor of the fast should not apply any sort of direct force to the body of the faster, whether physical, chemical, electrical, etc. Rather, provide surroundings (context) that are most conducive to regaining health - Quiet, peaceful, clean, preferably within a natural setting, and away from family, relatives, friends who are not sympathetic. Try to provide a complete physical, mental and emotional rest for the ill person.
Cridland, Ronald G., “When Do Medical and Surgical Care Make Sense?”; Health Science, March/April 1992 p. 8-12 and May/June 1992 p. 6-9. Condensed and edited.
Hanna, Thomas, Somatics, Addison-Wesley, 1988, p. xiv.
This was the subtitle to Dr. Shelton’s Hygienic Review magazine.

Vegan Cat Videos

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:04 -0800

Hey folks, here are a few I’ve recently done in the hopes of alleviating common concerns regarding feeding a cruelty-free, speciesism-free diet to our obligate carnivore friends. No reason to make the pigs and chickens pay for a problem that humans created, and the cats can be healthy and thrive while we’re at it! Never before have we been able to “have our cake and eat it too.”

There are over 150 million cats in America alone (including strays) which makes it the single most numerous mammalian predator species on the continent. Letting cats hunt for themselves is devastating to local ecosystems, and enslaving billions of chickens, pigs, etc to feed them is just making the problem worse (hey, we created a hundred million cats, now we have to enslave a billion pigs and kill them just to keep all these cats alive! herp derp).

Why should you test your cat’s urinary pH: The importance of testing your cat’s urinary pH on a plant-based (or ANY) diet, and an easy way to do it. Also, what to do if your cat’s urinary pH is too high/alkaline.

[Note: other videos are presently unavailable.]

Vivisection Science or Insanity

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:04 -0800

Many caring and concerned individuals both from the medical and local communities are asking if animal experimentation is beneficial to human health and medical research. (Ruesch 36) Because animal experimentation focuses on artificially inducing disease in perfectly healthy animals, and is undermined by the vast differences of non-human-animals versus humans anatomically, physiologically and pathologically, “it is inherently an unsound way to investigate the human disease process” (MMC 1)

Approximately two hundred years ago the practice of vivisection began when religious leaders prohibited the dissection of human corpses. When this taboo was lifted, animals were continued to be used since the idea had become so entrenched in the minds of researchers.(Kupsinel 2) Every year in America, over 100 million animals are used for experiments. Their use is currently increasing every year worldwide by 6%.(Kupsinel 2)

Vivisectors would like to reject the charges that their driving motives are avarice, ambition, or sadism disguised as scientific curiosity. On the contrary, they present themselves as altruists who are entirely dedicated to the benefit of mankind. (Ruesch 6) Intelligent and historical humanitarians such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Voltaire, Goethe and Schweitzer “have passionately declared that species worth saving through such barbaric means isn’t worth saving at all.” (Ruesch 6) There is presently crushing evidence which proves that this dehumanizing and inhumane practices have grievously damaged true science and the health of humanity at large. (Ruesch 6)

Contrary to popular belief, the use of animals in experimentation is not needed, in fact such practices can be detrimental to human health. In comparing the physiology of a rat to that of a human, we see many biological differences: mice live for 3 years and require massive doses of drugs (more than humans will ever use) before an over-dose occurs, they have very different bodily functions and get cancer for different reasons than human would. These differences between a rat and a human prove that it is unreliable and misleading to extrapolate results from rats onto people. When a non-human animal is treated for a disease or a drug, the results can vary dramatically. Some of the differences occur also in how an animal and a human react to different drugs. Aspirin, Tylenol, Dristan and Advil have produced severe reactions in animals, but do not produce such results in humans. (Kupsinel 1) Many people believe that drugs tested on animals are proven to be safe, and therefore are safe on humans. These individuals are unfortunately unaware that arsenic has been found safe for sheep, cyanide safe for chickens, and poisonous mushrooms safe for rabbits. If these results had been extrapolated to humans, the effect on our population could have been devastating. For this reason over 52% of all drugs (AAVS Website) that enter the market have to be re-labeled or pulled off the shelf due to harmful side effects in humans. Even then, over 2 million people suffer severe side-effects. Additionally, the number four killer in America is drugs which have been found safe for animals, but have killed over 100,000 people every year. (PETA Website)

The U.S. has been experimenting on animals for over 200 years, and is 20th in infant mortality rate and 19th in life expectancy. The standard of living has improved, not due to animal research but due to changes in our environment, life style and hygiene. (AAVS Website) Cancer rates continue to rise as we spend billions of dollars on finding cures; the World Health Organization says that 90% of all cancers are preventable with lifestyle changes, yet the Cancer Institutes spends less than 1% on prevention tactics and programs. (Cruelty- Free Charities brochure)

While the Cancer Institutes spend little money on prevention, $5 billion of taxpayers money funds general animal research. There should be a redistribution of this money, from the hands of animal vivisectors into the hands of caring health professionals who see the value in education and prevention. Money is being misdirected, while drug treatment centers, community clinics, trauma units and prenatal centers are being shut down for lack of funds. (PETA Website)

Beside the scientific arguments, ethical reasons for adopting human scientific practices exist. Animals experience much pain throughout their captive lives. When tested on, they may be forced to inhale harmful gases, have harsh chemicals dripped into their eyes, or have irritating substances rubbed on their raw skins.(PETA Website). Animals suffer tremendously, and are rarely given anasethics or pain killers. Many times they are put into restraining devices and cannot escape the pain. (PETA Website).

There is much commotion in the medical community now about the sanity of vivisection. As Dr. E.D Marshall has pointed out in the Journal of the American Medical Association:

Even when a drug has been subjected to a complete and adequate pharmacological investigation on several species of animals and found to be relatively non- toxic, it is frequently found that such a drug may show unexpected toxic reactions in diseased human beings. This has been known almost since the birth of scientific pharmacology. (Kupsinel 3)

Also, Dr. Paquet, formerly doctor-inspector of the Enfants Assiste de la Seine has this to say about animal testing:

Vivisection is useless for the study of medical science. It is also useless for the study of physiology, for, if we are today cognizant of the functions of the organs, it is through having treated them when injured. In order to study the action of medicinal matters, would it for a moment enter into the head of a serious practitioner to imagine that what passes in the body of a healthy animal would be the same as in that of a sick person.? (Kupsinel 3)

Many alternatives to animal experimentation are available. Numerous technologies have been discovered where animals are not being used. Scientists are finding that these tests are efficient, effective, and cheap compared to animal studies, which can take years of testing, hence costing taxpayers millions of dollars. (MMC 9)

As times change, many more non-animal technologies come in to the market. Of the many alternatives, a few include; non-invasive electronic scanning such as CAT, MRI, PET and SPECT scans, which have revolutionized clinical investigations. (MMC 9) These devices allow for the study on ongoing human diseases in human patients, rendering the use of animals obsolete. For instance, these scans have helped early diagnosis and knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington?s disease, and musculokeletal tumors; and have contributed much to knowledge in basic science.( MMC 9) Another powerful tool is in-vitro cell and tissue cultures, which are beginning to replace mice in testing for carcinogenic substances. The results are cheaper, and more effective and more accurate. (Jasper and Nelkin 103) A third method is the use of mathematical models using human clinical and epidemiological data to generate and test hypotheses on various disease. (MMC 9) These new methodologies and many others are becoming more and more available to the medical community to help replace animal testing.

The value of animal experimentation has been grossly exaggerated by the scientific community which has financial and other vested interests in it?s preservation. The billions of dollars spent yearly on animal research would be better spent humane, effective and efficient use if the funds are redirected to human studies through the vast alternative technologies, clinical studies and public education on prevention tactics. If only humane science is embraced, healthy solutions beyond the dreams of the vivisection community, are a realistic possibility.

TODO …
links of relevance
library references

What About Pleasure?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:04 -0800

This is a philosophical essay based on my own experiences and reasoning. If you want to study the subject more thoroughly and from a scientific perspective, I suggest you look into the neurotransmitor known as Dopamine.

It seems to me that there are two kinds of pleasure which are easily confused when our wants and needs have gone haywire.

Short-term pleasure (stp), which often leads to unpleasure in the long run. This is the kind of pleasure that one often submits to by choice and which often lead to addictions. Some examples are: smoking, drugs, junk food, toxic relationships, negative thought patterns, etc.
Long-term pleasure (ltp), is something that only a very few will experience because ltp demands a different mindset than the one most of us have been taught by our current society/culture. The pursuit of this pleasure might require some changes that may not seem so pleasurable to begin with e.g. starting an exercise regimen, overcoming addictive/destructive habits, quitting a dead-end job, ending meaningless relationships, letting go of material belongings, moving, etc.

The ultimate pleasure which eventually encompasses both stp and ltp (although again, perhaps not initially), starts with the process of becoming a healthy, fit and ethical citizen of planet earth. In this state, our minds and bodies are working optimally and we are free from emotional baggage. We become a powerful, loving light at one with our enivorenment. We can then receive the great gifts of inner peace and mental strength which I like to call weapons of mass creation = WMC. Life becomes a joy and we radiate that joy to others.

To me, there is a deep logic to this idea of what I call ultimate pleasure that rings true once enough clutter has been removed from our oft poisoned and dumbed-down minds. The pursuit of this pleasure may seem like a lonely, dark and rocky road, up a steep mountain slope to begin with. If we persist however, the rewards will be eventually reaped. We might even get to the top of the peak where the view will surely be no less than astounding, if just for the rarity of such a sight. This empowering thought can serve as as a light when all other lights go out. A few great humans have taken this path and have not been forgotten!

More importantly, even if one never gets to the top of that mountain, I have no doubt that the pleasures which the journey itself may bring e.g. meeting amazing people, emotional freedom, life mastery, compassionate living, meaningful work, etc will make everything worth the small price of committment we might initially have to pay to get going on the path.

To conclude, perhaps this could all be summed up in the following phrase: think of pleasure, not as a moment, but as life itself.

Good luck to all who are brave enough to take the journey. See you along the way or who knows, maybe even at the top!

The Jesus Diet

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:03 -0800

In this article I will describe the Essene Fruitarian Diet practiced and advocated by Jesus Christ. While it is true that Jesus only required basic vegetarianism - no meat - to become a baptized disciple, it is also true that he strongly encouraged those who were able and willing to go on to become Essene Fruitarians.

In this article I will explain what is meant by the term “Essene Fruitarian” (it does not mean what you most likely think it means!), as well as provide a step-by-step program divided into three phases which makes possible a gradual transition into the more esoteric dimensions of this diet. I will describe the physical and spiritual benefits of this diet. I will explain how you can follow this dietary regime in our modern world And. to make all of this as simple for you as possible. I end with a section devoted to daily meal plans.

Essene Fruitarianism

Let us begin by establishing the fact that Jesus made vegetarianism a requirement of discipleship and that he was himself a vegetarian In the Essene New Testament, Jesus declares:

Verily I say unto you, they who partake of benefits which are gotten by wronging one of God’s creatures, cannot be righteous: nor can they understand holy things, or teach the mysteries of the kingdom. whose hands are stained with blood or whose mouths are defiled with flesh….Wherefore I say unto all who desire to be my disciples, keep your hands from bloodshed and let no flesh meat enter your mouths.

We see above that Jesus required vegetarianism from anyone who desired to become his disciple. Likewise, we read in another verse from the same manuscript:

A disciple of Jesus asked him a question, saying, “Master, if there come to us any that eat flesh… shall we receive them?”

And Jesus said unto him, let such abide in the outer court till they cleanse themselves from these grosser evils; for till they perceive, and repent of these, they are not fit to receive the higher mysteries.

Of course, Jesus practiced what he preached; he was himself a vegetarian. In fact, in the following verse he describes himself not only as a vegetarian, but as an Essene Fruitarian. Before sharing that verse with you, I will briefly define the term Essene Fruitarian (a bit later we will more fully define it). An Essene Fruitarian eats only the parts of a plant that can be eaten without killing the plant. This includes obvious fruits such as apples and oranges, but also includes anything else you can eat without killing the plant: squash, corn, cucumbers, etc. We will expand on this definition soon, but let us now consider the following verse in which Jesus describes himself not only as a vegetarian, but as an Essene Fruitarian :

For of the fruits of the trees and the seeds of the earth alone do I partake, and these are changed by the Spirit into my flesh and my blood. Of these alone and their like shall ye eat who believe in me, and are my disciples, for of these, in the Spirit, come life and health and healing unto man.

In the above excerpt, the term “and their like” refers to “other similar vegetarian foods” ; but it is quite clear that though Jesus only required basic vegetarianism from new disciples, he certainly strongly encouraged his veteran disciples to go on to become Essene fruitarians. That is made clear in the following excerpt from The Essene New Testament; Jesus said:

God giveth the grains and the fruits of the earth for food; and for righteous man truly there is no other lawful sustenance for the body…. For God is just and bountiful who ordaineth that man shall live by the fruits and seeds of the earth alone.

Now a more detailed definition of the term Essene Fruitarian. We have already stated that an Essene Fruitarian eats only the part of a plant that can be eaten without killing the plant. Thus, not only the typical “fruits” can be eaten - grapefruit, grapes, figs, dates, etc. - but also corn, squash, broccoli, almonds, sunflower seeds, AND ANY OTHER VEGETARIAN FOOD YOU CAN EAT WITHOUT KILLING THE PLANT . Lettuce can be eaten if harvested correctly : simply pick the outer leaves of the lettuce, rather than uproot the plant. The lettuce will continue to grow more leaves and you can continue to harvest the outer leaves every few days. Eventually it will go to seed; you can harvest the seed for your next planting. Even grains such as wheat can be eaten, since it is not necessary to uproot the grass to harvest the grain. Although many Essene Fruitarians will choose to be vegan (a vegan is a vegetarian who eats no animal products at all, including dairy products), it is possible to eat dairy products on this diet since the animal is not killed and the milk comes from grass that need not be uprooted. However, it is important that the dairy product be from animals that are loved and well cared for, and that the animals are not killed when they grow old and non-productive. Jesus permitted his Essene Fruitarian disciples to have milk products; but in those days that meant RAW milk from animals you or your neighbors loved and cared for, as they had no cruel factory dairy farms back then. And the milk would have been from sheep or goats, not cows. The milk of sheep and goats is far easier to digest than the milk of a cow. The milk you buy at a typical grocery store in modern America IS NOT THE MILK ENDORSED BY JESUS! Grocery store milk is not raw, is not from animals well cared for, and is not from sheep or goats. Again, one can choose to be a vegan Essene Fruitarian. But in order to support my assertion that Jesus permitted his disciples to use RAW dairy products, I quote from The Essene Gospel of Peace:

Wherefore, prepare and eat all fruits of trees, and all grasses of the fields, and all milk of beasts good for eating For all these are fed and ripened by the fire of life; all are the gift of the angels of our Earthly Mother. But eat nothing to which only the fire of death gives savor, for such is of Satan.

Jesus’ reference above to foods that are “ripened by the fire of life” is a reference to raw foods. His reference to “the fire of death” is a reference to cooked foods. Above, we see that he specified that not only milk, but all our other Essene Fruitarian foods as well, should be raw - uncooked - if at all possible. Jesus’ emphasis on raw food vegetarianism is made clear in the following excerpt from The Essene Gospel of Peace:

But I do say unto you: Kill neither men, nor beasts, nor yet the food which goes into your mouth. For if you eat living food, the same will quicken you, but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you also. For life comes only from life, and from death comes always death. For everything which kills your foods, kills your bodies also…. Therefore, eat not anything which fire, or frost, … has destroyed I tell you truly, live only by the fire of life, and prepare not your foods with the fire of death.

The fact that the term “fire of life” means foods heated only by the rays of the Sun, with no other cooking, is made clear in the following passage. The following passage is also significant in that Jesus gives his own bread recipe! It is this recipe that gave birth to the Essene Bread (sprouted grain breads) sold in modern health food stores, though the health food stores cook with an oven rather than the Sun that Jesus insisted on:

“How should we cook our daily bread without fire, Master?” asked some with great astonishment.

Jesus replied, “Let the angels of God prepare your bread Moisten your wheat, that the angel of water may enter it. Then set it in the air, that the angel of air also may embrace it. And leave it from morning to evening beneath the sun, that the angel of sunshine may descend upon it. And the blessing of the three angels will soon make the germ of life to sprout in your wheat, Then crush your grain, and make thin wafers…. Put them back again beneath the sun…. And the same sun which with the fire of life, mode the wheat to grow and ripen, must cook your bread with the same fire. For the fire of the sun gives life to the wheat, to the bread and to the body. But the fire of death kills the wheat, the bread and the body.”

When it comes to cooking with the sun, Jesus had a big advantage over many of us: He lived in a desert! Personally, I live in Oregon where it rains much of the year, and cooking with the sun is not always possible. However, a food dehydrator will accomplish the task. You see, the reason Jesus wants us to cook the bread in the sun rather than in an oven is that he knows the living enzymes in the wheat will be killed if the bread is cooked at a temperature of 118 degrees or more. This is true not only of wheat, but of all food: anything you cook at a temperature of 118 degrees or more will have its enzymes destroyed! And as Jesus knew 2,000 years ago and as modern science has now confirmed: ENZYMES ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO YOUR HEALTH! And besides the destruction of enzymes, cooking food destroys many other nutritional elements and creates cancer causing toxins. BUT YOU CAN PREPARE YOUR BREAD IN A FOOD DEHYDRATOR AND THE LIVING ENZYMES AND NUTRIENTS WILL BE PRESERVED.

Jesus has made it clear that he wants us to eat raw vegetarian foods. Now let us ask: WHY? We began to see in the above paragraph that health is one reason; let us explore that reason in more detail and then search for other reasons. In his excellent book Spiritual Nutrition and the Rainbow Diet, Gabriel Cousens, M.D., writes:

We need to examine the effects of cooking on ourselves and on the food During normal cooking, enzymes are destroyed the active forms of vitamins and minerals are partially destroyed pesticides and fungicides break down to form toxic compounds, and there is an increase in free radicals….

On the physical level, all our life processes depend on the functioning of enzymes They are the physical agents of life, important for digestion, for detoxification from internal pollution and external ecological pollution, and for maintaining our immune systems and all our metabolic and regenerative processes… Dr. Howell, the pioneer of food enzyme work in this country, says the quantity of enzymes we have in our systems is the equivalent to what we call life energy or vitality, and thinks of our enzyme level as indicative of our health status… Raw natural food seems to come loaded with the enzymes…. when we process foods by heating them above 118 degrees… there is 100 percent enzyme destruction…. Therefore a raw food diet can actually add enzyme energy and material to the system.

… most researchers indicate at least a 50 percent loss of vitamin B in cooked foods. Some losses, such as thiamine, can be as high as 96 percent… Biotin losses can be up to 72 percent, folic acid up to 97 percent, inositol up to 95 percent, vitamin C up to 70 to 80 percent Viktoras Kulvinskas estimates that the overall nutrient destruction or loss of bio-availability after cooking is approximately 85 percent Along with this, the Max Plank Institute for Nutritional Research in Germany has found cooked proteins have only 50 percent bio-availability as compared to uncooked proteins. In general, it can be said that cooking foods coagulates the bioactive protein chelated mineral forms, disrupts RNA and DNA structure, and produces free radicals (the agents that cause cancer) in fats and protein….

Cooking food in these modern times has an added danger. Dr. William Newsome of Canada’s Department of Health and Welfare Food Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, found that cooked fungicided tomatoes had 10 to 90 times more ETU a mutagen and cancer-causing compound than raw fungicided tomatoes from the same garden. He found that EBDC fungicides break down under heat to form ETU He felt that the amount of ETU in chemically treated vegetables (all types of vegetables, not just tomatoes) is 50 times greater than the same vegetables served raw.

The above excerpt from Dr. Cousens’ book demonstrates that modern science has proven Jesus Christ correct in his claim that the raw vegetarian diet is more healthy than cooked foods. Not only do healthy people become even more healthy on this diet, but sick and diseased people often become well. Indeed, thousands of people have been cured of “incurable” diseases - including cancer - by switching to a raw food vegetarian diet. In his splendid book Conscious Eating, Dr. Cousens reports:

The use of live foods for creating health has had a strong foundation of medical support in the last 100 years. One of the first clinics to adapt a row food for health approach was the Bircher-Benner clinic started in 1897 in Zurich, Switzerland. Its founder, the world famous Max Bircher-Benner, MD., discovered the power of raw foods when he experimented upon himself his own healing. He found that live foods healed his jaundice and inability to eat. Later, he had a patient who was unable to digest anything, including cooked foods, and who was slowly degenerating in his health. In his studies; Dr. Bircher-Benner discovered that the wise teacher, Pythagoras, who lived in 500 B.C., had used raw foods to heal people with poor digestion. He applied Pythagoras’ cure to the patient and he recovered…. Bircher-Benner began to investigate the properties of live foods and found that regardless of the seriousness of the disease, the living food treatment was a powerful healing approach. Based on these principles, his clinic became one of the most respected healing centers in the world.

In the early part of this century another great physician, Max Gerson, MD., also discovered the healing power of live foods. First for the healing of his own migraines, and then later for the supposedly incurable disease called lupos. He then applied this approach to every sort of medical disease, from clogged arteries to mental disorders. He believed that a live food and live juice diet was more than just a specific cure for certain diseases. He said that eating row foods was a way of eating which restored the diseased body and mind’s ability to heal itself… In 1928, he was even able to cure Albert Schweitzer’s wife of tuberculosis with this diet. Later, he put Albert Schweitzer on a raw food diet for his diabetes. As a result of this, Schweitzer was cured of diabetes and was able to stop using insulin. Dr. Gerson also found that a live food diet high in potassium would restore the potassium-sodium balance and improve cellular respiration as well as enhance the immune system. He began to apply this principle to the treatment of cancer with great success. This work was highlighted by his extensively documented book A Cancer Therapy, Results of Fifty Cases , which he published in 1958. His successful cancer clinic, using these live food principles, is (today) successfully under the direction of his daughter, Charlotte Gerson, in Mexico….

The Danish physician, Kristine Nofi, switched to row foods to heal herself of breast cancer. Based on her positive experiences with herself and her patients, she started the successful Humlegaarden Sanatorium in Denmark

Dr. Cousens goes on to describe other healers and physicians who have had thousands of clients become well on the raw food vegetarian diet, including Dr. Ann Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas of the famous Hippocrates Health Institute, Dr. Paul Bragg and Dr. Norman Walker. Dr. Bragg was as fit as a teenager when he was killed in a swimming accident at age 96. Dr. Walker lived to be 108. The ancient Essenes, following this raw food vegetarian diet, lived to be an average age of over 100, many reaching the age of 120, even though they lived in an era when most people lived to be only about 45 years of age.

Perhaps the greatest modern example of a healer using the raw food vegetarian diet to treat people with various ailments was Dr. Edmond Bordeaux Szekely. In 1929, as a graduate student, he discovered and translated The Essene Gospel of Peace, an ancient text (we have already quoted from it) which includes Jesus’ teachings on raw foods. Using the principles outlined by Jesus, Dr. Szekely cured many lepers at a leper colony in Tahiti, then opened a health clinic in Mexico. At his clinic, he conducted what he called The Great Experiment, treating 123,600 people over a 33 year period with the health program given by Jesus. Approximately 17% of the clients came with the medical diagnosis of “incurables”, 90% of the 123, 600 people regained full health, including many of the supposedly incurable.

All of the above is quite impressive. Clearly, there are amazing health benefits to eating a raw, vegetarian diet. You can become a raw foodist and feel better and younger than you have in many years, as well as prevent and heal various diseases - even those considered incurable. But enhanced health is only one reason that Jesus advocated the raw diet. His primary reason was spiritual. In fact, his advocacy of vegetarianism in general was primarily based on the spiritual ethic of compassion, as illustrated in the following passage from The Essene New Testament:

Jesus, speaking of animals, said, “And whatsoever ye do unto the least of these my children (the animals), ye do it unto me. For I am in them, and they are in me. In all their joys I rejoice, in all their afflictions I am afflicted. Wherefore I say unto all who desire to be my disciples, keep your hands from bloodshed and let no flesh meat enter your mouths.”

While the above passage illustrates Jesus’ primary reason for not only raw food vegetarianism but vegetarianism in general - COMPASSION - there are certain spiritual advantages to raw food vegetarianism over cooked vegetarianism. And when raw food vegetarianism is practiced in the context of Essene Fruitarianism, the spiritual advantages are even greater. I will explain.

The universe is a cosmic school system for the training and evolution of spiritual beings. Like all school systems, there are various levels in the cosmic school system: first grade, second grade, third grade, and so on…. We are all enrolled in the cosmic school system. When we learn the lessons at one level of the universe, we graduate to a higher level of the universe where we will learn more advanced lessons. One of the subjects we study in the cosmic school system is nutrition. We learn that the process of spiritual nutrition is an ongoing, PROGRESSIVE ASCENSION into ever-less-dense, ever-more-light, ever-less violent forms of diet. There are three primary spiritual reasons to give up eating the bodies of butchered animals:

Compassion , as illustrated in the above quotation from Jesus;
Enhanced Communion with God;
To better serve God.

While cooked food vegetarianism is a big step in the right direction, ALL THREE OF THE ABOVE LISTED SPIRITUAL REASONS FOR VEGETARIANISM ARE MUCH MORE FULLY ACCOMPLISHED ON A RAW FOOD ESSENE FRUITARAN DIET. Let us consider the second and third reasons listed above, and then, in the light of that consideration, we will return to number one.

My dear Essene friend and co-worker Dr. Gabriel Cousens, whom I have already liberally quoted in this article, has written by far the best book on this topic, Spiritual Nutrition and The Rainbow Diet . In that book he describes how the majority of people live to eat , white the health conscious minority eats to live . But he then describes an even higher motivation - a spiritual motivation - for eating: ENHANCED COMMUNION WITH GOD. He writes:

When we eat in a healthy, harmonious way, our ability to attune and commune with the Divine is enhanced With this perspective, I suggest that rather than ’living to eat’, or ’eating to live’, WE EAT TO INTENSIFY OUR COMMUNION WITH THE DIVINE Our hunger for the Divine then becomes the overwhelming appetite.

A key to understanding the wholistic paradigm of nutrition lies in the concept of what I call Subtle Organizing Energy Fields (SOEFs) …. Historically and culturally the idea that the human system is organized around an energy pattern that determines its functioning has been with us for thousands of years. The Chinese science of acupuncture is based on the subtle energy fields called meridians and the subtle energy called Chi. In India, bath the sciences of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine use the word prana to describe the subtle energy of bodies and the life force in other living fields….

By accepting the concept of the preeminance of SOEFs in both plant and human systems, we can take an expanded view of food which has body, life force, and Subtle Organizing Energy Fields (SOEFs) similar to the human system. It is the dynamic interaction of these human and plant SOEFs that is important in understanding the new paradigm of wholistic nutrition …. These SOEFs resonate with the unlimited virtual state energy, transferring it through various step-down systems that eventually transduce it into the energy fields of the human body. The SOEFs thus resonate with and energize the body-mind complex. Virtual energy is omnipresent, thus we are always resonating to some extent with this cosmic energy. Most of the time we have only indirect or brief experiences of this, but at certain stages of spiritual evolution it is possible to experience this resonance in direct attunement, consistently and consciously… As we become more aware of and resonant with this virtual energy state, our minds merge and identify with this awareness as the unchanging truth and the reality of our existence. The awareness becomes part of our conscious awareness in our everyday activities. Eventually, it becomes a continual awareness and attunement with the cosmic energy. This is known as cosmic consciousness…. If we damage the functioning of our system as an accumulator and a superconductor of cosmic energy by destructive diet and lifestyle, the free flow of cosmic energy cannot occur…. One implication of this is that without the stimulating forces of the raw foods, the organs of assimilation are not energized or exercised and therefore begin to atrophy… when cosmic energy is sufficiently condensed it arrives on our plates as food. As whole, raw food it maintains its S0EF

In other words, Dr. Cousens is saying that we will have an intensified, enhanced communion with the Divine if our Subtle Organizing Energy Field (also known as Aura ) is healthy and vibrant. He is also saying that the primary food for our SOEF (Subtle Organizing Energy Field) is the SOEF of plants, AND THAT COOKING DESTROYS - KILLS - THE PLANT SOEF BEFORE OUR SOEF HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIMILATE IT. Thus, raw foods feed our aura, cooked foods do not, and a healthy aura intensifies and enhances our communion with the Divine. On a diet of cooked foods, vegetarian or not, our subtle anatomy is dramatically weakened. Even before we manifest obvious symptoms of physical disease, we will be cut off from the more subtle levels of reality within and around us. Telepathy, clairvoyance, and other subtle abilities which are our birthright, will not be fully experienced as a living reality. But worse yet, our experience of God will become a thing of dogma and head knowledge RATHER THAN A LIVING COMMUNION . Dr. Cousens goes on to devote entire chapters of his book to supporting each of these assertions with scientific evidence, as well as providing detailed descriptions of the various aspects of our subtle anatomy, including the sheaths of the soul and the chakra system. He is very convincing; I suggest you read the entire book. For the purpose of this article, though, we will consider Dr. Cousens’ point to have been made: A DIET OF RAW VEGETARIAN FOODS, DUE TO ITS VITAL SUBTLE ENERGIES WHICH FEED OUR AURA, WILL ENHANCE AND INTENSIFY OUR DIRECT COMMUNION WITH GOD AND COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS.

I know the above to be true because I have personally experienced it. After several years on a raw food diet, I had a profound sense of walking with God ALL THE TIME , rather than just while meditating or having a peek experience. There is a big difference between merely talking or thinking about God, AND ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING GOD . After seven years on a raw diet, I began to see auras, experience telepathy and clairvoyance, have past-life recall, and do out of body travel. All of those things are our birthright as human beings. And the most important birthright of all is to WALK WITH GOD IN PERPETUAL COMMUNION . So, I know via personal experience that Dr. Cousens is correct in his assertion that a raw vegetarian diet will intensify our communion with God for the various reasons he outlined. But I also know that there is another reason - a very profound reason - that eating a raw vegetarian diet enhances our communion with God: DIVINE OBEDIENCE. It is the will of God for humanity that we eat a raw vegetarian diet (Genesis 1:29). And whenever we are in harmony with the will of God - the laws of the universe - we experience the presence of God within and around us. And when we disobey the will of God, we create a self-imposed barrier between us and the presence of God. This is well illustrated in the following excerpt from The Gospel of Thomas:

His disciples asked, “When will you appear again to us? When will the Kingdom of God come so that we will again see you?”

Jesus answered: “When you shed your shame, and take your clothes, place them on the ground and trample them underfoot like little children. Then you will see the Son of the Living One, and will not be afraid”

As with most of the sayings of Jesus that appear in The Gospel of Thomas, the meaning of the above saying is not on the surface. Rather, one must work with the saying. One must dig deep looking for the mystical meaning. We will now do so, together. First, Jesus is asked a question: The Disciples want to know when he will come again (the second coming of Christ), and when will come the Kingdom of God in which, according to prophecy, Christ will rule on Earth. They expect an answer having to do with space and time: a geographic location (space) and a certain date (time). But, as is typical in The Gospel of Thomas, Jesus does not give them the type of answer they expect; rather, he gives them what, at first glance, appears to be a bizarre answer: “When you shed your shame, and take your clothes, place them on the ground and trample them underfoot like little children Then you will see the Son of the Living One, and will not be afraid” Upon deep reflection, Jesus’ answer is not bizarre; it is core truth. Consider the following:

QUESTION: What religion were all or most of Jesus’ disciples?

ANSWER: Being Jews, their religion was Judaism (even his Essene disciples were connected to Judaism, as the Essenes were a mystical branch of Judaism which evolved into Christianity).

QUESTION: In the scriptures used by Jews, when did human beings (represented by the allegorical Adam and Eve) first begin to wear clothes?

ANSWER: In the Garden of Eden Just before being exiled from the Garden).

QUESTION: Why did Adam and Eve begin wearing clothes?

ANSWER: Guilt. After disobeying God, Adam and Eve clothed themselves and attempted to hide from the presence of God. The Bible says, “Adam and Eve heard the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden, and they hid from Yahweh God.” They hid from God because their consciences felt guilty, due to their disobedience of the law of God (they ate from the Tree of Duality - Good and Evil - rather than only from the Tree of Life). And one of the ways they attempted to hide themselves from God was putting on clothes. They then attempted to hide behind trees and put other barriers between themselves and God. (The clothes and other barriers represent spiritual and psychological barriers.)

In the light of all the above, let us again examine the response of Jesus. He said that to see Christ and not be afraid, and to experience the Kingdom of God wherein Christ rules, is not a function of space and time; rather, it depends on an inner condition. And he said we will experience that inner condition only when we shed our shame, take our clothes off and place them on the ground and trample them under our feet like little children. Only then can we see Christ and “not be afraid”. He spoke these words to Jews who were very familiar with the Bible story about Adam and Eve first wearing clothes due to guilt from their disobedience of the law of God. Thus, the deep meaning of this mystical saying from The Gospel of Thomas is as follows. Human beings are capable of seeing Christ here and now and living in the Kingdom of God here and now . To do so, is to return to the allegorical Garden of Eden wherein human beings LIVED IN COMMUNION WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD . But to do so, we must reverse the process: We must take the spiritual and psychological barriers we have placed between us and the presence of God - symbolized by clothes - and trample them under our feet. And we must return to obedience to the law of God.

What, you may ask, does this have to do with the raw food vegetarian diet? Everything! Whenever we disobey the laws of God we will suffer the natural consequences. The laws of God are the very laws of the universe. You cannot escape the laws of the universe; they are encoded into the very fabric of being. The laws of the universe are within you and all around you. Even if you are not aware of a particular law of the universe, you are still subject to it: you may not be aware of the law of gravity, but if you jump off a cliff you will experience the result of that law! But the situation is even worse if you are aware of a law of God and knowingly choose to violate it. That is worse because it leads to the type of guilt experienced by Adam and Eve. When we disobey the will of God, we create a self-imposed barrier between ourselves and the presence of God. But the beautiful thing is that the reverse is true: When we obey the laws of God (are in harmony with the laws of the universe) our communion with the divine is intensified and enhanced. THE LAW OF GOD FOR THE HUMAN DIET IS EXPRESSED IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS FOUND IN BOTH THE MAINLINE BIBLE AND THE ESSENE BIBLE:

GOD said, “I give YOU all the seed-bearing plants that are upon the earth, and all the trees with seed bearing fruit; this shall be your food” (Genesis 1:29)

Certainly, Christian and Jewish Bible readers are familiar with this law of God for the human diet. But not only Christians and Jews are responsible for implementing this dietary injunction; for the Bible - both Essene and mainline versions - declares that God has engraved his law upon our hearts. In other words, encoded into our hearts, minds, consciences, and digestive anatomy, is the dietary injunction of God. (In regard to digestive anatomy, there is clear proof that the human being is meant by God and Mother Nature to be vegetarian. Consider the evidence: meat-eating animals have an intestinal tract only three times the length of their body, but vegetarian animals - and humans - have an intestinal tract twelve times the length of the body. Also, meat-eating animals have acid saliva; vegetarian animals - and humans - have alkaline saliva. Meat-eating animals have no pores on their skin; they perspire through their tongue. But vegetarian animals - and humans - perspire through millions of pores on the skin. Meat-eating animals have small salivary glands; vegetarian animals - and humans - have well developed salivary glands. Meat-eating animals have very strong hydrochloric acid in their stomach to digest meat; vegetarian animals - and humans - have 20 times less hydrochloric acid in their stomachs.) Deep inside, at the core of our being, we know it is wrong to murder animals for food. Deep inside, we hear the voice of God saying: “I give you all the seed-bearing plants upon the earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; this shall be your food.” If we do not hear God speaking these words at the core of our being, we must GET NAKED WITH GOD . We must strip off all of our clothes- all self-imposed spiritual and psychological barriers between us and the presence of God - and trample them under our feet. Then we will hear the voice of God, and will not be afraid. Jesus said so.

It was this dietary injunction of God (Genesis 1:29) that Jesus was referring to and upholding when he declared:

Verily I say unto you, for this end have I come into the world that I may put away all blood offerings and the eating of the flesh of the beasts and the birds that are slain by men.

In the beginning, God gave to all, the fruits of the trees, and the seeds, and the herbs, for food; but those who loved themselves more than God or their fellows, corrupted their ways, and brought diseases into their bodies, and filled the earth with lust and violence. (Essene New Testament)

When we GET NAKED WITH GOD per Jesus’ previous instructions in The Gospel of Thomas , we hear and lovingly obey the dietary injunction of God. This DIVINE OBEDIENCE leads directly to an ENHANCED COMMUNION WITH GOD .

It is important to note that the dietary injunction of God is not only a call to vegetarianism, but a call to RAW ESSENE FRUITARIANISM . After all, when God spoke the words of Genesis 1:29, there was no such thing as ovens and even fires for cooking were not known. A vegetarian is in partial compliance with the dietary injunction of God and will experience partial blessing and partial communion with God. A raw food vegetarian is in much fuller compliance and will receive much more blessing and much more communion with God. A raw food vegetarian who is also an Essene Fruitarian (vegan version) is in full compliance with the dietary injunction of God and will experience a full blessing and full communion with God, unless he or she is out of harmony with God in some other area of life.

Communion with God is better than anything you can imagine. It is better than good music. It is better than delicious food. It is better than sex…. Communion with God is the ecstasy of the soul. It is a sort of PERPETUAL SPIRITUAL ORGASM . But our becoming Essene Fruitarians is not only so that we can more frilly commune with God; rather, we obey the dietary injunction of God so that WE MAY BETTER SERVE GOD . There is much pain and suffering in the world around us. God wants love to replace hate, light to replace darkness, truth to replace falsehood, forgiveness to replace resentment. We are the hands and feet of God on earth. Because we love God, we wish to serve God. And we can best serve God when we are at our best. We are at our best -physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, - on an Essene Fruitarian raw diet.

While the primary spiritual reason for vegetarianism - cooked or raw - is COMPASSION , a raw food vegetarian is better equipped to ACT IN RESPONSE TO THAT COMPASSION . As explained over the course of this article, there are very real physical and spiritual advantages to the raw diet. Those advantages translate into being better equipped to respond effectively - out of compassion - to the world around us. But when it comes to compassion, THE ESSENE FRUITARIAN PATH IS FAR TRANSCENDENT TO BASIC RAW FOOD VEGETARIANISM. So that you may understand how that is so, it is time for us to take a very deep look at Essene Fruitarianism.

First, we will look at the nuts-and-bolts of Essene Fruitarianism. We will learn that there are three phases of the Essene Fruitarian diet. We will examine each of those three phases. We will discuss the types of foods eaten by an Essene Fruitarian, as well as describe the other dietary disciplines of this path such as fasting and proper food combining. Then we will make clear just how, when it comes to compassion, the Essene Fruitarian diet is far transcendent to basic raw food vegetarianism. In the context of doing all the above, we will move from the nuts-and-bolts of this diet on up to the heavenly realms: we will discuss such related esoteric topics as the Fall of Mankind, Angelic Ascension, Resurrection, Transmutation, and Breatharianism.

We have previously defined Essene Fruitarianism as the practice of eating only the part of the plant that you can eat without killing the plant. By this definition, an Essene Fruitarian may eat not only the obvious fruits such as apples, oranges, and avocados, but also less obvious fruits like cucumbers, squash, and corn. Many vegetables, herbs, and grains can potentially be eaten without killing the plant. Even greens such as lettuce, kale, and chard can potentially be eaten without killing the plant, if we but harvest the outer leaves and permit the plant to go to seed. In the non-vegan version of this diet, even raw milk can potentially be used. The key word in the above three sentences is “potentially”. For instance, though lettuce can potentially be eaten without killing the plant, if you purchase a head of lettuce at the grocery store you can be certain that the lettuce plant was uprooted and killed at the time of harvest. The same is true for many of the other foods that can potentially be eaten without killing the plant; it is possible to harvest certain foods without killing the plant, but easier and more efficient for the farmer to uproot the plant. This is one of the chief reasons that I have developed a three phase approach to Essene Fruitarlanism. In PHASE ONE of Essene Fruitarianism, which can be considered the easiest or beginning phase, we are required to eat only foods that can potentially be eaten without killing the plant. But in PHASE TWO of Essene Fruitarianism, we are required to eat only foods that we can reasonably assume were actually harvested without killing the plant. In Phase One the key word is potentially , but in Phase Two we are dealing with actuality. For example, in Phase One of Essene Fruitarianism, we can eat a head of lettuce purchased at the store because, potentially , lettuce can be eaten without killing the plant. But we realize that in actuality the farmer probably uprooted the head of lettuce, killing the plant. In Phase Two of Essene Fruitarianism, we cannot eat any food unless we can reasonably assume that the food was actually harvested without killing the plant. Thus, Phase Two is more demanding than Phase One. PHASE THREE is even more demanding. In Phase Three we must have actual personal knowledge that the food we eat was harvested without killing the plant; unlike Phase Two, in Phase Three a reasonable assumption is no longer adequate. (What is meant by the term “reasonable assumption” is clarified in subsequent paragraphs.) Thus far I have only provided a few details about each of the three phases; below I list each phase with a full description.

Phase One

Phase One allows us to make a gradual transition into Essene Fruitarianism. All of the foods we eat must potentially be able to be eaten without killing the plant. Because the requirement is only that we eat foods that can potentially be eaten without causing the death of the plant, this permits us to get used to eating the type of foods on the Essene Fruitarian Phase Two diet, while still shopping at grocery stores wherein we have no personal knowledge of exactly how the foods were harvested. This is important because, due to the dead food that most newcomers to Essene Fruitarianism have been eating for years, few have the energy to leap directly into Phase Two. The Phase One diet is so vastly superior to the diets folks have been on, that it is bound to increase their vitality and energy level, making an eventual transition to Phase Two very possible. And, in fact, many of the foods in our Phase One diet probably were harvested without killing the plant, especially fruits.

On the Phase One Essene Fruitarian Diet, we must attempt to eat mostly organic foods. (On the Phase Two diet, as we shall see, we are required to eat mostly organic, and at Phase Three we are required to eat only organic.) “Organic” means different things to different people; for us, it means that the plant was grown without pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, etc. in other words, we are referring to produce that is free from poison!

On the Phase One Essene Fruitarian Diet, a minimum of 2/3 of our food must be raw (uncooked), with the goal of eventually achieving 100% raw. (Phase Two requires 100% raw.) It is okay to warm the food or use a dehydrator, as long as the temperature does not reach 118 degrees. (Scientific tests have shown that a few foods can handle a bit higher temperature without complete enzyme death, but the general consensus amongst raw food experts is that all foods can handle up to 118 degrees; thus that is the temperature we have selected as our ceiling.) Even if you never achieve the goal of 100% raw, the more raw foods you eat, the better off you are.

On the Phase One Essene Fruitarian Diet, we should become aware of the additional requirements of Phase Two and Phase Three and begin, step-by-step, to incorporate those elements as able. Essene Fruitarianism is an ongoing pilgrimage. Some Essene Fruitarians will reach full compliance with Phase Two or even Phase Three this incarnation; others will achieve only partial compliance this lifetime. But remember, even basic cooked-food vegetarianism is a great step to make this lifetime; most humans won’t make that step. And the only requirement to become an Essene disciple of Jesus Christ is basic vegetarianism. So, even if you were to only achieve compliance with Phase One of the Essene Fruitarian Diet, you would be at a much higher octave of diet than almost all of the rest of humanity, even a higher octave than most Essenes reach. (The majority of our membership do not go much beyond basic vegetarianism, still eating mostly cooked foods.) But do your best to incorporate as many elements of Phase Two and Phase Three as you are able, during the course of your lifetime. The first step is to become aware of those additional elements; you can do that by studying the paragraphs below.

Phase Two

On Phase Two of the Essene Fruitarian diet, we are required to eat only foods that we can reasonably assume were actually harvested without killing the plant. At the grocery store, there are many foods we can assume were harvested without killing the plant: all the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, various varieties of squash cucumbers, melons, grains, etc. Obviously a farmer does not cut the tree down alter harvesting nuts or fruits; and the other plants listed above - and many not listed - have essentially run their life cycle and are withering away by the time their last crop is harvested. The farmer will not likely uproot them prior to their ending their cycle of productivity, which is when many non-perennials whither and die anyway, naturally. Granted, the only way to be absolutely certain that the plant is not killed before its natural time would be to grow it yourself or personally know the person who did grow it. On Phase Three of the Essene Fruitarian diet, that is exactly what is demanded. However, on the less demanding Phase Two, all that is required is a reasonable assumption that the food was harvested without killing the plant. We can reasonably assume that the sorts of foods listed above - foods that would typically be harvested without killing the plant - have actually been so harvested. That assumption is good enough for Phase Two, but not good enough for Phase Three, as we will see when we describe Phase Three in depth. We can never reasonably assume that grocery store lettuce was harvested without uprooting and killing the lettuce plant; that assumption would be contrary to what is typical on a farm. Thus, while we could eat grocery store lettuce on Phase One, we can no longer do so on Phase Two. Which is why we encourage all Phase Two Essene Fruitarians to grow as much of their own food as possible, especially greens such as lettuce.

On the Phase Two Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to eat mostly organic foods. By “mostly” we mean “whenever possible”. In other words, we must always make a sincere effort to buy organic, whenever organic is available. (At the more demanding level of Phase Three, we are required to always eat organic; which may mean moving to an area where organic food is always available.) Although organic produce is usually more expensive (unless you grow it yourself), it is worth the extra money. Consider the following information from Why Panic? Eat Organic!!, a book by Beau Loveglo:

The benefits discovered by scientific research show many advantages of organic over nonorganic, chemically grown foods. They include more usable protein, more vitamin C, more fiber, more trace minerals, and less nitrates and other carcinogens. A study showed higher amounts of usable protein in organic crops; 50% more protein in many cases. Chemically grown foods have been shown to have less vitamin C (as little as half as much), low levels of which have been implicated in health problems ranging from mental disorders and cancer, to colds and less effective protein and mineral utilization…. Organically grown foods have been shown to consist of a higher fiber content Fiber is considered a nutrient because of its ability to cleanse the intestinal tract, taking with it bile acids that prevent the absorption of important proteins, vitamins and minerals. … Greater absorption of protein (tryptophan) and vitamins (B1, B3, B6, and C) produces a brain-chemical (serotonin) that lowers the hunger drive (via the hypothalamus). The body receives more nutrition with organic foods, and thus requires, and therefore craves, less. (For those overweight, organic food is good news) The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and so on has also been found to create a higher pH (alkalinity) in the soil; which prevents the absorption of soil nutrients, particularly sulfur and trace minerals, by the vegetation. Trace minerals are important for many reasons; one is aiding the electrical and biochemical activities of the body and mind. Studies on the importance of selenium and iron are good examples of the importance of such trace minerals. Studies have shown that areas with low selenium levels in the soil also had higher cancer rates. Iron too is less available in the non-organic foods we eat when the body is deprived of the necessary supply of iron, a condition is created whereby lead or cadmium is absorbed both of which are toxic in small amounts, leading to mental and physical disabilities…. Iron and other trace minerals are important for regulating brain functions, and a deficiency in such always impairs mental and physical functions. Typically chemical growing methods only consider the 8 minerals essential to plant growth. But humans need at the very least, 27 minerals…. Chemical fertilizers also result in the presence of higher levels of nitrates and nitrites in foods, both of which are cancer causing, as well as toxic. They also deplete the body’s utilization of vitamin A, a necessary nutrient which aids in the functioning of the liver, pancreas, adrenal glands, eyes, mucous membranes and so on…. Foods grown by non-organic methods, using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other artificial substances, have been shown to contain noticeable levels of toxic residues in 50% of all such produce. Much of the commercial produce sold today, such as garlic, onions, potatoes and grains, has been stored for several years. Other types of produce are stored for many months. The concerns heighten when one realizes that stored foods such as these linger amongst, and are fumigated with, dangerous pesticides when stored… It’s not surprising that foods are tested for toxic residues before they are stored since afterward they may permeate the food more so!

After reading the above, do you have any doubt that it is worth paying more money for organic produce? Just think of all the money you will save in future medical bills! And because your body and mind will be working so much better, you will be able to earn more income - doing creative things that you brainstorm! Anyway, on Phase Two of the Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to eat mostly organic foods.

On the Phase Two Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to eat 100% raw. This includes the ingredients in our salad dressing. This includes our seasonings. This includes our beverages. At this level, WE EAT 100% RAW, with no compromises.

On the Phase Two Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to implement Jesus’ instructions to fast one day per week. In The Essene Gospel of Peace, Jesus declares:

And for get not that every seventh day is holy and consecrated to God. On six days feed your body with the gifts of the Earthly Mother, but on the seventh day sanctify your body for your Heavenly Father. On the seventh day eat not any earthly food, but live only on the words of God, and be all the day with the angels of the Lord in the kingdom of the Heavenly Father. And on the seventh day let the angels of God build the kingdom of the heavens in your body, as you labor for six days in the kingdom of the Earthly Mother. And let not food trouble the work of the angels in your body throughout the seventh day. And God will give you long 1ife upon earth.

While Jesus is likely referring to a water fast, on Phase Two we are required merely to abstain from solid food one day per week; raw juice is permitted. (At the level of Phase Three, the requirement will be a one day water fast, no juice permitted.) In regard to the term “one day”, Jesus is referring to the ancient Hebrew way of calculating a day: each day begins at sunset and ends at the next sunset. For instance, the day which begins at sunset on Monday evening, ends at sunset on Tuesday evening. In regard to the term “the seventh day”, Jesus is referring to the Jewish Sabbath: Friday evening (sunset) to Saturday evening (sunset). Thus, the one day fast that Jesus was describing would begin at sunset on Friday evening and would end at Sunset on Saturday evening.

On the Phase Two Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to become aware of and attempt to implement, proper food combining. (Although proper food combining was not mentioned at Phase One, it was stated that all Phase One Essene Fruitarians are expected to become aware of the additional requirements of Phase Two and Phase Three, and to implement as many of those requirements as able. Proper food combining is a discipline that even Phase One Essene Fruitarians should seek to implement. But at the level of Phase Two, awareness of proper food combining becomes a requirement.) In regard to proper food combining, Jesus, in The Essene Gospel of Peace, says:

And desire not to devour all things which you see around you. For I tell you truly if you mix together all sorts of food in your body, then the peace of your body will cease, and endless war will rage in you.

And we can be certain that this war in your belly will include plenty of heavy artillery! In other words, GAS! There are many good books on vegetarianism and raw foods that include handy charts which illustrate proper food combining. Some general guidelines are:

Do not combine protein foods with fruits or starches. You can combine protein foods with most vegetables.
You can combine starches with vegetables.
Do not combine starches with fruits.
Do not combine acid fruits with sweet fruits.

Consult a food combining chart for full details.

On the Phase Two Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to make every effort to obey Jesus’ admonition not to overeat. In fact, Jesus calls on us to undereat. In The Essene Gospel of Peace, Jesus instructs:

And when you eat, never eat unto fulness. Flee the temptations of Satan, and listen to the voice of God’s angels. For Satan and his power tempt you always to eat more and more. But live by the spirit, and resist the desires of the body…. So give heed to how much you have eaten when your body is sated and always eat less by a third….

A Phase Two Essene Fruitarian should make every effort to obey the above. Rather than eat until feeling sated, eat less by a third. As hard as that may seem, recent scientific studies have shown that under-eating increases longevity - as long as all of the essential nutrients are included in the diet. And your mind will be much clearer for spiritual activities such as meditation. Let us now examine the more demanding disciplines of Phase Three Essene Fruitarianism.

Phase Three

It is not practical to attempt to fully embrace Phase Three while living a normal American lifestyle. Phase Three is definitely not for the normal American - or normal earthling; rather, one must be very abnormal to practice such a demanding diet. Of course, in a world in which murder and mayhem are normal occurrences every day in big cities and eating the body of a dead cow is considered normal some of us earthlings - especially us Essenes - aspire to such abnormality! IN FACT, SUCH ABNORMALITY IS OUR GOAL! (Do you really want to be considered normal in the midst of a group-consciousness insane asylum?) The first Christians humorously referred to themselves as “fools for Christ” because, by following Jesus’ radical teachings - including Essene Fruitarianism - THEY CERTAINLY APPEARED TO BE FOOLS, in the eyes of the “normal people”. So, you should only read this section on Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism if you suspect that you may be a fool, or at least a bit abnormal!

On the Phase Three Essene Fruitarian Diet, we are required to actually know that the food we eat was harvested without killing the plant. On Phase Two, we were permitted to make a reasonable assumption. The only reasonable assumption that is sure enough to meet the stricter criteria of Phase Three is in regard to tree-grown fruits and nuts; we know those are harvested without uprooting the tree. But other than tree-grown fruits and nuts, we must have actual personal knowledge that each food item we eat was harvested without killing the plant. Clearly, this means that most Phase Three Essene Fruitarians must be involved in growing much of their own food. Just as clearly, most will live in an area where organic farms are prevalent and can be personally visited, even if this means moving. I know from personal experience, local organic farmers are usually very happy to let you harvest your own produce and pay them on the spot. They are also usually quite willing to tell you which of their crops are harvested without killing the plant. (Our goal, as explained in our discussion of Phase Two, is that each plant be permitted to at least reach the point in its natural life-cycle that it has gone to seed and begun to wither; at that point, its seed can be harvested and it can be uprooted. The seed can be planted; thus, the uprooted plant may be reborn. Before going on to describe the other requirements of Phase Three Essene Fruitarianism, I think an explanation is needed in regard to WHY we would care if a plant were uprooted and killed. Most readers will assume - correctly - that it has something to do with our previously described motives of compassion and enhanced communion with God. But most readers will not fully grasp the dimension of our motives without some further explanation. This explanation will lead us into a discussion of such esoteric topics as The Fall of Mankind, Angelic Ascension, Resurrection, and Breatharianism.

Essenes use ancient scriptures which describe a time when human beings were radiant beings of light, without dense physical bodies, existing on subtle energies such as air and light WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DENSE FOOD. These beings lived in a heavenly realm which vibrated, like they did, at a much faster vibratory frequency than our current physical universe and planet earth. Due to disobedience (lack of harmony) to the laws of that realm, some of those beings fell into a dense realm - and dense bodies - of a much slower vibratory frequency. But they were told by Christ that, as an act of mercy, he would incarnate into their dense physical realm AND TEACH THEM AND THEIR FUTURE CHILDREN THE WAY TO RETURN TO THE HEAVENLY REALM. In fact, this entire story appears in the most ancient version of the Adam and Eve story. I will share excerpts from that ancient manuscript with you, but first, a bit of background information. Although this version of the Adam and Eve story is more ancient than the version in the mainline Bible and provides much more detail, it does not contradict the Bible story. Rather, it illuminates the Bible version. One scholar, Dr. J.J. Hurtak, in his book The Scrolls of Adam and Eve, states:

The Scrolls of Adam and Eve are scrolls which convey a fuller exposition to the first chapters of the Scroll of Genesis. They do not contradict the biblical scroll but, rather, bring to light a more in depth explanation of the origin of Adam and Eve and how the drama of the ‘Fall’ came about.

Another scholar, Dr. Ruthefford Platt, in his introduction to this most ancient version of the Adam and Eve story published in The Forgotten Books of Eden, writes:

Present day controversy that rages around the authenticity of the scriptures and how human life began on this planet must pause to consider the Adam and Eve story. Where does it come from? What does it mean? The familiar version in Genesis is not the source of this fundamental legend….

The version which we give here is the work of unknown Egyptians. Parts of this version are found in the Talmud, the Koran, and elsewhere, showing what a vital role it played in the original literature of human wisdom.

It is important to realize that not only this most ancient version of the Adam and Eve story, but all versions of the story, use the names “Adam” and “Eve” in a symbolic way: “Adam” represents the male human archetype; “Eve” represents the female human archetype. Thus, Adam and Eve are simply male and female archetypes of our species; they symbolize all of our ancient ancestors. We could just as well refer to them as “Man” and “Woman”. With this understood, I will now share with you some significant excerpts from this most ancient version of the Adam and Eve story. Again, this is a more ancient version than is found on the pages of the mainline Bible. We pick up the story just alter Adam and Eve have fallen out of the Paradise of Light (heavenly realm) into the Dark Cave (dense physical realm). They are sorry and amazed that now they must eat physical food and drink water, whereas in the Paradise of Light they had no need to eat or drink:

And Adam said “Oh God while we were in the Paradise of Light, we did not require to drink this water; but since we came to this physical realm, we cannot do without it” Then God said to Adam, “while you were in obedience to my laws you were a bright angel; you had no need for this water. But after you disobeyed my laws and fell from the Paradise of Light into this cave of Darkness, you must drink this water; for your body is now like that of a beast”

Then God looked upon Adam and saw his weeping and groaning and said unto him: “Oh Adam, when you were in my Paradise of Light, you knew neither eating nor drinking… neither had you need of sleep. But now that you have fallen into this realm, all these trials have come upon you….”

Then God commanded an Angel of Light to give to Adam and Eve some figs to feed their beastly bodies. The angel obeyed and brought two figs from the same trees that Adam and Eve had hidden behind when first they had separated themselves from God and had attempted to hide themselves from the presence of God. The angel had to throw the figs to Adam and Eve from a great distance, for their animal bodies would be burned as by fire were they to come close to the Light Body of the Angel. Then Adam drew near and took one fig, and Eve also came and took the other. And as they picked them up, they looked at them, and knew that they were from the trees amongst which they had hidden themselves from God.

Then Adam said to Eve, “These figs are from the trees behind which we attempted to hide from the presence of God when we lost our bright nature of light. We know not what misery may come upon us by eating this solid food. Therefore, let us restrain ourselves and not eat them; let us instead ask God to let us eat from The Tree of Life.” And they called out to God with their request And God said “Oh Adam and Eve, when the time is ripe I will send the Christ into the realm you now occupy, and he will give you and your children the fruit of the Tree of Life. And when you eat from the Tree of Life, only then will you be restored to your bright nature. Now, I give to you the fruit of the trees to eat, including the figs from the frees you did hide amongst For your animal body cannot now be without earthly food to strengthen it….” And Adam and Eve sat in their dark cave, weeping because of the alteration in their nature. And they both knew that they were altered beings, and that they could not now live in the Paradise of Light; for any bodies that require food and drink for their existence cannot live in that Paradise.

The above is the most ancient account of the first fall of Adam and Eve (archetype humanity). That first fall was from a heavenly realm wherein no dense food was eaten, to a physical realm in which food was required. It is at that time - the time of coming into physical bodies - that God gave the dietary law for human beings on planet earth: the Essene Fruitarian diet of Genesis 1:29:

God said “I give you all the seed-bearing plants that are upon the earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit,’ this shall be your food.”

Unfortunately, humanity did not obey this law for long. For soon, mankind began to kill and eat animals. THE FALL INTO THE FLESH DIET WAS THE SECOND FALL OF MANKIND, the first having been the fall into the physical realm. The second fall of mankind - the fall into a flesh diet - is described in the following excerpt from The Covenant of Love (a version of The New Testament reconstructed with help from the Dead Sea Scrolls):

And God said unto man: “Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed and every tree in the garden bearing fruit… to you it shall be for meat….” But alas!…. The will of God was no longer obeyed Divine principles were overcome by sensual desires…. The most sacred of trusts of all time was annulled by the lusts of the appetite, and the blood of an innocent creature stained the hands of man.

The Tree of Life was rent with pain. Its leaves hung limp in sorrow…. Fear and foreboding grasped the heart of every living creature. The bold became vicious and the meek fled in terror, and the carcasses of dead beasts became the abomination of carnal appetite…

Farther and farther man strayed from the truth of God. More and more did his power of choice become dominated by greeds and lusts. Weaker and weaker became his will to resist the cravings of the senses. Greater and greater grew the separation between the way of God and the way of man. And the True Light was obscured by the denseness of man’s own maleficent designs, and he no longer recognized the Divine Presence. Man thereafter began to invent his own God or Gods…. They spilled the blood of virgins, of children, and of the gentle lamb and the faithful ox upon the temple altars to satisfy a lustful God.

In the light of the above, it can be clearly seen that Essene Fruitarianism is an effort to reverse the second fall of mankind, the fall from the fruitarian diet to the flesh diet. Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism is a full return to the pre-second fall diet, while phases one and two are transitional steps. But the process does not end here. The ultimate goal of a Phase Three Essene Fruitarian is to reverse even the first fall: TO BECOME AN ANGELIC BEING THAT EATS NO BODY-PARTS OF ANY OTHER LIVING ENTITIES, INCLUDING PLANTS. Most will not achieve that ultimate goal this incarnation; but we know that our progress this lifetime will follow us into our next incarnation. (Essene theology includes the doctrine of reincarnation, with the goal of eventually transcending the need to reincarnate. We transcend the need to reincarnate - (the “wheel of birth and death”) when we reverse the first fall and become angelic beings. Jesus declares that what we do this lifetime, does in fact follow us into our next incarnation; in The Essene New Testament we read:

And as they have sown in one life, so shall they reap in another. Jesus said “The soul is purified through many births and experiences…. As all creatures come forth from the unseen into this world so they return to the unseen, and so will they come again till they be purified….”

In The Book of Thomas the Contender, Jesus confirms that as long as we devour the bodies of other creatures, our bodies must die also:

These physical bodies survive by devouring the bodies of other creatures; the result is that these bodies are impermanent. These bodies will decay and perish, for they are bestial.

Phase Three Essene Fruitarians choose to be “fools” in the eyes of the bestial world in order to get closer to our goal of not eating the bodies of any other life forms. In short, we intuit a higher level of existence in which beings do not eat the bodies of other beings in order to sustain themselves. Not eating the bodies of animals is a step in that direction. Essene Fruitarianism is a further step in that direction. But the ultimate step is to not eat the body of any living entity, including plants. To achieve that goal is to experience ANGELIC ASCENSION, as described by Jesus in The Essene New Testament:

As Jesus sat to the west of the Temple with his disciples, behold, there passed some men carrying a dead man to buried And a man asked Jesus, “Master, if man die, shall he live again?”

And Jesus replied, “I am the resurrection and the life…. As in Adam all die, so in the Christ shall all be made alive. Blessed are the dead who die in me, and are made perfect in my image and likeness, for they rest from their labors and their good works do follow them. They have overcome evil, and live in the Heavenly realms of God. They need not leave the heavenly realms, for they have found the peace of God…. Over them the repeated death and birth have no power, the wheel of birth and death revolves no more, for they have attained the heavenly realms….”

“They shall be as the angels of God in Heaven and die no more, neither need they be born anymore, for death and birth have no more dominion over them.”

In other words, once we reach that level of evolution we will have angelic bodies that never die. We will have reversed the second fall. We will have experienced ANGELIC ASCENSION. Above, Jesus makes clear that this angelic ascension is experienced by those that take on his “image and likeness”. And that is accomplished by following his teachings, including, but not limited to, his dietary instructions. In the passage quoted above, Jesus referred to himself as the “resurrection”. He means that he came to earth to be a pattern for us; if we follow the pattern, WE TAKE ON HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTION. In The Gospel of Phillip, we learn that we must work to experience the resurrection now, while we have an opportunity:

Adam ate from the tree which bore animals. He became an animal and brought forth animals….

Those who say they will die first and then rise are in error. If they do not receive the resurrection while they live, when they die they will receive nothing.

Although we must take seriously the command to follow Jesus in the resurrection now, this lifetime, and though he has made clear that our eventual goal is to reverse even the first fall by becoming angels in heaven that eat no other life forms, HE EXPECTS AND REQUIRES ONLY THE FOLLOWING DIETARY PROGRESS TO OCCUR THIS LIFETIME:

We must become vegetarians to enter his fold of disciples;
Our task after achieving vegetarianism is to work toward achieving the level of Essene Fruitarianism. In other words, our main task for this incarnation is to reverse the second fall - the fall from Essene Fruitarianism into flesh eating. Jesus never says in any of the ancient literature that he expects us to reverse the first fall this incarnation, only the second fall. But he does make clear that the reversal of the first fall is our ultimate goal, and that we will not achieve angelhood until then. Until then, we reincarnate.

However, there is fascinating evidence that some human beings - albeit a small minority -are in fact close to reversing even the first fall. These individuals were probably advanced fruitarians in their previous lives, and so are now ready for the next stage in human evolution. I am going to share the information I have about these rare individuals with you, but first some words of caution: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! Do not try and take several steps in dietary evolution all at once or you may fall flat on your face! (Seriously, this is why Jesus permits vegetables and even raw milk: he doesn’t want you to go too fast and lose your teeth and hair - as some have done.) Now that you have been warned not to prematurely emulate these rare individuals, I will share their fascinating stories.

My dear friend and fellow Essene teacher, Viktoras Kulvinskas, in his classic book Survival Into The 21st Century, provides the following excerpt from an article that appeared in the London Chronicle newspaper:

A woman of 50, who looks like she is 30, claimed yesterday that she… has beaten old age, and expects to live at least 150 years. She has set out to do it by giving up food. Twenty years ago she ate three normal meals a day. Slowly for 12 years she reduced her eating until she was keeping fit on one meal a day of grass, chickweed, clover, dandelion and an occasional glass of fruit juice. Five years ago she switched entirely to juices and raw tomatoes, oranges, grasses and herbs. Now she drinks nothing but a glass of water flavored with a few drops of lemon juice.

She says, “There is much more in sunlight and air than can be seen with the naked eye or with scientific instruments The secret is to find the way to absorb that extra - that cosmic radiation - and turn it into food.” Each year she goes to Switzerland for the better air and climbs mountains on a diet of water from the streams. “You see”, she explains, “my body cells and blood have changed considerably in composition. I’m impervious to heat, hunger or fatigue. Winter or Summer, even in Switzerland, I wear only a short sleeved jumper and skirt. In cold weather people stare at me. while they shiver in furs, I am warm. I’m as strong as a man, and need only three hours sleep for mental relaxation. As my body is free of toxins, I’m never ill. I had to advance slowly from vegetarianism to uncooked fruit and then to liquid. Now I’m working toward cosmic food (Air). I’ve passed the eating stage and could not eat if desired as my alimentary canal has changed considerably. It is no longer a filthy tube and is unable to handle any fiber. Instead of thinking my life will end in ten years, I’m growing younger.”

It is important to note that Barbara Moore, M.D., the woman described in the above excerpt, made her amazing transition over a many year period. Keep that in mind! Also in Survival Into The 21st Century, Viktoras Kulvinskas provides an excerpt from a book by Dr. Morris Krok, written in 1961, titled Conquest of Disease. In that excerpt, Dr. Krok reproduces part of a speech given by Dr. J. Moore:

By experimenting on myself I’ve found that neither energy nor body heat comes from food. It’s a fact, paradoxical, yet true, that I spent three months in the mountains of Switzerland and Italy eating nothing but snow and drinking only snow water. I was climbing mountains daily, not just fasting and sitting down reading a book or gazing at the sky. No, I was hiking daily from my hotel to the mountains, often 15 miles, climbing up to seven or eight thousand feet, then coming down and walking another 15 to 20 miles to my hotel.

When I discovered this I went a step further. I wanted to see whether I could live without food at all not for two or three months, but for a longer period I found this also possible, but not quite on an ordinary level as it were. I can do that in the mountains, but it is more difficult when I come down to an ordinary level. I find the air is different. I hope in time to live entirely on air.

Viktoras then briefly reports on a number of Breatharians:

Marie Frutner, a Bavarian girl who lived on water without food for 40 years, was under observation for a time in Munich in 1835…. Dr T. Y. Yan gave the following report on Yand Mel age 20, who hasn’t eaten for the last 9 years: She shows no signs of starvation, leads perfectly normal life except having lost her desire for food. Her alimentary tract has become dormant and rudimentary; she takes no water…. Caribala Dasi, has been living for the past 40 years without taking food or water…. Dhanalak Shumi of Marcara, India, age 18, for over a year took no food or water…. Teresa Avila, Bavarian peasant, born 1898, has taken no food no water and no sleep since 1926, she is not thin or sickly, works in her garden, and is described as one of the happiest persons…. Giri Bala, Bahar, West Bengal, now over 70 years, has taken no food or fluid since she was 12. She has never been sick, is an expert at yoga, is always happy, looks like a child does normal housework, has no bodily excretions.

As previously stated, Jesus only requires that one become vegetarian in order to become his disciple. That is a partial reversal of the second fall of mankind, and a satisfactory step for this lifetime. As vegetarians, at least we do not murder and eat animals. But Jesus’ hope is that we will go on to become Essene Fruitarians and completely reverse the second fall, by returning to the diet of Genesis 1:29. By doing so, we are preparing ourselves to eventually reverse even the first fall of mankind and return to residence in heavenly realms in which beings do not eat the bodies of other beings, - not even the bodies of plants. While that is our goal, most of us will not achieve that this lifetime. But if we reverse the second fall this lifetime, - by becoming Essene Fruitarians - maybe we can reverse the first fall in our next lifetime! After all, the above examples demonstrate that Breatharianism is possible even on planet earth! (In the heavenly realms we will be Lovearians, depending on no outside fuel - not even air - to sustain us. We will be fueled by love, which, the more you put out, the more you have.)

Essene Fruitarians do not want to kill anything, because we love everything. We don’t even want to kill plants. Hey, we don’t even want to kill insects or bacteria, which is why we are headed for the heavenly realms wherein we will have angelic bodies of light that require no killing of anything. We are fools… for Christ! While we believe our dietary path is healthy, we realize it is not without risk. We willingly take the risk of departing from mainline dietary practice because we are tired of being killers. We want to become lovers. To truly become lovers, we must mutate. Transmutation is our prayer. Angelic ascension is our answer.

Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism is mature Essene Fruitarianism. We have already stated that it is not practical to attempt to frilly embrace Phase Three while living a normal modern lifestyle. We have also stated that, at the level of Phase Three, we are required to actually know that the food we eat was harvested without killing the plant. You will recall that at the level of Phase Two we were permitted to make a reasonable assumption that our food was harvested without killing the plant. But the only reasonable assumption that is sure enough to meet the stricter criteria of Phase Three is in regard to tree-grown fruits and nuts; we know those are harvested without uprooting the tree. But other than tree-grown fruits and nuts, we must have actual personal knowledge that each food item we eat was harvested without killing the plant. As pointed out previously, this means that most Phase Three Essene Fruitarians must be involved in growing much of their own food. Also, most will live in an area where organic farms are prevalent and can be personally visited, even if this means moving. Having reminded you about the things we said about Phase Three several pages ago- before we went on our long excursion into esoteric topics such as the Fall of Mankind and Breatharianism -we will now consider the other requirements of Phase Three of Essene Fruitananism.

Whereas at Phase Two we are required to eat mostly organic, at Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism we are required to always eat organic. As with the situation described in the above paragraph, this requires living in an area where organic farms are prevalent and, best of all, growing much of your own food. Again, as described above, this may mean moving. The optimum situation would be to live in an Essene intentional community that specializes in growing organic produce. (Essene Church of Christ, of which I am the founder, has just established the first of what we hope will be a global network of such Essene farm communities. We have established the first community in Arizona, and are now attempting to establish one in Oregon near our headquarters. Contact me if interested in more information on this project.)

As with Phase Two, Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism is 100% raw. But at Phase Three we add the requirement that the food be VERY FRESH. Obviously, this is always a good idea, even at Phase One and Phase Two; but at Phase Three it is REQUIRED. In The Essene Gospel of Peace, Jesus declares:

For… frozen and rotted foods will… freeze and rot your body also…. From the coming of the month of Ijar, eat barley; from the month of Sivan, eat wheat, the most perfect of all seed-bearing herbs…. And from Tammuz, eat the sour grape, that your body may diminish and Satan may depart from it. In the month of Elul gather the grape that the juice may serve you as drink. In the month of Marchesvan, gather the sweet grape, dried and sweetened by the angel of sun, that your bodies may increase, for the angels of the Lord dwell in them. You should eat figs rich in juice the months of Ab and Shebat… And the herbs which come after rain, these eat in the month of Thebet, that your blood may be cleansed of all your sins. And in the same month begin to eat also the milk of your beasts, because for this did the Lord give the herbs of the fields to all the beasts that render milk…. Eat not unclean foods brought from far countries, but eat always that which your trees bear.

In other words, EAT WHAT IS FRESH AND IN SEASON. Do not eat raw foods that have been frozen and kept in storage for weeks or months. While this may not seem very practical, remember: Phase Three is not practical! (It is not practical in the context of the modern, fast-pace lifestyle. Of course, in the context of health, well-being and spiritual transcendence, Phase Three is indeed practical!) IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE ABOVE WORDS OF JESUS BE PROPERLY INTERPRETED. Jesus was telling folks in ancient Israel to eat the foods that were in season there; he is not telling you to eat Barley in the month of Ijar - unless that happens to be what is in season in your neck of the woods! Jesus is telling you to eat what is fresh and in season WHERE YOU LIVE. Perhaps, due to today’s fast transportation system, certain organic foods from distant locations might arrive at your health food store fresh; however, you still must be certain they are organic - which is rather difficult when the grower is far away. Certainly, you can be much more certain that a food is fresh and organic when the grower is YOU and the time of harvest is NOW.

Why all the fuss about freshness? Kirlian photography has demonstrated that the fresher a fruit or vegetable is, the more powerful is its subtle organizing energy field (SOEF). A fruit or vegetable photographed by the Kirlian technique within several minutes of being harvested displays a powerful, radiant aura of blazing light. The same fruit or vegetable photographed by the Kirlian technique several hours after harvest still displays a decent energy field, though it has definitely diminished from when it was harvested. The same fruit or vegetable photographed two days after harvest, still has a bit of an energy field, but not much. The same fruit or vegetable photographed a week after harvest has no discernible energy field. Thus, the fresher the fruits and vegetables are that you eat, the more powerful is their subtle organizing energy field (SOEF). And as Dr. Cousens made clear in a previous section of this article, the SOFFs of fruits and vegetables feed the human SOEF. A healthy human subtle organizing energy field (SOEF) is the key to physical well being, as well as spiritual unfoldment.

As with Phase Two, at Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism we are required to eat 100% raw. This includes our seasonings and salad dressing. This includes our beverages.

As with Phase Two, at Phase Three we are required to fast one day per week. As with Phase Two, we may use the ancient Hebrew method of calculating a day: from sunset to the next sunset equals one day. Whereas at Phase Two we could choose any day of the week to conduct our fast, at Phase Three we must follow Jesus’ specific instructions to fast on the Sabbath: Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. Whereas at Phase Two we may fast on either juice or water, at Phase Three we are required to fast on water.

On Phase Two we were required to “become aware of and attempt to implement,” proper food combining, but at Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism we drop the word “attempt”. At Phase Three we must become aware of’ and implement, proper food combining.

On Phase Three of Essene Fruitarianism, we are required to eat no more than two major meals per day (a piece of fruit or glass of juice is not counted as a major meal). We must eat no solid food before noon (juice okay before noon) and our last solid food of the day must be eaten around sunset. While we are permitted as many as two major meals per day, some may achieve the level whereat they eat but one major meal per day. All of the requirements listed in this paragraph are adapted from the following words of Jesus, as found in The Essene Gospel of Peace:

Eat only when the sun is highest in the heavens, and again when it is set. And you will never see disease, for such finds favor in the eyes of the Lord And if you will that the Angels of God rejoice in your body, and that Satan shun you afar, then sit but once a day at the table of God. And then your days will be long upon the earth, for this is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.

Phase Three Essene Fruitarians should attempt to save one or more seeds from each fruit or vegetable they eat, for later planting. With some foods this is more feasible than with other foods. This is not a requirement, but an invitation to advanced ahimsa (harmless-ness). When we eat from a plant or tree and then in return take responsibility to plant its seed, we are manifesting the true spirit of Essene Fruitarianism: LOVE.

Although I have divided Essene Fruitarianism into three separate phases, it is okay to take elements from each phase and create your own hybrid. For instance, you may be ready and willing to eat only twice per day, but not ready and willing to eat 100% organic. Or, you may be willing to follow most of the rules of Phase Two, but eat 75% raw instead of 100%. All sons of combinations of the various elements of the three phases are possible. But if you create a hybrid, be honest and call it a hybrid. For clarity of communication, let us honor the definitions of each phase given herein; if you are practicing a mix of the elements of Phase One and Phase Two, say so, rather than call it Phase Two. Likewise, if you are practicing a mix of the elements of Phase Two and Phase Three, say so, rather than call it Phase Three.

It has been stated that an Essene Fruitarian eats only the part of a plant that can be eaten without killing the plant. So, what specific plants can’t we eat? We can eat most above ground fruits and vegetables, BUT CANNOT EAT MOST UNDERGROUND VEGETABLES. Such root vegetables as carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, rutabagas, etc., are off limits to Essene Fruitarians. There may be some exceptions to the ban on root vegetables. For instance, if you do the harvesting yourself; potatoes can be harvested without killing the plant: The root system of a potato is extensive and has many potatoes connected to it; dig around it and only harvest a few, leaving the rest so that the plant does not die. (This is similar to the way the ancient Essenes harvested honey; they were only permitted to take a tithe of 10% of the honey from each hive, so that the bees would not die.) Thus, a Phase One Essene Fruitarian who still eats some cooked food can have a baked potato. Probably the biggest sacrifice is carrot juice! (A friend told me that the ends of carrots can be cut off, put in a glass of water until they grow new root systems, and then replanted in soil. He therefore claims that carrots can potentially be eaten without killing the plant. I have not yet attempted this process of replanting the ends of juiced carrots; but, if it works, maybe you can still have your carrot juice!) With above ground fruits and vegetables, most can potentially be eaten without killing the plant, but, at Phase Two and especially at Phase Three, we must pay attention to how each particular plant was actually harvested in order to make our determination.

Because our above descriptions of the three phases of Essene Fruitarianism are spread out over so many pages, I will now provide a convenient “at-a-glance” synopsis of each. But don’t ever limit yourself just to the following abbreviated descriptions; much of the important information about each phase is available only in the body of this essay. Alter providing a brief synopsis of each phase, I will conclude this article by giving some sample daily meal plans.

SYNOPSIS OF PHASE ONE - Phase One allows us to make a gradual transition into Essene Fruitanarism. - All of the foods we eat must potentially be able to be eaten without killing the plant. - We must attempt to eat mostly organic foods. - 2/3 of our food must be raw with goal of eventually achieving 100% raw. - We should become aware of the additional requirements of Phase Two and Phase Three and begin, step-by-step, to incorporate those elements as able.

SYNOPSIS OF PHASE TWO - We are required to eat only foods that we can reasonably assume were actually harvested without killing the plant. - We are required to eat mostly organic foods. - We are required to eat 100% raw. - We are required to fast one day per week. (Can be the ancient Hebrew day: sunset to sunset.) Can be any day of the week. Raw juices and/or water permitted. - We are required to become aware of and attempt to implement, proper food combining. - We are required to make every effort not to overeat.

SYNOPSIS OF PHASE THREE We are required to have actual personal knowledge that the foods we eat were harvested without killing the plant. (In the case of tree-grown fruits and nuts a reasonable assumption is still permitted.) - We are required to always eat organic foods. - We are required to eat 100% raw. - We are required to eat food that is fresh and in season. - We are required to fast on the Sabbath: Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. (Water only, no juice permitted.) - We are required to become aware of and implement, proper food combining. - We are required to eat no more than two major meals per day. (A piece of fruit or glass of juice, etc., does not count as a major meal.) - We are required to eat no solid food before noon. (Raw juice is okay before noon.) - We are required to begin our last major meal of the day no later than sunset. - We should attempt to save one or more seeds from each fruit or plant we eat for later planting. (This is not a requirement, but an invitation to advanced Ahimsa.)

The following are only a few sample daily meal plans, not an exhaustive list. These several examples are intended just to give you the general idea of the foods one might eat on a typical day at each phase of Essene Fruitarianism.

Sample Phase One Daily Meal Plans

Sample Phase One Breakfasts:

Four organic bananas.
Four organic bananas blended with a little water and a tablespoon of raw carob powder. (This tastes like a chocolate shake!)
A bowl of organic figs, dried or fresh.
An organic melon.
Raw organic fruit juice.
Raw organic vegetable juice. (Cucumber makes a good base.)
Two or three organic apples.

Sample Phase One Lunches:

Two baked potatoes.
Two baked sweet potatoes.
Steamed brown rice.
Baked squash.
Large vegetable salad.
Essene bread.
Fruit salad.

Sample Phase One Dinners:

Large vegetable salad.(If you did not have salad for lunch, have it for dinner.)
Select a gourmet raw food recipe from Gabriel Cousens’ book, Conscious Eating. (available from our Essene Church)
Two baked potatoes.
Two baked sweet potatoes.
Baked squash
Steamed millet.
Select a gourmet raw food dish from the book, Angel Foods - Heavenly Foods for Heavenly Bodies, by Cherie Soria. (available from our church)

NOTES ON PHASE ONE FOODS. On Phase One, you are required to eat 2/3 raw. Thus, you can have one cooked meal per day. I recommend that your breakfast be raw and usually fruit. Your lunch or dinner can be cooked. Whichever is your cooked meal, lunch or dinner, the other should be a large vegetable salad meal. In other words, you should get in the habit of having one of your meals each day - lunch or dinner - be a large vegetable salad. The salad should feature a dark green leafy vegetable, such as romaine lettuce or kale, NOT ICEBURG LETTUCE. A ripe Haas avocado is the crown jewel of any raw salad! Do not eat anything cooked with it; let the salad be the entire meal. And when you eat your cooked meal, let it be a mono-meal: one food item, not several. For instance, a couple of baked potatoes, alone. Or a bowl of brown rice, alone. Or a baked squash, alone. If you use any dairy product that is not raw, it should be plain (unflavored) organic yogurt or kefir from a health food store. The ingredient in dairy products that causes mucus and digestion problems is lactose. However, in fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir, the lactose is predigested and can be tolerated by most people.

Between meal snacks should be confined to raw fruits, raw vegetables, raw juices, raw or fermented dairy, or Essene bread. This is true on all three phases of Essene Fruitarianism.

Sample Phase Two Daily Meal Plans

Sample Phase Two Breakfasts:

See the list of sample breakfasts given for Phase One. That list is also suitable for Phase Two.

Sample Phase Two Lunches:

If juice was had for breakfast, you may select one of the non-juice items from the breakfast list for lunch, such as a melon or three apples or bowl of figs.
Essene bread (cooked in sun or in dehydrator)
Nut or seed cheese.
Several ears of raw corn on the cob.
Large vegetable salad.
One or two Haas avocados.
Soaked nuts or seeds.

Sample Phase Two Dinners:

If you did not have the large vegetable salad at lunch, you should have it for dinner. Unless you are fasting, nearly every day should include a large vegetable salad.
Any item from the lunch list.
If you have not yet had a fruit meal, select a fruit meal from the breakfast list for dinner.
Select a gourmet raw food main dish recipe from the book Living in the Raw, by Rose Lee Calabro.
See dinner four above!
See dinner four above!
See dinner four above!

Dinners Five, Six, and Seven: This book (available from the Essene Church) includes such delightful recipes as: Mock “Tuna”, Raw Tofu dishes, Nut Patties, Raw veggie burgers, Raw Huinmus, Stuffed Spinach Pesto, Stuffed Peppers, raw pizza, raw burritos, and many more. All of these recipes are raw, but some may call for an ingredient that Essene Fruitarians do not eat, such as certain root vegetables; just leave those ingredients out!

Sample Phase Three Daily Meal Plans

Sample Phase Three Breakfasts:

Go for an early morning walk in nature and breathe deeply the fresh air. Recite the words of the Essene Communion with the Angel of Air: “Angel of Air, enter my lungs, and give the air of life to my whole body.”
Drink some pure water immediately alter reciting the words of the Essene Communion with the Angel of Water: “Angel of Water, enter my blood and give the water of life to my whole body”
Sunbathe in the morning sun while you recite the Essene Communion with the Angel of Sun: “Angel of Sun, enter my solar center, and give the fire of life to my whole body.”
Drink some raw vegetable or fruit juice immediately alter reciting the words of the Essene Communion with the Earthly Mother: “The Earthly Mother and I are One. She gives the food of life to my whole body.”
Hug a tree as you recite the words of the Essene Communion with the Angel of Life: “Angel of Life, enter my limbs, and give strength to my whole body.”
Stand barefoot in the soil or on the grass and recite the words of the Essene Communion with the Angel of Earth: “Angel of Earth, enter my generative organs, and regenerate my whole body.”
Sit in your garden and behold the beauty as you recite the words of the Essene Communion with the Angel of Joy: “Angel of Joy, descend up on Earth, and give beauty to all beings.”

Sample Phase Three Lunches:

Stand for awhile by an apple tree. When you notice an apple fall to the ground, pick it up and eat it. Or gently shake a limb so that the ripest apple falls to the ground. Or pick the apple that looks the ripest and smells the best. If you want another, repeat the process.
Stand by an orange tree and repeat the above process.
Stand by a pair tree and repeat the apple tree process.
Stand by an avocado tree and repeat the apple tree process.
Chew some wheat grass and swallow the juice.
Offer to pick the untended fruit tree in your neighbors yard, in exchange for a portion of the harvest. Eat some of your portion for lunch. Share some with your friends.
Visit a local organic farm. Pick several ears of corn (after paying for them!). Sit and pray. Eat the corn. (Corn is delicious raw!)

Sample Phase Three Dinners:

Walk in your garden. Notice a perfectly ripe vegetable. Give love to the plant the vegetable is growing on. Promise to plant a seed from the vegetable next Spring. Eat the vegetable, right there in the garden. Repeat the process with another ripe vegetable.
In your garden, squat near a row of lettuce. Carefully harvest the outer leaves of several lettuce plants, without uprooting the plants. Eat the leaves.
When you have more cucumbers in your garden than you can eat, pick several and juice them. Add some freshly picked greens. Drink the juice and notice how good you feel.
Instead of eating, meditate in your garden.
Instead of eating, dance in ecstasy in your fruit orchard.
When especially hungry; eat two large Haas avocados.
Have a feast: make a large vegetable salad from whatever is ripe in your garden. Invite friends over to share the feast. Alter dinner, form a song circle and sing sacred songs together.

The Rosebush

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:03 -0800

A rosebush can show the many opportunities one can pursue, if one stays honest and aware.

This article was inspired by Angelkate who has been kind enough to let me stowaway on her pirate ship. She has taken me on many an adventure while steering a true course between the water and the sky. We have seen glorious storms and traveled under the vibrant rainbows they leave behind. Perhaps she may agree that what follows is a proper compensation for the never-ending voyage.

Imagine a rosebush.

The roots secure deep into the earth, embedded within a foundation of worthwhile values. We have the support for honorable convictions.

The stems rise up with confidence that comes from strength and flexibility. When the winds blow, they do not break. They bend, but always return to their position of integrity.

The branches spread seeking, each reaching out beyond the stem from which it emerged. Through their explorations, knowledge is continually discovered.

The leaves look out towards the light. Bathed in radiance, they absorb the truth that fuels existence itself.

The rosebush is nourished by the power of the earth, the excitement of the wind, the illumination of the sun and the joy bourne by the tears from the clouds.

Nature delights in her creation.

Take this picture and see it has been etched indelibly into the smooth canvas of eternity.

Call it what you will: it is you, your true self, your spiritual essence.

It is indestructible and everlasting and waiting …

Now put some tracing paper over the canvas. Start tracing the rosebush with your pencil. Be precise and accurate for every line, every curve, every detail and nuance is of utmost importance!

When you are finished, you will have a replica of what is there. It looks indistinguishable, carrying all the qualities of the original.

Your tracing paper has much empty space. You can customize it!

Put in some birds and bugs - a willingness to share.

Add some large thorns - a protector offering haven.

Create a mist all around - abode for an enigmatic magician.

Draw some roses of various colors - a bit of heaven is blossomed in.

Each tracing paper work is an image for you to be - it is a role you choose to play on the stage of life. You can have many such roles and to live them out, all you need do, is create it with a new page.

You can be many things …

the mischievous daemon playing pranks on the unsuspecting
the emotionless watcher observing the dance between life and karma
the courageous knight charging forth to right all wrongs
the kind empath listening, healing and rejuvenating
the pirate princess seeking hidden treasures beyond illusion

However!

There is need for care.

If one stays not alert, the tracing paper carrying whatever creations will move out of alignment from the source whence it came. Most things may look the same at the beginning of a shift, but the page appears blurry as though there is conflict. The formerly precise lines become muddled as the image on the paper becomes disharmonious with what is underneath.

Quick! Move the paper to find its proper position!
Too far!
No! That’s not correct either!
Try again!
Now this area looks reasonably alright, but it is off over here.

There is bewilderment, confusion, stress. Too much trouble is this!

I want to take the paper off the canvas! Then at least there will be only one view with no conflict! Yes that at least looks good to me off the canvas! May be this will be fine.

But no! There is no support and the thin paper flutters with the slightest disturbance. Without connection and substance, it soon wrinkles and rips. The once valiant image becomes a mere caricature. No amount of patchwork can repair it.

What is to be done?

Alright. Get another piece of tracing paper and let’s do this again.

Trace carefully with sincerity and awareness.
Avoid nothing.
Miss nothing.
Keep the work as true as its source.

It is done - you always have another chance! Even if you run out of tracing paper, you can get some more. However, don’t be wasteful - that would be treesonous!

This time keep the alignment firm! Draw beautiful things, but don’t let the paper lose alignment with what is underneath. If you do, both the beauty and the things are lost.

Stay aligned!
Always stay aligned.
Do not be drawn astray by temptation, by want, by enjoyment.
Become not irresponsible, apathetic, false.

Protect the alignment. It is all you have.

Aligned, there is no blurring. There is no bewilderment, there is no confusion, there is no stress, and most important, there is immunity from delusion.

The canvas belongs not to you, but the tracing paper does.

Use it well.

The Science of Compassion

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:03 -0800

Chapter One: Dissecting Conservation’s Biggest Myth

I care deeply about the survival of the earth. Even as I write these words, I know that this exquisite jewel of a planet is at unprecedented risk. The land, air and seas cry out as they have never done before; the seeds of destruction have been planted by humankind and they are germinating and growing at a monstrous rate. As many have foretold, we seem to be on the eve of destruction. We can speculate that it may take a miracle to turn such a resistant, self-mutilating society around, stopping the cycle of abuse and beginning the slow process of rehabilitation.

Yet I can’t help but believe that there is a solution to this downward spiral that has so far eluded the traditional scientific community. This solution entails shifting away from what is conventional and measurable in a clear-cut physical, quantitative sense. Perhaps the time has come for science to evolve to that new level, to seek an alternate paradigm. Such a perspective would enable humans to discover a basic and simple logic, a global key to survival.

This evolution involves a new science: compassion.

The conservation movement in particular has, with troubling consistency over the decades, focused on the importance of species for survival and has downplayed the role of the individual. But just as leaves, bark, branches and roots are crucial to the growth and survival of a tree, so does an individual unit contribute to the integrity of the whole. Interwoven in the fabric of successful co-existence is compassion, the tie that binds together individuals, families, and communities. The huge global response to natural disasters in Indonesia, Haiti, and Japan (to name a few countries devastated in recent years) is evidence of the fact that compassion can have world-wide reach.

Agencies involved in “science-based” conservation have long been regarded as the natural world’s Messiah, the whip that keeps species in control by supporting the demise of certain animals through hunting. In addition, these agencies have been inclined to prohibit the public from sheltering injured and orphaned wildlife, thereby shackling the compassion righton of individuals whose hearts are driven to do the right thing. Yet it should be noted that even dictionary definitions of “conservation” are in conflict. Further, it appears that the definition of the word has either evolved or dissolved over the ages—depending on what side of the fence one is on. Consider the meaning of the word “conservation” in 1828: “The act of preserving, guarding or protecting; preservation from loss, decay, injury, or violation; the keeping of a thing in a safe or entire state; as the conservation of bodies from perishing; the conservation of the peace of society; the conservation of privileges. (Source: (Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary)

Now let’s examine a few modern definitions of the word from the same webpage noted above. Definitions of “conservation” are grouped in categories, for instance, agriculture, environment, technology and so on. This one in particular (environment) is of interest: “A philosophy of natural resource management that ensures their availability in the future by not being too greedy in the present. Conservation practices, by preserving land for future use by humans (the technical definition of conservation) has the secondary benefit of providing habitat and thus survival for many plants and animals not commonly thought of as resources, such as songbirds and wildflowers. The intelligent use of natural resources.”

Please note the ample reliance on such phrases as “management”, “use by humans”, and “resources”. Preservation of habitat for songbirds and wildflowers is termed a “secondary benefit”. The following definition on the same list pertains to conservation in agriculture: “In farming, conservation entails matching cropping patterns and the productive potential and physical limitations of agricultural lands to ensure long-term sustainability of profitable production.” Again, we note the words “sustainability” (on the surface, an innocuous word, yet often used by conservationist word dressers in order to legitimize and elevate the status of their activities) and “profitable production”.

So what happened to the simple concepts of protection and preservation? The words “guarding or protecting” from the 1828 version of Webster’s Dictionary conjure up images of a mother lovingly defending her young, while the other more modern definitions point to human management of resources, not only to preserve the environment for future generations of humans, but also for the sake of profit.

With all this in mind, we are left to wonder how one word has become so completely distorted over the centuries. Could it be that certain humans, masters of manipulation, once twisted the meaning of the word “conservation” to suit themselves, and the passage of time allowed the shift to remain, even to be reproduced in the online version of Webster’s dictionary?

Then, from Wikipedia’s science page, emerges this gem: “Many recent thinkers, such as Carolyn Merchant, Theodor Adorno and E. F. Schumacher considered that the 17th century scientific revolution shifted science from a focus on understanding nature, or wisdom, to a focus on manipulating nature, i.e. power, and that science’s emphasis on manipulating nature leads it inevitably to manipulate people, as well.” Since conservation principles are essentially considered to be science-based, it follows that we may have found an explanation for the shift in definition discussed above.

Let’s focus now on the area of “conservation” known as hunting. Truth be known, every Conservation Officer I’ve ever dealt with has proudly admitted to killing as a pastime—in the name of food procurement, of course. But wait. Some have also confessed to the killing of bears and less succulent-tasting wildlife, because those animals “were a danger to society”. Others approve of trapping as a legitimate way to “manage” certain species of fur-bearing animals. Many hide behind a word curtain of “sustainability”, “good management” and “environmental stewardship”. It appears that destruction of individual living beings has become acceptable and very much the norm from a conservationist standpoint.

I am reminded of a rural neighbourhood incident, where a local Conservation Officer was called to the scene of a wounded six-month-old deer fawn. Unfortunately, while the mother and her other fawn had safely cleared a wire fence and landed on the other side without mishap, one youngster had managed to get tangled in the wire, damaging a leg in the process. A large group of neighbours quickly gathered around the injured fawn and kept the CO at bay until a representative from the animal protection community arrived. A battle of wills ensued, with the CO insisting that the fawn should be shot, the animal protection volunteer stating that she would be willing to transport the deer to a wildlife veterinarian for assessment instead, and the group of neighbours demanding that the fawn should be allowed to live. In the face of such staunch support for the fawn, the CO hesitated. In those moments, a brawny man stepped forward to initiate the process of lifting the wounded deer into the back of his pickup. Outnumbered, the officer from Conservation could do nothing but watch. His pragmatic, science-based approach was no match for the groundswell of compassion from the concerned neighbours. The fawn was safely transported to a nearby clinic.

I would like to say that the youngster survived and recuperated, but that was not the case. In spite of excellent care, he died of toxic myopathy just two days later. This condition is also called “capture myopathy” and is stress- related. The clinic veterinarian suggested that older fawns (rather than newborns, who do not know yet to be afraid) are more prone to succumbing to this.

With such a sad outcome, one might argue that the CO had been right, as the fawn died anyway. The official may have stated that a bullet in the head would have been preferable to two days of suffering and fear. But a woman representing the group of concerned citizens who had lobbied for the life of the fawn had this to say: “That animal’s life was worth fighting for. It was just the right thing to do. You know, where there’s life, there’s always hope.”

Meanwhile, the neighbours learned that there is power in numbers, and with their staunch commitment, they were successfully able to exercise their compassion righton. The Conservation Officer attending the scene learned about the tremendous power of compassion, that it is a driving force, and that it does not easily back down when threatened with legislation, policies, or other rulings that characterize modern society. It does not succumb to bullying tactics.

Perhaps he learned that compassion is contagious, and the cumulative power of its sources should not be underestimated.

Next chapter: Why is Compassion a Science?

Thoughts Manifestations and Life

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:03 -0800

The thoughts we think manifest the reality we live in. Collectively, we create our universe. The inner essence will manifest into the outer. The inner essence is thought - conscious and subconscious levels of thought. The outer is what we perceive as our life, what “is”. Thought is senior to substance. All around us are manifestations of thought.

Thoughts are very real, tangible things. Thoughts literally create waves! When we think, we create certain vibrations. The universe itself is composed of various levels of vibrations. What we think affects the vibration of the entire universe - all with a “mere” thought!

Did you know that when you think of something negative, you literally do yourself and all of humanity a disservice? Thoughts are causes; “reality” is the effect. Every thought we think creates karma. The thoughts (seeds) we sow, create the reality (harvest) we reap. We cannot escape the effect of any cause. This is inexorable universal law, and we are subject to it whether we realize it or not. The universe does not bend for anyone; conversely, it rewards all for obediance to law.

The creative forces in the universe are thought, feeling, and spoken word. Thoughts create feelings. Feelings lead to words (mental utterances and verbal soundwaves). These are elements of creation itself. The universe itself was created in love! We were created in love. Our very essence is love! What a beautiful thing! It’s true that anything other than love is an aberration, out of harmony with our true essence. We can recapture that essence. Focus on thoughts of love, make actions of love, and create love all around you. Love is the highest vibration in the universe! Love is perfection. Love was created out of and by, perfection.

Thoughts lead to actions. Our actions create various levels of karma. It is therefore of extreme importance that we think the most positive, empowering, and constructive thoughts, in order to create the best possible reality - that which we desire, which resonates with our very core.

We can have anything we want. All we need to do is hold the desire, the vision - the thoughts, feelings, and words - long enough, deeply enough, strongly enough, and it will manifest. Vision creates the realization of dreams. With vision - a focused intent on that which we truly desire - we attract certain people, places, and things into our existence.

Inspiration is a powerful force. Inspiration works hand in hand with vision. Thoughts (vision) and feelings (inspiration) can get us places we only once wished for. Wishing is not enough; you need to go after it with all you’ve got. The place you start is inside your heart and soul. If you sow the inner seeds of vision coupled with inspiration, you will arrive at your desired destination.

You are heading somewhere. You are on a journey. Your destiny is in your hands. Where are you going? Is it where you want to be? If so, you are truly staying true to your heart, creating the destiny you desire. If not, realize you have the choice! The power is truly within you! Seize the moment - the NOW is all you have! Life is a mystery … unravel it!

Love … Live … Learn … Know … Sow … Reap … Grow

Stress

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:02 -0800

I often hear the word Stress almost everywhere I go. It is almost as if it is normal to feel or have Stress. Is it really normal? Many people blame their ill health and lifestyle on Stress.

What is Stress? Stress is simply the result of thoughimages that we choose to repeat over and over in our minds. Therefore if stress comes from our thoughts, is it then not safe to say that since we are in control of our thoughts that we just simply replace poor thoughts with more elevated ones to alleviate Stress? Is it really that simple?

Absolutely. Stress does not cause sickness or disease it’s our inability to comply with Nature’s Laws that does.

Let’s take for example the life of an animal in the wild. Each day the animal must go about its daily business knowing that they may be another animal’s Lunch or Supper. Now by most people’s criteria for stress this would be pretty stressful wouldn’t it? Can you imagine going to work and on your way to work you would have to be aware that something might just come around and attack you or worse eat you? Now why aren’t animals dying of heart attacks, cancer, nervous breakdowns etc. if Stress were a killer?

There are several reasons…

Animals eat naturally Rawfoods according to their instincts. You don’t see an animal with a pot/pan in one hand and a recipe book in another. They eat simple Rawfoods.

Animals exercise each day while doing their daily tasks. No time for exercise you say - then you will have to make time to be sick.

Animals are in the Fresh air and Sunshine. One of the keys to Health most people wear sun tan lotion and sun glasses as if the sun will harm them. See any animals with a pair of Vaurnet’s on lately?

Animals rest and relax when they are not feeling well and don’t go grab an advil to alleviate their problems. You must take time to relax and rest not only your body but your mind as well. Closing your eyes is one of the simplest things you can do.

Most importantly animals live a simple Natural Life and live in accordance to Nature’s Law.

One of the most simplest ways to remove Stress in your life is to change your thoughts. How do I do this? Simple use techniques such as affirmations, prayer, meditations, NLP, etc. To replace one thought with another. Here is something you can do right away. Instead of watching those old poor quality videos you keep running in your mind, why not chose one of the following titles…

Run these titles in your mind and then watch the Real Magic appear that will amaze even Walt Disney.

Now as humans we have been given the power of choice that animals are limited to so instead of choosing Poor thoughts why not choose uplifting ones. The choice is yours away from freedom or Towards Freedom ….

Taking the Pressure Off Your Body

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:02 -0800

“Stand up straight!” “Pull your shoulders back!” As children, we were told to have good posture. Yet we were seldom taught effective ways to accomplish this. Indeed, we were often not even told just what “good posture” is.

The consequences of this information gap can be seen all around us: stiff necks, shoulders hunched forward or pulled tightly back, restricted breathing, and tightness in the thighs, legs and ankles. Backaches, headaches, and other painful symptoms are often the unfortunate result.

By the time we’ve spent a year of two in school, sitting for hours on chairs and at desks chosen primarily for their economy and for the convenience of the custodial staff, we have learned tension patterns that interfere with our natural easiness, balance, support, and freedom of movement. These tension patterns - slumping or stiff ‘good posture’ patterns \ become so habitual that they start to feel normal despite the fact that they seriously restrict our breathing and freedom of movement.

The Alexander Technique is a time-tested method of teaching ways to restore our natural balance, flexibility and ease of movement. It teaches the use of the appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity, releasing more energy for all our activities. It is not a series of treatments or exercises, but rather a re-education of the mind and body that helps you discover a new balance in your body by releasing unnecessary tension. It can be applied to all of your daily activities.

The Alexander Technique places a great deal of emphasis on the relationship between your head and neck. The way we manage that relationship has huge implications for the way the rest of our body is organized. If, as is so often the case, we compress our heads down into our spines, a whole series of compensatory tensions is created. If, on the other hand, we can learn to allow our head to balance lightly on top of our spine as nature intended, our built in ‘anti-gravity’ reflex is activated and our body is encouraged to release previously held restrictions.

The Alexander Technique is above all an educational method. Alexander Teachers use a combination of verbal instruction and a light, guiding, touch to convey information to their students. Alexander Technique teaching is done in private lessons and in group classes. Private lessons are usually between 1/2 and 1 hour in length.

Most certified Alexander Technique teachers have completed a three-year full time training course recognized by one of several major professional societies. Typically, the training courses have a student teacher ratio of 5:1 or less, and provide a great deal of individual attention for each trainee.

A few teachers have trained more informally on an apprenticeship basis and some of them have become members of professional societies through a rigorous review process. Not all Alexander Technique teachers are certified and not all teachers eligible for certification are members of a professional society.

All of the major professional Alexander Technique societies publish a teachers’ list as well as on-line listings. Recommendations from friends and colleagues can be useful in choosing a teacher, but you will have to judge for yourself if a particular teacher is right for you.

Ask about his or her training and be prepared to take a few lessons before deciding whether to continue with a course of lessons. If you live in a community with several teachers, have a lesson or two with several before making a final decision.

The basic ideas of the Alexander Technique are not in any way complex or mystical, they do represent a new way of thinking about the functioning of your body and may take a little getting used to at first.

Excess tension in your body can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms and it can interfere with your ability to perform activities well. Therefore it is not surprising that most people come to the Alexander Technique because they are in pain (backaches, sore necks and shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome etc.) and/or because they are performers who want to improve the quality of their singing, playing, acting or dancing.

People of all ages and occupations have benefited from Alexander Technique lessons. The Technique also has its share of famous people who have publicly endorsed it - including two Nobel Prize winners and a great many celebrities like Paul Newman, John Cleese, William Hurt, Sting, James Galway and Yehudi Menuhun.

Robert Rickover is a teacher of the Alexander Technique living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also teaches regularly in Toronto, Canada. Robert is the author of Fitness Without Stress - A Guide to the Alexander Technique and is the creator of The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique

The Ideal Diet

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:02 -0800

We will examine an excerpt from the works of T.C. Fry regarding plant foods.

From an article by T.C Fry:

In view of all the preceding facts it becomes apparent that plant foods are not only capable of supporting life when used as the sole source of nutritive matter but that they are able to support life in a manner which permits the finest physical development and the greatest freedom from disease. Man is a frugivorous animal and thrives best upon the fruitarian diet.

Throughout most of its history he appears to have use other diets, but he hasn’t lived well upon them. He has survived it is true, but we are interested in more than just mere survival.

We want optimum health, the very highest that can be built. To acquire

that, we must recognize our nutritional needs and these call for a fruitarian diet. With the fruitarian diet you gain the opportunity to rise above the health standards of the primitive. No credit is taken from the superiority of the primitive’s foods over the conventional foods of civilized races in recognizing the greater value of the fruitarian dietary regime. The fruitarian diet simply allows you to go one step further than the primitive. It gives you the advantage not only of unrefined foods but also of a system of eating which eliminates the use of the disease-producing products of the animal kingdom.

In planning the perfect diet, two fundamental principles must be employed as guides:

Only natural, uncooked, unrefined, unprocessed, unchanged foods must be used, and these must be selected from the plant kingdom. Raw plant foods are ideal for man. They will support life at the highest possible level and will provide the greatest freedom from disease.

An iron-clad rule should be made never to eat food which has been cooked or obtained from other than the plant kingdom.

Those who follow these principles will have taken the biggest single step in their quest for a mode of living which will preserve their physiological youth over the longest period of time.

Periods May Be Normal but Are They Healthy?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:01 -0800

[Our thanks to Debbie Took for allowing reprinting from her original blog.]

Disclaimer : not a doctor, not a scientist, just a raw fooder who blogs. Some of the suggestions in this article are radical. They may be shocking, or, at the least, seem a bit barmy. Some might cause offence. Some might even be considered dangerous. I’m just presenting an…alternative view of something that is considered ’normal’ in our modern, ‘developed’ society, and that (we’ve been brought up to think) is therefore healthy.

This is what we’ve been taught about menstruation:

It occurs when an egg released from the ovary has not been fertilized.
It occurs approximately 14 days after ovulation.
There will be a flow of blood, and loss of womb lining.
The blood flow will last for a few days.

We are taught that periods as described above are normal , that it is normal to menstruate monthly, and that normal = healthy. We have been taught that it is right to be concerned if, in a woman of child-bearing age, monthly blood flow is absent or even if periods have become ‘scant’ (when not pregnant, that is).

We have been told that ideas emanating from ancient times of periods being bad things, eg that a period is a ‘curse’, or that women having periods are ‘unclean’, are wrong , and that these ’negative’ interpretations of periods came about through a combination of ignorance, superstition and patriarchal societies. We are taught to ’embrace’ menstruation, celebrate it as being a healthy and integral part of being a woman (and we support companies making millions from the sales of pads and tampons to mop up the copious bleeding).

Consequently, women who make positive improvements to their diet, eg by significantly increasing the raw component and/or cutting out animal foods, alcohol, coffee etc are concerned when their menstruation changes, that is, the flow becomes much lighter and/or infrequent, or in some cases seems to disappear altogether.

I’ve always had nagging doubts about periods, from the age of 14 when I started. Surely it isn’t meant to be like this, I thought. If we were all living naturally, in a ‘Garden of Eden’ (however that’s defined), without pads, tampons, tissues (or even clothes?), would we all be running around dripping blood all over the place for a few days every month?

36 years later, my feeling is that…no, we wouldn’t be. I’ll be explaining why in this article, where I pull together a number of observations and writings from various sources that all suggest pretty much the same thing - that whilst a menstrual blood flow \ that is, anything beyond a few spots of blood - may be normal , it’s not healthy.

Monthly Blood Flow

It May Be ‘Normal’ In Our Society, But Is It Universal?

Human beings

‘Black African females on a wholistic diet of natural foods do not menstruate…Menstruation by black African women is a recent occurrence…Haemorrhaging among black African women represents a deterioration of the race…‘Fruitarian and vegetarian women, normally, do not menstruate. If they do menstruate it consists of one or two drops of blood (about the size of a pea) from the unfertilized egg.’ (Dr Imhotep Llaila O Afrika, ‘African Holistic Health’).

OK…firstly, Dr Afrika’s account appears to be anecdotal, rather than scientific. I’ve searched for anthropological studies confirming it, but haven’t found anything, although neither have I found anything contradicting it. And (I can hear you shouting) sure - most vegetarian women do menstruate, and some have quite a heavy flow, but what is certainly the case is that I have seen hundreds of messages on raw food forums from those on fruitarian and raw vegan diets reporting lighter, or absent periods.

‘Few Navaho women wear undergarments and the great majority apparently do not use perineal pads during menstruation.’ (American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, May 1951). That suggests the women’s flow was very light then , although of course their diets in 1951 would probably have been quite different from the diet they follow today - I suspect things will have changed now…

‘Among one primitive people in the Australian bush country who live entirely on fruit, the menstrual period lasts about twenty minutes and approximately a tablespoon of blood is expelled…The women of the American Indian of the Great Plains who lived on a simple diet and were exceedingly active, had a short, uncomplicated menstrual period, scarcely noticeable.’ (Dr Bieler, MD, ‘Natural Way to Sexual Health’ 1972).

Animals

In most cases, it’s not relevant to look at animals, as most don’t experience ovulatory cycles as we do.

One exception is non-human primates (eg gorillas, monkeys). However, it’s debatable whether observations of primates in captivity are relevant, as they will be living unnatural lifestyles (and in many cases following unnatural diets) in the same way that women in the developed world are.

But studies of primates in the wild are interesting:

‘Studies have found that gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans do shed, following non-fertilization of the egg, but that there is either a very small amount of bleeding, or no bleeding observed (my italics)…The menstrual cycle lasts 31-32 days…menstrual bleeding is minimal.’ (Tim Knight, University of Washington, ‘Gorilla Natural History’)

‘Gorillas. In captivity , the first menstrual flow reportedly occurs between six and seven years of age. (Dixson, 1981). Menstrual bleeding has not been observed in wild mountain gorillas at Karisoke;’ (my italics again) (Peter Thorpe Ellison, ‘Reproductive Ecology and Human Evolution’)

‘NO BLEEDING OBSERVED’

Note that the two accounts of gorillas in the wild conflict. One says they do not menstruate. The other chooses its words more carefully. It says ’no observed flow’. This carries the implication that the researchers recognize that there could actually be a small amount of bleeding, but it’s so small that they weren’t able to detect it.

In the same way, women who think they haven’t menstruated at all may actually have lost a drop or two of blood but haven’t noticed it. For example, it could have been lost within a flow of wee, or not noticed on coloured underwear. Just a possibility.

Are Indigenous Women (And Gorillas In The Wild) With Little Or No (Observed)

Bleeding Unhealthy?

The gorillas are obviously healthy. And the lifestyle of the indigenous women, or at least those studied relatively early in the 20th century, will almost certainly have been free of many of the things in the developed world linked with illness, eg refined sugar, white flour, processed foods in general, not to mention alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs etc and they will have been living outdoor lives.

Healthier than us? Or less healthy. Not a difficult one to answer.

In the 21st century ‘developed’ world, the women most likely to report light or ‘absent’ periods are so often the healthiest. They’re often athletes - women at the peak of physical fitness. And/or they’re women who have at least eschewed the disease-causing substances listed above and following diets high in raw plant foods.

In general, the less healthy women are, the more they are likely to be plagued by heavy periods. Studies have shown that overweight women tend to have heavier periods.

And, the more body fat, the younger the age girls will start bleeding. Body fat is of course not necessary for ovulation , as, if it was, starving women throughout the world would not be having children, and clearly they are. It could be that young girls whose ‘periods’ have not started may well have started ovulating, but with no (observable) blood flow (yet) and, yes, these will tend to be the slimmer girls. As, an increase in body fat is often accompanied by an increase in toxicity and you will see later in the article why I’d tentatively suggest at this point that this could account for the link between body fat and bleeding. (Note I am generalising - slim women can have high levels of toxicity too!).

And of course the higher the blood loss the more likely there is to be anaemia caused by a loss of iron.

Are Women Who Don’t Have A ‘Flow’ Infertile?

If there is no ovulation (more later) then, yes, they would be infertile.

But there are many accounts of women who have either not had periods, or have not had any ‘flow’, or have had periods infrequently, having no problems becoming pregnant, so clearly they have been ovulating and fertile. The indigenous women reported as having little or no flow, and the gorillas with little flow, or no ‘observed’ flow, have borne children \ in fact I’d guess fertility rates in these groups are far higher than in our society.

Natural Hygienist Herbert Shelton: ‘I personally know of one woman who is the mother of five children and she has never menstruated in her life. I know another who menstruated during her adolescent period and married a man who had changed his way of living to a truly natural lifestyle. She joined him in his health regime and became a fine specimen of health and ceased menstruating. Thereafter she had three children, all delivered naturally and painlessly and never menstruated again in her life.’

Viktoras Kulvinskas in ‘Survival in the 21st Century’ reports the case of a woman treated by Dr G S White, who changed her diet to vegan. ‘[She] flowed bright blood five or six days of each month [and] had such severe cramps that she could not hold her position as stenographer. [He treated her for six months, after which her]periods changed to half a day mucous flow with no blood at all. She was able to resume her work and did so for two or three years. She married and has had three daughters. Each of them had a mucous flow for about half a day each month and are in perfect health. One is married and had a healthy baby girl.’

Thomas Lodi MD (‘Get Fresh’ magazine, Summer 08): ‘…it has been my experience over the past eight years working with women eating raw, vegan diets that the menstrual cycles become scant and few, while quality of life and fertility not only persist but improve.’

Have Women Always Had A Monthly Blood Flow?

Simple answer is: we don’t know.

Not many ancient writings discuss menstruation. The stock answer to this is ‘ah, that’s because it was taboo.’ What if, what if…it’s because it didn’t actually used to happen much?!

Here’s a mention:

Leviticus 15:19: ‘And if a woman has an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days; and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean.’

Note the word ‘IF’. Not ‘WHEN’. This suggests that perhaps women didn’t habitually menstruate. (‘Unclean’ as used in those times meant ‘unhealthy’). Also, elsewhere in Leviticus, it describes the period as the ‘blood of the purification’. As if the body is cleaning itself via the blood flow.

In ancient Japan also, menstruating women were segregated. After their period of seclusion ended, they had to wash in the river or sea.

We’ve been taught that people then knew less than we do nowadays. Could it be that they actually knew more? I’ll explain why I think that could be the case…

‘Womb Lining’ Puzzle

‘Little bleeding’, ’no observed flow’, ’tablespoon of blood’, ‘half a day mucous flow’ - doesn’t seem to make sense, does it, when we’ve been led to understand that the ‘womb lining’ has to be shed each month. But, many women in developed countries following healthy diets/lifestyles, some indigenous women, and gorillas, don’t seem to be shedding any womb lining, but are still having babies!

Why is that many, if not most, women in developed countries do appear to shed a lot of gunge along with the blood, but the most natural-living women don’t appear to?

One theory, (and this is backed to some extent by scientific observations of monkeys), is that the womb lining can, instead of being shed, be reabsorbed by the body when not needed as a bed for the fertilised egg.

‘If the endometrial tissues are not needed - in a truly healthy woman, as in animals in their wild state, those tissues are mostly reabsorbed. What remains is expelled over a short period of time as a slight mucus discharge.’ (Dr H G Beiler)

So - could it be that the womb lining that the average woman has built up contains toxic substances due to things ingested and the body is saying ‘No way - don’t want that reabsorbed thank you!’ and chooses instead to dump it? It’s certainly likely that, in the average woman, the womb lining will contain toxic substances, as, when pregnant, it develops into the placenta, and we know that toxins on the placenta can be harmful to a developing baby.

Of course, if the egg has been fertilised, the lining will need to stay. But it’s possible that the body could find other ways to detox itself of any poisons in early pregnancy, eg via morning sickness (discussed later).

And/or perhaps it’s simply the case that the unhealthier the woman, the thicker the womb lining will become. And, connected with the argument above, this could be because a lot of material/blood is being deposited there that is not deposited in the healthier woman, or the primate.

So Why Do The Bodies Of ‘Civilised’ Women Generally Bleed So Much?

‘Civilised’, ‘developed’ - difficult to choose words that won’t offend someone, but…you know what I mean, I hope.

Most women in our society don’t bleed just a drop or two, or very lightly, as do many women living natural lifestyles, and primates. They bleed lots. Yes, the blood does flow. And very few men reading this will have any idea just how much! For days - often a week.

So here come the radical views. They’re mainly writings from early in the 20th century (as, from the later 20th century, when radical feminist writings took hold, anything suggesting that menstruation was anything less than a wonderful thing would have been ‘deposited’ on from a great height - would anyone have dared?) Basically, the idea presented in the following writings is that of menstruation as ‘dis-ease’.

‘Menstruation is a haemorrhage. No authority on earth can successfully maintain that a haemorrhage is natural and normal, no matter in what part of the body it occurs.’ (Dr G R Clements, ‘Female Degeneration’)

‘Women are beginning to see the mistake of not questioning every aspect of their mental, physical and bodily circumstance. If one wrong condition in the body is not alleviated, it will compound itself and lead to other, worse conditions…when the organs of elimination are overburdened, the body stores some of the waste and then seeks other avenues (not designed for elimination of waste disposal.) (Dr Schroyer, ‘The Physiological Enigma of Women’).

‘…toxic blood seeks an outlet through the womb via the menstrual function…The quality of menstrual blood varies according to the chemistry of the toxic material. Bright red, profuse, odourless blood accompanied by severe uterine cramps indicates that the preponderant irritant comes from improper digestion of sugars and starches. The offending toxins are acids which have failed to be completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. On the other hand, if the menstrual blood is dark and odorous, clotted and stringy, the toxins of protein indigestion or putrefaction are present…thus it is obvious that under chemical duress the uturus, which nature developed as the organ of reproduction, can become an organ for the elimination of putrid waste.’ (H G Bieler, ‘Natural Way to Sexual Health’). (Old Jewish writings from the ‘Talmud’ also distinguished between different colours of menstrual blood).

Interestingly, in ‘Diseases of Women and Children’, Dr Tilden related the amount of menstrual bleeding to the amount of discharge women produce at other times of the month, which he felt was also a means by which the body eliminates toxic matter. (The Old Testament records that the ancient Israelites viewed any discharge , from men or women, as unhealthy, and is in fact similar to the modern ‘alternative’ health view that when the body discharges, via whatever outlet, it is trying to purify itself, to clean itself of toxic substances.)

To many feminists, the idea of the menstrual blood as being ‘impure’ is heresy, but…‘The toxicity of menstrual blood has been well substantiated. Mach and Lubin (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy 22:413 (1924)) showed that the blood plasma, milk, sweat and saliva of menstruating women contains a substance that is highly toxic to protoplasm of living plants. This toxic substance is not present during the intermenstrual periods.’ Even the sweat and saliva! And these toxins are not present when not menstruating. It’s as if the body is ‘gathering together’ toxins in the period preceding menstruation, prior to expulsion at menstruation, to get the body all nice and clean again for possible impregnation the following month. But, sure, the study’s old, and if anyone knows whether any subsequent studies have refuted it, let me know.

More On Diet

Health researchers and writers Leslie and Susanna Kenton found their periods changed after switching to a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables:

‘Women on an all-raw or high-raw diet often report that menstrual problems such as bloating, pre-menstrual tension and fatigue improve greatly after two or three months. For some of them the improvement is so dramatic that they are not aware of their periods until they arrive. This is something we discovered ourselves and at first we thought we were unique. Then we spoke to numerous other women who said they had had a similar experience. Heavy periods become lighter - a period that lasts six or seven days can be reduced to as few as one or two. In some women, particularly those who do not eat meat, dairy products or large quantities of nuts, periods even cease altogether.’

Bellgene Chung, who healed herself of cervical cancer, and believes raw food helped her do that, has researched menstruation and diet:

‘Menstruation (bleeding) is NOT a necessity following ovulation…We have been conditioned to believe that menstruation goes hand in hand with ovulation…Most women, including myself, experience menstruation because they are not truly clean on the inside…Menstruation is the body’s desperate attempt to free itself from toxins, and many females experience PMS in addition to the needless bleeding. Abdominal pain (cramping), headaches, fatigue and irritability do NOT signify an optimal state of health, yet most of us brush these symptoms off as the norm. If you feel such symptoms, this is how your body is communicating that it wants you to change what you are doing; we must listen to Nature’s messages…Presently, on a mainly raw diet, I do not even realize that I am menstruating until I feel moist and decide to take a peek’.

(re PMS - could it be that we also ‘collect up’ psychological toxins…building up just pre menstruation, to be expelled (phew!) at menstruation?)

So What Happens At Pregnancy, At The Menopause?

These are my suggestions only; they’ve come from my ‘wrestles’ with the various theories.

When we become pregnant, we stop ovulating. So, there’s no longer any egg released to be fertilised. So there’s no unfertilised egg to be shed. So there’s no monthly ’loss’ which the body can efficiently take advantage of to offload toxic matter. And the womb lining can’t be discarded, as if it was the embryo would go along with it.

So…if the theories above are correct, the body could have a problem, in that it may have accumulated toxic matter, but its monthly outlet via the uterus and vagina, is firmly closed. So, it will have to find some alternative way to expel any gathered toxins. Cue morning sickness. As a non-doctor, non- nutritionist, non-scientist, I’m going to suggest that morning sickness could be a wonderful outlet for detoxification.

And others feel similarly. Natural Hygienist Joyce M Kling: ‘Morning sickness is a body purification effort to create a better environment for the fetus.’ Some say that morning sickness is all down to ‘hormones’. Well, I don’t see why hormones can’t be involved in the purification process, and I can only say that if I were pregnant I would not do anything in any way to stop or ‘cure’ morning sickness, if it occurred. _That is because I believe that anything that suppresses morning sickness will mean that unwanted toxins may stay in our bodies - with possibly adverse consequences for the unborn baby. Not proven by science. Just the theory of a madwoman._

Menopause: as in pregnancy, the body is no longer ovulating, therefore no monthly loss of unfertilised egg, so, again, if the theories above are correct, that exit for toxins is again closed. Thus the body will look for other ways to detoxify. I’d suggest that one way in which it will do this is via the skin - cue ‘hot flushes’.

For Those Whose Periods Have Gone Awol (Or At Least Appear To Have) On Raw

First, watch very carefully! It could simply be that you have had a tiny blood loss, but that this is so far removed from a period-as-you-know-it, that you haven’t noticed. A spot or two, or perhaps a pink discharge, around the time that you’d expect a period, could well mean that ovulation has taken place 14 days previously.

If you’ve detected nothing for months, not even a spot, I’d understand why you might feel concerned. After all, a teeny amount of bleeding at least is reassuring to our conditioned minds that ovulation has occurred, and it’s good to know that it is occurring if we wish to become pregnant at some time. So the key thing then is to establish whether you are in fact ovulating.

The accounts I’ve described suggest that, if you feel healthy generally, there is a far higher likelihood that you are ovulating and that all is well, than not. Please don’t worry if anyone on a conventional diet tells you that perhaps you are not ovulating because you are ‘starving’ yourself, or ‘malnourished’. That theory really doesn’t hold water, because millions of starving, malnourished women in the world continue to have babies, so clearly ovulate. Secondly, even if it were correct, you are just about as far from being malnourished as it is possible to be. People on standard cooked diets are often ‘malnourished’. If you are on a diet high in raw plant foods, you are likely to be in the best health you’ve experienced for a long time.

So, having said that you’re very likely to be ovulating fine, how can you know for sure? Here are two things you could do to know for ‘almost sure’! Firstly, you can take your temperature daily and see if there’s a slight rise mid- cycle. The rise indicates ovulation. Secondly, observe the state of vaginal discharge/mucus daily (if any - see Tilden above!). At ovulation it should change from being relatively opaque and thick to thinner and transparent with the consistency of raw egg white (sorry, lifetime vegans who’ve never had an egg - you’ll have to get hold of one.). Try putting some of the mucus on a tissue and folding then unfolding it - if you see any ‘strings’, and it’s thin and transparent, it’s likely ovulatory mucus.

If you’ve detected nothing, not even a spot, no r a temperature rise, nor a change in mucus, then it would be wise to follow Thomas Lodi MD’s advice: ‘absence of menstruation can sometimes (my italics) denote an underlying hormonal problem…consult a suitably qualified holistic physician who can carry out the relevant checks.’ Bear in mind, in the UK at least, medical doctors will rarely act until periods have been absent for six consecutive months.

I believe however that the vast majority of women on raw vegan diets who are experiencing scant, or no (observed!) blood flow are doing so for the very best and healthiest reasons rather than there being anything wrong.

Conclusion

Was pristine woman walking in paradise dripping blood for a few days each month? I don’t think so.

Are periods normal? Yes - in most ‘developed’ societies, and particularly amongst women on standard cooked omnivorous diets. Are they healthy? Periods- as-generally-understood? I don’t think so.

Do I still have them? Well - er… yes. At 50, I do still have periods, but obviously have mixed feelings here! Pre-raw, I was rather pleased that my body was still bleeding each month, but now I’m obviously not so sure. It’s all slightly confused by the fact that I’m an old hag and therefore may not be ovulating regularly, but I can say (way-hay!) that, since raw (I’m 100% raw, but my diet’s not perfect), my periods are much lighter and more infrequent. Phew.

The main aim of this article has been to challenge the prevailing view of periods as ‘healthy’, to challenge the things we’ve been brought up to believe about them, and to reassure those women whose menstrual flow has changed since going raw that this is probably not something to be concerned about, that it is just as likely (if not more likely) to be a sign that health is improving, rather than the opposite.

When we go raw, we are going out of step with what 99% of the world says on diet. In this article, I’ve taken the same path on menstruation. I hope I have, at least, provided food for thought.

Pesticides and Our Crops

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:01 -0800

In today’s society we hear often the term pesticides. What are pesticides? Pesticides are harmful chemicals that are sprayed on produce to prevent insects from destoying the crop. That seems kind of odd doesn’t it? Putting harmful chemicals on food that we will eventually consume. Do they realize that if insects and bugs are running away from these deadly chemicals what the chemicals would do in our bodies. Pesticides are a big business and in theworld of greed - money seems to be the biggest motivating factor.

How can we avoid the pesticide produce?

Organic produce is the best produce to purchase. Specifically look for certified organic growers or better yet grow the fruits and vegetables yourself so you can be assured that your produce is safe.

Of course in an imperfect world we can’t always eat organic or have the good fortune of growing our own produce, so keeping that in mind, I have provided a list from the Environmental Working Group, compiled from FDA and EPA data.

Enjoy or should I say avoid …

Strawberry growers everywhere use large amounts of pesticides, particularly fungicides. The end result is a popular fruit that contains a myriad of toxic chemicals. Of the 42 fruits and vegetables we examined, strawberries ranked first in combined contamination,with 189 out of 200 possible points.

70% of the strawberry samples tested positive for one or more pesticides, and 36% contained two or more chemicals, including 19 samples with four pesticides, four samples with five, and one with six different pesticides. The FDA detected 30 different pesticides on strawberries, second only to apples with 36. More significant, however, is the toxicity of the pesticides detected and the percentage of the crop and levels at which they are found. Based on the results of 361 samples of strawberries by the FDA over a two year period:

Strawberries had the highest average levels by far of pesticides that disrupt the endocrine system. The mean amount of endocrine disrupters was more than 20% higher than the next vegetable, spinach. The carcinogenic potency of the average residue on strawberries ranked seventh overall. The neurotoxic potency of the pesticides on strawberries was 15th out of the 42 produce items evaluated.

Sweet peppers (or bell peppers) from the US and Mexico constitute approximately 98% of US sweet pepper consumption, and have a considerably worse pesticide profile than peppers from any other country.

64% of the sweet pepper crop from the US and Mexico contained residues of at least one pesticide, and 36% contain two or more pesticides. Of the 393 samples taken between 1992 and 1993, 11 contained residues of five different pesticides and 3 samples had residues of six pesticides. In total, 26 pesticides were detected on US and Mexican sweet peppers.

The neurotoxic potency of pesticide residues on US and Mexican sweet peppers was the highest of any crop tested - 65% higher than the potency for the next highest food. Methamidophos was found on 42% of the samples, acephate was found on 25%, carbaryl on 18%, and chlorpyrifos and dimethoate on 10%. Endocrine disrupters ranked 12th out of 42 crops tested, while the cancer potency of the average residue was relatively low at 32nd out of 42.

Spinach has residues of fewer pesticides than other crops in the list of the twelve most contaminated, but the concentrations for certain cancer-causing and endocrine disrupting chemicals are considerably higher than those for other produce. Just over 50% of the spinach samples tested positive for one of 17 different pesticides. 17% contained two to four pesticides.

The most commonly detected pesticide on spinach was permethrin, a possible human carcinogen and endocrine disrupter. Permethrin was found in relatively large amounts, which helped make spinach second only to strawberries in the total mean residue of endocrine disrupters and reproductive toxins. The neurotoxic potency of the average residue, in contrast, was 28th out of the 42 crops tested.

The cancer potency of the average total residue on spinach was the highest of any of the produce analyzed. And actual levels of carcinogens on spinach are likely to be higher than we estimated. One reason is that chlorothanonil, a probable human carcinogen, was found at relatively high levels on several spinach samples. The FDA, however, tested only 17 out of 189 samples for chlorothalonil. Because of our sample size requirement of 20 per pesticide/crop combination, these results were not included in the overall ranking.

Spinach also had relatively high levels of DDT, which was found in 10% of 186 samples.

Cherries grown in the United States have a far different pesticide profile than those that are imported. While imported cherries are among the cleanest fruits and vegetables analyzed, US cherries are the fourth worst. The detections on domestic cherries reveal a panoply of pesticides - 26 different pesticides, more than three times the number found on imported cherries.

71% of US - grown samples contained residues of one or more pesticides, compared with 35% of imported samples. More significantly, almost half of all US cherries are likely to contain multiple pesticide residues, whereas, in comparison, only 2% of imported cherries contained more than one pesticide. Up to five pesticides were found on single domestic cherry samples.

Domestically grown cherries rank fourth in terms of cancer potency of the average residue, ninth in average amount of endocrine disrupters and reproductive toxins, and 14th in neurotoxic potency of the average residue.

The summer peach. So juicy, so tasty … so full of pesticides. Peaches ranked high in each of the seven categories we examined. 71% of the peach crop sampled by the FDA tested positive for pesticides, fifth among the 42 fruits and vegetables analyzed. 32% of samples contained two or more pesticides, including six samples with five, two samples with six, and one peach sample with residues of seven pesticides, the highest multiple residue in a single sample found by the FDA over the two year testing period (along with two apple samples). In total, 26 different pesticides were found on peaches.

Many of the most commonly detected chemicals are probable human carcinogens, most notably iprodione and captan. Peaches ranked sixth in cancer potency of the average residue, and eleventh for the average residue of endocrine disrupters and twelfth inpotency of the average neurotoxic residue.

Nearly 15% of cantaloupes consumed each year in the United States come from Mexico. Compared to US grown cantaloupe, Mexico melons are much more contaminated with pesticides.

76% of the samples tested positive for at least one pesticide, number three overall. And this may be an underestimate. 100% of 70 samples tested positive for chlorothalonil, a probable human carcinogen. These 70 samples, however, are just 40% of the 173 samples of cantaloupes from Mexico tested by the FDA during 1992-1993.

48% of cantaloupes from Mexico tested positive for two or more pesticides, more than any other crop analyzed. Up to five different pesticides were found on single samples of cantaloupe from Mexico. In contrast, just 47% of cantaloupe grown in theUS contained any pesticide, and only 16% of domestic samples contained two or more pesticides.

Cantaloupes from Mexico ranked number two for the neurotoxic potency of the average residue. The average residue of endocrine disrupters was 13th out of the 42crops analyzed, while the cancer potency of the average residue was 26th of 42 crops.

Nearly every bite of celery we take is also a bite of pesticides. 81% of the 188 celery samples tested positive for pesticide residues, more than any other crop analyzed. And, an analysis of detection rates for some pesticides reveals that this figure may be too low. For example, 91 out of 94 (96%) of domestic and imported celery samples were positive for for the probable human carcinogen chlorothalonil. Overall, however, this amounted to about one half of the 182 samples of celery that were tested for pesticides by the FDA.

FDA’s lack of testing for some heavily used pesticides makes crops appear to have fewer pesticides on them than they actually do. Even with this caveat, 35% of celery samples contained residues of two or more pesticides, and up to five different pesticides were found on a single sample.

Celery ranked third in the neurotoxic potency of the average residue, 14th in the cancer potency of the average residue, and 20th out of 42 for the average residue of endocrine disrupters.

Apples are the quintessential American fruit. Apple pie, apple sauce, theapple of my eye, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples also have more different pesticides on them than any other fruit or vegetable - 36 different pesticides according to FDA data - and morepesticides (7) found on a single sample than any other crop. 61% of apple samples tested positive for pesticides, and multiple pesticides on single samples are common. 33% of apple samples contained two or more pesticides, 18 samples had five, five had six, and two samples were contaminated with seven different pesticides.

Of the thirty six pesticides detected on apples, eight are classified by the EPA as possible or probable human carcinogens, and 15 are neurotoxic organophosphate insecticides. Apples also contain a high concentration of endocrine disrupters. Apples ranked tenth in average residue of endocrine disrupting pesticides, 16th in the neurotoxic potency of the average residue, and 23rd in the cancer potency of the average residue.

Apricots contain consistently high levels of multiple pesticides, including carcinogens like captan on 35% of all samples. 64% of the FDA samples contained one or more pesticides, and 38% had two or three residues. Fourteen different pesticides were detected on apricots.

Apricots ranked eighth out of 42 fruits and vegetables in average residue of endocrine disrupting pesticides, 19th in the neurotoxic potency of the average residue, and tenth in the cancer potency of the average residue.

Twenty-three different pesticides were detected on green bean samples in 1992 and 1993. 18% of these samples had residues of more than one pesticide - up to four on a single sample. More than 13% of samples contained residues of three pesticides, and 28% of samples tested positive for chlorothalonil, a probable human carcinogen.

Green beans ranked fifth out of 42 crops in the neurotoxic potency of the average residue, sixth in average residue of endocrine disrupting pesticides, and 19th in the cancer potency of the average residue.

From January through April, 90% of the grapes eaten in the United States are from Chile, where growers use less sophisticated pest control techniques than grape growers in the United States. Consequently, a far higher percentage of Chilean crop tests positive for pesticides.

According to the FDA, 79% of grapes grown in Chile contained pesticide residues in 1992 and 1993, the second highest of all 42 fruits and vegetables analyzed. 46% of the Chilean samples contained two or more pesticides, with up to six different pesticides found on a single sample of Chilean grapes. In contrast, only 17% of the US grapes contained detectable residues, and only 6% contained multiple residues. In total, seventeen different pesticides were found on the Chilean crop.

The probable human carcinogens captan and iprodione were found on 64 and 28% of Chilean grape samples respectively, compared with 4-5% of all samples of domestically grown grapes, respectively. 27% of Chilean grapes contained the endocrine disrupting fungicide vinclozolin, compared to just one sample (less than one%) of grapes from the United States.

The cancer potency of the average residue on Chilean grapes was 11th out of 42crops, and the average load of endocrine disrupting pesticides was 19th. The neurotoxic potency of the average residue was in the bottom third of all crops evaluated, at 30th.

Cucumbers complete the list of the twelve most contaminated due primarily to residues of a cancer causing insecticide, dieldrin, that was banned in the United States over 20 years ago. Even though dieldrin is not directly applied to the crop, it is persistent in the soil and is taken up by cucumbers. One out of every 14 cucumber samples from across the United States andMexico contained residues of this highly toxic compound. As a result, cucumbers ranked number two in cancer risk of all 42 crops evaluated.

Most other results are in the middle of the pack. Cucumbers rank 23rd for residues of endocrine disrupting pesticides, and 22nd for neurotoxic potency of the average residue. 40% of cucumbers had detectable residues, according to the FDA, and12% of samples had two or more residues detected. Twenty different pesticides were found on cucumbers over the two year period from 1992 through 1993.

Raw Lifestyle Transition

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:01 -0800

Here are some of the issues I have noticed some people go through while starting on a Raw lifestyle. These issues being low self-esteem and guilt.

When someone chooses this lifestyle they may experience detox (i.e. running noses, head aches, vomiting, skin eruptions etc.) and feel bad physically and mentally. Feeling bad physically makes sense, but feeling bad mentally doesn’t.

Many people start to question going Raw as the problem and not the solution to their problems. They wonder.

This is when doubt sets in. Doubt can be a very interesting learning experience. Doubt to me is like a storm that comes through one?s mind and if your home (thoughts on Raw) is built out of straw it will be blown away by the first storm and if it has been built with concrete then it will weather any storm.

This is where experiences and knowing can come into play. If you think a Raw lifestyle is for you then I assure you, your home is made of straw and if you know that the Raw lifestyle is for you then you will have a nice safe home that can handle any storm until the day you leave this plane.

Many people who choose Raw, work with other coworkers. This can be an interesting learning experience. Many people will feel guilty in calling in sick or taking a day off due to detox. They feel they have to maintain this image of a super-being, yet they don’t realize that detox is part of the process (even Mother Nature detoxes through floods and earthquakes). They feel there is no way that they can call in sick:

When they come back from their day off they feel low afterwards because they think they don’t have the authority to talk about health to others who ask because they were sick. It’s alright to feel lousy physically and call in sick. Don’t feel guilty or low because you do - you are transforming. It is amazing that one the biggest causes of the low self-esteem is a result of your own thoughts and nothing else. That is why it is so important to chose our thoughts wisely.

However, you can choose the best thoughts in the world, but if you are feeding your body junk all day long, you are eventually going to have to settle your nutritional Karma account. You can choose to what to eat rather than letting an addiction choose for you. Many religions allow one to eat anything and then pray to resolve their actions. Prayer is important, but so are the actions we take on a daily basis. Remember God has given us choices and it is up to us to literally make our Heaven on Earth. You are a powerful soul, heading towards true Freedom.

Best of Luck on your Journey…

Raw Recipes From Big George

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:37:01 -0800

Here are some remarkable raw recipes that will make you rush to the kitchen! Remember as always to buy organic whenever possible.

Cream Of Asparagus Soup
1 bunch of asparagus
3 stalks celery
1/2 small onion
1 1/2-2 avocados
1 cup water
6 sprigs organic parsley
2 tsp. tomatillo powder
kelp or Nori to taste

Blend until creamy. If not creamy enough, add 1/2 small avocado and blend.
“Spaghetti” and Tomato Sauce
To make sauce, blend in blender or Vita-Mix:
6 medium totmatoes
3-4 Tbs. tomato powder or all-purpose seasoning
2 tsp. jicama powder (optional)
1 tsp. beet powder (optional)
Italian seasoning
onion and/or garlic or kelp to taste

To make “spaghetti” grate gold zucchini or butternut squash lengthwise.
Pour sauce (ingredients above) over “spaghetti” and mix together.
Minced, grated cauliflower can be added to give a taste and feel of grated cheese.

Salsa
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup green pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne

Blend above ingredients then add:

2 chopped tomatoes
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped onion

Season to taste with dulse or more cayenne.
Homemade Curry Powder
2 Tbs. coriander
1 Tbs. cardamon
1 Tbs. tumeric
1 Tbs. cumin
2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves

Mix all finely ground spices together and store in the refrigerator.
Cauliflower Dip
3 basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic

Add kelp, tomatillo juice and cayenne to taste.
Blend in a Vitamix, or blender to a smooth consistency and serve.

Garden Herb Spread/Dip
2 cups sprouted sunflower seeds
1 cup plain unseasoned sauerkraut
1/2 large avocado
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. tumeric
2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. dried basil
1 medium onion
kelp to taste
small pinch of cayenne (don’t overpower dill and basil)

Blend in Vita-Mix or blender.
Use purified water, tomatillo juice or tomato juice to thin to approximately mayonnaise consistency.

Guacamole
5 avocados
4 tomatoes, diced
3C finely shredded zucchini
3 green onions, sliced thin
1-2tsp Dulse seaweeed and garlic

Cut the avocados lengthwise, then twist to open and remove the pits.
Score avocado meat first lengthwise, then across to form crisscross pattern.
Scoop out and put into a bowl (do not mash the avocado).
Add remaining ingredients and mix gently. Serve with Essene crackers.

Cole Slaw
1 medium cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 bunches radishes, sliced
3 green onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 carrots, shredded
3/4C seedsauce
few pinches ground Caraway or Dill seed
1 teaspoon dulse seaweed and garlic

Put first five ingredients into a stainless steel or glass bowl.
Sprinkle ground caraway or dill over vegetables.
Add Seedsauce. Mix and serve.

Meditating Simply

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:59 -0800

Meditation is a real chance for you to connect with yourself. Most of us go through life knowing the person we spend the most time with, the least.

What meditation is happens to be a question that volumes have been written about. Anytime there is such a lot of discussion on an issue, you can be sure that no one really knows the answer. That’s what is so nice about the Zen approach to it. Zen essentially says that it doesn’t matter what we know, because we never really do (my son Kyron says, “No one knows anything”). It’s not even important to get something out of meditation. What is important, is just to practise it. In other words, make ’the journey, the destination'.

So how does one meditate. Well it really isn’t necessary to wrap oneself up in the shape of a pretzel. All you need to do is sit quietly with calmness and empty your mind. Some may think that is impossible, because all kinds of thoughts keep running through one’s head. That’s okay provided you don’t try to get rid of these thoughts - just let them fly and they will eventually find their way out. When we try to force them not to come, they appear. Don’t believe me? Alright, so right now don’t think of a monkey! See what I mean?

As you sit there with inner silence, you begin to appreciate just how beautiful emptiness really is. We don’t meditate to get anything. In fact, if you were to do it for any ulterior motive, you may get what you want, but you would spoil the meditation. Hence, the quote ’no gain, no pain’! Meditation itself is the gift - that priceless chance to be at peace with yourself.

Mental Diet

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:59 -0800

Many people talk about the benefits of different food diets. However we have forgotten probably one of the most important diets to our health and that being a Mental Diet.

It is not only important in what we put in our mouths but also equally important is what we put in our minds. As the saying goes ‘Garbage in and Garbage out’. In today’s society we have become accustomed to let a box with a screen dominate our thoughts. Have you ever watched a commercial several times then one day you will be walking along and for no reason at all you will start singing the commercials jingle and you will wonder why? Well this is a form of programming. Programming can be a powerful thing if used in the right way.

A mental diet like any thing in life needs to become habit. A habit is something that we do each and everyday to the point where it becomes part of our lives (programming). Of course there are good habits as well as bad habits. For example the habit of smoking, swearing, eating poor foods would be considered bad habits where as the habits of being courteous, going to exercise each day, eating more live foods are good habits that we choose each day. I know each day we try to choose the right habit, but sometimes we don’t make those right choices. Of course the best way to remove a bad habit is to replace it with a good one.

One important Mental Vitamin I recommend in is taking one hour a day of your time to reading a book/report/web site that would provide your mind with nourishment. This could be done at any time of the day or evening. Choose a subject or topic that really interests and inspires you. By making this a habit, I assure you that it will enhance not only your mind but your life.

Another Mental Vitamin I recommend is listening to audio cassettes rather than listening to the top 40 where the only ones that really benefit are the artists who are selling their music. Instead make your tape deck a University on Wheels. Think about it for a moment for the amount of time spent commuting from work to home you could now learn a new language, listen to inspirational speakers or better yet you can record your own voice and listen to positive sayings that you have said about yourself. By doing this you literally can bring music to your ears for most people love to hear the sound of their own voices. These are just a few examples of Mental Vitamins I take.

A Mental Diet along with excellent fuel (food) and a spiritual life will take you a long way in your journey Towards Freedom …

Importance of Improvement

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:58 -0800

People sometimes get into a tizzy about whether to help others or help themselves. There is no need to see the issue as an either-or.

Helping oneself

Sometimes people think they themselves are the primary concern. The ancient Greek story goes that Narcissus saw his own reflection in a pool of water and fell madly in love with himself, eventually meeting his demise from this affliction.

While such examples of morbid self-love do exist, most people don’t tend to follow in the flowersteps of Shelley’s narcissi from The Sensitive Plant:

Then the pied wind-flowers and the tulip tall,
And narcisssi, the fairest among them all,
Who gaze on their eyes in the stream’s recess,
Till they die of their own dear loveliness;

Self-improvement should be a sensible and beneficial endeavour, but sometimes it deteriorates into selfishness.

Helping others

Most people like to help those in need. There is likely some inherent biological urge to do so, though sometimes people like to help others because they feel they will personally benefit from the effort: they may receive gratitude or recognition. However, those are generally not the primary reasons why people like to help others.

Usually, we help others because we see that some being needs assistance and afterwards, like the swallow in Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince, we may feel all warm inside:

Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him what he had done.

“It is curious,” he remarked, “but I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold.”

“That is because you have done a good action,” said the Prince.

Helping others should also be a sensible and beneficial action, but sometimes it escalates into meaningless self-sacrifice.

Becoming the change

Sometimes an effort is made to combine the two ideas in sequence, with ample doses of an often misunderstood Gandhi quotation:

“Become the change you wish to see in the world” is unfortunately one of those horribly misapplied items that is circulated with wild abandonment by some people who feel they’ve been literally struck with enlightenment.

There is an illustrative story about the mother who went to Gandhi to get him to ask her boy to stop eating sweets. The kid wasn’t listening to her apparently and she figured she’d bring in the big guns! Gandhi said he would speak to her son, but asked her to come back in 2 weeks with him. When she did, he told the kid to stop eating sweets providing some rationale for doing so. Awestruck by the great Mahatma, the boy readily agreed!

The mother was puzzled and asked Gandhi why he didn’t just talk to her boy two weeks ago.

Gandhi acknowledged with some embarrassment that he would have, but before he could legitimately ask another to do so, he first had to shake his own ‘sugar habit’.

What happens too often though is that people spend so much time on changing themselves that they never get out to change anything else. They feel they can’t do or say anything until they reach perfection themselves! This process, however, could continue over several lifetimes and it is uncertain whether such procrastination has any pragmatic or even personal merit.

Activists should better themselves, so that they can do better. They should acquire various skills communicative, technical, legal and academic, for instance, depending upon the areas they plan to work in.

They need to be healthy.

They need to develop self-discipline and inner strength so any bitterness towards the status quo they are fighting, doesn’t get devastatingly re-applied to themselves.

They need to last and not burn out!

View the situation as a sport where you are on a team and the bad guys are on another. If you want to win the game, you need to train hard and take care of yourself. You don’t need to go around giving everyone your food, your water or peptalks till 3am in the morning when you should be getting your own sleep.

Your efforts will do more as an example for them to follow, than your ’noble sacrifices’, because by being better, you can compete better and bring along others to do the same. A stronger team means better performance.

This idea is neither selfish nor self-sacrificing, but it requires we not fall into the sequential trap.

Simultanity over sequencing

By bettering yourself, you can better others too!

The improvement doesn’t need to be done first followed by going out and doing the job at hand. There need be no sequential aspect to the undertaking as some people try to force.

You can become the change by making the change in the world.

Gandhi didn’t become the Mahatma and then go out to liberate India.

He became the Mahatma because he went out to liberate India!

You don’t need to wait to be perfect before performing your task.

Your perfection comes through your performance!

For instance, if you are a tennis player, you don’t spend years perfecting your serve, your ground strokes, your volley, then saunter out to demolish your opponent. You work on your strokes and you play your matches.

Your perfection comes through your performance!

If you are a musician, you don’t spend your life doing scales, arpeggios, and musical exercises, finally going on stage to draw that standing ovation. You develop your technique because of your concerts.

Your perfection comes through your performance!

Those who stand up for the helpless and the voiceless didn’t sit in front of some How To Construct An Argument book till they were ‘ready’ to hit cyberspace or the lecture circuit. They earned their skills through study as well as through involvement in education and confrontations.

Your perfection comes through your performance.

If you wait around to ‘save yourself’ first, you may find there is nothing out there left for you to save.

You don’t have to have it all in order to give it your best!

Give what you can with what you’ve got.

Do it meticulously and learn from the experience.

Not only will you get better, so will your planet and the lot of those who share it with you.

By simultaneously working to be your best and giving that best to others, you follow the rhythm of the strongest force in the universe: the force of evolution.

Its flow is undeniable; its morality unquestionable; its persistence unshakable.

Evolution provides the only path; there is no other.

It is up to us to choose how to walk upon it.

It Takes a Community to Raise Our Children

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:58 -0800

This is true for all our communities’ children, regardless of species! A perfect example is the story of Cathy Page and a duck family.

Cathy was driving home along the Trans Canada Hwy when she spotted a mother duck and her brood zig zagging between the barriers on the northbound side of the highway. They were trapped and the mother was trying to lead her line of babies to safety.

Cathy slowed down to see if she could help. Luckily, traffic was sparse allowing Cathy the time to observe and assess the situation. Soon a car came up behind her and then tried to pass. When the driver saw the ducks, she ,too, slowed down. The two cars formed an effective shield.

Cathy rolled down her window and called out to this new found partner that if they could give the ducks enough time there would be a break on the right side barrier that the ducks could use to get off the highway.

The two women kept guard while traffic piled up behind them.

Cathy, noting the traffic and seeing that the ducks were not moving towards the clearing told her partner she would stop and get out of her car to usher the ducks off the highway. With her partner holding fort, Cathy, arms outstretched, quietly escorted the mother duck and her babies to the clearing where they happily ran into the grass, out of harms way.

As Cathy rushed back to her car, she saw the waiting drivers clapping. Everyone was pleased to have been part of this rescue.

Traffic resumed and life became normal again. But Cathy was filled with the joy of having helped this mother keep her children safe. Though the moment was over, all the people involved, could keep the warm glow that comes from contributing to the well-being of a vulnerable other.

And somewhere there is a mother duck whose children are safe because of the support of a caring community.

Juice Recipes From Big George

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:58 -0800

Please choose organic produce, if at all possible, when selecting your fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is grown without harmful chemicals/pesticides. The key is to buy what is in season. Enjoy.

Juices

Carrot/Apple
6 carrots
2 apples (any kind)

Cantaloupe Juice
Cut into strips and juice (rind and all if organic)

Sunshine Cocktail
2 apples
4-6 strawberries

The Waldorf
1 stalk celery
2 apples

Pineapple/Grapefruit
1/2 grapefruit (peeled)
2 rings of pineapple

Pineapple/Orange
2 rings of pineapple
2 peeled oranges

Pineapple/Celery
2 ribs of celery
4 rings of pineapple

Pineapple/Tangerine
3 rings of pineapple
4 peeled tangerines

Apple Zinger
2 or 3 apples
1 whole lemon peeled
1 (or more) 1 cm cube of ginger

Ginger Heaven
1 cm cube of ginger
1 or 2 apples
4 carrots

Cranberry Cocktail
1 handful of cranberries
2 or 3 apples

Red Passion
1/2 beet
4 carrots
1 inch of ginger

Natural Beauty Drinks

Blemish Buster
5 carrots
1/2 green pepper

Smooth Skin
5 carrots
1/2 apple
1/2 inch slice of fresh ginger

Eye Beautifier
5 carrots
1 handful of greens (collard greens, kale, parsley, broccoli, mustard greens)

Theraputic Juice Drinks

Lung Tonic
6 carrots
4 sprigs parsley
1/2 peeled potato
4 sprigs water cress

Chlorophyll Cocktail
(for Hemroids and tumors)
6 carrots
10 spinach leaves
4 turnip leaves
4 sprig watercress

Blood Sugar Stabalizer
(helpful for diabetes and hypoglycemia)
3 carrots
2 lettuce leaves
1 handful string beans
4 brussel sprouts
2 apples

Healthy Bone Tonic
6 carrots
4 kale Leaves
4 sprigs parsley
1/2 apple

Blood Regenerator
(for anemia and low blood pressure)
6 carrots
6 spinach leaves
4 lettuce leaves
1/2 beet
4 sprigs parsley

Liver Mover
3 carrots
1/2 beet

Digestive Tonic
handful of spinach
6 carrots

Healthy Heart Cocktail
6 carrots
1/2 apple
1/2 inch slice fresh ginger

Colon Tonic
6 carrots
1 3-inch wedge green cabbage

Body Cleansing
4 carrots
1/2 cucumber
1 beet

Energy
6 carrots
5 sprigs parsley

Calming Nightcap
2 ribs of celery
1 apple
3 carrots

Food Combining Simplified

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

This article summarizes some food combining principles from chapter 26 of Shelton’s book The Science and Fine Art of Food and Nutrition. Shelton advocated strict vegetarianism (also known as dietary vegan) as well as eating foods in their natural raw state.

It is important to note that food combining has nothing to do with protein combining which was an amusing bit of panic prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s when some people thought that the vegetarian has to eat foods in certain proportions in order to get a proper protein balance. This misconception persisted partly because of a misinterpretation of Frances Lappe Moore’s idea that one has to combine foods in order to get the same protein balance that meat provides. Some people thought she meant the vegetarian has to combine foods so as to get the right balance of proteins which of course assumes that meat has the right balance of proteins for humans. This notion is complete nonsense as evidenced by clinical studies as well as by the historically healthy existence of vegetarians throughout history. Meat does not provide the ‘right’ combination of proteins, nor is it at all desirable to food combine to simulate that protein profile (which of course varies anyway depending upon the source).

Food combining has to do with eating certain foods together so as to optimize the digestive process. Eating a large variety of foods at one sitting forces the digestive system to try to accommodate for the different types of nutrients. As a result certain foods don’t get digested well, experience fermentation and can cause discomfort or even ailments.

For instance, it is unwise to eat heavy proteins (acidic) and heavy carbohydrates (alkaline) together. Beans are an interesting example, since many people experience great discomfort after eating them. Beans are about 25% protein and 50% carbohydrate, providing an awkward combination for the digestive system since the conditions required for digestion of acidic nutrients are quite different from those of alkaline substances. While it is possible to ‘help out’ with digestive enzymes, it is best to minimize consumption of foods and food combinations that are difficult.

Below we provide some rules derived from Shelton’s chapter:

Do not eat carbs and acid foods at the same meal
Do not eat concentrated proteins and concentrated carbs at the same meal
Do not eat 2 concentrated proteins at the same meal
Do not eat fats with proteins
Do not eat acidic fruits with proteins
Do not eat starches and sugars together
Eat only one concentrated starch at a meal 8. Do not consume melons with any other foods

For details, rationale and evidence of the above see Shelton’s book.

The chart below gets into some specifics regarding which foods should and should not be eaten together.

Simplified Food Combining Chart

(for full details see Chapter 26 The Science and Fine Art of Food and Nutrition by H. Shelton)

Eat NonStarchy and Green Vegetables with either
Proteins	Or	Starches
nuts seeds olives tofu lentil sprouts garbanzo sprouts	DO NOT COMBINE Proteins with Starches	peanuts coconuts chestnuts wild rice grains starchy vegetables legumes

Eat Subacid Fruits (All fruits not Sweet or Acid) with either
Acid Fruits	Or	Sweet Fruits
citrus pineapples strawberries pomegranates sour tasting fruits	DO NOT COMBINE Acid Fruits with Sweet Fruits	bananas persimmons sweet grapes dried fruits

DO NOT
COMBINE
vegetables, proteins or starches
with
fruits

Except
nuts with citrus
lettuce and celery with fruit

Miscellaneous notes	tomatoes	eat with green and non-starchy vegetables and protein
avocadoes	best with salad
melons	eat alone

For Men Only

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

This article will be of no interest to women and children so they needn’t read any further. This is a masculine issue that we do not usually wish to discuss openly. It is an awkward matter and appears unavoidable once we reach a certain age.

While we can pretend it is of no importance or even disguise the effects, we should be honest with ourselves, our loved ones and have the courage to be forthright in our integrity. This is why I wrote this article, so that all the males here who have been so afflicted can be supported by others, and, without embarrassment, can this part of their lives, face.

It is a problem indeed, this thing called facial hair. Some would even say that it is the mane of our existence. What to do though?

Well, some resort to a form of violence, shaving it off with ever increasing sophistication of weaponry. Gone are the days of the single blade! Now the arsenal isn’t effective unless there are at least 3 blades as well as a chemical strip to assist the metal swath out its path of destruction. Technology goes even further with power-assisted devastation in the form of cutters that are rotary, non-rotary, screened and who knows what else! Yes, I realize these are frightening things to think of and one can easily understand now whence came the aptly descriptive colloquism ‘hair razing’. None of this does any good though. It grows back!

So some have submitted to the inevitable. This is by no means an act of cowardice! It is merely a recognition of the grow of the universe. Go with the grow! they would tell us. As admirable as is this philosophical approach, it is not without its drawbacks or its strengths! So let us examine these in turn.

Some feel they have to work in the garden and manicure in it various designs from flamboyant flairsome mustaches to discrete goatees to simple beards with extensive sideburns. It is a creative pursuit admittedly keeping one busy, for idle hands make mischief!

Then there are others that let it all grow wild! There is a wonderful convenience to this lifestyle! One merely permits nature’s creativity without intervention - no additives are required! These individuals can be seen for a certain period of time anyway, immersed in the observation of the activity until they literally become immersed by it. The medium provides many advantages such as insulation, camouflage, and under the right conditions it can even result in a more or less complete ecosystem!

As idyllic as these paradises seem, there are problems.

First, regardless of the geometry, there is always the difficulty of eating. Those not endowed with the affliction know not the care that must be taken to insert a morsel of food past the fibrous guardians of the lips which can provide some difficulty in being found. If one misses, one is reduced to the travail of having to remove the remnants of what could have been eaten from that which has usurped them - never to be recovered!

Second, there is the undeniable itchiness. Hair just doesn’t grow straight! It curls this way and that, tauntingly finding its way back to the original bed from where it arose. There it pokes at the skin as if mockingly reminding one of its perpetual presence. It is possible, mind you, to sometimes make the most of this situation too. Facial hair has over centuries proven to be an excellent scratching device. Unfortunately, one is limited in the extent to where one can take it. Additionally, individuals other than the owner sometimes try to use it to their own advantage, finding their own relief often without asking the owner’s consent!

Third, it is dubious whether facial hair has any educational or scientific value. Certainly, mathematicians might claim that counting all the hairs may somehow contribute to number theory, but what they fail to realize is that their hard efforts would invariably be usurped by the hovering biologists who would swoop in claiming that there are cells involved and so this is exclusively their private domain! Conflicts of this nature are such follicle!

Physicists, fortunately, are beyond such petty strife. In fact, it is they who have tried to make meaningful contributions in a variety of areas that are relevant here. For instance, they were the ones who discovered that facial hair can be of immense value in emergencies when one needs to start a fire, due to its excellent combustive property. Also, they have proposed that facial hair possesses a certain tensile strength that can find application whenever those applications arise.

However, the most remarkable contribution physicists have made is in the theory of scalp hair loss that some men feel is as much of a curse as the growth of facial hair. For years, the medical profession (heavily funded by unscrupulous elements from various political interest groups) have tried to convince everyone that scalp hair loss is a result of the reasons they give and have provided numerous ‘solutions’ that are of great monetary benefit to themselves. Their conspiracy was exposed when physicists applied the simple law of conservation to conclusively demonstrate that the real source of the problem is facial hair! The given quantity of hair in a universal sense must remain constant. Therefore, what you gain on the bottom causes you to lose on the top!

Unfortunately, due to the stranglehold economics have on our lifestyles, it is unlikely this expose will gain the credibility it deserves and men will continue to lose and gain hair where they feel they would rather not. Some things in life just have to be accepted, I suppose.

However, we can talk about the problem and thereby afford ourselves some solace. Therefore, please use this opportunity to voice your concerns, tell us of your experiences, relate to others, confess that which you hadn’t dared to in the past. Let us provide comfort to one another!

Healthy Eating Healthy Living

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

Hello everyone!

I will attempt to share with you all some of what I’ve discovered intellectually and experientially in regards raw eating and healthy living. This will be rather basic, but I hope you will find this to be insightful and of some value.

Teeth Problems and Acidic Fruits

I can vouch from my personal experience, as well as that of many others, that acid fruits, eaten to any great degree, can and will erode tooth enamel. This is because the acids in fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, kiwi, pineapple, lemons, limes, sour apples and unripe fruit have a pH value below that which is required to dissolve tooth enamel.

Suggestion: moderate your intake of acid fruits. Read about fruit and learn which ones to moderate. The best fruits are probably the sweet and subacid fruits such as bananas, dates, cherimoyas, durians, sapotes, pears and apples. Eat fruit only when it is fully ripe. Again, unripe fruits are acidic. The fresher and higher the quality of the fruit you eat, the better. Organic is much higher quality than commercial and contains more nutrition.

By no means totally do away with acid fruits as they can be very beneficial and nutritious. Just keep in mind that you can have problems with your teeth if you eat too many of them or eat them too often.

Greens Are a Necessity

The starchless green vegetables are a very valuable part of my diet, and are highly recommended to all raw foodists. There are many varieties of leafy greens and stalks which are mineral-rich and are a good source of many other nutrients. And, for whatever reason, I and others have found them to have a balancing effect on one’s body and mind. It can be a good idea to eat these green vegetables at the same time as sweet fruits. Organic greens are good, but wild greens are the best. Read up on wild greens for information on those available in your area. Also, sea vegetables (such as kelp, dulse, alaria) are very mineral and nutrient-rich forming a very valuable part of the raw food diet.

I’m not trying to get into religion here, but it is mentioned in Genesis 1:29, that the original diet of mankind is fruits and greens - not just fruit .

Fats Are Important

Our bodies need fat - but raw fat. Raw fats lubricate, protect, and are an antioxidant. They are very nourishing. Our bodies instinctively crave raw fat. Raw fats provide concentrated fuel, which feeds the brain and other organs, in addition to helping to maintain/gain weight, and also helps to protect one from the bitter cold. It must be realized to all true health seekers that raw fat is exactly the opposite of cooked fat. Cooked fats are carcinogenic, loaded with free radicals, and are harmful in many other ways. Read any cooked nutrition book and you readily discern the dangers of cooked and processed fats. However, realize that raw fats are of a totally different biochemistry than cooked fats. Cooking changes the biochemical structure of all foods, and in regards fats (and proteins), this is especially harmful. Listen to your body’s needs, and feel free to enjoy your share of superb raw fatty foods such as: avocados, coconuts, dried olives, durians, various nuts, and various seeds. Experiment and find what works optimally for you.

Fruit Sugar is Prime Fuel for Our Bodies

Our body runs on sugar (glucose). Fruit is the best and highest quality source of sugars, accompanied by various vitamins, minerals, enzymes, living water, and fiber. Don’t fear sweet fruit, and don’t buy into the suggestions by others to eat dead, devitalized, cooked starches. Keep in mind that starch is broken down into sugars during the process of digestion. There is nothing healthful about starch. Starch is not a health food. Eliminate starch from your diet, use fruit in its place, and watch your health and well-being soar.

Fasting Gets Results

Many raw foodists may experience cravings for cooked foods, and may give in and binge. This is often due to the resurfacing of cooked food residues as they are purged from the system during detoxification, which is what happens when one embarks on 100% raw eating. I can vouch from personal experience that the best way to counteract the toxic cravings, is by commencing a fast. This works wonders. Give your body and mind a break from food of any kind, and your body and mind will respond and be rejuvenated. Much heavy detoxification and reorganization within the human organism takes place during a fast. I myself fast one day a week, every week, and I challenge you to do the same. It’s easy, effective, and free. And you have much more time (and also money) as a result of this regular practice.

Exercise, Sunlight, Adequate Rest and Optimum Amounts of Sleep, etc.

The human body/mind complex needs much more than just food, water, and air. We also need to move our bodies, get the lymph flowing, and facilitate the building of new tissues, and breaking down of old. We also need the life- giving rays of the sun. We need to afford ourselves optimum levels of rest and sleep. Most of the body’s cells are regenerated during sleep. I could go more deeply into these topics, but my time is limited, and I trust that you intuitively recognize the importance of these factors in optimum and balanced health.

Daily Meditation

We live in a toxic world, surrounded by negativity, ignorance, and false principles. The best way to counteract the oftentimes cruel, cold, harsh outside world is via the practice of meditation. It is very simple and natural. Essentially, establish yourself in a quiet, peaceful, comfortable place, closing your eyes, completely stilling your body, quieting the mind, and going deep within, for at least 15 minutes per day, is highly beneficial and is highly recommended. There are many “techniques”/methods you can use to meditate. Find the one which works best for you and your needs.

Faith, Perseverance, and Diligent Application of Correct Principles

This is how successful people succeed (and keep succeeding). Keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your body, mind, or soul. Realize that we need to undo many years of cooked food eating, false beliefs/ignorance, and other states of toxicity and negativity. The key is to make up your mind, with a firm resolve, go with the flow, and trust in yourself, the Universe, and God. Also realize that all true knowledge comes from experience.

I must make mention from my own experience that I came to the point of 100% raw eating due not solely to books, other people, etc., but rather due to that inner voice, that inner signal, that inner knowing. If you feel you are not ready to eat 100% raw at this time, that’s okay. You may want to take it at your own pace and transition. Do not force yourself to do something you’re not ready for. It can be a shock to the system in many cases. Your body will tell you when it’s ready. That is what happened with me. It just came to a point (when I was eating on average, 85-95% raw for many months) that my body just did not want any cooked food of any kind anymore. Once my body’s primal instinct came through in full force, I had all the incentive I needed. Cooked food was recognized as being dead, devitalized, damaged, draining, boring, and bland to me. Discontinuing the ingestion of cooked food came naturally, painlessly, and effortlessly, and I have not looked back. I have received nothing but benefits, and in many ways, as a result of my 100% raw eating. Later, my body told me to fast, during a point of cooked cravings. I did, I was rejuvenated, and I am getting better continually now. I am a work in progress, as are you.

Final thoughts

Enjoy life! Release fears, negativity, false beliefs. LIVE! You are powerful. Do not allow anyone to influence you from your path or your goals, dreams and aspirations.

Trust within yourself. The answers you need are within you!

That is all for now.

I hope this message has been of some value to you.

How Loving Touch Heals

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

“Healing love” energy flows through “healers” fingers into diseased parts of a sick person’s body, when “healers” gently and lovingly touch sick parts of that body. It is the energy that heals, not the “healers”. The healing energy does not come from the “healers” own energy. This healing energy comes from the vital “life” force flowing through all living forms. Every cell in our bodies has “intelligence” that responds to this “life” energy and knows what to do in every situation.

Touching it where it hurts is the most innate response to pain. The “healers” hands must come into contact with the sick person’s body. The sick area of the body always feel tense, rigid, taut, stiff, tight and resistant to the “healers” touch.

The “healers” touch with their fingers and continue to touch the sick area, with thoughts of love. They continue to touch, with their fingers, until they can no longer feel tension in the sick area. They do not stop touching the sick area of the body, till the sick person tells them that the sick person feels well. When the “healers” discern that the sick area of the body feels relaxed, they know that the sick person subjectively feels well.

During the loving touch healing, teach the sick to close their eyes, keep the eyes closed, to concentrate, to meditate, to feel, to think on the discomfort in the sick area of the body. The sick person keeps the eyes closed till the sick person no longer feels discomfort in that part of the body.

The “healers”, with gentle, light pressure feel and examine with their fingers, the surface of the sick person’s body. They feel for any abnormal consistency of the parts in the area where the sick person complains of feeling discomfort. They touch and compare by feeling, the sick area of the body with other normal areas of the body near the sick area. They touch and feel the corresponding opposite “normal” part or side of the sick area of the body. The “healers” touch “normal” areas of the body near the sick area and the corresponding opposite “normal” part or side of the sick area. They do this so as to know what “normal” feels like in that sick person’s body. This is done so as to ascertain if the sick part of the body is “normal” or “abnormal”, when compared with “normal” parts of the body. The “healers” must concentrate on the sick person’s sick part. They must “feel” that the sick part of the person is the “healers” own sick part, when the “healers” touch the sick part. The “healers” must empathize and vicariously identify with the person’s sick part.

Teach sick persons that their bodies are constantly talking to them. Teach them to keep their eyes closed and feel, meditate, concentrate, think on what their bodies are telling them to do. Teach them to do what their bodies tell them to do. Teach them that they can touch with their own fingers, sick parts of their own bodies and “heal” themselves.

If all living beings are touched lovingly, they will feel better and get better. Since all humans, animals and plants are made of the same vital “life” force, they receive the same life energy when lovingly touched, and will feel better and get better.

How does touching lovingly heal? No words are needed yet a communication of love is exchanged. It has been shown by Kirilian photography that there is an energy emitted by humans. This subtle energy can transfer information directed by the mind, focussed by intention, attention and imagery. This healing energy is transmitted through the hands when touching lovingly. It is capable of effecting the balance of cell membranes and the DNA and thus the health of living cells. It also creates a healthy change in the blood chemistry.

The healing energy is called “chi” by the Chinese, “ki” by the Japanese and in India it is referred to as “parana”. This healing energy comes from the life force flowing through all living forms. Every cell in our body has an intelligence that responds to this “life” energy and knows what to do in every situation.

We swim in a sea of loving energy that interpenetrates and activates all our systems. A person is more than a body, but actually is the energy being used and received during this process.

We are all “healers” of each other. Studies show that the human touch increases the chances of survival among premature babies. Children who are touched often learn better, are happier and grow at their normal rate. A mothers touch eases a children pain. Even animals touch their young with this “love” energy.

Do you remember when you last stubbed your toe? Didn’t you hold it in your hand and rub it. We all have an innate instinct of healing our-selves. Through our fears and misguided direction, we have forgotten what we inherently should know.

The influence of touch, the “laying on of hands”, as it is called, is a very old religious tradition and is being used right down to the present. In our time, there are many evangelists and “healers” who have “healed” incurables. There are successful “healings” by chiropractors and health practitioners when their patients, through manipulation, receive this “healing” energy. We also receive a “healing” touch when we get a massage or during Reiki (Japanese word for universal life energy).

An ailing part of the body is reported as feeling better after manipulation and touch. Improvement occurs far too frequently for its explanation to be ignored. One international “healer” conducted a controlled laboratory experiment on uterine cervical cancer cells. After touching a goodly number of cancer cells, the cancer cells all healed. This was successfully repeated 30 times.

All one need do, is become a calm focused conduit for the “universal life” energy and direct the energy to the sick persons problem area. The more “hands on” direct contact with a part that needs healing, the more healing love is transferred.

During the “touch” healing, communicate non-verbally to the sick person: “I care about you”, “I love you”, “Your life matters to me”. Touch with your heart wide open. The healthier and more loving the person doing the touching, the better the healing results of the sick person.

Healing energy comes through the fingers of the “healer” into the sick part of the sick person’s body. A feeling of warmth or tingling is felt from the “healers” hands. The person receiving the healing feels a gentle relaxing warmth throughout their body. This is the “chi”, the “ki”, the “parana” energy of love from the universe.

Touching lovingly is reassuring, nuturing and strengthens the sick person’s “will to live”. Be motivated by a profound desire to heal and communicate the restorative energy to the sick person. The “healer” also benefits from the process as the “healing love” energy flows through the “healers” body and out through the “healers” fingers. This is how the universal “life” energy responds for the service that is being performed.

Love is the most powerful healing energy and it is transferrable by lovingly touching. Our inability to love ourselves, or to receive or give love to others, is the cause of all illnesses.

Today, make a conscious choice to take full responsibility for your own body. Communicate with your body by the language it understands, “love”. Then listen to what it is telling you. The body makes itself known to us by how we feel. If you feel well, then you know you are expressing “love” in your life and to others.

To Be Loving Is Never Having To Be Sorry.

How to Lose All the Weight You Want and Keep It Off

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

Obesity is excessive accumulation of body fat. The study of fat and of obesity, is known as bariatrics. Fat is a pathological accumulation of unwanted tissue in the body. Obesity is a state of disease.

Less than 5% of patients who lose weight by traditional medical approaches keep their weight off indefinitely.

Surgery for weight-loss is dangerous. Many (of these weight-loss) patients suffer problems associated with surgery that include infection, urinary stones, liver failure and heart failure. Surgery for weight loss, consists of gastroplasty (stomach stapling), intestinal bypass and gastric bypass, which all cause harmful complications. The surgeon goes in and removes part of one of the abdominal organs. The idea is that you put all the food that you wish into one orifice and it will come out the other orifice at the back. You have no assimilation. You can eat all you want and you won’t accumulate fat.

Liposuction is dangerous. Surgically removing the fat from a particular area or having your fat cells extracted with a suction device, can cause you infection, disease and discomfort. In treating the fat symptoms while ignoring the real causes of your fat problem, the fat weight returns in other parts of the body. The stomach bubble to lose weight produces serious side effects.

Don’t wear rubber or vinyl exercise suits, rubber belts and body wraps to lose weight. You have only a temporary water-weight loss which is dangerous. You can suffer serious dehydration and restrict circulation - even death from heatstroke - when you exercise under these conditions. Those lost inches have nothing to do with a loss of fat tissue, and they return in a few hours or days, as each cell fights to re-establish the proper water balance.

Do not use steam baths, sweat baths, sauna tone nor sweat suits, to lose weight. The weight you lose thereby is all water and salt. As a perspiring and roasting victim, you will regain all the lost weight, when you take a drink of water.

All diet drugs are unhealthy and dangerous and should not be used on a sensible weight loss program. All drugs that reduce weight do so by impairing nutrition and by crippling the body. Do not take diet pills, appetite suppressors nor water pills. You can develop the following symptoms as a result of taking them: Excitement, talkativeness, restlessness, tremors, dizziness, hyperactive reflexes, nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, palpitations, fever, dehydration, mydriasis, tachycardia, hallucinations, delirium, mania, convulsions, coma and death in circulatory collapse. The billionairess Christine Onassis died at age 37, of taking such drugs.

Liquid protein diets are dangerous because you will end up with gallstones, gall-bladder disease, damage your kidneys, pancreas and lungs. They are soil for putrefactive bacteria.

Diets don’t work! Try making permanent lifestyle changes that include smarter eating, regular exercise and effective stress management. Watch what you eat, not how much. To lose weight and keep it off permanently, you need to “rehabilitate” your metabolism. Each time you diet and restrict your food, your metabolism slows.

T.C. Fry and Victoria Bidwell write that to lose weight you must become re- educated. “Weight loss is realized by the overweight person, not by how much food is eaten or how much exercise is taken, but by WHAT KIND OF FOOD IS EATEN and how he (and she) manages his total life practices.” … “What is necessary is that the obese individual learn to eat the proper, natural food of his (and her) biological adaptation to the exclusivity of all modern, man-made, processed, devitalized, chemicalized food.

Dr. Herbert Shelton wrote, “The fat person who is unwilling to cultivate new eating patterns must face the fact, so long as he persists in merely modifying the eating pattern that is responsible for his overweight, he will continue to reduce and grow fat by turns and never succeed in establishing and maintaining a satisfactory weight.”

“People become obese mainly from eating food that is devitalized. They overeat because they are malnourished, and they are truly hungry. People who consume fresh fruits and salads don’t overeat or become obese because the enzymes, minerals and vitamins are still intact in these foods. When the body has fulfilled its requirement of these nutrients, it signals the brain that it is satisfied. Processed foods lack these nutrients; therefore, no signal is sent to the brain to stop eating.”

You do not become overweight on a natural diet. If overweight and you go on a natural diet consisting mainly of raw foods or natural, unprocessed foods cooked as little as possible, your weight rapidly normalizes even if caloric intake exceeds usage!

You can lose weight and eat all you want. It is absolutely essential to totally masticate food. Food that is thoroughly liquefied in the mouth releases its flavor and so is more pleasurable. Since the food is easily and completely digested, it is more filling, so again, fewer calories are more gratifying. This is one of the secrets of losing weight and keeping it off forever. Slim people eat slowly, fat people eat fast. The fatter we are, the faster we eat, and vice versa. Concentrate on eating healthy, nutritious food. Carefully remove every last lump from the food before swallowing them - drink your food and chew your drinks.

Eating this way will make you more conscious of what you are eating, and so less likely to eat junk food and other bad food, and again, less likely to overeat. You will be less inclined to eat between meals. It is nearly impossible to overeat when the food is thoroughly chewed. The trick is to liquefy the food. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that the person has had enough to eat. That is why this method should work.

Never eat until you are very hungry. Every cell and part of your body must be exercised before you eat. This is for the food you eat to be properly metabolized. Create a demand for the food every time you eat. If you put the best food in your body when you are not hungry to eat, the food will create an overweight condition, dysfunction and pathology for you.

If the body receives fewer than 1,100 to 1,200 calories per day, it automatically slows its metabolism to conserve the available calories to carry out its functions. Thus weight loss is not possible. To lose fat, not less than the minimum calories must be consumed to keep the metabolism rate high. Exercise must be done.

You grow weaker as you grow fatter. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories. If you exercise when you diet, you make the weight come off as fat. Muscles, if their growth is promoted, will provide the ground work of genuine physical beauty. Muscles, the more they grow, the more beautiful they become. Bodily form, the perfect figure, can be developed only by muscular development and proper control of weight by sensible eating. There is no other way to achieve and develop this desirable element of genuine physical beauty.

Farmers know how to put fat on their hogs, cows and poultry. They overfeed their animals and limit their movement and activities. To speed up your metabolism, you must decrease the amount of fat in your body and develop more muscle. Muscle has a much higher metabolic rate than fat and burns more calories even when you are sleeping. Muscle weighs more than fat. This is why body weight has very little to do with determining if you are overweight. The increase in metabolic rate with exercise lasts even after the exercise is finished. Dieting without exercise leads to muscle loss. Muscle cells are precious fat-burning factories. Your goal is to increase (not reduce) the body’s percentage of lean muscle tissue so you can stay slim and enjoy more food.

You must exercise to lose weight. Exercise is the key. If you vigorously exercise before you eat, you will eat less. Most people are not overweight because they eat too much. They’re overweight because they’re inactive. Weight loss depends on creating a demand for the energy stored in fat tissue. Dieting just won’t do the trick, because no matter how few calories you take in, they must be used somehow, or they will be stored. Exercise promotes weight loss by helping to regulate appetite. Appetite refers to the food we crave, while hunger refers to the nutrition the body needs. You must learn not to want what you should not have.

Muscles cannot turn to fat, contrary to popular conception, that if you stop exercising regularly, muscles will turn to fat. Muscle and fat (adipose) are two separate and distinct tissues. They simply do not have the physical capability of changing from one type of tissue to another. Exercising while dieting (and forever after) perseveres and helps build more muscle, allowing you to maintain your ideal weight permanently on more calories. No diet aid can firm you up-only exercise can.

Lean muscle has the highest resting metabolic (calorie burning) rate of any tissue. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, day and night! Muscle burns calories even at rest, while fat tissue is virtually dead weight. Loss of calorie-gobbling lean muscle tissue makes it easier to regain lost fat weight on fewer maintenance calories after your diet is over, contributing to the familiar “yo-yo” syndrome.

Muscles burn fuel. When you lose muscle tissue, your ability to metabolize the calories you consume, is decreased. If you switch back to normal eating patterns at the end of the diet, you may actually gain the weight back faster than you lost it. Do those vigorous exercises that you feel good doing. You can exercise anywhere. Exercise whenever you watch T.V., listen to the radio or audio tape, etc..

Do exercises that are progressively stressful or resistant. Do exercises that are comfortable and safe, that you enjoy, that suit your life-style, at a convenient facility or program, at a convenient time of day or night, as long and as frequently as possible, as regularly as possible and that you will follow throughout your life. Exercise every part of your body as vigorously as possible every day. Be aware of each bodily part.

Exercise until the resulting fatigue is a delicious languor that woos and wins sleep. Start exercise with an amount that is easy to perform. Advance gradually and increase it slowly. Muscles should be contracted to their fullest extent and joints should be carried through their full range of possible movement. Place great demands upon your body and within reasonable limits. A short period of intense, vigorous exercise is better than a long period of mild exercise.

Many women wrongly object to their doing exercise when they contend, “I don’t want large muscles. I don’t want to look like a man.” Women generally cannot develop large muscles under any circumstances. Only those persons who have long muscle bellies and short tendon attachments can build large muscles. Women generally do not have these. Women are limited in muscular size and strength by their hormones.

To lose weight, do as little aerobic exercises as you can. Aerobic exercises (with oxygen), do not help you to lose weight. Aerobic exercise only helps you gain endurance and will take you forever to burn up your fat. Aerobic exercises are light exercises such as: long distance cycling, long distance rowing, long distance running, long distance swimming, ballroom dancing, tap dancing, walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, calisthenics, typing, etc..

To lose weight and fat, do anaerobic exercises (not using oxygen, without oxygen). Anaerobic exercises are sprinting, running up stairs rapidly, jumping high, long and vertically with intensity, rapid cycling, rapid rowing, rapid swimming, weight throwing, weight lifting with low repetitions, hand balancing, gymnastics, chins, parallel bar dips, roman rings, rope climbing, tubing, bands, pulleys, wrestling and martial arts.

Anaerobic exercises are intense exercises that can be tolerated for only a few moments. They are short bursts of all out activities. They are activities using muscle groups at high intensities that exceed the body’s capacity to use oxygen to supply energy. They create an oxygen debt by using energy produced without oxygen. They are activities in which oxygen demands of muscles are so high that they rely upon an internal metabolic process for oxygen.

It is essential that correct eating patterns be learned to succeed with a weight loss program. You need eating habits with which you can live for the rest of your life, not just for the time you are trying to lose weight.

Do not do any of the following: overeat, eat foods cooked too much, eat unnatural foods, eat artificial foods, eat adulterated foods and eat foods with additives, chemicals and other synthetic products.

Do not use additives. Flavor enhancing additives can irritate your digestive system or overstimulate other organs. Avoid the harmful additives: sugar, salt, pepper, spices, condiments, ketchup, mayonnaise, butter, cream, dressings and toppings.

Do none of these nutritional malpractices: drink alcoholic beverages, drink coffee, tea, soda, or soups, eat cake, candy, ice cream, canned foods, bread, smoke tobacco or take drugs. Understanding the good and bad qualities of your food sources, will help you make healthier food selections.

To lose weight, you must do all you can of the following: eat and drink properly, intense, progressive, resistance exercise, be free of toxins, fast whenever ill, sleep, rest, meditate, avoid incorrect overindulgence in sex, sunbathe, air bathe, maintain emotional poise, be aware and correct all physical, mental and spiritual dysfunctions.

Incorrect overindulgence in sex with resultant loss of nutrients in men’s and women’s ejaculations, causes fat gain and loss of muscle. With ejaculation, nutrients designed for other vital organs, are sidetracked into the production of reproductive materials. This depletion results in insufficient nutrients being supplied to the various biological systems and vital organs. Prize fighters, racehorses and other athletes who want to win, abstain from sex before a contest.

Sunbathe and air bathe in the nude, each bodily part, daily. Sunlight and fresh air aid the nutritive processes of the body. They increase the blood supply to the muscles. They help burn up fat and develop muscles. They help lose weight. Sunlight helps the obese to lose weight. F. Ellinger writes that experimental animals that receive sunlight treatments lose weight, as compared to animals given the same diet but not the sunlight treatment. R. D. Gabovich writes that sunlight stimulates the thyroid gland to increase hormone production. Dr. Zane R. Kime writes, “Stimulation of the thyroid gland (by sunlight) increases the body’s basal metabolism rate, burning up more energy or calories.''

I. Bing writes that when sunlight strikes the skin, it also increases the tone of the muscles, under the exposed skin. This in turn, burns more calories and would increase weight loss.

Lose weight and raise your metabolism while you sleep. Sleep completely nude. Do not wear any clothes, undergarments, pajamas, etc.. Do not cover yourself with sheets, blankets, covers, etc.. Keep the windows open as wide as possible, to let in the fresh air and let out the impure air. When you are completely nude and uncovered in the fresh air, you will raise your metabolism much greater than if you were to take the thyroid hormone, thyroxine to raise your metabolism. You will lose all the weight you want, develop better skin and muscle tone, also, by this method.

Sleep, meditate and close your eyes, all you can. Fat is lost and muscles are built while sleeping, meditating and closing your eyes. Fat is not lost and muscles are not built during periods of exercise. Closing your eyes, rests your brain and mind. An electric rhythm starts as soon as the eyes close and ceases immediately when they open. This rhythm serves to clear “negative charges” from the brain. Activity of the eyes prevents recuperation from occurring. Closing your eyes is nature’s great restorative healing process.

Why do you become fat? Emotional reasons. Either you are frustrated, bored, angry, have anxiety complexes, lonely or depressed and you try to fill a vacuum, so you start to eat. You don’t eat out of hunger. You eat because you want to nurture yourself. You must learn to eat correctly, to satisfy hunger and to provide needed nutrients.

Maintain emotional stability. Correct your worries, fears, griefs, anxieties, jealousies, stresses, frustrations, nervousness, neurosis, psychosis, depression, phobias and compulsions. Negative emotions drain your energies and cause a gain of fat weight.

Don’t weigh yourself daily. Rely, instead, on how your clothes fit, and how your body feels. Your goal is not a number; it is to look and feel healthy and attractive. Your eyes (and clothes) are all you need to know whether you have reached that goal.

Look at every part of your body in the mirror, daily in the nude, to see your defects and where you need to lose weight. Those overweight parts of your body are the areas where you should lose your weight. Look at yourself. Remove all of your clothing, stand in front of a full-length mirror and take a good look at yourself. Be your own judge. If you see rolls, ripples or dimples, it’s probably time to lose some weight. Be objective. If you don’t like what you see in the mirror-change it. The evidence increasingly shows that changing habits-eating less, exercising more-may be more important than simply losing pounds. Everybody can lose all the weight they want, in any parts of their bodies, that they so choose. Whether you want to lose 5 or 100 or more pounds, you can! If you lose just one pound per week, in one year, you will lose 52 pounds!

Don’t wait until tomorrow. Start NOW to lose all the weight you want to, by following the program indicated herein. Become more handsome, beautiful and healthier, NOW! LOSE ALL THE WEIGHT YOU WANT and KEEP IT OFF ALWAYS … EVERYBODY CAN!

How to Select Fruit

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:57 -0800

Some ideas and suggestions for selecting fruit.

How to Select Fruits

Buy in season when quality is highest and prices lowest.
Don’t buy more than you will use before they perish. Use it as soon as possible they will have a better taste.
Don’t buy damaged fruit unless damage is slight and you will use it immediately.
Be careful how you handle fruit in stores so you don’t ruin the fruit for others.
Fruit should only be eaten when ripe. Some foods (bananas can be purchased green and ripened at home.
Try to purchase organic fruit as much as possible for they are not sprayed with pesticides.
Smell the produce and see if there is an unpleasant odour coming from the fruit.
If fruit doesn’t taste right it is better to disregard it than disregard your health.

Here are some tips for specific fruits:

Apples

Seasons: October through March.
Types: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Pippin, Golden Grimes, McIntosh, Jonathan and Winesap.
Selecting: Organic if possible. Apples are one of the most sprayed fruits. Apples should be firm and crisp with bright and shiny skin. Color is a sign of maturity in apples - high in color indicates maturity - and only apples picked when mature will have good flavor and texture.

Apricots

Season : June through July
Selecting : Look for plump, juicy looking apricots with a uniform golden- orange hue. When ripe they will gently yield to pressure. Due to the short growing season dried apricots are very popular. Avoid sulfur covered dried apricots and buy organic if available.

Avocados

Season : Available all year.
Selecting : Very important to eat avocados when just ripe, when it has a buttery consistency and a mild flavor. Best to buy avocados when they are hard and firm. Take them home, place them in a brown paper bag and let them ripen at room temperature. Select avocados of uniform colors and free of cracks. Don’t buy avocados with dark, sunken spots in irregular patches or cracked surfaces.

Bananas

Season : Available all year.
Selecting : It is best to buy bananas when green for ripening at home, where ripening conditions can be controlled. Bananas are usually ‘gassed’ to facilitate ripening. Bananas have a good protective skin so the flesh isn’t exposed to chemical sprays. Select bananas free from surface bruises with skin intact at both tips. Don’t buy bananas which are bruised, discolored, or dull and grayish which means they have been held in cold storage and will never ripen properly.

Oranges

Season : December through June.
Types : Navels, Temples, Tangelos, Valencia’s, Tangerines, Tangerines, Pineapple oranges.
Selecting : Color of the skin is no indication of quality or ripeness. The skin of the first crops of mature oranges in November are green or greenish, but mature oranges are ready for harvest and eating, even when the skin is green. They are, however, not as sweet as oranges harvested a month or so later on. California growers ‘orange’ their green fruit by gassing; Florida shippers put the oranges through a colored wax bath (a ’nontoxic’ food coloring and wax). because they believe the added color will make the fruit more saleable. Firm heavy oranges are full of juice. Avoid lightweight fruit and a very rough surface, which usually signifies a thick skin and a smaller orange.

Papayas

Seasons : Some of the fruit is available all year long.
Selecting : Select fruit that has some golden yellow or orange streaks, which is a sign that it has not been picked to green and will be apt to ripen properly. If you select papaya with at least 35% of the skin streaked yellow , they will ripen completely in two or three days at room temperature. When a papaya is totally yellow to orange and yields to gentle pressure, it is then ready for eating. Avoid mushy papayas, or fruit with dark patches, which signify age and decay. The taste should be sweet and lucious.

Mangos

Seasons : May through August.
Selecting Fruit : Mango can be bought green and ripened at room temperature. It is best to select mangos which are starting to show signs of ripening, rather then totally hard and green, or totally ripe. Haden Mangos are ready to eat when it is yellow/orange, only slightly firm, yielding to gentle pressure. The Carrie mango is large and green. It turns a paler green and develops dark speckles as it ripens. When ripe enough for full flavor and enjoyment, it is slightly firm, yielding to pressure. Mangos have a tough peel which is a good protective coat against pesticides.

Cooked Food Effects

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:56 -0800

During the past few decades there has been much research done in the area of nutrition. Some of this research casts light on some important insights regarding the foods which Mother Nature offers to us in its whole, raw state, and what happens when we tamper with it.

What exactly happens to food when it is cooked? What happens to the body if we eat cooked food? Some key points are covered in this article.

Due to space limitation, we can only but touch on the topic here; however, a brief overview is given below.

Key Points Regarding the Effects of Cooking on Food and Health

The food’s life force is greatly depleted or destroyed. The bioelectrical (energy) field is altered and greatly depleted (as is graphically demonstrated with kirlian photography). Live and bioactive (raw) food is rendered dead and inert. - The biochemical structure and nutrient makeup of the food is altered from its original state. Molecules in the food are deranged, degraded, and broken down. The food is degenerated in many ways. Fiber in plant foods is broken down into a soft, passive substance which loses its broom-like and magnetic cleansing quality in the intestines. - Nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.) are depleted, destroyed, and altered. The degree of depletion, destruction, and alteration is simply a matter of temperature, cooking method, and time. - Up to 50% of the protein is coagulated. Much of this is rendered unusable. High temperatures also create cross-links in protein. Cross-linked proteins are implicated in many problems in the body, as well as being a factor in the accelleration of the aging process. - The interrelationship of nutrients is altered from its natural synergistic makeup. For example, with meat, relatively more vitamin B-6 than methionine is destroyed, which fosters atherogenic free radical-initiating homocysteine accumulation (which is a factor in heart problems). - The water content of the food is decreased. The natural structure of the water is also changed. - Toxic substances and cooked “byproducts” are created. The higher the cooking temperature, the more toxins that are created. Frying and grilling are especially toxin-generating. Various carcinogenic and mutagenic substances and hordes of free radicals are generated in cooked fats and proteins in particular. - Heat causes the molecules involved to collide, and repeated collision causes divalent bonding in order for new molecules, and hence a new substance, to form. In an ordinary baked potato, there are 450 by-products of every description. They have even been named “new chemical composites”. - Unusable (waste) material is created, which has a cumulative congesting/clogging effect on the body and is a burden to the natural eliminative processes of the body. - All of the enzymes present in raw foods are destroyed at temperatures as low as 118 degrees fahrenheit. These enzymes, named “food enzymes” are important for optimum digestion. They naturally aid in digestion and become active as soon as eating commences. Cooking destroys 100% of these enzymes. Eating enzyme-dead food places a burden on the pancreas and other organs and overworks them, which eventually exhausts these organs. The digestion of cooked food usurps valuable metabolic enzymes in order to help digest the food. Digestion of cooked food is much more energetically demanding than the digestion of raw food. In general, raw food is so much more easily digested that it passes through the digestive tract in a half to a third of the time it takes for cooked food. - After eating a cooked meal, there is a rush of white blood cells towards the digestive tract, leaving the rest of the body less protected by the immune system. From the point of view of the immune system the body is being invaded by a foreign (toxic) substance when cooked food is eaten. - A general augmentation of white corpuscles in the blood and a change in the relative proportions of different blood cells occurs. This phenomenon is called “digestive leukocytosis”. - The natural population of beneficial intestinal flora becomes dominated by putrefactive bacteria (particularly from cooked meat), resulting in colonic dysfunction, allowing the absorption of toxins from the bowel. This phenomenon is variously called dysbacteria, dysbiosis, or intestinal toxemia (toxicosis). - A buildup of mucoid plaque is created in the intestines. Mucoid plaque is a thick tar-like substance which is the long-term result of undigested, uneliminated cooked food putrefying in the intestines. Cooked starches and fats in particular are a major culprit in constipation and clogging of the intestines. - A build-up of toxins and waste material in many parts of the body, including within individual cells. Some of these toxins and wastes are called lipofuscin, which accumulates in the skin and nervous system, including the brain. It can be observed as “liver spots” or “age spots.” - Malnutrition at the cellular level. Because cooked foods are lower in nutrients, in addition to containing wastes and toxins, individual cells don’t receive enough of the nutrients they need. - Tendency towards obesity through overeating. Because the cells don’t get enough nutrients they are so to speak “always hungry” and hence “demand” more food. Cooked food is also less likely to be properly metabolized, which is another factor in excess weight gain. - From time to time the body experiences detoxification crises (also called purification or healing crises). This happens when toxins are released through the skin or dumped in the bloodstream for elimination by the liver, kidneys, and other organs. The symptoms may include headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, colds, bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, etc. - The body can become so toxic that all kinds of particles, such as pollen, can cause detoxification crises, called “allergies”. An estimated 80 million Americans suffer from such “allergies”. - The immune system, having to handle the massive daily invasions of toxins and toxic by-products, eventually becomes overwhelmed and weakened. A key factor in the aging process. - Some of the waste material builds up in the arteries and clogs them, leading to high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, strokes, etc. - killing an estimated 50% of Americans. - The wastes, toxins, mutagens, and carcinogens that build up within cells, as well as the daily onslaught of excess free radicals eventually cause some cells to become cancerous - killing an estimated 30% of Americans. - In general, the natural aging process is accelerated by cooked food. People who switch to raw food often become biologically and visibly younger.

From cancerologist Bruce Ames (regarding “mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, and the degenerative diseases of aging”):
Cooking food is plausible as a contributor to cancer. A wide variety of chemicals are formed during cooking. Four groups of chemicals that cause tumors in rodents have attracted attention because of mutagenicity, potency, and concentration: - Nitrosamines are formed from nitrogen oxides present in gas flames or from other burning. Surprisingly little work has been done on the levels of nitrosamines in fish or meat cooked in gas ovens or barbecued, considering their mutagenic and carcinogenic potency. - Heterocyclic amines are formed from heating amino acids or proteins. - Polycyclic hydrocarbons are formed from charring meat. - Furfural and similar furans are formed from heating sugars. Heating fat generates mutagenic epoxides, hydroperoxides, and unsaturated aldehydes, and may also be of importance.

References

International Agency for Research on Cancer (1993) Some naturally occurring substances: Food items and constituents, heterocyclic aromatic amines and mycotoxins (International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France).

Gold, L. S., Slone, T. H., Manley, N. B. & Ames, B. N. (1994) Cancer Lett. 83, 21-29.
Gold, L. S., Slone, T. H., Stern, B. R., Manley, N. B. & Ames, B. N. (1992) Science 258, 261-265.

[Dr. Ames is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and was on their Commission on Life Sciences. He was formerly on the board of directors of the National Cancer Institute (National Cancer Advisory Board). He was the recipient of the most prestigious award for cancer research, the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation Prize (1983), the highest award in environmental achievement, the Tyler Prize (1985), the Gold Medal Award of the American Institute of Chemists (1991), and the Glenn Foundation Award of the Gerontological Society of America (1992). He has been elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Japan Cancer Association, and the Academy of Toxicological Sciences. His 300 scientific publications have resulted in his being the 23rd most-cited scientist (in all fields) (1973-1984).]

Leukocytosis and Cooked Food

In 1930, research was conducted at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry in Lausanne, Switzerland, under the direction of Dr. Paul Kouchakoff. The effect of food (cooked/processed vs. raw/natural) on the immune system was tested and documented. Dr. Kouchakoff’s discovery concerned the leukocytes, the white blood cells. Apparently, a well-known phenomena occurred immediately after a person ate.

It was found that after a person eats cooked food, his/her blood responds immediately by increasing the number of white blood cells. This is a well- known phenomena called “digestive leukocytosis”, which means that there is a rise in the number of leukocytes, or white blood cells, after eating. Since digestive leukocytosis was always observed after eating, it was considered to be a normal physiological response to eating. No one knew why the number of white cells would rise after eating, since this appeared to be a stress response, as if the body was reacting to something harmful, such as infection, trauma, or exposure to toxic chemicals.

Back in 1930, Swiss researchers of the institute of Chemical Chemistry studied the influence of food on human blood and made a remarkable discovery. They found that eating unaltered, raw food or food heated at low temperatures did not cause a reaction in the blood. In addition, if a food had been heated beyond a certain temperature (unique to each food), or if the food was processed (refined, added chemicals, etc.), this always caused a rise in the number of white cells in the blood. The researchers renamed this reaction “pathological leukocytosis”, since the body was reacting to highly altered food. They tested many different kinds of foods and found that if the foods were not overheated or refined, they caused no reaction. The body saw them as “friendly foods”. However, these same foods, if heated at too high a temperature, caused a negative reaction in the blood, a reaction that is found only when the body is invaded by a dangerous pathogen or trauma.

The worst offenders of all, whether heated or not, were processed foods that had been refined (such as white flour or white rice), or homogenized (a process in which the fat in milk is subjected to artificial suspension), or pasteurized (also seen in milk, flash-heated to high temperatures to kill bacteria), or preserved (chemicals added to food to retard spoilage or to enhance taste or texture). In other words, foods that were changed from their original God-given state. Good examples of these harmful foods are: pasteurized milk, chocolate, margarine, sugar, candy, white flour, and regular salt. The researchers found that if these altered, chemical foods were chewed very thoroughly, the harm to the blood could be lessened. In addition, another amazing finding was that if some of the same food in its raw state was eaten with the cooked counterpart, the pathological reaction in the blood was minimized. However, avoid these unnatural, processed foods; replace them with delicious whole foods for optimal health.

Reference

Kouchakoff, Paul, M.D.; “The Influence of Cooking Food on the Blood Formula of Man”; First International Congress of Microbiology; Paris, 1930.

Anger Is One Letter Short of Danger

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:55 -0800

The weight of anger is far heavier than the weight of joy. In it’s most vicious form, anger can lead to murder; joy easily distributes love, even in it’s simplest form. While both are natural emotions to our genetic make-up, we can choose to possess more of the one which we desire to encompass most often, but often times it seems we are displaying the less desired one. There are many ways to prevent and manage anger, which if obtained, consequently leads to more joy. A most basic technique in preventing anger is by providing your body with the proper chemicals. Dealing with anger once it arises is a matter of acknowledgement and understanding.

You are what you eat. We’ve heard it a million times, us Americans at least; yet most of us think it nothing more than a funny little saying with little to no meaning. Moods, feelings, emotions, and thoughts come from the brain which heavily relies on us to provide it with nutritious and well-balanced meals that the body can convert to energy. Without the proper ingredients, our bodies cannot formulate the proper fuel. It’s as simple, yet seemingly to our culture, as complicated as that. When people choose to fuel their bodies with ‘junk,’ unnatural chemicals, and an overwhelming amount of certain chemicals which in actuality our bodies need very little of, the results are nothing short of devastating. Our moods and thoughts dictate our behavior, so if we art to eat essentially poisonous ‘foods,’ we have little choice but to act in poisonous ways. Fueling our bodies with chemicals that clog our system lead to unwanted feelings as our brain simply is not capable of producing the ‘happy’ chemicals that bestow positive moods. The most appalling part in all of this is that we have been led to believe that anger, stress, anxiety, and depression are a normal part of daily life. We’ve been lead to believe that we are stressed out due to other circumstances; lead to believe that by taking more chemicals (pharmaceuticals), that they will ease our tension and ‘cure’ our ailments. Truth be told, you are what you eat. If you eat foods abundant in essential vitamins, your body will be abundant in essential vitamins. Likewise, if you eat foods high in fat, processed to have a long-lasting shelf life, and coming from antibiotic and growth hormone-pumped animals, then your body will be full of those disturbing substances and your mood and behavior will adapt accordingly. While eating the wrong foods does not directly cause anger, it certainly plays a major role in one’s ability to avoid feelings of aggression. Eating foods that have been proven to promote the health of our bodies, will also promote a healthy mind-set much more readily suited to cope with any outside stressors.

When we are in a state of anger or are desiring to act aggressively, it is usually because we are feeling pain that we have not yet dealt with. We become angry either because we don’t understand why someone or something would cause us such pain, or because we are impatient and don’t understand why something is not getting done fast enough. Whatever the initial cause of the anger is, lies the answer in subduing and ridding ourselves of feeling as though we must resort to other negative emotions such as jealousy, spite, hate, and vengeance. It is easier and in society, more accepted, to display aggression than to display pain. Oddly enough, to the trained eye, anyone who knows this bit of information can easily see pain through aggressive behavior and can also see that the pain is quite deeply rooted and is not being dealt with. It is akin to pushing a dog into a corner until finally, at one impulsive moment, the dog fights back. We must learn to acknowledge, accept, and handle our pain if we are to manage our anger in positive ways.

Some handle their anger by taking short walks, screaming into pillows, breathing exercises, and a vast number of other remedies which usually allow our adrenaline to become more diluted and channel out of our bodies. Personally, I eat healthily, exercise regularly, and manage my pain in order to prevent mood swings and promote happiness in my fundamental temperament. When stressful situations do arise, I am then less likely to resort to anger and instead am usually the mediator in having the ability to see the underlying issues of the circumstance. Of course anger is a natural emotion which all emotional beings experience at times throughout life. When these times arise for me, the best I can offer is an apology and honest explanation which ensures that both myself and other witnessing individuals are given the opportunity to understand, forgive, and move on from the moment rather than allowing it to linger and cause more pain. I was not always so understanding of anger management as you can tell by this poem I wrote in January of 2000:

My Hatred Grows

Everyday my hatred grows,
My veins are tunnels for burning blood,
And every second the fire flows,
My soul’s been drowned into this flood.
The world around me spinning fast,
Beautiful people who love their lives,
An evil spell upon me has been cast,
Happiness and love are sullied lies.
Every minute this hatred builds,
And every hour it grows stronger,
My heart racing, it wants to die,
If I could just hold off a little longer

As you can tell by the poem, the key line is ‘happiness and love are sullied lies,’ which references to why I’m angry in the first place. I can attest today that I’ve evolved and come to know where pain arises and now have the understanding to deal with it without feeling the way I must have felt in writing this poem. It is my understanding through experience that I’ve come to realize that anger is merely a side-effect of pain and I believe that if everyone knew and recognized this within themselves, our world would be a far less aggressive place.

Anti Supplements? Why?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:55 -0800

[Our thanks to Debbie Took for allowing reprinting from her original blog.]

Let’s start with the disclaimer. Not a doctor. Not a dietician. Not a biochemist. Not a ‘raw food guru’. Just a raw food coach who blogs. In fact, I don’t even possess a chemistry O-level. As with any blog article, this article represents my personal opinion (together with the opinions of others working in the health field, including a raw food guru or two!) and is not intended to diagnose, treat, etc.

Having got all that out of the way…

it is interesting that when people move from a cooked-food diet, where all sorts of enzymes, vitamins and minerals are cooked out of food, to a raw food diet, where all those enzymes, vitamins and minerals are - hooray - left intact, that they are then subjected to sales pitches from those who tell them that their raw food diet is not as wonderful as they thought, that there are very likely things missing in the diet, and that to achieve optimum nutrition…buy their supplements. In fact, one luminary has now gone so far as to say that it is ’not possible’ to meet all our mineral needs through a raw food diet, and that if we take his special course we will then find out what minerals will be ‘missing’ and ‘where to get them from’(!). Statements of this kind will concern many a raw fooder,particularly those who can’t afford to buy these supplements anyway, so I think it only fair to point out that many people in the raw food world do not share his opinion.

What do I mean by ‘supplements’? Extracts, mixtures of extracts, sold in powder, capsule or liquid form. One thing most of them have in common is that they are very expensive - around £50-80.

This article is biased. I’m generally anti supplements. This articles outlines the case against supplements. Why? Because, if you want to find the case for any supplement, it’s very easy. Just google, and you will find thousands (more) of words extolling its virtues. 95% is written by those selling supplements. The remainder is from users convinced of their benefits.

Please note my use of the word generally. I am generally anti-supplements. What this means is that I’ll ’never say never’, and if at any point I’m convinced that a supplement would be the right thing for me, I’ll take one. Whether or not raw vegans need to take Vitamin B12 for example is a hugely- debated area. At present I do not supplement for B12. There are many healthy long-term raw vegans who do not, and some symptoms that have been attributed to B12 deficiency may well be due to other factors, eg deficiencies of other vitamins/poor absorption. But - OK - I’ll admit I’m not totally sure on the B12 thing, but I’d be far more likely to switch to a raw vegetarian diet than supplement. And be assured that whatever your favourite ‘raw foodguru’ says about B12, there’ll be another equally knowledgeable person that will have his own set of compelling evidence that the opposite is the case.

Also, I will always support my fellow raw foodists’ decisions to do whatever they feel is best for their health, and their children’s health. Two raw foodist mothers - Shazzie and Holly - have come under fire on raw food forums recently. Both felt for various reasons that their children’s raw vegan diets were not what they could be, and made the decision to add to their diets. Shazzie initially chose vegan+supplements, then added a little raw egg yolk to her daughter’s diet. Holly chose to add raw dairy to her children’s diets. Behind each of these decisions was a lot of thought and research and the motivation was to do the very best for their children. If it were me, and I felt the raw vegan diet needed something more, I would be more inclined to add raw vegetarian foods than supplement, but that’s based on what I have come to understand about supplements and what makes intuitive sense to me. But let’s all be prepared to admit that however strongly held our beliefs, and however much ‘science’ we’ve found to back our case (and it’s always possible to find some!), any one of us could be wrong.

I’ve written this article because those who say they are ‘anti’ supplements are challenged regularly. I can quite see why the statement’I don’t believe in supplements’ can seem narrow/closed-minded. It can seem that the ‘anti’ supplementers haven’t considered the facts, are forgetting that ‘we’re all different’ (and similar…), aren’t sufficiently concerned about demineralised soil. Etc. But whilst some raw foodists just instinctively don’t want to put anything into their bodies other than raw plant foods in the form in which they grow naturally, others do have a fuller rationale, but find the thought of communicating a view of nutrition (and disease) that is a little different from that of the world at large (and of many raw fooders) somewhat daunting. So…I’m going to have a go here, and if anyone would like to use this article in discussion, please feel free to link to it.

Please note that I am NOT arguing whether supplements are a good idea or not for the average cooked-food eater. I am discussing the case against supplements for those on a diet of raw plant foods, where the majority of the food is organic.

Where Is The Evidence That Raw Foodists Are Nutrient-Deficient?

So many of us switch to raw food, see ailments vanish, feel better than we ever have done before, then join raw food forums, and sooner or later…the dampers kick in, as we’re persuaded by other raw foodists, and particularly by those selling supplements, that we are likely to be, or will become, deficient in various nutrients.

We can’t be felled on the ‘biggies’ - protein, calcium…there’s ample out there to reassure us that we’re not going to go short of those.Cariminerals (many of which we’d never heard of before) - even though we’re in fact ingesting far more of them than on our previous cooked diets \ according to some, the raw food diet will be failing us there.

But where’s the evidence for this? In general, figures on nutrient deficiencies quoted are based on the population as a whole, and this pool will comprise mainly cooked-food meat-eaters. I’ve also seen figures revealing nutrient deficiencies in ill people. The population in general will very likely be deficient in all sorts of things as much of the food eaten is damaged. The population in general also consumes things that are actively antagonistic to nutrients in the body, eg alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, birth control pills and other drugs. So, for a raw foodist , it’s no argument for a supplement seller to say ‘x% of people are deficient in’ this/that.

It might be relevant to say ‘x% of raw foodists are deficient in’ this/that, although of course this would need to be based on fact. Some make claims that raw food diets are deficient based on case studies of isolated raw foodists who had become ill - ‘sample size of one’ studies! But there could have been so many other things in those people’s lives that could have contributed to the ill-health.

If we saw a large-scale controlled study of long-term 100% raw vegans who take no supplements were ‘deficient’ in a certain nutrient, well, yes, that would be interesting.

But then we’d have to look at what ‘deficient’ actually means. How are the RDAs (recommended daily allowances) for various nutrients set? Well, please someone tell me different, but googling suggests they are guesstimates based on averages of levels from a ‘pool’ of ‘apparently healthy’ people in the population as a whole. Now, as we all know, the population (the majority on a SAD diet for example) isn’t that healthy. ‘Apparently healthy’ people aren’t that healthy! For example, one-third of men aged 30-50 have prostate cancer and don’t know it (source) of over 50’s have tumours of some sort (no source but plausible, I think you’ll agree, after considering the prostate source), and ‘apparently healthy’ people suffer from a host of ailments that we’re told are ’normal’, but which raw fooders have seen disappear with a change of diet …

And, what this could mean is: the pool (of, actually, un healthy people) could have ‘x’ level of a certain ’nutrient’ in their body. It could actually be far too much! And then what happens of course is…the RDA is set from those figures, and ironically the ‘health-seeker’, who eats and lives far more healthily than the average, gets ‘blood-tested’ for this nutrient, finds he’s ’lacking’ (of course…), then supplements and - phew - his level is now up to the level of the pool. He then finds, to his surprise, that his health is not improving, but the reverse…. Just a thought.

If I ever see a large-scale controlled study of 100% raw vegans who take no supplements which shows on average that ill-health is present that could reasonably be linked to a deficiency of a certain nutrient, then I might be persuaded to take a supplement.

Haven’t seen one yet.

Pro-Supplement Arguments - Two Examples

It’s essential for those living in a cool climate to supplement for Vitamin D.

Is it? Those who have researched this will find many conflicting opinions on how much sunshine is needed for the body to make Vitamin D. And, as usual, they all disagree. However, a rough average is around 15 minutes a day. True, we have many days in the UK where sunshine isn’t present. But we can store Vitamin D. So, being outside for most of the day on just one sunny day in the summer can make up for 24 sunless days. Also, is there any point in the last few weeks where the sun has indeed been shining outside, and you’ve been on- line? Have your children ever played inside when it’s been sunny outdoors? And the sun does shine in the winter - lots! Isn’t the answer to adjust our lifestyles rather than take a powder?

Aren’t you concerned about mineral-depleted soil?

The piece de resistance of those selling supplements to the smug raw foodist. I’m quite concerned about GM foods, and irradiated foods, but mineral-depleted soil? No, not bothered much. Organic farmers are doing all sorts of things to maximise soil nutrient content, eg adding rock powder to soil, introducing soil-based organisms, and even adding ocean water (sprinkled some on my own garden recently). Victoria Boutenko in ‘Green for Life’ quotes figures that show the mineral content of organic plant foods to be many times higher than non-organic.

And, I’ve read that although the mineral content of soil in certain locales may be deficient in one or two important minerals, people who eat plant foods grown on a wide variety of soils are unlikely to develop any deficiencies (an argument perhaps for not always buying local (!)). And for those who say ’not everyone can afford to buy organic’ - if they can afford to spend £70 on a ‘miracle’ mineral supplement, yes - they can.

Also, I’d suggest to anyone who’s concerned about ‘mineral-depleted soil’ to eat more fruit. It’s only the topsoil that will be affected to any significant degree by mineral depletion. The roots of fruit trees go down a lot further than that and will bring up minerals from sub-soil, from rock layers deep in the ground. And even if a tree is deficient to any degree in minerals, what will happen is that it will produce less fruit, not ‘minerally-deficient’ fruit.

Supplements Are Unnatural

In whole fresh plant foods all the nutrients are there in the proportions that enabled the plant to grow. Even those without chemistry O-levels know that chemicals work with each other rather in isolation. So, when we eat a bell pepper all the vitamins and minerals in that pepper will be there in the exact proportions that enabled that pepper to grow. Bell peppers are high in Vitamin C, and quite high in B6. When we eat a bell pepper, there will be all sorts of vitamins and minerals entering our body that will work together to help our bodies use the C and the B6. Isn’t it safer to take nutrients in a mix that has been proven to work (the result being a healthy plant) than where the proportions of each nutrient have been decided by men?

Dr T Colin Campbell (The China Study) says that vitamins and minerals should never be consumed in isolation of their naturally occurring state and that the evidence doesn’t support there being any benefits from consuming isolated nutrients that way.

Mike Benton (Natural Hygienist) There are now mineral supplements which are advertised as coming from ‘organic’ sources. These are equally useless because they exist in a fragmented state, extracted from the sources within which they naturally occur. Minerals do not work in isolation. When they are extracted from their natural sources, the other co-existing vitamins, minerals and enzymes are also extracted. Even if they were, the process of laboratory extraction destroys any vital benefits that may have been associated with the minerals. Minerals must be consumed in their natural, unfragmented and organic state to be of any use to the body. The best mineral supplements are those naturally occurring in mineral-rich foods in their unprocessed state - fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts.

Supplements in powder form are of course also stripped of their fibre and water. Dr Doug Graham (80/10/10 Diet) When the water is removed, the oxidative process that occurs has a degrading impact on the nutrients that remain, leaving supplements far less nutritious than their whole-food counterparts.

When Supplements Can Be Harmful

The BBC in May 07 reported a study (US National Cancer Institute) showing a link between prostate cancer and taking multivitamins more than once-daily. This was an association only, it was not possible to say that that the multivitamins caused the cancer, but study leader Dr Karla Lawson commented: ‘Because multivitamins contain so many different components and men taking a lot of them were more likely to be taking other supplements, the researchers were unable to tease out what was causing the association.’ (In other words, all the supplements taken had made things very complicated…)

Dr Alan M Immerman DC: ‘When one tries to provide proper nutrition by extracting nutrients from food and taking them in various proportions and quantities, there is indeed a risk of creating imbalances. The best way to supply vitamins to the body is to create them as nature provided them - in foods.’

Dr Doug Graham: ‘…the marketers neglect to mention that too much of that nutrient is harmful in a variety of ways, not the least of which is the inevitable imbalances that result when we consume supplements of any kind. Most supplements are concentrated from plant foods, and despite our American ‘more is better’ mindset, the body does not appreciate these unnatural concentrates and has to work to expel them similarly to the way it has to eliminate toxic residue from cooked foods … Like an amateur barber who finds himself trimming each side of the hair to make things ’even’ until his client is bald, a person who supplements with single nutrients (or any formulation or combination of extracted nutrients) inevitably creates greater and more confounding imbalances, whether or not the cause and effect are discernible in the short term.’

Many raw fooders will be familiar with the Kouchakoff studies, in which it was shown that, after cooked food, there was a rush of white blood cells (leukocytosis) towards the digestive tract - the body perceiving the cooked food as a foreign, toxic substance. The following also resulted in leukocytosis: drugs, medicinal herbs, and…nutritional supplements.

So, in whom do we place our trust? Nature, or man? I’ve an underlying distrust of what clever men tell me I should ingest, especially if there’s a profit motive behind it. Meat marketing boards told us 50 years ago that we needed many more times protein than is actually the case. Little comfort to those who ate lots of beefsteak and are suffering from bowel cancer now. In the same era we were told that smoking was good for us. Men in white coats, men in cloaks, have had us taking all sorts of substances, to our destruction…

Where is the source of wisdom for what nutrients you or I could do with today - this very day? The supplement manufacturer, or our bodies? A few months ago I had a great desire for oranges. They tasted more delicious than at any other time in my life - ate loads of them! I believe that this was because my body at the time very much needed something in oranges. After a while my desire for oranges lessened - perhaps because my body had built up adequate reserves of whatever nutrient had been lacking. And that’s how that cliche ’listen to your body’ operates. The clever body can correct deficiencies all by itself by generating a desire for certain foods.

How on the other hand can it ever be right for an individual to take ‘x’ mcg/mg of a supplement every single day - that amount decided by the supplement manufacturer? Yes, the body might expel excess, but …always? We know that disease occurs when the body is overburdened by the task of elimination.

Why A Supplement Might Appear To Work

Firstly of course - could be the ‘placebo effect’. Perhaps we’re feeling a bit ‘down’, physically and/or psychologically (most likely for some reason unconnected with diet), we’re persuaded by a supplement manufacturer’s claims, we spend £70 (and sure want to feel that’s justified!), we feel excited at taking something that’s a buzz word on the raw food forums, we start taking it, we feel a bit better (which could be due to all sorts of reasons), we attribute those good feelings to the supplement, we focus on those good feelings, which in turn create other good feelings, and…we’re sold!

We may see a cessation of certain ‘symptoms’. Acne is one example of a body’s trying to clean up by eliminating toxins via the skin. If we then ingest an excess of certain nutrients via a supplement, the body may then have to divert energies from house-cleaning to eliminating the excess, so…for a while the acne might appear to clear up! So, sadly, the supplement works like a pharmaceutical drug - suppressing symptoms, but doing nothing to address the underlying cause.

We may even experience euphoria - a ‘high’ from a supplement. Some believe that substances that have been extracted from their naturally occurring form, or contain nutrients in too high a dose for our bodies, are actually toxic, and that when the body senses toxic matter it will certainly move to an ‘all systems go’ state, but as preparation for elimination, which results in a stimulant effect. A stimulant effect is the calling card of many poisons - caffeine, nicotine etc. And of course we can then get used to this stimulating effect and miss it when it isn’t there, resulting in a sink to a lower level of well-being that accompanies any drug withdrawal.

So - many people are quick to link good feelings to the supplement, whether these are actually due to something else in their lives, or whether they’re due to the body’s efforts to eliminate. Sooner or later they’ll have some ‘down’ days again. Will they link these ‘down’ days to the supplement as well? As that would be fair, wouldn’t it? Well, no they don’t and one reason is that it’s somewhat uncomfortable to entertain the thought that we parted with a lot of money for nothing. If they’re ‘sold on supplements’, they may decide they need a higher dose. But, more likely, they’ll wonder if they’ve got some other kind of ‘deficiency’ and go back to the site selling them for another ‘wondercure’.Some people say that when they take certain supplements they feel less hungry afterwards. They interpret this as a good thing and the supplement manufacturers tell us that this is because their powders are so ’nutrient- dense’. But the ‘Natural Hygiene’ view is that the body will shut down appetite when it has some serious work to do, ie eliminate a toxic invader. Again, this is why cigarettes and coffee can depress appetite and why, when we are unwell, and the body is involved in eliminative processes (eg via sneezing, sweating etc) we do not feel like food.

Green/White Powders, Potions, ‘Nutrient-Dense’

Green Powders

Here’s Frederic Patenaude, well-known raw foodist who’s ’not backward in coming forward’, on green powders, as he says it so well!

‘This might make me a few enemies, but I believe that 99% of supplements and ‘superfoods’ on the market are an absolute waste of money. It seems like every time you turn your head, someone is offering the latest and greatest ‘beauty enhancing’ or ‘breakthrough’ superfood or supplement. But what if I told you something shocking yet so simple to understand: there’s no ‘food’ that arrives in a bottle, having been made in a factory and sold in powdered form, that will ever compare in terms of ‘super-nutrition’ to fresh fruit and vegetables. But still, almost every day I get an e-mail that says, ‘What do you think of ____?’ (fill in the blank with whatever supplement or superfood is now being promoted as the latest ‘amazing’ product).

Almost every supplement company has a variation of the ‘green powder’ which is basically a powder made with dried grass, dried grass juices or dried vegetables and possibly algae. This powder is supposed to make your body more alkaline and give you nutrition you can’t find elsewhere…A powder of vegetables or algae can never compare in nutritional value to fresh vegetables, even if those vegetables are not organic. The real superfoods are dark green vegetables such as spinach, romaine lettuce, black kale, parsley, celery, arugula, and so on. With the use of ‘green smoothies’ made with fresh green veg and fruit, anyone can obtain superior nutrition in a few minutes a day…green smoothies and fresh raw greens literally put these green powders to shame.’

(I’m sorry to say that when Fred talks of making enemies, this is unfortunately often the case if one speaks out against supplements. Prominent people who’ve questioned the claims made by supplement promoters have been attacked, and ostracised by others in the raw food ‘community’. As a lesser- known raw fooder, I’ve found that I and others on the raw food forums have been told that we should open our minds, and, of course… the piece de resistance - the implication that we are deficient - oh, that again - but in…lurve… So, can I just say to anyone who is upset by my presenting the arguments against … I don’t give a (ripe, juicy, whole, fresh,) fig. (Love and Light XXX).

White Powders

Some raw fooders rave about MSM - in fact, some even say it gives them a high! But it’s not without controversy, and I’ve seen a forum poster cite it as the direct cause of his mother’s health problems.

MSM is sulphur, in the form of a white, crystalline powder. Do we need sulphur? Yes - it helps build collagen (used to bind connective tissue) and maintain healthy joints.

Are raw foodists likely to be deficient in sulphur? The product details supplied by one online supplier include this: ‘MSM is destroyed by cooking.’ OK - not a problem for raw foodists then. We also read that MSM is deficient in foods grown ‘in greenhouses or through irrigation’. My googling reveals that sulphur is present in the following foods (amongst others): avocado, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cherries, coconut, garlic, grapes, grains, nuts, seeds, onions, pulses, pak choi, parsley, red peppers, tomatoes, and green leafy veg generally (eg kale, lettuce, watercress). Well, I suppose some of these may be grown in greenhouses or through irrigation, but can’t see that in general there will be a problem. (And if you have any patch of land, it’s very easy to grow lettuces).

Mike Benton: ‘Almost all diets contain adequate amounts of this mineral.’ VitaminsDiary.com: ‘A diet sufficient in protein is generally considered to be adequate in sulphur.’

I can’t see that there is any reason to think that the average raw foodist isn’t getting all the sulphur their bodies need in their food. Surely the raw foodist supplementing with MSM would likely be taking sulphur in excess of the body’s requirements, and of course in an isolated form. And sulphur is a substance (along with phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur and silicon) which, when metabolised, forms acids in the body. So is it really sensible to take sulphur in isolation from the (alkalising) foods it is found in naturally?

E3 Live

The only ingredient in E3 Live is a blue-green algae (or, more accurately, a bacteria) called alphanizomem flos-aquae. Before being marketed as a ‘health supplement’ it was known as ‘pond scum’ or ‘slime’. It grows all over the world.

I’ve seen much impressive scientific-sounding material from those promoting this, and even raw food gurus make all sorts of health claims for it. Yet, I’ve not yet heard of any one that has been substantiated by a clinical trial. They also list all the amazing things the pond-scum contains - ’every mineral known to man’, antioxidants etc. But, as my friend Roger pointed out, a cow- pat may well contain all sorts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc that are also found in the human body, but that doesn’t mean we should be eating it.If you think that the slime in a lake was designed for human beings to eat, or that for some reason a raw food diet will be inadequate without the ingestion of this, then your idea of a natural diet is different from mine. Again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the body considerably stimulated in an effort to get rid of it.

‘Nutrient-dense’ foods

This term is used frequently by those selling supplements (and also by those selling dehydrated powdered forms of whole foods). The marketing often includes the words ‘contains all eight essential amino-acids’.

Just a reminder that many more mundane foods contain ‘all eight essential amino-acids’ as well. Here’s a clue to one: it’s long, it’s yellow…

Usually supplement marketing will contain long lists of figures relating to various nutrients. A thought on those…the ‘superfood’ powders are of course fresh, whole foods that have had water removed. If we take a fresh, whole plant food with x% protein, x% vitamins in it, by weight, and then remove all the water, and measure the percentages again by weight, because the food weighs far less when dehydrated, all the nutrient percentages will shoot up!

And of course even if the manufacturers look at grams of nutrients rather than percentages, what they’ll be then doing is looking at grams per, eg 100g, of the powder. Well, if we compare 100g of the powder with 100g of the fresh, the powder will of course contain many more of the plant food than the fresh, again, because dehydrated food weighs less. So, actual grams of nutrients per 100g will be higher as well.

So you could take any fresh fruit or vegetable, dehydrate it, and, hey presto - ‘superfood’! Now IF we were to ingest the same weight of powder as we would of the fresh whole food it’s made from, then we might benefit from this nutrient concentration. But we don’t. Typically, we might be directed to have a spoonful or two. And we’d normally rehydrate this in water - perhaps in a smoothie. So that would bring us pretty much back to where we’d be if we’d eaten the fresh whole food instead! And how much better it would have been to have fresh, whole plant food (at a fraction of the price) rather than have it dehydrated, ground, stored, packed and shipped.I wonder what the price of these foods (often from South America) is over there? Even taking into account transportation, storage costs etc, I’m going to guess that these are high- profit items. Could be that they’re quite common-place to the locals and that they’d be quite surprised (amused?) to hear of us paying £15 a bag, and not even fresh …

Liquid zeolite

I know raw foodists who swear by this. Here’s an alternative view.

CONCLUSION

The spur for writing this article came after seeing someone challenge a raw foodist who advocated no supplements as making a ‘blanket statement’. I’ve tried to show that, behind the ‘blanket statement’ is a rationale, ie we do have a reason or two for saying what we do.

I did say in the intro that I’d ’never say never’ re supplementation, but do believe there is ample evidence to suggest that supplementing is certainly unnecessary for the majority of raw foodists, probably unnecessary for any raw foodist, and that it could even be harmful in some circumstances.

If you’re considering spending upwards of £50 on a supplement, ask yourself why. Before you saw the marketing blurb, before you saw the excited testimonies of raw fooders, did you actually feel any symptoms of deficiency? Did you feel that your raw food diet was lacking? Indeed, were you even on a raw food diet? (high-raw diets are excellent - light years healthier than the average cooked diet, but until the diet is 100% raw, raw food has not had a truly fair test). Before you heard about the supplement, were you ill? And if so, are you sure your food was to blame? There are all sorts of things that affect our physical and psychological well-being other than food. Were all these things right? Sleep, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, relationships, occupation? Any conflicts, stresses?

Check out the ingredients list. Use Wikipedia to find out what each thing actually is. If it’s a chemical, google it together with ‘food sources’ and see if it’s something that isn’t contained in whole, fresh, raw foods you can buy at a fraction of the price. And if it’s not found in whole, fresh, raw foods ask yourself whether it should really be going into your body.

Consider the arguments of those ‘anti’ supplements I’ve outlined above. Consider whether listening to the desires of your body for certain foods throughout the day, the week, the seasons, might be a more reliable indicator of what vitamins and minerals your body requires than extracts and mixes put together by supplement manufacturers.

Ask yourself whether a diet full of raw foods (ie for the first time in your life you are eating foods with nutrients intact ) will be ’lacking’ in some way.

Dr Doug Graham: ‘All the vitamins, minerals and nutrients any body needs are amply supplied through the variety of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens found in a healthful diet…The raw food kitchen need not include jars, bottles, boxes, cans, bags, capsules, powders, remedies, potions, pills, or tinctures of any kind’.

Big Georges Journey

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:55 -0800

I grew up in believing that if one drinks his milk, eats all his food on his plate and eats plenty of meat that I will have robust health and grow up healthy and strong. Of course this seemed to make sense to me because everyone around me was doing this so it must be the right thing to do. How could so many people be wrong? Besides, while growing up my father worked in a meat factory in charge of maintenance, so I never questioned the consumption of meat at that time. I was raised with love and always saw my parents working hard. However their dietary habits were very questionable. People do, I believe, the best they know how to at that given time . I certainly did not have the best eating habits at that time.

I guess you would have called me a ‘burger boy’. I had to have a hamburger each day along with several glasses of milk. As a matter of fact, I use to feel extremely guilty if I didn’t have a large glass of milk before I went to sleep. So I would have one each night. Boy, was I conditioned!

However, if this was the optimum way to health then why did I suffer from sore throats, allergies, colds, ear aches, constipation, acne etc.? I continued eating this way for many years up until the age of about 20 when I entered the Army.

This was an interesting experience. I learned many things while in the army, one of them being the power that the mind has over the body and I had the opportunity to meet an incredible friend named David Weiman, who truly was a soldier of the heart.

I was involved in a lot of sport teams, always reading the latest on sports nutrition and diet. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time that all these articles are paid for by companies. This, of course, would make the articles somewhat biased.

While in the Army I was in great shape. I had a physique that most men my age would have wanted, lean and muscular. However I was always tired and sick even having to go to the hospital to have them work on my hemorrhoids. Plus, I developed a rash on my face and the medical community tried to heal it through medications. I had a very bad reaction to the drugs so bad that my face was full of blisters. It wasn’t pretty for sure. I chose not to use the poisons they call medicines again.

I was becoming desperate and was willing to try almost anything to improve my condition in which I was so unhappy with.

Their is an old saying, “when the student is ready the teacher will appear”.

Well this came in the form of a book: Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins. This book literally changed my life physically and mentally. I read the chapter on Fuel for excellence in which they talked about vegetarianism and food combining. I found it to be incredible! I wondered how come I didn’t know about this before? So I gave it a try and literally went cold turkey (I should say lettuce). I dropped all meat consumption and the magical process began. Remember, I did this while learning how to kill and maim people, while serving as an infantry soldier. As you probably have guessed, this was not the most vegetarian friendly place to do this. Despite the ridicule, I continued and I am glad I did.

I couldn’t believe the incredible amount of energy that I had now. I shed many unhealthy pounds through detoxification and ran a marathon with only 10 days of training. This was done through the power of the mind (NLP) and the fuel through a vegetarian lifestyle. This simple goal proved to me that anything is possible.

I was really feeling powerful and unstoppable. I had become a vegetarian for health reasons and it wasn’t until reading John Robbins’ book Diet for a New America (after the army) that I learned about the cruel acts that was being done to our friends the animals. Kind of sad when you think that most peoples’ interactions with the animals is to eat them.

I met my soulmate Denise (who is an incredible soul with life changing qualities) while in the army and later wed her after I had left the army. One thing that I did see happen in the Army was the changes that where taking place as a result of David and I being Vegetarians. Out of all the places in the world to become a vegetarian (especially when I was being trained to kill), I could see the changes of more healthy foods being available in the mess halls and others being interested in the vegetarian lifestyle.

As my journey continued, I found myself not having the energy that I once did even though I was still a vegetarian. I was once giving a business seminar when I received some information in the mail from a natural healing school I had sent for. I was interested in becoming a health practitioner (one must earn a living), because of my enthusiasm for wanting to learn more about health. However, most courses I sent for, talked about the importance of meat/dairy protein etc. For me taking these courses would have been difficult because I would have failed the tests unless I lied. I found a course which seemed to be along my beliefs, run by a gentlemen known as T.C. Fry (author of several books one being The Great Aids Hoax ) and wow, was the information on his booklet a shocker.

I thought I was doing everything right eating plenty of tofu, pasta, bread, cereals etc. Boy was I wrong. I went over the booklet several times with excitement because it just made sense to me.

I then decided to go all Raw (this was about 5 years ago), mainly eating fruits and a few vegetables. I shed a lot of unhealthy pounds through the detoxification process. However I was not ready to continue.

Timing is everything in life. At that time I was going through a lot of emotional stress, loss of a business, Denise’s father passing away and everyone (family) thinking I was becoming a skeleton, and in a world full of vanity this was a big blow to my Male Ego at the time. I felt I didn’t have the support to continue, so I put Raw foods on the back burner and continued to eat cooked foods.

The interesting thing that I have learned since then, is when someone is detoxifying, not only are past food sins being released - so are past emotions and we need to know how to deal with them..

I did not know of meditation at the time. Although I was brought up as a Roman Catholic, we really never knew too much about it, except it was some thing someone does if they belong to a religion.

My thoughts were becoming weak after reading so much information on Health and so many contradictions. I began to question myself and became confused. When one starts doubting each thing that one does then our thoughts become poor. I developed severe anxiety to the point where I even was questioning my breathing patterns. I knew I had to do something about this. (Of course everything happens for a purpose and a new person was emerging.)

I kept hearing so much about yoga and the benefits, so I looked in the yellow pages under yoga and saw a listing for Raja Yoga. This experience would change my life also. I went to classes almost on a daily basis and practiced meditation. I learned that we are not these physical bodies but spiritual beings and that God was our true energy source.. I also had the opportunity of meeting with many spiritually tuned people one in particular, Hasmuk, whom I am privileged to have as my good friend..

With the knowledge I had learned, I began to put it into practice. Through meditation I started to notice a lot of emotions coming up. So I know knew how to deal with them and most importantly I started to trust myself once again.

Many years passed and I began to think about Raw foods again. If Raw foods can assist the body in healing serious incurable diseases then what if someone like myself who was in good physical shape, lived that lifestyle. What would happen then?

So I made the transition to the point where I was eating only one cooked meal a week. Now when I look back at it, I really don’t know why I did have that one meal per week because after I ate it I really didn’t feel that great.

Then the magic began one day. I decided I have choices in my life and I chose to go Raw. This was a powerful decision. My life has transformed by being Raw. You become a new person and see things in a different way. Now I had a strong foundation, so while I was detoxifying, I was now able to deal with two issues I never knew how to deal with before.

The first was weight loss through detoxification. This is a challenging aspect to most males because of the Male Ego. Men have been brought up in believing that to survive in this world one must be strong physically and look the part also. If not, then he will not survive in this world and simply perish.

So when men start losing a lot of unhealthy weight they become fearful and panic because they believe that the body is them. Most suffering in the world is a direct result of our attachment to these bodies. Some of these results are in the form of vanity, greed, lust etc.

The other aspect of Raw that I learned, is trusting. Trusting in God, Mother Nature and myself I know now, that God will provide everything if we are willing to simply just let go. So I did and it is amazing to just do that.

Life is simple, we just tend to make it complicated.

Raw foods is a incredible way of providing one the optimum fuel for this vehicle we call a body, in achieving what one desires and allowing more energy to provide benefit to the world. Raw foods provides one with more time. For example, less time cooking and preparing foods and more time doing the things you enjoy.

Raw foods has also opened up a new network for me. I have met friends from across the world who share the same passion as I do.

Is Raw food the only key to a Healthy Fulfilling life? No, but it is important in providing the best fuel for the body. The disciplines I have learned through Raw Foods has transpired in other areas of my life.

For every disciplined effort their are multiple rewards.

As I continue on my journey, I keep learning how to improve oneself. I realize the importance of Self-Responsibility when I take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually. I do not then become a burden for others. When one is sick, then one puts a strain on others, because one has to be taken care of physically and financially. Our health care system is set up so people do not need to take that responsibility and that is why you see the problems and high taxes you see today.

Many people today do not take the responsibility for their own well-being. They would much rather blame it on something outside of them such as past experiences, viruses etc. This of course allows them to feel like weak victims instead of powerful souls which is who we really are. When one feels weak and with low self-esteem, they can become prey to others who would take advantage of them (one being the Medical industry which has profited enormously at the expense of human lives).

As we head into the new Millennium and Towards Freedom, we ask ourselves, “Why are so many people unhappy with so much in technological advances and material wealth?” I believe it is because people are understanding that it is not something outside of us that will provide happiness, but something inside that will. People are looking for a more spiritual side of life now.

I see a shift taking place right now. I see the world cleansing itself. Many changes will take place. Many people will become, what I like to call, Torch Bearers, that is people who have been able to see the light inside them and now cast it out to the world so that others can see their own light on the way back home. As we move Towards Freedom ….

My goals are to help spread the news of Health, to assist others in their goals of seeing their light and to continue my own growth, so that I may not be a burden on others.

This site is dedicated to God and the Torch Bearers of this world.

Denise Zuwala, Mom and Dad, Lois, Red Rose, Wes, David Klein, Alkaline Al, Hasmuk, Dr. Schulze, John Robbins, Anthony Robbins, Desmond TuTu, Doug Stanley, Nelson Mandela, Dr. Wayne Dwyer, Roe Gallo, Dr. Bernarr, John Travis Bivona, Dr. Graham, Twyla, Roberto Zuwala, Mario C, Liz Dezan, DurianRider and Freelea, Debbie Took, Kyron, Ranjana, and my good friend Prad.

(If your name is not on this list it is not to say you are not a torch bearer. You are a torch bearer as well. I have just not had the pleasure of meeting you. Someday I hope we might. )

God Bless!

A Stiffnecked People

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:54 -0800

The Lord said to Moses, “I see this is a stiffnecked people. Now let Me be, that my anger may blaze forth against them and that I may destroy them” (Exodus, 32: 9, 10)

Moses had been up on the mountain top for awhile receiving God’s commandments. The people had lost faith in his return - and in God. They built a golden calf to worship and began sacrificing animals to it.

God had just led them out of Egypt, saved them from Pharoh’s army and provided for all their needs. Yet just a little delay in Moses’ return, and they reverted back to their old idol-worshiping ways.

It’s not surprising that God was angry when He saw what they had done. But why did He use the phrase ‘stiffnecked people’? And why is that same phrase (the Hebrew word is kashe-oref - kashe: hard; oref: scruff of the neck) repeated again in Deuteronomy 9: 13 and 14? After all, God didn’t rail against their stiff shoulders, stiff arms or stiff legs.

What’s so important about that particular part of our anatomy - that God should make specific mention of it in His anger?

Take a moment to think about where your neck is located and what function it plays in your life.

Your neck is the vital connecting corridor between the most important parts of your body, your head and your torso. These are two parts of you that are absolutely necessary for you to survive as a living human being.

A surgeon will tell you that there are as many distinct structures in your neck as in all the rest of your body. Air, food, nerve pathways and life- sustaining fluids such as blood and lymph have to pass through this narrow region of your body. And because the structures of your neck are packed so closely together, they require an absolute minimum of excess tension to function at their best.

Clearly its important for your general well being that your neck freely allows what might be called efficient ‘biological connections’ between your head and torso. But its condition also has a huge impact on the ‘mechanics’ of your functioning: your posture, coordination and your ability to move efficiently.

Your head weighs between 10-12 pounds and it is poised at the very top of your neck. I often hand my new Alexander Technique(1) students a sack filled with 12 pounds of sugar and ask them to hold it in their arms for a few moments to get an idea of what this feels like. Most are amazed that they’re carrying so much weight on top of the necks.

If your head is lightly balanced on top of your neck, very little muscular effort is needed to keep it there. But if that balance is compromised, you’re going to have to hold it up with a lot of muscular effort. In other words, you’ll have to stiffen your neck to keep it from falling forward, or to one side.

And if your neck is stiffened, that tightness will cause compensatory tightening throughout the rest of your body, harming your ability to move freely and efficiently - not to mention restricting your breathing, putting pressure on your internal organs, etc.

Think for a moment of people you know who have stiff necks. Watch how they sit, stand and move and you’ll see what I mean. Chances are they move comparatively stiffly and awkwardly.

And then think of how they adjust to changing circumstances in general and how flexible they are in their thinking. Very likely you?ll notice a certain mental rigidity that mirrors their physical stiffness. (It is for good reason that the word ‘stiffnecked’ is often translated in the Bible as ‘stubborn’.)

If we are indeed made in God’s image, then it stands to reason that He would be displeased when we would take poor care of ourselves. Stiffening our necks is one of the quickest and surest ways to do just that.

And learning how to release undue tension in our necks is one of the best things we can do to improve our overall functioning.

Alternative Healing What Nobody Understands

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:54 -0800

Natural Hygiene Practitioners, as indicated by their writings and actions, do not understand Natural Hygiene. As the evidence indicated herein will show, those Natural Hygiene Practitioners whom we all know or those about whom we read or hear, do not know, understand or practice Natural Hygiene.

There will not be any attempt herein, to embarrass anyone. They will be described by their own words or by their obituaries. There are others about whom there will be no attempt to embarrass or describe herein because information about them is confidential and will be kept confidential.

Cited and described herein, in their misunderstanding of Natural Hygiene, in alphabetical order are Drs. Burton, Cinque, Cridland, Cursio, Evans, Fuhrman, Goldhammer, Gross, Mega, Scott, Shelton and Telmar, and the lay people, Hannah Allen, R.J. Cheatham, Joy Gross, James Lennon, Bernarr McFadden and Nathan Pritikin.

Quoted herein in a correct understanding of Natural Hygiene are Drs. Dewey, Nichols, Shelton and Vetrano and lay people, Hereward Carrington, Frieda Ireland and Louise Mollot.

In Natural Hygiene, we know the following:

All disease is self-limited. If the disease is suppressed by whatever means, one either accomodates to it or dies.

No drug is ever indicated for the treatment of any pain, discomfort or illness. Drugs kill!

Dr. Viviana V. Vetrano, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, writes, “Drugs may appear negligible risks at the moment but drugs build chronic and irreversible problems."…“The use of a drug is never ‘proper’ to the body.”

“Drugs only suppress the body’s efforts at healing itself and maintaining its normal condition."…“Drugs must be eliminated from the body since they can’t be metabolized, thus causing an expenditure of vitality. Drugs damage every part of the body with which they come in contact.”

Dr. Herbert Shelton, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, wrote, “Drugs annul bodily functions and impair its structures, suppressing the power to feel, or its awareness of its diseased condition and that diverts the organic attention from the normal processes of life to the task of expelling the chemical. Drugs must always and inevitably tend in the direction of death.”

Nothing in the world has the power to restore health but the affected organism itself."…“There is no recovery where cause is not removed."…“Drugs and surgical cures remove effects; cause is ignored. With surgery, pathological products and affected organs are removed instead of cause.”

“Neither possession nor restoration of health can flow from any extraneous chemical agency, but always and inflexibly comes from the maintenance and restoration of the necessary conditions, and these are connected with normal elements of living.”

“Recuperation and recovery are never the results of medicine or of the cause of disease, but are always the results of the operations of the processes of life and the conditions that maintain health. Drugs serve only to occasion morbid changes in the functions and structures of the body and this can never result in health. To produce disease is not to restore health. To damage the structures and impair the functions of the organism does not restore structural integrity and functional efficiency.”

“We should not alleviate or suppress the symptoms of disease. When a remedy is used, the body’s energy is redirected toward dealing with the new problem, the remedy, and away from the original problem, the toxins that prompted the body to institute the disease process. If our bodies have accumulated toxins that must be gotten rid of, we often must suffer to some extent while the body purifies itself.”

“Disease does not produce any radical change in the living organism, so that what it does not need and cannot use in a state of health, it does not need and cannot use, in a state of illness. In sickness the powers of life are impaired, not radically altered.”

“We should do nothing to a sick person that we would not do to a healthy one. Treat the ailing individual with a gentleness to match his or her lack of vigor. The weaker the patient, the greater the need to do nothing.”

“The true nature of disease - that it itself is a curing process - and, as such, cannot possibly be cured!"…“Disease is vital action in relation to things abnormal… Health is vital action in relation to things normal.”

Hereward Carrington wrote, “For what are drugs supposed to do? Obviously, to ‘cure’ the disease: with that object they are administered, and for that reason they are taken. But this whole theory is based upon the idea that a disease is a thing that can be attacked, or driven out, or suppressed or subdued, or in some way affected by the drug; but the disease is in reality not an entity at all; that it is not, in fact, what we must fight or combat, but that it is ITSELF the process of purification-of ‘getting well’.”

“The medication is far worse than the original malady! This is, as a matter of fact, actually the case. For, whereas the diseased condition is, in itself, a simple condition - an attempt at cure - the latter is a deep-seated, positive and dangerous entity, a poison or substance calling for active and positive hygienic treatment, in order to remove it and effect a cure.”

“Nature does not cure in that way. Her efforts at cure are not chemical changes, but vital tendency. The method of cure adopted by Nature is one and constant - it is a vital process \ as distinct from a chemical one.”

“Drugs as commonly administered, tend to suppress symptoms rather than to remove the causes. If any set of symptoms arises, a drug is administered, and the symptoms subside - and the drug is administered with the precise and definite object in view of causing such cessation of symptoms. It is, in fact, commonly supposed to be the real ‘cure’. But a real cure is based upon altogether different principles. It should be remembered that symptoms are SUCH only, and are not the real disease - the cause - which must itself be removed, if any true cure is to follow.”

“Suppression of symptoms, such as that afforded by drugs, is by no means a true cure, since the cause is not removed; the symptoms are not the disease, but the evidences of such, and should not be removed or suppressed, so can only encourage the faith of the patient in spurious ‘cures’ and divert his mind from all true methods of regaining his health.”

Louise Mollot writes, “Drugs drain the Vital Life Force. Drugs actually damage cells, especially nerves, so that their function is decreased. The Vital Force can never be regained, yet the causes of the diseases have never been removed, therefore remain to cause the symptoms to continue. By suppressing the symptoms, we counter the body’s efforts to discharge the disease-producing toxins.”

In Chet Day’s “Health and Beyond”, the March 1, 1995 issue, Dr. Ralph Cinque, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, incorrectly writes that giving drugs to patients is proper.

Dr. Cinque is the President of the International Association of Professional Natural Hygienists. Dr. Cinque writes that “I do believe that sometimes there may be a lesser evil in taking a drug than enduring a problem. An example would be antibiotics."…“But there is such a thing as a fulminating infection that is spiraling out of control and overwhelming the individual. Medical intervention is justified in such cases.” …“An abscess needs to be opened and drained. A skin cancer should be excised. A person with pernicious anemia may need to be injected with vitamin B12. Serious cases of asthma may require emergency medical treatment. There are instances when people genuinely need antibiotics."…“The body may have a tumorous obstruction that it cannot resolve itself and surgery is indicated. The body may have an irreversible deficiency of a natural secretion, such as insulin in juvenile diabetes, and therefore hormone replacement is indicated.”

Dr. Ronald Cridland, M.D., Natural Hygiene Practitioner, has written a new introduction to Dr. Shelton’s “Natural Hygiene: The Pristine Way of Life”. In it, he addresses some of the exceptions in which medical intervention may be warranted. Dr. Cridland writes that “Sometimes medication is useful when the stress and enervation of the symptom would be more harmful to the patient than the potential stress from side effects of the medication.” “Contagion can exist among susceptible individuals if they are exposed to large enough quantities of microorganisms.” He writes that when the body is “unable to overcome cancer”, then we should treat the cancer with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy “to buy the body a bit of time to heal.” He writes that people who have been injured should not fast because healing is slower during a fast. He writes of his consulting with “a 57 year old carpenter with a 15 month history of evening fevers and sweats” and that “there was no evidence that delaying the antibiotic treatment had any detrimental effects.” This carpenter was referred by him to a cardiologist who treated the carpenter with a four week course of antibiotics. He writes that “there are times when the stresses of the symptoms are worse, perhaps, than the stresses of the side effects of the treatment. There are situations, medically and surgically, where intervention will be in the patient’s best interest, perhaps to reduce symptoms that are interfering with the healing process. For example, somebody breaks a leg, and they can’t sleep because of the pain, and they can’t relax because of the pain. If they are finding the pain so stressful that it is interfering with their ability to heal, a painkiller-for a short period of time, with no delusion that it is healing them-would enable them to relax and sleep so that they could heal better.”

Dr. Alan Goldhammer, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, writes that “there are situations that arise that make the use of drugs a consideration. Thyroid and insulin replacement therapy are well known examples”…“there are situations where antibiotic therapy may be advisable.” He writes that if people are to get off their medication, M.D.s “are in a good position to evaluate the appropriateness of various medical treatments.”

Dr. Alan M. Immerman, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, writes that drugs cure “pneumonia and other infections."…“Infections are sometimes so severe that antibiotics are needed."…“There are cases when drugs are useful."…“take drugs when the intensity of the cleansing process is too great. For instance, a child with severe diarrhea lasting for more than two days can become dehydrated and die without drugs. An elderly patient with a severe cough from pneumonia could also die without drugs.”

Dr. Ralph Cinque considers Dr. Alec Burton, the greatest living Natural Hygiene Practitioner. Dr. Burton writes that if a person has remedial surgery, that person is forced to take a course of antibiotics afterwards. Dr. Burton writes that “any means that are available that are not going to be too threatening or invasive are probably legitimate to relieve the pain.” Dr. Burton writes that in order to relieve the patient’s pain, you can use manipulation, hot and cold packs or gentle stroking.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., Natural Hygiene Practitioner, prescribes Valium and other drugs for his patients. He writes that when he fasts patients who have been taking drugs, he continues the patients on drugs. He progressively lowers the amount of drugs they take, as the patient continues to fast.

Dr. Doug Evans, Natural Hygiene Practitioner writes that “Antiarrhythmic drugs such as Quinidine are usually effective” in tachycardia [rapid heart action]. He writes that oxygen is effective in saving a patient’s life who has a history of severe tachycardia and who has tachycardia during a fast.

James Michael Lennon, Executive Director of the American Natural Hygiene Society, writes that Natural Hygiene Doctors use non-hygienic therapy “to give temporary relief from pain or other suffering.”

The International Association of Professional Natural Hygienists has indicated in their “Standards of Practice” that “medication in some conditions, and other techniques of emergency medicine may be necessary.”

Joy Gross, Natural Hygiene writer, director of the famous fasting institution, Pawling Health Manor in N.Y., and ex-wife of the late Dr. Robert Gross, had an accident and writes that she had to take medication to get emergency relief. Her emergency relief was intravenous feeding, blood transfusion, catheter and drugs.

Nobody lives and thinks correctly. Everyone becomes ill in some form or other, during their lives. The fatal crime that those who die prematurely commit, is to do the wrong thing when they become ill. Natural Hygiene Practitioners do the wrong things for themselves, their families and loved ones and/or for their patients, when they become ill.

The late Dr. Herbert Shelton, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, neglected to take care of himself healthfully, by his lifestyle, by constantly writing and sleeping very little. He enervated himself severely thereby and developed and suffered with and grew progressively worse with Parkinson’s Disease for many, many years. He did not know how to help his Parkinson’s Disease. He had no relief of his Parkinsonian symptoms or pathology until he died of such.

The late Dr. Christopher Gian-Cursio, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, corrected his cardiac valvular defects after some long fasts, when he was younger. He was harassed for many years by law enforcement authorities for his Natural Hygienic practices helping patients throughout the U.S.. The prosecutors charged him with the illegal practice of medicine. His lifestyle and constant air travel to fly to his lectures and patients to pay for his exorbitant legal fees, severely enervated him. He became ill and neglected to take care of his health problems. He died at age 75, of congestive heart failure with concomitant multiple varicose ulcers on both legs.

The late Dr. Robert Gross, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, died after receiving chemotherapy and radiation for his pancreatic cancer and brain cancer.

The late Dr. John J. Mega, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, died after receiving surgery and chemotherapy for his stomach cancer.

The late Dr. Marvin Telmar, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, died after not knowing how to help his bronchial pneumonia and meningitis.

The late Hannah Allen, who wrote some great natural hygienic literature, contended that “it is indisputable that sometimes they [drugs] are necessary and the ’lesser evil.’…“sometimes even antibiotics can be the ’lesser evil’.”

Frieda Ireland writes that Hannah Allen developed cancer and spent a whole summer at Dr. Scott’s fasting institution with no help for her cancer. Allen arrived home in September. Allen opted for chemotherapy to “buy the body a bit of time to heal.” The chemotherapy damaged Allen’s brain so much that her “bit of time to heal” was spent in a 24-hour care nursing facility for the last 6 or 7 months before she died.

R.J. Cheatham, director of the famous fasting institution, Shangri La in Florida, died after taking chemotherapy for his cancer of the colon.

Nathan Pritikin, director of the Pritikin Institute, a natural health rehabilitation center, died after committing suicide. He was despondent because he did not know how to help his Chronic Leukemia. He had been taking chemotherapy for his Leukemia, for many years.

Bernarr McFadden, founder of the physical culture movement, died in a hospital, after undergoing treatment with drugs.

If Natural Hygiene Practitioners advise their unknowledgeable patients incorrectly, this could be dangerous.

The danger is that some patients who consult with Natural Hygiene Practitioners will unfortunately consent to have destructive drugs, surgery, etc. inflicted upon them, when they are in desperate circumstances.

Natural Hygiene always works! If a patient who is under Natural Hygiene care does not respond satisfactorily to Natural Hygiene, then the Natural Hygiene Practitioner and/or the patient should learn more about Natural Hygiene and not irrationally use non-Natural Hygienic procedures.

I have practiced Natural Hygiene for over 40 years. I have cared for tens of thousands of patients with Natural Hygiene and fasting. These patients had all kinds of so called “incurable” conditions and all of these patients responded satisfactorily to Natural Hygiene exclusively. I never had to suggest to any of these patients, that they should take drugs, surgery or any other non- Natural Hygienic treatments.

I am no more intelligent nor better than anyone else in the Natural Hygiene movement. The reason I always succeeded in helping patients with Natural Hygiene, was that I knew and still know, that Natural Hygiene always works, and therefore employed Natural Hygiene exclusively!

If any Natural Hygiene Practitioners choose to challenge me or want my aid to help them with their patients, using Natural Hygiene exclusively, then these Natural Hygiene Practitioners can contact me. I will explain, show and demonstrate to them that Natural Hygiene will always work in helping their patients.

Most Natural Hygiene Practitioners and most of those in the Natural Hygiene movement wrongly believe that all there is to Natural Hygiene is a vegetarian diet and fasting.

If someone, who was a stranger to Natural Hygiene, was to visit a Natural Hygiene convention, seminar or meeting, that stranger would get disenchanted with Natural Hygiene and its advocates. That stranger would view, meet and interact with some of the unhealthiest looking people in the world. If a stranger were to view, meet and interact with the personal families of Natural Hygiene Practitioners, that stranger would see very unhealthy people. That stranger would rightfully think and rightfully conclude that, if Natural Hygiene works, why do these Natural Hygienists appear to be so unhealthy.

These unhealthy looking Natural Hygienists appear to be so unhealthy because they do not understand Natural Hygiene. They, therefore, live unhealthfully which causes their unhealthful appearance.

Natural Hygiene consists of correct thinking and correct living. Natural Hygienists should sleep all they can, meditate, maintain emotional poise, love, forgive and tolerate all other living beings, harm no other living beings, be aware, sunbathe, airbathe, exercise vigorously and regularly, avoid incorrect overindulgence in sex, be free of toxins, eat natural, unprocessed foods, raw or cooked as little as possible, to minimize digestive stress and conserve digestive energy, fast whenever ill and drink distilled water and to also correct all physical, mental and spiritual dysfunctions.

Dr. Cinque, in “Health and Beyond”, incorrectly writes that Dr. Alec Burton’s use of sunscreen when Dr. Burton is exposed to the Australia sunshine, is the right procedure.

If Drs. Burton and Cinque choose to expose their nude skins to the sunshine, all they need do is pay attention to their bodies. Our bodies are always talking to us and we must learn to listen. If the sunshine is going to be harmful to us, our bodies will feel uncomfortable in the sunshine. This will force us to withdraw our bodies from the sunshine before the sunshine can injure us.

Anything that blocks sunshine from penetrating the skin will reduce the amount of vitamin D that the body makes.

Sunscreen may actually increase the risk of cancer, so proposed California researchers in a paper published in January, 1993, in the Annals of Epidemiology. The researchers contended that UVB- blocking sunscreens had contributed to increasing skin-cancer rates, by disabling the body’s natural alarm mechanism: sunburn. The researchers also posited that because UVB rays are the main source of vitamin D, and because vitamin D may inhibit the progression of melanoma, and because sunscreens block UVB rays- sunscreens may promote vitamin D deficiencies and cause melanomas. [UVB is the shorter wavelength of ultraviolet light that damages the skin. UVA is the longer of the two types of ultraviolet light that reaches the earth. UVA is responsible for tanning.]

Dr. Ralph Cinque, in “Health and Beyond” incorrectly writes that keeping his eyes closed while fasting would be torture to him. Dr. Cinque favors, during fasting, diversionary activities, such as reading, conversing and listening to music.

Dr. D.J. Scott, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, writes that he lets his patients, while they are fasting, read books and listen to music or the radio. This is incorrect procedure.

Dr. Robert Sniadach, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, in “Health and Beyond”, incorrectly writes that when people fast, they can take “very mild, short walks and/or movements, just to keep lymphatic fluid moving, to keep the vascular system working into areas where blood or lymphatic fluid may be pooling and somewhat stagnant."…“I think there’s definitely room for mild activity.”

If you are sick, to get well, close your eyes and keep them closed, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, i.e. every moment you can!

Closing the eyes rests the brain and mind. An electric rhythm starts as soon as the eyes are closed and ceases immediately when they are opened. This rhythm serves to clear “negative charges” from the brain. Activity of the eyes prevents recuperation from occurring.

When your eyes are closed and you are at complete rest, bodily energies rejuvenate, cells replenish, tissues repair and organs refresh themselves and are made ready for renewed activity.

When you are sick, you are greatly devitalized and enervated from overactivity, excesses, stimulation and emotional excitement. Close your eyes and keep them closed, to completely rest every part of your body.

Animals and babies instinctively know they must close their eyes to feel better.

The most common, difficult to manage diseases, are often related to a sleep deficiency. If you are sick or tired, you have a sleep deficiency. Healing takes place when you are asleep or your eyes are closed. If you are sick, you have a deficiency of healing, therefore, a deficiency of sleep.

The body makes the healing of a bone a priority, as opposed to doing other things that are not quite as important. With additional sleep, and/or closing your eyes, the healing process will be better and faster. If you are unwell because of an injury, the more sleep and/or closing your eyes, the quicker you will heal. It does not matter what your health problem is or what causes it, whether it is because of lifestyle abuse or external trauma. You need more sleep and/or closing your eyes. That is the most important thing you can do to make you well.

Vital energy is produced by the blessed elixir of sleep and/or closing your eyes. Sleep and/or closing your eyes are nature’s great restorative healing processes.

Vital energy is used up by all the activities of life. Vital energy is used up by physical activity, by talking, by digestion, by emotions, by thinking, by seeing, by hearing, by smelling and by sex.

After activity, the brain grows weary and the physical demand for sleep and/or closing the eyes is great. Nerve cell fatigue or exhaustion is deep seated and much time is required to recover. It is the lowering of vital energy in the nerve cells which leads to physical and mental trouble. Carried to an extreme, it leads to a “nervous breakdown”. Close your eyes to replenish your nerve cells and your nerves will get better and feel better.

The actual storing up of the energy reserves or the energy sources of the body takes place during rest. Activity expends and rest restores the bodily resources. The more the body is stimulated, the sooner it completely collapses. The weaker the body, the less it is able to withstand the action of stimulants. The weaker the body, the greater the necessity of “doing nothing” intelligently, just closing your eyes.

When you close your eyes and pain, discomfort or depression prevents you from sleeping, keep your eyes closed, until the pain, discomfort or depression leaves. Concentrate, meditate, feel, think on the pain, discomfort or depression as intensely as you can. As long as you continue to do this, you will awaken just as refreshed as if you slept for that same period of time as when your eyes were closed.

Your brain and body are always talking to you and you must learn to listen and do what they tell you to do. To better listen to your brain and body, you can concentrate best, if you keep your eyes closed.

To heal yourself of disease, you should rest your brain and body, by keeping your eyes closed. Every activity of your eyes depletes your vitality and inhibits restoration of your health.

In every moment of your 24 hours, keep your eyes closed, just like dogs, cats and other pets do, and open your eyes only to satisfy your needs, whether your needs be biological, physical, social, economic or spiritual.

When you are sick, lie down, keep your body inactive, keep your eyes closed and concentrate, meditate, think on, keep your mind on your pain and discomfort, until your pain and distress completely disappear.

All fasting doctors and practitioners who personally fast their own bodies, who supervise patients who fast and all people who fast themselves, all make the same mistake. They do not keep their eyes closed every moment of the 24 hours, every day that they fast.

Many of our fasting doctors and practitioners and authorities have died prematurely because they did not know how to properly fast. They fasted and expended vital nerve energy unnecessarily by keeping their eyes open and were unnecessarily active during their respective fasts.

Many of these fasting doctors and practitioners wrote and lectured eloquently about fasting, but they never really understood why, when and how to apply fasting. George Bernard Shaw wrote: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

The purpose of a fast is to completely rest the body, not to just eliminate toxins nor to just rest the digestive tract. The purpose of fasting is to conserve vital energy and to replenish vital energy. Every moment you fast and that you simultaneously open your eyes, you are preventing yourself from getting healed as rapidly and as well as possible. You are wasting vital energy when you open your eyes. Every bit of vital energy is needed by sick persons to recover their health.

During a fast, you must have total rest. You can only accomplish total rest by keeping your eyes closed.

Dr. Herbert Shelton wrote that the person who fasts should “rest-mentally, sensorially and physically, while he is resting physiologically.”

“Nature prostrates the patient."…“She preserves energy by limiting its dissipation. The energy thus saved is available for use in the temporarily more important work of healing. If we are wise we will take our cue from nature and conserve our energies, while fasting, by curbing their expenditures. I favor the plan of putting the patient to bed. I am sure that better and quicker results are thus obtained. Nature puts her hibernating animal to bed and sleep.”

“Observations made during the fasts of Succi and others show that the body wastes less rapidly when the patient is kept warm and at rest. Rest conserves the body’s energies and substances and hastens the healing. I agree with Purinton, who says in his “Philosophy of Fasting’, ‘Not an ounce of energy shall be dissipated during the extreme fast. This means loafing, resting, lazying along and not caring.’ The best place for the faster is in bed. Talking, laughing, listening to the radio and viewing and listening to television prevent genuine rest."…“A newspaper or a novel may be disturbing, exciting or depressing.”

“It is quite obvious that, given the same amount of nutritive reserve, the active individual will consume his internal food stores sooner than the resting individual. For this reason, if no other, the fasting patient who rests while fasting will emerge from the fast in better condition than the faster who is active during this period. At the same time, if a prolonged fast is essential, rest will enable the patient to conserve his reserves to the utmost and thus lengthen the period over which he can safely fast."…“The less physically active organism expends less of its reserves, not alone due to reduced physical work, but also, due to decreased physiological activity.”

“The more rest the sick organism receives, the more rapidly is good health restored. Rest (physical, mental and physiological) is equally important and beneficial during a fast.”

“Even reading, writing, talking, listening to the radio and similar forms of activity should be avoided as much as possible.”

“A period of rest enables an overworked body to perform work that activity prevents it from doing."…“Talking, gum chewing, reading and writing constitute drains upon the enervated and fasting organisms and should be avoided. Minimum amounts of talking, reading and writing should be indulged.

Dr. T.L. Nichols, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, wrote, “for every disease of every organ of the body, the first condition is rest- rest for stomach, rest for brain.”

Dr. Edward Hooker Dewey, Natural Hygiene Practitioner, wrote of fasting as the “rest cure”, and emphasized the urgent necessity of rest in all acute and chronic diseases.

Lie down and close your eyes, every time you can. It is the most important thing you can do to get well and stay well!

Sick or well, if you use Natural Hygiene exclusively, you will always improve your health.

Natural Hygiene always works!

Ancient Vegans Appolonius

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:54 -0800

In Philostratus’ Life of Apollonius, we have perhaps the clearest historical account of an ancient vegan in the character of Apollonius of Tyana. This article will explore Apollonius’s views on veganism and animal righton, their relation to the philosophical life of the ancients and will chronicle some of the experiences Apollonius faced in regards to his veganism.

Part 1

Apollonius, it was said, had decided early in life to undertake what he referred to as the “life of Pythagoras”, a life devoted to philosophy - chiefly to the attainment and practice of true wisdom. His decision to undertake this lifestyle is set out in a discussion with Euxenus, one of his childhood teachers. It is related that Apollonius:

… was like the young eagles who, as long as they are not fully fledged, fly alongside of their parents and are trained by them in flight, but who, as soon as they are able to rise in the air, outsoar the parent birds … like them Apollonius attended Euxenus as long as he was a child and was guided by him in the path of argument, but when he reached his sixteenth year he indulged his impulse towards the life of Pythagoras …

In addressing his teacher on his intention to pursue a greater path, Apollonius says:

“Now you live there your own life, but I will live that of Pythagoras.”

Upon which Euxenus,

realized that he [Apollonius] was attached to a lofty ideal, and asked him at what point he would begin it. Apollonius answered: “At the point at which physicians begin, for they, by purging the bowels of their patients prevent some from being ill at all, and heal others.” And having said this he declined to live upon a flesh diet, on the ground that it was unclean, and also that it made the mind gross; so he partook only of dried fruits and vegetables, for he said that all the fruits of the earth are clean.

So Apollonius, explaining how he would set about beginning the “life of Pythagoras”, the path towards true wisdom, points firstly and directly to diet. He would begin, he clearly says, by becoming vegan! Not only would Apollonius cease all consumption of animal products, he also:

… took to walking without shoes by way of adornment and clad himself in linen raiment, declining to wear any animal product; and he let his hair grow long and lived in the Temple.

Clearly, in Apollonius’ estimation, the lifestyle he associated with the great philosopher Pythagoras not only included no animal consumption, it also included abstinence from wearing animal products as well. Not only did Apollonius vow to become a dietary vegan for his own benefit; he extended his concern also to the animal’s benefit.

And they say that he declined to wear apparel made from dead animal products and, to guard his purity, abstained from all flesh diet, and from the offering of animals in sacrifice. For that he would not stain the altars with blood …

A true ancient Vegan!

The story of Apollonius continues, as he progresses in his life as a philosopher - a word that had much deeper meaning in his day than in ours, being much closer to the original meaning of “a lover of wisdom” than to our modern meaning which equates to nothing more than sophistry, devoid from the living wisdom of a Pythagoras or an Apollonius, who sought to live also the highest ethics they could conceive.

As the story moves forward Apollonius embarks on his famous journey to India, accompanied by his faithful companion Damis. His journey is an example in single-minded focus, of dedication and profound interest in truth - his sole intention being to find the wise-men rumored to live in the east, and to learn from them.

As he entered the kingdoms of western India, Apollonius was blessed to encounter a most wonderful King. Upon meeting the King, Apollonius engaged in discussion with him, asking him several questions. Among these, the philosopher could not resist, it seems, to ask about that which was so close to his heart and so fundamental to his own lifestyle.

Apollonius also asked him [the King] about his diet, and he replied: “I drink just as much wine as I pour out in libation to the Sun; and whatever I take in the chase I give to others to eat, for I am satisfied with the exercise I get. But my own meal consists of vegetables and of the pith and fruit of date palms, and of all that a well-watered garden yields in the way of fruit. And a great deal of fruit is yielded to me by the trees which I cultivate with these hands.” When Apollonius heard this, he was more than gratified, and kept glancing at Damis.

A vegan of today can, I’m sure, smile at the thought of Apollonius glancing at his companion Damis, imagining the great philosopher to be silently saying; “you see my good friend, you see, I’m not the only one!”

It is clear from the above that the King had not taken upon himself the same degree of veganism as our dear Apollonius, however. The above demonstrates that the King had not yet taken upon himself the wisdom Apollonius had in regards to the animal’s righton. In the chase (i.e. the hunt), the King would still kill animals, though he would refrain from consuming the animal products. He shows himself to be both ahead of his time and yet still a man of them, having taken, unlike Apollonius, but one step in the direction of true veganism.

However, while the King lacked, it would seem, the full open-heart of Apollonius, his lifestyle did include elements our modern Vegan health gurus would surely admire. Completing their discussion, the King

… led him [Apollonius] and his companions to where he was accustomed to bathe. And the bathing-place was a garden, a stade in length, in the middle of which was dug out a pool, which was fed by fountains of water, cold and drinkable; and on each side there were exercising places, in which he was accustomed to practice himself after the manner of the Greeks with javelin and quoit-throwing; for physically he was very robust, both because he was still young, for he was only seven-and-twenty years old, and because he trained himself in this way. And when he had had enough exercise, he would jump into the water and exercised himself in swimming. …

A dietary vegan in “robust” health, two-thousand years ago and with an exercise routine fit for our finest modern vegan athletes! Even in the previous quote, wherein the King is shown to participate in the chase, it is clear that his focus in the event is on the benefit of the exercise he gains. We have, then, a glimpse perhaps into an early 80/10/10er, two-thousand years ahead of the times.

The story relates next of the banquet thrown in the Kingdom, which, it is made clear, included much consumption of animal products. One can imagine the King, sitting with his new friend, whom he instantly came to admire, eating their fruit and their vegetables, surrounded by meat eaters. How many modern vegans can relate to this scenario? How many “banquets” have we attended wherein we stick to our fruits and veggies while others indulge themselves in meals of death?

Apollonius was on a journey, after all, and the time came to leave the kingdom. From there he moved in into the mighty Himalayas, where he did indeed find his way to the “wise men of the east”, and where he was instructed in the truths he sought.

As the story goes, Apollonius remained with the wise men for some time before returning home to Greece, where he quickly found fame for the demonstrations of his wisdom, and, it is said, of the powers that came with it.

The story proceeds through Apollonius’s life in Greece, and a time comes when the “people of Smyrna” called upon him to come to their aid.

… when the plague began to rage in Ephesus, and no remedy sufficed to check it, they sent a deputation to Apollonius, asking him to become physician of their infirmity; and he thought that he ought not to postpone his journey, but said: “Let us go.” And forthwith he was in Ephesus … He therefore called together the Ephesians, and said: “Take courage, for I will today put a stop to the course of the disease.”

A story is then related wherein Apollonius instructs the townspeople to stone to death a demon, afterwhich the plague comes to its end. It is, after all, an old story; we must expect a little embellishment or perhaps a good dose of allegory, symbolism and metaphor. Could it be though, that the newly appointed physician simply understood the cure to their ills (as well as the cause) in a way that the townspeople did not, such that they (or future historians recalling the event) could not accurately account for what he had done?

The tales of Apollonius proceed, until a time comes where he is drawn before the courts of an Emperor. Within the trial Apollonius is asked a set of questions, one of which relates to this very plague. It’s worth noting how Apollonius answers that question.

Amidst the trial, we read:

Whereupon the accuser began to bellow and spoke somewhat as follows: “’tis time, my sovereign, to apportion the water, for if you allow him to talk as long as he chooses, he will choke us. Moreover I have a roll here which contains the heads of the charges against him, and to these he must answer, so let him defend himself against them one by one.”

The Emperor approved of this plan of procedure and ordered Apollonius to make his defense according to the informer’s advice; however, he dropped out other accusations, as not worth discussion, and confined himself to four questions which he thought were embarrassing and difficult to answer.

Here proceed the questions:

“What induces you,” he said, “Apollonius, to dress yourself differently from everybody else, and to wear this peculiar and singular garb?”

“Because,” said Apollonius, “the earth which feeds me also clothes me, and I do not like to bother the poor animals.”

While modern vegans are accosted with such questioning of their motives on a regular basis, our dear Apollonius was dragged before the court of the Emperor to answer them! And yet he stood strong, answering directly that his choice is on behalf of the animals, that he gets his clothing and his food from the earth (i.e. from plants) and not from the poor animals.

The questions continued:

“Why is it that men call you a god?”

“Because,” answered Apollonius, “every man that is thought to be good, is honored by the title of god.”

Earlier, the Emperor had asked Apollonius:

“How comes it then … that you have come to regard as gods persons who are most hostile to myself?”

“And what hostility,” said Apollonius, “is there between yourself and Iarchas or Phraotes, both of them Indians and the only human beings that I regard as gods and meriting such a title?”

Phraotes was the name of the Vegan King, and Iarchas the name of the highest wiseman of the Himalayas - the great teacher Apollonius had sought. These men, it seems, were the only ones Apollonius was willing to endow with the title of ‘gods’, meaning the only two men, through all his long life and travels that he had considered to be good.

Note: Purii says that the dates given by Philostratus in his Life of Apollonius of Tyana for Apollonius’ visit to Taxila, 43–44 AD, are within the period of the reign of Gondophares I, who also went by the Parthian name, Phraotes. See Puri, “The Sakas and Indo-Parthians”.

The third question in the court, and the one I wish to highlight, is this:

“The third question related to the plague in Ephesus: “What motived,” he said, “or suggested your prediction to the Ephesians that they would suffer from a plague?””

And here we have Apollonius’s simple answer:

“I used,” he said, “O my sovereign, a lighter diet than others, and so I was the first to be sensible of the danger; and if you like, I will enumerate the causes of pestilences.”

He used a lighter diet than others, so he was the first to see the danger - i.e. the first to recognize that they were heading for a plague! And Apollonius, in answering this question offers to explain to the king, the true causes of pestiences.

But the Emperor, fearful, I imagine, lest Apollonius should reckon among the causes of such epidemics his own wrong-doing, and his incestuous marriage, and his other misdemeanors, replied: “Oh, I do not want any such answers as that.”

Oh, I do not want any such answers as that , he says, without considering what those answers might be. Here we have a pure vegan, a philosopher, who immediately credits his ability to foresee the plague to his “lighter diet”, who equates veganism with the very first step on the path to wisdom, willing to explain all the causes of pestilence, disease, plague - and we have the Emperor, simply not wanting to hear it.

How clearly this reflects the difficulties faced by vegans in today’s world. How clearly vegans have come to see the causes of our modern disease, and how little others will listen, even if they be ’emperors’. How clearly we see the benefits of veganism, and yet, like Apollonius before us, we may wander for ages and hardly come across one or maybe two “good men” (or women!), whom we would happily call gods among humanity!

“Veganism is a new invention,” our modern ‘Emperors’ tell us. “Veganism is just a new age phenomenon; a new craze that will pass like all others.”

On the contrary, we can respond. Veganism has had its defenders and practitioners for centuries, back, at the very least over two-thousand years in our past, where a vegan was once brought before the court of the Emperor, who in the style of meat eaters world-wide refused to hear the truths he would speak.

Part 2

It is seen through his biography that Apollonius was chiefly brought before the Emperor on trumped up charges, due most likely to his opposition to the tyranny in the land imposed in part by the Emperor and, perhaps in greater part, by those he refers to as “miscreants”, his accuser included. The questions on diet and lifestyle brought to him were due, it would seem, to the prosecutor’s tactic of defamation, which did not have the results he’d intended.

Following the questions posed to Apollonius and his replies, the story continues straight to the Emperor’s verdict …

[the] Emperor … deeming the audience to have borne witness in favor of the accused, and also not a little impressed himself by the answers he had received, for they were both firm and sensible, said: “I acquit you of the charges; but you must remain here until we have had a private interview.”

Credit to the Emperor for siding with reason in this instance. Apollonius seems to have disliked this idea of a “private interview”, though (being acquitted, but not allowed to leave seemed to have not suited him), and thus he opted to use his opportunity to speak before the court of the Emperor:

Thereat Apollonius was much encouraged and said: “I thank you indeed, my sovereign, but I would fain tell you that by reason of these miscreants your cities are in ruin, and the islands full of exiles, and the mainland of lamentations, and your armies of cowardice, and the Senate of suspicion. Accord me also, if you will, opportunity to speak;* but if not, then send someone to take my body, for my soul you cannot take. …

[Note: the “opportunity to speak” refers to a speech Apollonius had prepared (presumably between his questioning and the Emperor’s verdict), of which (according to his biographer) he was not given a chance to orate. However, the conclusion of his biographer seems unwarranted, as the speech itself, included fully in the biography, is written in such a way that Apollonius is made to have been interrupted in one moment by his accuser and to have responded to the Emperor in at least one instance. It reads more as a live-defense made orally, rather than as a prepared speech.]

We see another side of Apollonius here, and another measure of his greatness. Given the opportunity, he spoke out directly and firmly against tyranny, unapologetically and with truth and argument as his weapons.

Following these words, Apollonius concluded:

Nay, you cannot take even my body, … And with these words he vanished from the court…

He is said to have literally disappeared from court. After all, as we know, modern day vegans have superpowers too! ;)

It’s worthwhile, for those interested in the history of non-violence and civil-disobedience to read fully the contents of this speech (contained in [Book VIII, Chapter VII](http://www.sacred- texts.com/cla/aot/laot/laot41.htm)). The speech has a characteristically “Gandhian” flavor to it, with a noble tolerance and civility in the face of tyranny but a firmness in opposition to it. A few selections are made here, in direct relation to veganism and animal righton.

But without descending to such silly arguments, I would like to ask the accuser which of his counts I ought to take first. And yet why need I ask him? for at the beginning of his speech he dwelt upon my dress, and by Zeus, upon what I eat and what I do not eat. O divine Pythagoras, do thou defend me upon these counts; for we are put upon our trial for a rule of life of which thou wast the discoverer, and of which I am the humble partisan. For the earth, my prince, grows everything for mankind; and those who are pleased to live at peace with the brute creation want nothing, for some fruits they can cull from earth, others they win from her furrows, for she is the nurse of men, as suits the seasons; but these men, as it were, deaf to the cries of mother earth, whet their knife against her children in order to get themselves dress and food. Here then is something which the Brahmans of India themselves condemned, and which they taught the naked sages of Egypt also to condemn; and from them Pythagoras took his rule of life, and he was the first of Hellenes who had intercourse with the Egyptians. And it was his rule to give up and leave her animals to the earth; but all things which she grows, he declared, were pure and undefiled, and ate of them accordingly, because they were best adapted to nourish both body and soul.

Herein we have the ancient history of veganism from the mouth of one of its learned members. The lifestyle he lived, of pure veganism, non-violence and respect of animal righton, he says, began in India, with the Brahmans (the noble class of ancient India), from which it was taught to the ancient Egyptians, then to Pythagoras and down through history until Apollonius’s own time (nearly 600 years after Pythagoras lived!). Veganism, according to Apollonius, has existed since time immemorial, and had been taught continuously for at minimum 7 centuries before his own era!

What we hear from Apollonius in his speech is exactly what we hear from modern vegans: fruit and vegetables are all we need – and not only all we need, but the best, the healthiest foods possible, provided for us directly from Mother Earth herself, with no harm necessary to sentient beings.

Continuing on the subject of veganism and the treatment of animals, Apollonius says:

But the garments which most men wear made of the hides of dead animals, he [Pythagoras] declared to be impure; and accordingly clad himself in linen, and on the same principles had his shoes woven of byblus. … I have then told you who was the begetter of my own wisdom, and I have shown that it is no discovery of my own, but an inheritance come to me from another.

And as for myself though I do not condemn or judge those who make it part of their luxury to consume the red-plumaged bird, or the fowls from Phasis or the land of the Paeones, which are fattened up for their banquets by those who can deny nothing to their bellies, and though I have never yet brought an accusation against anyone, because they buy fish for their tables at greater prices than grand seigneurs ever gave for their Corinthian chargers, and though I have never grudged anyone his purple garment nor his soft raiment and Pamphylian tissues—yet I am accused and put upon my trial, O ye gods, because I indulge in asphodel and dessert of dried fruits and pure delicacies of that kind.

A peaceful, non-violent vegan, drawn to fight for his beliefs and to make his case against those who consume animals, not by his own desire, but because they brought the fight to him, because they insisted on drawing him into the argument. And with his sense of duty strong, Apollonius was certainly up to the task!

How many times do we see this throughout human history? Those great men and women, who would rather live a quite, peaceful, non-violent life, who find themselves dragged into the conflicts of the day, into noble fights they did not ask for but were perhaps meant to fight. Fit to the challenge he finds before him, Apollonius continues:

And yet apart from my contention about the use of living animals and lifeless things, according as he uses one or the other of which I regard a man as impure or pure, in what way is linen better than wool? Was not the latter taken from the back of the gentlest of animals, of a creature beloved of the gods? … On the other hand linen is grown and sown anywhere, and there is no talk of gold in connection with it. Nevertheless, because it is not plucked from the back of a living animal, the Indians regard it as pure, and so do the Egyptians, and I myself and Pythagoras on this account have adopted it as our garb …

Now the charges leveled against Apollonius are quite absurd by today’s standards, among them being the charge that he was a god, or at least was imitating one (it is interesting to reflect on his own definition of that term, explained in part I). The chief accusation, however, was that he had performed a human sacrifice, as this, logically (reasoned his accuser), was the only way to gain foresight of the coming plague of which he then interceded on behalf of the people and their health.

Addressing this last charge, Apollonius explains:

In the act of the accusation, my prince, a regular dirge is chanted over an Arcadian boy, whom I am accused of having cut up by night, perhaps in a dream, for I am sure I do not know. … They pretend that I massacred him in spite of his entreaties and lamentations, and that after thus imbruing my hands in the blood of this child I prayed the gods to reveal the truth to me. … Need I say, O my prince, it is defiling even to listen to such stuff?

Apollonius’s defense reveals his true colors:

… my defense … shall set the truth before you. In all my actions I have at heart the salvation of mankind, yet I have never offered a sacrifice in their behalf, nor will I ever sacrifice anything, nor touch sacrifices in which there is blood, nor offer any prayer with my eyes fixed upon a knife or the kind of sacrifice that he [the accuser] means.

It is ironic that a vegan, so wholly and unabashedly opposed to committing any harm against any animal life should be accused of committing human sacrifice! Though he does provide more tangible evidence against his charges, Apollonius’s first call to defense is his veganism. I have not, he says, I will not and could not do such a thing! Once again, this ancient sage demonstrates what it truly is to be vegan, holding true to his convictions. As another vegan recently said, in regards to this story, “We are in very good company with this way of life”!

The complete biography of Apollonius of Tyana is a wonderful tale, full of philosophical insight, mysticism and wonder. The above article culls out selections related directly to veganism and animal righton, but full context can only be found by reading the complete work.

It is available online here: Philostratus’s Life of Apollonius.

There is also an interesting, if potentially controversial, book written by G.R.S. Mead called Apollonius of Tyana, that some may be interested in. If nothing else, it will provide greater context for the biographical story.

Ancient Vegans Porphyry

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:54 -0800

As a continuation of our series on ancient vegans, we’ll attempt here to take into consideration Porphyry’s essay On Abstinence from Animal Food, written in the third century CE, and translated into English by Thomas Taylor in 1823. A full pdf of the essay is provided here.

Porphyry (234-305 CE), the student of Plotinus, and elder contemporary of Iamblichus, plays a central role in the Neoplatonism of the early centuries CE. He is perhaps best known for his compilation of his teacher’s works, which are today known as the Enneads , but he was also a voluminous writer in his own right. Among his writings is the famous Life of Pythagoras , from which we gain many insights into the way of life prescribed by that great philosopher, which we touched on in our article on Apollonius of Tyana. It was this way of life that influenced Porphyry and other Neoplatonists in their adoption of a diet including no animal foods. Porphyry’s strong position on animal rights and veganism is demonstrated aptly in the following quote:

… to deliver animals to be slaughtered and cooked, and thus be filled with murder, not for the sake of nutriment and satisfying the wants of nature, but making pleasure and gluttony the end of such conduct, is transcendently iniquitous and dire.

In his essay on abstinence from animal foods Porphyry takes on several key arguments brought against veganism and animal rights with in-depth and beautifully reasoned responses. The work is composed as a letter to a friend, and former vegan, who had returned to the consumption of animal products, from which Porphyry attempts to “disclose his friend’s errors”. However, the essay is clearly written with other readers in mind, being addressed to all philosophers and to “those who have arranged their life conformably to truth”.

The essay runs to almost 60,000 words, dedicated primarily to the defense of animal rights from the standpoint of Neoplatonic and Pythagorean philosophy. It is, therefore, one of, if not the most complete and exhaustive treatise on this subject predating the 20th century, and yet, sadly, it remains largely overlooked.

We will divide our treatment of this essay into five parts:

Part 1: The Opponents of Veganism

Porphyry’s essay opens with an address to his friend:

Hearing from some of our acquaintance, O Firmus, that you, having rejected a fleshless diet, have again returned to animal food, at first I did not credit the report, when I considered your temperance, and the reverence which you have been taught to pay to those ancient and pious men from whom we have received the precepts of philosophy. But when others who came after these confirmed this report, it appeared to me that it would be too rustic and remote from the rational method of persuasion to reprehend you . . . I have therefore thought it worthy of the friendship which subsists between us, and also adapted to those who have arranged their life conformably to truth, to disclose your errors through a confutation derived from an argumentative discussion.

Like so many vegans and vegetarians, our philosopher is confronted with a friend who has decided to forgo a “fleshless diet” and to fall back into the consumption of animal products. Holding himself up to the high standards of both the philosopher and the vegan, Porphyry takes it upon himself to show his friend the error in his ways through logic and rational argument.

What we also find in this opening statement is the hint that the vegan lifestyle Porphyry enjoyed came to him (and to his friend, Firmus) through the precepts of the philosophy of “ancient and pious men”. This is a recognition that is not unique to Porphyry, as in previous blogs we have established the existence of veganism among the philosophers of more than one Greek school of philosophy, existing many centuries before the time of this essay. In fact, Porphyry devotes considerable space in his essay to the history of both veganism and animal consumption, which we’ll explore in part 5.

Porphyry continues to address his friend:

For when I considered with myself what could be the cause of this alteration in your diet, I could by no means suppose that it was for the sake of health and strength, as the vulgar and idiots would say; since, on the contrary, you yourself, when you were with us, confessed that a fleshless diet contributed both to health and to the proper endurance of philosophic labours; and experience testifies, that in saying this you spoke the truth.

This might as well be from the mouth of a modern vegan, and not an ancient philosopher, as today we are constantly confronted by the same “vulgar and idiots” who in their ignorance insist that the consumption of animal products is the only way to gain strength and health. Porphyry echoes the truth that all long-term vegans come to recognize - that a vegan lifestyle leads “both to health and to the proper endurance of philosophic labours”, (i.e. contributes both to physical and mental health). Thus we see that this debate - of whether or not veganism is healthy - which may seem amplified in our age, has been with us for many long centuries.

With apparent difficulty in understanding his friend’s choice, Porphyry reasons:

It appears, therefore, that you have returned to your former illegitimate conduct, either through deception, because you think it makes no difference with respect to the acquisition of wisdom whether you use this or that diet; or perhaps through some other cause of which I am ignorant.

This, it would seem, is a very important statement. As we’ve seen in previous blogs, the ancient philosophers of these schools considered a vegan diet not only necessary on moral and health grounds, but a requirement for the attainment of wisdom or the true practice of philosophy. Porphyry, who is among the wisest thinkers of his age, and a respected Platonist, is clear that if indeed his friend believes that wisdom can be attained on a non-vegan diet, he is mistaken. We see this idea reflected in many ancient and modern schools of philosophy, from Pythagoras and the Orphics in Greece, to the Bramins in India, the Northern Buddhists in Tibet, and so on. The equation of veganism and wisdom is, it seems, one that has existed from time immemorial among the wise men of many nations.

But when I was also informed by certain persons that you even employed arguments against those who abstained from animal food, I not only pitied, but was indignant with you, that, being persuaded by certain frigid and very corrupt sophisms, you have deceived yourself, and have endeavoured to subvert a dogma which is both ancient and dear to the Gods.

This “dogma which is both ancient and dear to the Gods” is, of course, veganism (recall Apollonius’s description (from a previous blog) of a “god”, being the appellation due to anyone truly Good). This lifestyle, Porphyry says, is not new; on the contrary, it has formed part of the precepts of the philosophy of the ancients and is renowned among all good men.

Hence it appeared to me to be requisite not only to show what our own opinion is on this subject, but also to collect and dissolve the arguments of our opponents … and thus to demonstrate, that truth is not vanquished even by those arguments which seem to be weighty, and much less by superficial sophisms. For you are perhaps ignorant, that not a few philosophers are adverse to abstinence from animal food, but that this is the case with those of the Peripatetic and Stoic sects, and with most of the Epicureans; the last of whom have written in opposition to the philosophy of Pythagoras and Empedocles, of which you once were studiously emulous. To this abstinence, likewise, many philologists are adverse, among whom Clodius the Neapolitan wrote a treatise against those who abstain from flesh. Of these men I shall adduce the disquisitions and common arguments against this dogma, at the same time omitting those reasons which are peculiarly employed by them against the demonstrations of Empedocles.

When Porphyry speaks of “our own opinion”, who is he speaking on behalf of? From what he says after we can easily see that there were schools of thought both for and against veganism, just as there are in today’s world. The schools of Pythagoras and Empedocles (among others) firmly promoting veganism and animal rights, while those of the sophists - the Peripatetic and Stoic sects, and the Epicureans, etc. - along with certain philologists, actively arguing against veganism. This clearly demonstrates that the debate between vegans and their counterparts has been with humanity for ages. There is, as they say, nothing new under the sun.

Porphyry was a Platonist, and also a follower of Empedocles and Pythagoras (and his, then famous, code of conduct). When he speaks of “our own opinions”, he speaks on behalf of those schools, and in the fine style of vegans everywhere (and everywhen) thus sets out to “collect and dissolve the arguments of our opponents”. And from this we have his dissertation of over 60,000 words on the subject!

He begins (and so will we) with the arguments of his opponents, who would seek to justify the exploitation and murder of animals for all manner of human uses through a variety of excuses and twists of logic. Among these arguments are many quite familiar to us in modern times.

We summarize the arguments given in his essay thus:

That there is no reason to extend justice to “the irrational” (i.e. animals) but only to the “rational” (humans), which clearly demonstrates that the speciesism of today was alive and well in his day, and that animals were then considered non-sentient (irrational), as many today continue to try to convince themselves, despite growing scientific knowledge to the contrary.
That “if we spare, and do not employ them, that it will be impossible for us to live. We shall also, after a manner, live the life of brutes, if we reject the use of which they are capable of affording.” A classic argument, founded in a rural society accustomed to the habits of exploiting animals for personal use, and unable to imagine a world in which this ’norm’ is absent.
That “what work would be left for us on the earth or in the sea, what illustrious art, what ornament of our food would remain, if we conducted ourselves innoxiously and reverentially towards brutes, as if they were of a kindred nature with us?” An argument that remains with us today, among those whose livelihood depends on the exploitation and slaughter of animals, who complain that veganism will strip them of their means of survival.
That “our nature, not being sufficient to itself, but indigent of many things, would be entirely destroyed, and enclosed in a life involved in difficulties . . . if excluded from the assistance derived from animals.” Essentially, we are too weak and feable to live without the help of animals - an obviously flawed argument, and of course, one no longer even remotely valid in our modern times.
And “what greater injury does he do, who cuts the throat of an ox or a sheep, than he who cuts down a fir tree or an oak?” A classic argument, demonstrating the extreme of sophistry, or twisted logic based wholly outside of reality.

“These,” Porphyry says, “are the principal arguments of the Stoics and Peripatetics.” He continued then, to the Epicureans and their chief arguments against veganism:

Firstly, that “those . . . who first defined what we ought to do, and what we ought not, very properly did not forbid us to kill other animals.” This argument (of which Porphyry goes on in length) springs from a recognition of the justness of the other laws in which the society (of Porphyry’s time and place) lived (i.e. that men should not kill one another, etc.), and concludes that because those laws are just and well reasoned therefore if it were just and well reasoned to not kill animals surely the lawmakers would’ve included laws to that end. A beautifully woven fallacy, if ever we’ve heard one!
Secondly, and as a continuation of the appeal to existing law, they state that “it is not possible that men could be preserved, unless they endeavoured to defend those who are nurtured with themselves from the attacks of other animals,” and “it was not only found to be useful for men not to separate from each other, and not to do any thing injurious to those who were collected together in the same place, for the purpose of repelling the attacks of animals of another species; but also for defence against men whose design was to act nefariously.” Etc.
The core of the Epicurean argument is an appeal to community and the notion that the community should do that which aids the community and refrain from doing what does it harm. From this they deduce that it is beneficial to the community to allow for the slaughter of animals (and other tribes), but not to allow for the slaughter of those who belong to their community, mostly for reasons of safety and defense. It is a well arranged argument that can be easily reduced to the corrupt idea of “us” and “others”, and that our laws apply to each other but not to others (animals being squarely relegated to the latter). Porphyry sums this up nicely with the Epicurean sentiment that “the destruction of every thing noxious, and the preservation of that which is subservient to its extermination, similarly contribute to a fearless life.” The Epicureans seem to be arranging their argument from a purely fear-based position, selfishly seeking to keep the scary world relegated to lands outside their walls and/or to maintain utter control over it. Thus, maintaining forceful dominion over animals is seen (by them) to lend itself to the good of the community.
That “if we suffered them [animals] to increase excessively, they would become injurious to us. But through the number of them which is now preserved, certain advantages are imparted to human life. For sheep and oxen, and every such like animal, when the number of them is moderate, are beneficial to our necessary wants; but if they become redundant in the extreme, and far exceed the number which is sufficient, they then become detrimental to our life. . .”. This is a common argument in our time as well, which is founded upon a grave misunderstanding of how holistic ecosystems (like the Earth) work. Imagining that it is our job to maintain the order of the ecosystem and to keep the animals in appropriate numbers, through imprisonment and slaughter, is a serious corruption of human supremacy syndrome and an example of extreme arrogance.
Also that “the slaughter of animals of this kind [i.e. those of use to mankind] is not prohibited, in order that as many of them as are sufficient for our use, and which we may be able easily to subdue, may be left. For it is not with horses, oxen, and sheep, and with all tame animals, as it is with lions and wolves, and, in short, with all such as are called savage animals, that, whether the number of them is small or great, no multitude of them can be assumed, which, if left, would alleviate the necessity of our life. And on this account, indeed, we utterly destroy some of them; but of others, we take away as many as are found to be more than commensurate to our use.” This argument - a continuation of the last - would see no use for so-called “savage” animals and would therefore rather “utterly destroy” them. It is, as is obvious to any thinking person, a shallow and baseless and incredibly ignorant argument. It rests wholly on a foundation that assumes the inherent right of man’s dominion over animals.
Lastly, the Epicureans, in their appeal to the institutions of the law, argue: “If, therefore, it was possible to make a certain compact with other animals in the same manner as with men, that we should not kill them, nor they us, and that they should not be indiscriminately destroyed by us, it would be well to extend justice as far as to this; for this extent of it would be attended with security. But since it is among things impossible, that animals which are not recipients of reason should participate with us of law, on this account, utility cannot be in a greater degree procured by security from other animals, than from inanimate natures. But we can alone obtain security from the liberty which we now possess of putting them to death.” The essential argument is that since we cannot strike up a human peace treaty with the animals, we are left only with the option to kill them to secure ourselves. One can only find pity for the state of mind that would live so fearful a life.

Porphyry sums up the Epicurean position with the following statement:

On this account … it is similarly requisite to think, that what pertains to the eating of animals, was ordained by those who from the first established the laws; and that the advantageous and the disadvantageous were the causes why some animals were permitted to be eaten and others not. So that those who assert, that every thing beautiful and just subsists conformably to the peculiar opinions of men respecting those who establish the laws, are full of a certain most profound stupidity.

Using the very argument of the Epicureans, Porphyry subtly points out that:

It is not necessary, however, that these institutes [of laws] should be preserved by us, because we do not dwell in the same place as those did by whom they were made.

The Epicureans, it seems, were all about the existing laws, respecting them and their authority as just and wise, and yet, as their argument insists (point #6 above), if it were possible to modify these laws and still maintain the safety of the community, it ought to be done. Therefore, as Porphyry has them say, we need not, after all, maintain laws simply for the sake of tradition - that if found to be unjust laws may be necessarily changed. This is a position very familiar to modern animal rights activists and composes a central point of the movement, namely that new laws are demanded by the progress of humanity, that our existing laws are simply not good enough when the morality in our hearts outgrows them.

Porphyry, leaving behind the arguments of the Epicureans, moves on to the increasingly absurd arguments of Claudius the Neapolitan, who had published “a Treatise against Abstinence from Animal Food”. We may summarize Claudius’s arguments as follows, using his words as much as possible:

That “… the ancients abstained from animals, not through piety, but because they did not yet know the use of fire; but that as soon as they became acquainted with its utility, they then conceived it to be most honourable and sacred … and afterward they began to use animals. For it is natural to man to eat flesh, but contrary to his nature to eat it raw. Fire, therefore, being discovered, they embraced what is natural, and admitted the eating of boiled and masted flesh.” And furthermore, that “at first, therefore, men did not eat animals, for man is not [naturally] a devourer of raw flesh. But when the use of fire was discovered, fire was employed not only for the cooking of flesh, but also for most other eatables. For that man is not [naturally] adapted to eat raw flesh, is evident … that man, however, is adapted to feed on flesh, is evident from this, that no nation abstains from animal food.” This beautifully absurd fallacy, appealing to the argument that since everyone does it, it must be natural and right, is one that is maintained even in our time. It is, of course, baseless and believed in only by the most ignorant, as there is simply no logic to be found in it. Similarly, the notion that man is meant to eat flesh, just not raw, stands in stark contrast to absolutely everything observable in Nature. Porphyry addresses both of these at length.
That “… an innate and just war is implanted in us against brutes. For some of them voluntarily attack men, as, for instance, wolves and lions; others not voluntarily, as serpents, since they bite not, except they are trampled on. And some, indeed, attack men; but others destroy the fruits of the earth. From all these causes, therefore, we do not spare the life of brutes; but we destroy those who commence hostilities against us, as also those who do not, lest we should suffer any evil from them. For there is no one who, if he sees a serpent, will not, if he is able, destroy it, in order that neither it, nor any other serpent, may bite a man. Etc.”. One is reminded of a child pitifully crying out “but he started it!” One is also reminded of the fallacy of pre-emptive war given support by the idea that if we do not kill “them” first they
Next, an argument that strikes at the very core of diseased human thinking, that “the Greeks do not feed either on dogs, or horses, or asses … nevertheless, they eat swine and birds. For a hog is not useful for anything but food.” Not useful for anything but food. It brings a tear to our eyes to think that any human being is capable of such a thought.
Claudius then appeals to the familiar: “But why should any one abstain from animals? Is it because feeding on them makes the soul or the body worse? It is, however, evident, that neither of these is deteriorated by it. For those animals that feed on flesh are more sagacious than others, as they are venatic, and possess an art by which they supply themselves with food, and acquire power and strength; as is evident in lions and wolves. So that the eating of flesh neither injures the soul nor the body. This likewise is manifest, both from the athletae, whose bodies become stronger by feeding on flesh, and from physicians, who restore bodies to health by the use of animal food.” Convinced, as many are, that a human eating flesh will be strong just as a lion eating flesh is, Claudius puts forth this tired and outworn argument. A human is, of course, not a lion.
Another familiar argument follows: “Let it, however, be admitted that all men are persuaded of the truth of this dogma, respecting abstinence from animals. But what will be the boundary of the propagation of animals? For no one is ignorant how numerous the progeny is of the swine and the hare. And to these add all other animals. Whence, therefore, will they be supplied with pasture? … And the earth will not be able to bear the multitude of animals.”
And “…what will husbandmen do? For they will not destroy those who destroy the fruits of the earth.” Both are arguments shared by the Stoics and Peripatetics and both are addressed by Porphyry.
Claudius continues: “How many … will be prevented from having their diseases cured, if animals are abstained from? For we see that those who are blind recover their sight by eating a viper. A servant of Craterus, the physician, happening to be seized with a new kind of disease, in which the flesh fell away from the bones, derived no benefit from medicines; but by eating a viper prepared after the manner of a fish, the flesh became conglutinated to the bones, and he was restored to health. Many other animals also, and their several parts, cure diseases when they are properly used for that purpose; of all which remedies he will be frustrated who rejects animal food.” His examples of cures from animal products are as unbelievable as those of today’s pseudo-doctors and nutritionists.
Claudius continues to reach, taking up next the all too familiar: “if as they say, plants also have a soul, what will become of our life if we neither destroy animals nor plants? If, however, he is not impious who cuts off plants, neither will he be who kills animals.”
He then embarks on a most incredible argument, based on the theory of the transmigration of souls, in which, in the corrupted understanding of non-philosophers, it was believed that the soul, in the process of reincarnation passes through the animal kingdom before returning as a human. Claudius claims: “But if they [souls] enter voluntarily … and pass through every species of animals, they will be much gratified by being destroyed. For thus their return to the human form will be more rapid.” And “… if the souls of men are immortal, but those of irrational animals mortal, men will not act unjustly by destroying irrational animals. And if the souls of brutes are immortal, we shall benefit them by liberating them from their bodies. For, by killing them, we shall cause them to return to the human nature.” Aside from the obvious absurdity of this argument, it is also easily seen by one familiar with the theory of the transmigration of souls to be based upon a complete and utter misunderstanding and corruption of the idea. Claudius’s attempt here to not only defend killing animals, but to twist it into something noble and exalted is nothing short of disgusting. He also claims, amazingly, that “the bodies also which are eaten will not produce any pain in the souls of those bodies, in consequence of the souls being liberated from them…”. Such “logic” can only issue forth from a profoundly disturbed and disfigured mind.
That “If … we [only] defend ourselves [in putting animals to death], we do not act unjustly, but we take vengeance on those that injure us… . And if we defend ourselves against them, how is it possible that in so doing we should not act justly. For we destroy, indeed, a serpent and a scorpion, though they do not attack us, in order that some other person may not be injured by them; and in so doing we defend the human race in general.” The appeal to defense seems a common theme in those days.
That “Co-operating also with the Gods themselves in what contributes to piety, we sacrifice animals: for … the Gods … Demi-gods likewise, and all the heroes who excel us both in origin and virtue, have so much approved of the slaughter of animals…”. Even in our day we continue to see the appeal to religion as either approving of, or at the very least not denying, the slaughter of animals. The argument is, for obvious reasons, quite ineffectual to thinking human beings.
And finally, that “… if we abstained from animals, we should not only be deprived of pleasure and riches of this kind, but we should also lose our fields, which would be destroyed by wild beasts … the scattered seeds would immediately be gathered by the birds; and all such fruits as had arrived at perfection, would be consumed by quadrupeds. But men being oppressed by such a want of food, would be compelled, by bitter necessity, to attack [and eat] each other.” Can we help but laugh at a mind that could convince itself that if we stop eating animals we will somehow, out of our own ineptness and inability to find anything else to eat, end up resorting to cannibalism?

Thus is the extent of Claudius’s position against veganism, and thus closes Porphyry’s summary of his opponent’s arguments.

In fairness to Claudius, Porphyry does have him make one extraordinary statement which we can fully agree with as vegans, wherein he (perhaps inadvertently) demonstrates the essential problem with vegetarianism. Claudius admits, that:

If, however, some one should, nevertheless, think it is unjust to destroy brutes, such a one should neither use milk, nor wool, nor sheep, nor honey. For, as you injure a man by taking from him his garments, thus, also, you injure a sheep by shearing it. For the wool which you take from it is its vestment. Milk, likewise, was not produced for you, but for the young of the animal that has it. The bee also collects honey as food for itself; which you, by taking away, administer to your own pleasure.

Thus Claudius echoes what many of us have come to accept, that there is no middle ground when it comes to the exploitation of animals. He, like many others, is fully willing to admit to himself that if we do indeed deem it wrong to kill animals we should also consider it wrong to injure them in any way and to exploit them in any way. As vegans, this is at the very core of our way of life.

Claudius makes it clear, however, that he believes these things (wool, milk, honey, etc.) to be within our right to take for ourselves, being unable or unwilling to see the error in his logic or the gaping whole in his heart. And sadly, there are two instances within his essay where Porphyry himself seems to forgive two specific acts, one being the shearing of sheep for wool and the other being the milking of cows. Several other statements, however, seem to counter this forgiveness or allowance of such uses, such that we get the feeling Porphyry may have been working through these aspects of his stance at the time of the composition of his essay.

Having completed our summary of his opponent’s arguments, it seems important now to explore the philosophy underlying Porphyry’s perspective, as this philosophy is woven throughout his essay and supports his many arguments. He did, after all, credit his veganism to the system of philosophy he learned from those who came before him and, as we’ll see, this philosophy builds a solid foundation for animal rights, both in ancient times and in modern. After elucidating several basic tenets of his philosophy, we’ll proceed to the arguments Porphyry presents against his opponent’s positions.

Part 2: The Philosophy Underlying Porphyry’s Arguments

Having summarized the arguments against veganism and animal rights, Porphyry addresses his friend (and his readers).

As, however, I intend to oppose these opinions, and those of the multitude, I may reasonably premise what follows. In the first place, therefore, it must be known that my discourse does not bring with it an exhortation to every description of men. For it is not directed to those who are occupied in sordid mechanical arts, nor to those who are engaged in athletic exercises; neither to soldiers, nor sailors, nor rhetoricians, nor to those who lead an active life. But I write to the man who considers what he is, whence he came, and whither he ought to tend, and who, in what pertains to nutriment, and other necessary concerns, is different from those who propose to themselves other kinds of life; for to none but such as these do I direct my discourse.

In short, he is directing his arguments towards philosophers, to thinkers specifically, to those who wish to reason and to understand themselves and their reality through such faculties. He, as with other philosophers in our history, addresses himself primarily to those who share his love of wisdom (philo-sophia). He’s not so concerned with whether or not one can build muscle or run a marathon as a vegan, but far more so with the simple truth of its rightness based on philosophy and reason.

And in addressing the goal (felicity) of this philosophy, Porphyry explains:

The contemplation which procures for us felicity [joy, bliss], does not consist, as some one may think it does, in a multitude of discussions and disciplines; nor does it receive any increase by a quantity of words… . If … felicity consisted in literary attainments, this end might be obtained by those who pay no attention to their food and their actions. But since for this purpose it is requisite to exchange the life which the multitude lead for another, and to become purified both in words and deeds, let us consider what reasonings and what works will enable us to obtain this end.

The felicity of the philosopher requires, as Porphyry and many others before and after him have insisted, an exchange of one life (that of the multitudes) for another (that of the philosophers). We not only see this among Pythagoreans, Platonists, Orphics, Brahmins, Buddhists and others, but even from the mouth of Jesus in the gospels, when he says: “For whosoever will save his [current] life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his [current] life for my sake [i.e. for the sake of true wisdom, or Christos] shall find it [i.e. the life of wisdom].” (Matthew 16:25)

There are many ways in which we can approach the philosophic and religious/spiritual ideas of our ancestors. Some favor dead-letter literalism in their interpretations, others prefer to see but (equally dead) myth, but it is to those of us who see both allegory and metaphor, and seek to understand the inner meaning, that the philosophers of old addressed their writings. Porphyry is no different in this respect. He says,

we [humans] resemble those who enter into, or depart from a foreign region, not only because we are banished from our intimate associates, but in consequence of dwelling in a foreign land, we are filled with barbaric passions, and manners, and legal institutes, and to all these have a great propensity. Hence, he who wishes to return to his proper kindred and associates, should not only with alacrity begin the journey, but, in order that he may be properly-received, should meditate how he may divest himself of everything of a foreign nature which he has assumed.

And furthermore:

… it is necessary, if we intend to return to things which are truly our own, that we should divest ourselves of every thing of a mortal nature which we have assumed, together with an adhering affection towards it, and which is the cause of our descent and that we should excite our recollection of that blessed and eternal essence, and should hasten our return to the nature which is without colour and without quality, earnestly endeavouring to accomplish two things; one, that we may cast aside every thing material and mortal; but the other, that we may properly return, and be again conversant with our true kindred, ascending to them in a way contrary to that in which we descended hither.

We may interpret this on the religious level, as looking towards the eternal nature of Spirit, or spiritual life, as contrasted with the ephemeral nature of matter, or material life, but we may also interpret this on a regular human level, in which many of us will be able to relate.

What is meant by “dwelling in a foreign land”? We were all born into this world and as we developed we took on or inherited certain ideas - from our parents, siblings, teachers, society - we leave our “native land” (or state, noticeable in the infant) and come into a foregin land of concepts and ideas that have little to do with reality. These ideas color who we are, or rather, who we are capable of being. In our vegan journey many of us can relate to the process of “divesting ourselves of everything of a foreign nature which we have assumed” - these things being our assumptions about life, about diet, health, about humanity and ourselves. Our brains have become so full of assumptions that our journey becomes as much about unlearningas about learning.

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)

This is what the journey of the philosopher is all about: returning to our native state, but not in the sense of going backwards, or reverting to the blank slate of the infant, but of clearing ourselves of the crud unnecessarily gathered as we develop as a unit of society, so as to approach life with clarity of mind. Porphyry therefore precedes his arguments for veganism with an injunction to us to begin the process of returning to this, our true nature.

For we were intellectual natures, and we still are essences purified from all sense and irrationality; but we are complicated with sensibles, through our incapability of eternally associating with the intelligible…

We were once pure and untarnished intellects, our minds were once like the waters of a clear, calm lake, until we began to crowd our minds with assumptions, beliefs and ideas inherited from our collective society (the ‘mortal’ or ‘material’) which muddied our waters. That it’s ’normal’, and ‘acceptable’ to imprison, exploit and consume animals is an example of one of these collective assumptions, which become an inseparable part of our self- identity, both individually and culturally.

For all the powers which energize in conjunction with sense and body, are injured, in consequence of the soul not abiding in the intelligible; (just as the earth, when in a bad condition, though it frequently receives the seed of wheat, yet produces nothing but tares), and this is through a certain depravity of the soul, which does not indeed destroy its essence from the generation of irrationality, but through this is conjoined with a mortal nature, and is drawn down from its own proper to a foreign condition of being.

Remember that the Greek word we translate into English as “Soul” is psyche , which we sometimes equally translate as Mind, and which essentially indicates the reasoning faculty, that which is capable of truly understanding, of recognizing the Good (i.e. the divine) within. We are, in our essence, a pure psyche, uncoloured by erroneous ideas and conceptions, untarnished by false beliefs, and it is this ideal and ‘flawless’ condition that is potential in each of us. The journey Porphyry would have us take is that journey by which we begin to strip ourselves of everything erroneous that we might return once again to our native state, which he equates with pure intelligence. The Soul not abiding in the intelligible is the Mind not abiding in itself (i.e. unconnected to true understanding or wisdom), but instead filling itself with falsities and living in them, or imagining them to be reality.

In veganism we take a similar (if not the very same) journey. We are not simply refraining from exploiting animals, we are endeavoring to clean ourselves outwardly and inwardly, to get rid of all the crud we have accumulated over the years - the physical and metaphorical fat we wear, the baggage we carry with us. Porphyry addresses his essay to all those who wish to undertake this process and thus discover who they truly are, which is the true path of the philosopher, the lover of wisdom. As he says, the soul (psyche) “does not indeed destroy its essence from the generation of irrationality” - i.e. the psyche (Mind, Intelligence) remains pure and available, just waiting for us to drop all the stuff we’ve covered it over with. We have not, in this view, lost our true self, but have merely covered it up, clouded it or “conjoined it with a mortal nature,” which is to say corrupted our true intelligence with false notions, unfounded concepts and twisted logic.

… if we are desirous of returning to those natures with which we formerly associated, we must endeavour to the utmost of our power to withdraw ourselves from sense and imagination [false conceptions], and the irrationality with which they are attended … but such things as pertain to intellect should be distinctly arranged, procuring for it peace and quiet from the war with the irrational part; that we may not only be auditors of intellect and intelligibles, but may as much as possible enjoy the contemplation of them, and, being established in an incorporeal nature, may truly live through intellect; and not falsely in conjunction with things allied to bodies. We must therefore divest ourselves of our manifold garments, both of this visible and fleshly vestment, and of those with which we are internally clothed, and which are proximate to our cutaneous habiliments; and we must enter the stadium naked and unclothed, striving for (the most glorious of all prizes) the Olympia of the soul.

It’s important to ask ourselves what Porphyry means when he says “garments”. We must remember that he is a philosopher and a metaphysician and is therefore speaking often in subtle terms, by way of allegory and symbol. When we wake up in the morning do we not “put on” our garment of flesh? Do we not also put on our “garments” of Mind - our ideas about ourselves and the world, our identities, our personalities, our habits? These are that “with which we are internally clothed”, and as he says, to return to our true natures we must “enter the stadium [of life] naked and unclothed [i.e. without the baggage of our false ideas, our inner garments]”. This also applies to meditation, wherein we “procure for it [the mind, soul, Self] peace and quiet from the war with the irrational part”, i.e. that part of us that we’ve accumulated over the years, that doesn’t actually (or natively) belong to us, but is simply (mental) baggage that we’ve decided to carry around from day to day.

The importance of this is stated plainly by Porphyry:

The first thing, however, and without which we cannot contend, is to divest ourselves of our garments.

We must divest ourselves, we must rid ourselves of the mental fat we wear around our minds every day. We must begin to let go of our mistaken ideas and to slowly return to our true selves, i.e. to “associate with the intelligible”.

But since of these [garments] some are external and others internal … one kind is through things which are apparent, but another through such as are more unapparent. Thus, for instance, not to eat, or not to receive what is offered to us, belongs to things which are immediately obvious; but not to desire is a thing more obscure; so that, together with deeds, we must also withdraw ourselves from an adhering affection and passion towards them. For what benefit shall we derive by abstaining from deeds, when at the same time we tenaciously adhere to the causes from which the deeds proceed?

Porphyry touches on something of profound importance here. It is not enough to simply divest ourselves of our outer garments and continue to wear our inner ones. It is not enough, for instance, to forcefully stop consuming animals but to continue inwardly to desire or crave animal products. If we are to be truly free, to truly return to our native state, we must divest ourselves of all the inward ideas, passions, etc., that bind us to our past habits. It is easy to see that the most successful vegans, as the most successful philosophers, are those who have truly cleansed themselves inwardly, who are vegans and philosophers straight through to the very core of their being. This is what Porphyry is telling us: we must reach within and really begin that cleaning process in earnest.

… this separation [the departure from sense, imagination, and irrationality] is introduced by a continual negligence of the passions. And this negligence is produced by an abstinence from those sensible perceptions which excite the passions, and by a persevering attention to intelligibles.

The way to begin this process, this withdrawal from irrationality, etc., which is the cleaning up of ourselves, is through “negligence of the passions”, through “abstinence” from that which excites those passions, and by keeping ourselves focused on that which is intelligible. If we wish to rise above some unwanted part of ourselves, if we want to strip off one of our inner garments, we must maintain abstinence from those specific passions that are associated with that particular garment - i.e. that “adhere” us to it. We cannot, for instance, divest ourselves of the inner garment associated with alcoholism without first addressing and thenceforth abstaining from the passions associated with the drink. The former requires the latter.

This comes into full effect in our vegan journey, as well as with the journey of the philosopher. Continuing to ‘feed’ the passions associated with our inner garments (false beliefs, ideas, etc.), and thus to actively maintain them, will do nothing but keep us imprisoned by them. In veganism this is plainly seen, as our indulgence in non-vegan lifestyles does nothing but keep our feet firmly locked where we are, holding us back from truly living a vegan lifestyle. We cannot put one foot in the door and keep one outside; we must step fully away from our past bad habits and move fully into our truer nature, thus dropping off those garments that have served only to weigh us down.

And Porpyry makes it clear that:

… among these passions or perturbations, those which arise from food are to be enumerated.

These passions are like the glue which binds the “garments” to our Self. We wake in the morning, or come out of meditation, and immediately that glue takes hold and our very sense of self becomes interlocked with all our self- identified garments. To take them off we must loosen the glue, which is to eliminate the passions surrounding each one.

If one is addicted to a harmful substance, one must abstain from it while also replacing it with beneficent substances (to trade the bad for the good), and the longer one does this the weaker the passion for the harmful substance becomes. Similarly, if one is addicted to a harmful idea or belief, one must abstain from it, while focusing on beneficent ideas (by looking only towards truth), and slowly the glue binding one to that harmful belief will weaken until the garment can be taken off completely. Applying this to veganism, we can see that one must adopt it fully, absolutely, leaving entirely behind all non-vegan activities, and slowly, over time, the passions and habits that bound one to the old lifestyle will fade and one will find a new life awaiting them.

“We should therefore abstain, no less than from other things, from certain food, viz., such as is naturally adapted to excite the passive part of our soul [psyche] … these, the passions being excited, and the whole of the irrational nature becoming fattened, the soul [psyche] is drawn downward, and abandons its proper love of true being.

Anyone familiar with addiction can recognize in these words a true understanding of the process by which one forms an addition. That process of being “drawn downward” can be seen both spiritually and practically. We (the person we truly are) are drawn down into the habits we’ve gathered to ourselves over the years, we are drawn into believing that we are those habits , when in reality they are but a temporary passenger, so to speak, in our life-journey. We are no more our habits than the fire is the smoke it produces.

Thus we lose our “proper love of true being” in favor our our habitual life of day-in and day-out self-identification. We think we are all these ideas we hold about ourselves and the world, but Porphyry is telling us that this is but the irrational nature becoming “fattened” by feeding it too much nonsense, just as our bodies become fattened by feeding them too much unhealthy food. And food, he makes clear, is one of those elements that excites this part of our nature and keeps us stuck in it. We are what we eat, as the old saying goes, so that what we eat lends itself to either the path of the philosopher or to the state of the multitudes, in which we remain confused about who we truly are. The choice between the two is ours to make.

Porphyry proceeds to examine how the passions are excited by each sense, and when he comes to the sense of taste, we find him saying:

But what occasion is there to speak of the passions produced through the taste? For here, especially, there is a complication of a twofold bond; one which is fattened by the passions excited by the taste; and the other, which we render heavy and powerful, by the introduction of foreign bodies (i.e. of bodies different from our own). For, as a certain physician said, those are not the only poisons which are prepared by the medical art; but those likewise which we daily assume for food, both in what we eat, and what we drink, and a thing of a much more deadly nature is imparted to the soul through these, than from the poisons which are compounded for the purpose of destroying the body.

Not only are the passions (those associated with whichever foods we choose to consume) excited, but we may also slowly poison ourselves through that consumption. As we know in our time, this is absolutely true. A whole host of diseases are associated with the consumption of animal products, and we see every day around us the negative health effects of poor dietary choices. However, an oft neglected effect is that which these foods have on the Mind, or Soul (psyche). Porphyry goes as far as to say that these poisons are far worse for the soul than those designed to kill the body. Killing the body does no further damage to the Soul, as is evident by the ceasing of life (or association between soul (psyche) and body) - regardless of what we believe may or may not happen after death - but slowly poisoning the psyche through the consumption of such foods does continual and long-term damage to the mind.

Clear thinking is essential if we are to drop our old garments, and clear thinking becomes hampered by the consumption of unhealthy foods, as they restrict the body and brain of essentials, but also because we continue to train and enhance and maintain our old mental habits - we continue to apply more and more glue to the garments we wrap ourselves in, thus making the journey to discover who we truly are that much more difficult.

Hence, to be purified from all these [the passions that bind us] is most difficult, and requires a great contest, and we must bestow much labour both by night and by day to be liberated from an attention to them, and this, because we are necessarily complicated with sense. Whence, also, as much as possible, we should withdraw ourselves from those places in which we may, though unwillingly, meet with this hostile crowd [of passions].

Our senses provide the means by which the passions are excited and thus the means by which we continue to strengthen the glue binding us to the garments we wish to let go of (those that are keeping us unhealthy and restraining us from knowing our true selves), therefore we must be careful what we do with our senses, and careful as to what environments we put ourselves in. If one wants to quit drinking, hanging out in a bar is a bad idea. If one wants to be vegan, going to a steakhouse is a bad idea. If we indulge one sense, it is likely to lead to the indulgence of another. Thus, if we indulge an enjoyment of the smell of cooked meat, it only strengthens the passion that will inevitably lead to the indulgence of the taste of cooked meat. However, if we abstain all senses from this, and indulge them only in healthy vegan foods, in time the passion associated between smell or taste and cooked meat will vanish - we will simply not enjoy it anymore, because the enjoyment was only a trained or learned thing, not a natural thing essential to who we are.

… intellect, indeed, is present with itself, though we are not present with it. But he who departs from intellect, is in that place to which he departs; and when, by discursive energies, he applies himself upwards and downwards by his apprehension of things, he is there where his apprehension is.

This is an age-old philosophical assertion, that where the mind directs itself so follows the perceived “reality” of that mind. Thus, what we focus on becomes (to us) our reality. If we focus on the negative, we become absorbed by it, it fills our view of all things. If we focus on the positive, likewise we become absorbed by it. If we place our focus entirely upon aspects of ourselves that we dislike, our reality will become that of one who dislikes themselves. When we depart from intellect (i.e. when we indulge ourselves in false ideas and beliefs) that “place” to where we go becomes our reality - we will see the world only through those goggles, but never with our naked eyes (i.e. never clearly, truthfully, accurately).

He, therefore, who submits to the assumption of (every kind of) food, and voluntarily betakes himself to (alluring) spectacles, to conversation with the multitude, and laughter; such a one, by thus acting, is there where the passion is which he sustains.

Our passions are much more than simple indulgences; they color our entire sense of reality when we follow them. We not only begin to see the world through the coloring of those passions, but we also draw ourselves into environments associated with those passions. We thus create a sort of self- fulfilling prophecy (for ourselves), when we believe something to be true we will continue to reinforce that belief by drawing ourselves to things that verify (feed) it. We must be very careful then, in considering “where” we wish to focus our attention, and this applies to both outer environments and inner ones (i.e. where we wish to spend our time and on which ideas we wish to dwell).

… through ignorance of, and abstaining from sensible concerns, he (the delirious man) is unacquainted with them.

Just as abstaining from the passions will slowly lead to our detachment from them, so too abstaining from “sensible concerns” (i.e. from true reason, rationality, logic, intelligence) will cause a detachment in us from our true nature (clarity of Soul, psyche or Mind). By living only in the passions associated with our false sense of self, our beliefs, habits and all the garments we wear, we also deprive ourselves of the opportunity to be who we truly are, in our truest self. Thus, in taking up the journey of the philosopher, it is as important to leave behind who we were as it is to begin finding who we are. In veganism this is equally applicable: we must both leave behind our old habits and begin finding healthy ones. We cannot maintain both our old self and our new self: one of the two must perish.

So that to the attainment of a life according to intellect, it is requisite to abstain from all these [base passions] … for it is not possible for us to be borne along to this place and to that, while we are here, and yet be there, (i.e. be present with an intelligible essence). For our attentions to things are not effected with a part, but with the whole of ourselves.

Or in other words, we must give ourselves fully to where we lend our attention, we must commit all of ourselves to where we choose to focus, and not be scattered, having only part of our attention on one thing and another part on another. In veganism this is evident: we cannot be partly vegan. In the life of the philosopher it is even more so: we cannot live two lives: one rational and one irrational. Because our focus determines what we perceive as our reality, we cannot expect to live in the reality of the person we truly are if we continue to focus on the person we know to be a fiction made up of societal assumptions, habits and expectations. We must let that person go and give our full attention to the person we know we are (and can be).

The man … who is cautious, and is suspicious of the enchantments of nature [of the passions], who has surveyed the essential properties of body, and knows that it was adapted as an instrument to the powers of the soul [psyche], will also know how readily passion is prepared to accord with the body, whether we are willing or not, when anything external strikes it… . the irrational part [our confused self] verges downward, thither it is borne along, without any power of governing itself in things external. Nor does it know the fit time or the measure of the food which should be taken, unless the eye of the charioteer [the Soul, our real Self, the “intelligence”] is attentive to it, which regulates and governs the motions of irrationality … But he who takes away from reason its dominion over the irrational part, and permits it to be borne along … such a one, yielding to desire and anger, will suffer them to proceed to whatever extent they please. On the contrary, the worthy man will so act that his deeds may be conformable to presiding reason …

This, therefore, is the cause why the multitude err in words and deeds, in desire and anger, and why, on the contrary, good men act with rectitude, viz. that the former suffer the boy within them to do whatever it pleases; but the latter give themselves up to the guidance of the tutor of the boy, ( i.e. to reason) and govern what pertains to themselves in conjunction with it. Hence in food, and in other corporeal energies and enjoyments, the charioteer being present, defines what is commensurate and opportune …

Hence, to worthy men, abstinence in food [i.e. abstaining from animal products, wine, etc.], and in corporeal enjoyments and actions, is more appropriate than abstinence in what pertains to the touch … Since … a prolongation of time in cooking and digesting food, and together with this the co-operation of sleep and rest, are requisite, and, after these, a certain temperament from digestion, and a separation of excrements, it is necessary that the tutor of the boy within us should be present, who, selecting things of a light nature, and which will be no impediment to him, may concede these to nature, in consequence of foreseeing the future [i.e. understanding the effects of his actions], and the impediment which will be produced by his permitting the desires to introduce to us a burden not easily to be borne, through the trifling pleasure arising from the deglutition of food.

In short, we must allow ourselves to be governed by the highest in us, i.e. by reason , that faculty of the soul (psyche) which allows us to know what is rightful and beneficial and what is not. In regards to food (as to all of life), we mustn’t allow ourselves to be “borne away” by the “boy” in us (i.e. the irresponsible and irrational), but must allow the “tutor” to govern, such that we will select the most appropriate foods in the proper amounts and live a healthy life. This philosophy is found clearly also in the Bhagavad Gita wherein we are shown the importance of allowing “Krishna” (our true Self) to guide Arjuna (the boy) - indeed Porphyry uses the exact same analogy of the charioteer as used in the Gita. This need for the assertion of the higher over the lower is found among nearly all philosophical systems.

The importance of reason and intelligence cannot be understated, and as Porphyry explains, this is of immense import when it comes to food.

Reason, therefore, very properly rejecting the much and the superfluous, will circumscribe what is necessary in narrow boundaries, in order that it may not be molested in procuring what the wants of the body demand… . nor (will it) endeavour to receive much pleasure in eating, nor, through satiety, to be filled with much indolence; nor by rendering … the body more gross, to become somnolent; nor through the body being replete with things of a fattening nature, to render the bond more strong, but himself more sluggish and imbecile in the performance of his proper works.

It is reason, therefore that should guide us in our selection of food, not the runaway passions. Reason will do the job right; the irrational in us will do nothing but harm.

This forms the central recurring theme underlying Porphyry’s philosophy, which is the dominion of the rational over the irrational within us, the need of the higher, noble, reasoning ability to take precedence and thus rule over the lower, base, passionate and unreasonable within us. This central pillar of his system of thought becomes interwoven with his definition of justice, from which he will then argue that justice ought to be extended equally to animals as to humans. The exposition of his philosophy, then, builds up the foundation upon which his chief arguments for animal rights will rest.

… the essence of justice consists in the rational ruling over the irrational, and in the irrational being obedient to the rational part [in each being]. For when reason governs, and the irrational part is obedient to its mandates, it follows, by the greatest necessity, that man will be innoxious [harmless] towards every thing.

Justice thus, springs naturally when the rational is asserted over the irrational. In short: when we begin to exercise clarity of mind, with true reason and rationality, we begin naturally to embody and exemplify justice, which arises from a true perception of morality.

Hence, the just man appears to be one who deprives himself of things pertaining to the body; yet he does not (in reality) injure himself. For, by this management of his body, and continence, he increases his inward good, i.e., his similitude to God. … By making pleasure … the end of life, that which is truly justice cannot be preserved … For, in many instances, the motions of the irrational nature, and utility and indigence, have been, and still are the sources of injustice. For men became indigent (as they pretended) [partook] of animal food, in order that they might preserve, as they said, the corporeal frame free from molestation, and without being in want of those things after which the animal nature aspires. But if an assimilation to divinity [i.e the inward good] is the end of life, an innoxious [harmless] conduct towards all things will be in the most eminent degree preserved.

Within each of us, then, we have this power-struggle between the ‘irrational’ and the ‘rational’, between what might be called our ‘desire-nature’ and our ‘divine-nature’. If we follow purely the dictates of our passions and desires, without a care for what is truly good, then injustice follows, as is evident from countless examples in our society. If, however, the rational within us is asserted as primary and of most importance, and we are led not by blind passions, habits, appetites or false conceptions, but by our highest reason, then justice naturally follows.

As, therefore, he who is led by his passions is innoxious [harmless] only towards his children and his wife, but despises and acts fraudulently towards other persons, since in consequence of the irrational part predominating in him, he is excited to, and astonished about mortal concerns; but he who is led by reason, preserves an innoxious conduct towards his fellow-citizens, and still more so towards strangers, and towards all men, through having the irrational part in subjection, and is therefore more rational and divine [good] than the former character; - thus also, he who does not confine harmless conduct to men alone, but extends it to other animals, is more similar to divinity; and if it was possible to extend it even to plants, he would preserve this image in a still greater degree.

This then, is the primary situation in which we find ourselves, raising always the question: which part of ourselves will we allow to dominate, the rational or the irrational? The logic and reason, not to mention the ethics and morality underlying Porphyry’s philosophy and his arguments, is apparent to those who exercise their reason. The arguments of his opponents, however, are discovered to be founded upon irrational prejudices, distorted logic and the desire to maintain one’s existing habitual or societal life, i.e. the status- quo both within ourselves and within our culture.

For custom is most powerful in increasing those passions in man which were gradually introduced into his nature.

And as Porphyry will argue (see Part 5), both the killing (for sacrifice or otherwise) and the consumption of animals is not something natural to us, but something that was introduced, and thus seeped its way into the culture, becoming over time an indistinguishable part of it, and sadly, something we have come to identify as part of our nature. We can, however, remove this “garment” of our culture, and this false identity by recognizing it as the foreign element it is, in the exact same way as we can remove our individual garments. And this must be accomplished through the exercise of the highest reason.

He … who is indigent [in need] of a greater number of externals, is in a greater degree agglutinated [adhered] to penury [need]; and by how much his wants increase, by so much is he destitute of divinity [good], and an associate of penury. For that which is similar to deity, through this assimilation immediately possesses true wealth. But no one who is (truly) rich and perfectly unindigent injures any thing. For as long as any one injures another, though he should possess the greatest wealth, and all the acres of land which the earth contains, he is still poor, and has want for his intimate associate. On this account, also, he is unjust, without God, and impious, and enslaved to every kind of depravity, which is produced by the lapse of the soul into matter, through the privation [lack] of good. Every thing, therefore, is nugatory [worthless] to any one, as long as he wanders from the principle of the universe; and he is indigent of all things, while he does not direct his attention to Porus (or the source of true abundance). He likewise yields to the mortal part of his nature [the irrational], while he remains ignorant of his real self [the rational]. But Injustice is powerful in persuading and corrupting those that belong to her empire, because she associates with her votaries in conjunction with Pleasure.

Thus we see that, to Porphyry, there was a much deeper philosophical and psychological aspect to the condition of animal exploitation and consumption. To him, the disease went much deeper into Man’s psyche. For the ancient philosophers, divinity is exemplified by goodness - the two being essentially one. To be divine was to be good and vice versa. To ascend to our “true self” is to embrace and activate that which is already latent within us, being the goodness that exists in us, even if only in potential. To stray from divinity, or to degrade ourselves into our “mortal” or “material” self is to stifle the good in us in favor of the purely (blind) passionate nature that thrives when reason is absent.

Porphyry, along with the Neoplatonists and Pythagoreans, explains that one who would rise to the good within them, and thus come to know their own divinity (their “true self”), will naturally embody justice and harmlessness to all sentient beings, as this quality is native to the divine in us (i.e. it is inherently of the good ).

We will see, as we now proceed to Porphyry’s arguments, the role this philosophy will play in his stance for animal rights. Particularly, we will notice the universality of justice in Porphyry’s conception. We will also see the concepts of virtue and vice addressed, as intimately connected with rationality and irrationality and these will play a central role also in his chief argument. Thus the conceptual framework, briefly explored here, becomes the weapon of true reason with which Porphyry will dismantle his opponent’s arguments.

Part 3: Porphyry’s Central Argument

Having thus touched on the philosophic foundations underlying his position, we can now proceed to Porphyry responses to his opponent’s arguments. Two arguments constitute the core of Porphyry’s essay, and it is during those arguments that he is able, also, to tackle the several minor arguments of his opponents. These two central arguments are (1) against the opinion that animals are not rational (sentient) and therefore need not be extended justice, and (2) against animal sacrifice and its relation to the consumption of animal products. We will structure our review of his arguments beginning with the first of these, then into the several minor arguments presented, and lastly into the arguments related to animal sacrifice and history.

Argument against the opinion that animals are irrational (non-sentient) and thus that justice need not be extended to them.

This is a most important argument, and one that is at the cornerstone of the modern animal rights movement, namely that animals are sentient, rational, capable of feelings akin to those of human beings, including pleasure and pain, desire for life, and so on and thus ought to be protected from forceful suffering, just as we endeavor to protect humans from forceful suffering.

To Porphyry, this argument is intimately connected with his definition of justice. He opens his argument thus:

We shall pass on, therefore, to the discussion of justice; and since our opponents say that this ought only to be extended to those of similar species, and on this account deny that irrational animals can be injured by men, let us exhibit the true, and at the same time Pythagoric opinion, and demonstrate that every soul [psyche] which participates of sense and memory is rational. For this being demonstrated, we may extend, as our opponents will also admit, justice to every animal.

From this, he proceeds to explain that his opponents imagine there to be two kinds of reason; (1) internal reason (i.e. internal thought ) and (2) external reason (i.e. reason exhibited by voice or speech), and furthermore that reason itself can be distinguished as either reason or right reason. Porphyry approaches this latter distinction first, wherein he argues that his opponents:

… appear, indeed, to ascribe to brutes an entire privation [lack] of reason, and not a privation of right reason alone. For if they merely denied that brutes possess right reason, animals would not be irrational, but rational beings, in the same manner as nearly all men are according to them. For, according to their opinion, one or two wise men may be found in whom alone right reason prevails, but all the rest of mankind are depraved; though some of these make a certain proficiency, but others are profoundly depraved, and yet, at the same time, all of them are similarly rational. Through the influence, therefore, of self-love, they say, that all other animals are irrational; wishing to indicate by irrationality, an entire privation of reason. If, however, it be requisite to speak the truth, not only reason may plainly be perceived in all animals, but in many of them it is so great as to approximate to perfection.

In short: if reason is qualified in this manner (the way his opponents wish to qualify it), then we can only say that animals lack “right reason”, being the capacity to correctly understand certain complexities (i.e. complex mathematics, sciences, philosophies, etc.), but that we cannot deny them reason itself, of ordinary degree, as even among humans there are many who lack entirely “right reason” but are still said to have reason itself (i.e. to be sentient, thinking beings, however flawed or limited their thinking might be).

For reason, indeed, is ingenerated by nature; but right and perfect reason is acquired by study and discipline. Hence all animated beings participate of reason, but our opponents cannot mention any man who possesses rectitude of reason and wisdom (naturally), though the multitude of men is innumerable. But as the sight of one animal differs from that of another, and the flying of one bird from that of another, (for hawks and grasshoppers do not similarly see, nor eagles and partridges); thus, also, neither does every thing which participates of reason possess genius and acuteness in the highest perfection.

We are all, animals included, born with the capacity of reason, never with “right reason” (genius) innately available, but only attained through “study and discipline”, something that applies equally to birds learning to fly as it is to humans learning to read, the variety of ability (both in sense and reason) covering a vast spectrum of degrees.

We will now see how beautifully woven is Porphyry’s argument, as he strips apart the views of his opponents, and their two-fold concept of reason. These two types of reason, they claim, manifest as internal and external (i.e. “the silent discourse which takes place in the soul” and that “consisting in external speech”). Porphyry explains that speech, of any kind, “whether in a barbarous or a Grecian, a canine or a bovine mode” is always linked to internal reason, for “do they [animals] not discursively perceive the manner in which they are inwardly affected, before it is vocally enunciated by them?” (i.e. do they not inwardly perceive and cognize prior to expressing that cognition through speech?). If there were no internal process of reason (thought), animal speech would be utterly meaningless, but, as we know, it is far from it.

But if we do not understand what they [animals] say, what is this to the purpose? For the Greeks do not understand what is said by the Indians, nor those who are educated in Attica the language of the Scythians, or Thracians, or Syrians; but the sound of the one falls on the ears of the other like the clangor of cranes, though by others their vocal sounds can be written and articulated, in the same manner as ours can by us. Nevertheless, the vocal sounds of the Syrians, for instance, or the Persians, are to us inarticulate, and cannot be expressed by writing, just as the speech of animals is unintelligible to all men.

Thus, simply because the speech of animals is unintelligible to us does not indicate that it is unintelligible to them. Modern scientific studies verify, of course, that animals do indeed intelligently communicate, often in quite complex ways, with one another. There is no logic, therefore, in assuming that because we don’t understand it, it is meaningless or an indication that there is no reason or cognitive process associated with it. Thus, his opponent’s argument that animals have no reason, whether internal or external, will be seen to be deeply flawed.

Indeed, the variety and difference in the vocal sounds of animals, indicate that they are significant. Hence, we hear one sound when they are terrified, but another, of a different kind, when they call their associates, another when they summon their young to food, another when they lovingly embrace each other, and another when they incite to battle. And so great is the difference in their vocal sounds, that, even by those who have spent their whole life in the observation of them, it is found to be extremely difficult to ascertain their meaning, on account of their multitude.

And furthermore:

… when animals speak to each other, these sounds are manifest and significant to them, though they are not known to all of us. If, however, it appears that they imitate us, that they learn the Greek tongue, and understand their keepers, what man is so impudent as not to grant that they are rational, because he does not understand what they say?

A profoundly important point. Not only are animals capable of understanding one another, but are also capable of understanding humans, something that by all accounts requires a good deal of reasoning ability.

But what about those animals who do not vocalize, do they have reason (cognition)?

It is also narrated, that some dumb animals obey their masters with more readiness than any domestic servants… . Many likewise relate that the eels in Arethusa, and the shell-fish denominated saperdae, about Maeander, are obedient to those that call them. Is not the imagination, therefore, of an animal that speaks, the same, whether it proceeds as far as to the tongue, or does not? And if this be the case, is it not absurd to call the voice of man alone reason, but refuse thus to denominate the voice of other animals? For this is just as if crows should think that their voice alone is external reason, but that we are irrational animals, because the meaning of the sounds which we utter is not obvious to them …

We can certainly admire the soundness of Porphyry’s reasoning, which corresponds in our day to the reasoning of animal rights activists who maintain that all animals are sentient, whether we can understand them or not, on similar grounds of argument, except now backed by a myriad of scientific studies to support the clear logic of it.

Porphyry continues with further examples:

The hunter … from the barking of his dog, perceives at one time, indeed, that the dog explores a hare, but at another, that the dog has found it; at one time, that he pursues the game, at another that he has caught it, and at another that he is in the wrong track, through having lost the scent of it. Thus, too, the cowherd knows, at one time, indeed, that a cow is hungry, or thirsty, or weary, and at another, that she is incited to venery, or seeks her calf, (from her different lowings). A lion also manifests by his roaring that he threatens, a wolf by his howling that he is in a bad condition, and shepherds, from the bleating of sheep, know what the sheep want.

Neither … are animals ignorant of the meaning of the voice of men, when they are angry, or speak kindly to, or call them, or pursue them, or ask them to do something, or give something to them; nor, in short, are they ignorant of any thing that is usually said to them, but are aptly obedient to it; which it would be impossible for them to do, unless that which is similar to intellection energized, in consequence of being excited by its similar. … For they do not hear our voice as if it was a mere sound only, but they also perceive the difference in the meaning of the words, which is the effect of rational intelligence.

Regardless of their ability in terms of voice, the very fact that an animal is capable of understanding and following orders proceeding from human language demonstrates that they must indeed have cognitive abilities (intellection) at least somewhat similar to human beings. Without a quite high degree of cognitive ability, how would an animal process the information embodied in the sounds of our voice, and from that both understand and follow the instructions?

Porphyry then wonderfully demonstrates the reasoning capacity of dogs thus:

… dogs have a knowledge of dialectic, and make use of the syllogism which consists of many disjunctive propositions, when, in searching for their game, they happen to come to a place where there are three roads. For they thus reason, the beast has either fled through this road, or through that, or through the remaining road; but it has not fled either through this, or through that, and therefore it must have fled through the remaining third of these roads.

This process of reasoning is essentially the same mental process as the dialectic of the philosopher who moves from one proposition to another, eliminating options until the true one is discovered; the difference between the philosopher’s and the dog’s reasoning being not of kind but of degree.

These arguments are simple and logical enough, and yet even in our world of so-called ’enlightenment’ the bulk of humanity seems to shrug them away and continue to insist upon Man as the only reasoning being on Earth. At the very least, we can see that vegans have been making these arguments for many centuries, sadly falling most often on the deaf ears of the ignorant.

Porphyry moves on from external to internal reason:

But it is now requisite to show that brutes have internal reason. The difference, indeed, between our reason and theirs, appears to consist, as Aristotle somewhere says, not in essence, but in the more and the less …

This statement is of profound importance. It becomes essential, in examining the sentience of animals, to realize that the consciousness operating within them and within us is not different in type but only in degree. And just as among humanity the degree varies immensely from an Einstein down to a so- called ‘savage’, but we refrain from calling one sentient and the other not, so when we extend this to animals we are forced to admit their sentience (and reason).

… indeed, so far as pertains to sense and the remaining organization, according to the sensoria and the flesh, every one nearly will grant that these are similarly disposed in us, as they are in brutes. For they not only similarly participate with us of natural passions, and the motions produced through these, but we may also survey in them such affections as are preternatural and morbid. No one, however, of a sound mind, will say that brutes are unreceptive of the reasoning power, on account of the difference between their habit of body and ours, when he sees that there is a great variety of habit in men, according to their race, and the nations to which they belong and yet, at the same time, it is granted that all of them are rational.

He proceeds to point out that not only is the underlying reasoning ability of the same kind in animals and humans in relation to the senses, but that many animals exhibit far greater sensory perception, and thus on the whole they may be said to be superior to us in this regard. Our ability to cognize our environment comes through our senses and is processed by our reasoning faculty, but our senses report hardly a fraction of what many animal’s do, and thus our reasoning ability is limited by this lack of sensory ability \ limits which do not similarly exist in many animals, who may see or smell or hear with far greater accuracy and thus who may perceive far more of reality than we.

As a verification of animal reason, Porphyry later states:

… nature … did not make an animal sensitive merely that it might be passively affected, and possess sensible perception; but as there are many things which are allied and appropriate, and many which are foreign to it, it would not be able to exist for the shortest space of time, unless it learnt how to avoid some things, and to pursue others. The knowledge, therefore, of both these … the apprehension and pursuit of what is useful, and the depulsion and avoidance of what is destructive and painful, can by no possible contrivance be present with those animals that are incapable of reasoning, judging, and remembering, and that do not naturally possess an animadvertise power.

Thus we see the utility and purpose of sensory perception and its relation to reason. The use of sensory perception to successfully navigate the world itself demonstrates that underlying the perceptions is an active reasoning capacity.

Citing a work available in his day, he concludes:

There is … a treatise of Strato, the physiologist, in which it is demonstrated, that it is not possible to have a sensible perception of anything without the energy of intellection. … For the objects which fall on the eyes and the ears do not produce a sensible perception of themselves, unless that which is intellective is present.

This is an obvious assertion to the philosopher, and one that is backed by modern scientific studies. Our senses, without the mind to interpret them are useless. It is the mind that gives meaning to the input given it by the senses, and it is through a complex inner process that understanding of the information is gained. Animals, thus, demonstrate by their use of their senses that they too have this inner process of mind.

Moving steadily from reason towards the subject of justice, Porphyry observes:

… with respect to other animals, in the same manner as with respect to men, many things are taught them by nature, and some things are imparted by discipline. Brutes, however, learn some things from each other, but are taught others, as we have said, by men. They also have memory, which is a most principal thing in the resumption of reasoning and prudence. They likewise have vices, and are envious; though their bad qualities are not so widely extended as in men …

In light of what we witness daily in the “world of men” today we can certainly agree with this last statement. Animals certainly seem much less “vice ridden” than humans. And yet we are superior, many insist!

This point, that animals exhibit vice, is exceedingly important when looked at in combination with its opposite, virtue - these two opposites being paramount to the concept and exercise of justice. Porphyry thus proceeds to the subject of justice in relation to animals, supported by his arguments for their rationality (sentience).

Who likewise is ignorant how much gregarious animals preserve justice towards each other? for this is preserved by ants, by bees, and by other animals of the like kind. And who is ignorant of the chastity of female ringdoves towards the males with whom they associate? for they destroy those who are found by them to have committed adultery. Or who has not heard of the justice of storks towards their parents? For in the several species of animals, a peculiar virtue is eminent, to which each species is naturally adapted; nor because this virtue is natural and stable, is it fit to deny that they are rational? For it might be requisite to deprive them of rationality, if their works were not the proper effects of virtue and rational sagacity; but if we do not understand how these works are effected, because we are unable to penetrate into the reasoning which they use, we are not on this account to accuse them of irrationality …

Demonstrating first that justice exists in the animal kingdom, by way of examples (and many more exist that could be used, particularly, as we know in modern times, among species that exhibit complex social orders), he argues that this very act of justice demonstrates the existence of virtue among animals, and from this we can surmise the ability to discern between virtue and vice, something we humans consider a product of high reasoning!

Upon an examination of their vices and virtues, Porphyry then demonstrates that their vices are less than men’s and that many of their virtues are greater. His prime example of this is in regards to those animals who are held as slaves.

But many brutes are slaves to men, and, as someone rightly says, though they are in a state of servitude themselves, through the improbity of men, yet, at the same time, by wisdom and justice, they cause their masters to be their servants and curators. Moreover, the vices of brutes are manifest, from which especially their rationality is demonstrated. For they are envious, and the males are rivals of each other with respect to the favour of the females, and the females with respect to the regard of the males. There is one vice, however, which is not inherent in them, viz., acting insidiously towards their benefactors, but they are perfectly benevolent to those who are kind to them, and place so much confidence in them, as to follow wherever they may lead them, though it should even be to slaughter and manifest danger. And though some one should nourish them, not for their sake, but for his own, yet they will be benevolently disposed towards their possessor. But men [on the contrary] do not act with such hostility towards any one, as towards him who has nourished them; nor do they so much pray for the death of any one, as for his death.

We would argue, alongside Porphyry that this benevolent disposition that countless animals maintain, even towards their captors, is a demonstration of virtue rarely found among humans. How then, with such exhibitions of virtue, can we deny them either justice or reason?

Porphyry also examines, in light of the philosophy covered in Part 2, the importance of experiencing both the irrational and the rational as a means of growth and learning (and in its relation to virtue and vice), which leads to the proper exercise of reason (i.e. from reason to right reason).

… he who lives according to intellect, will more accurately define what is eligible [rightful to do] and what is not, than he who lives under the dominion of irrationality. For the former has passed through the irrational life, as having from the first associated with it; but the latter, having had no experience of an intellectual life, persuades those that resemble himself, and acts with nugacity [worthlessness], like a child among children.

As stated earlier, we are not born with “right reason”, but only with “reason”, which holds within itself the capacity for or potential of right reason. It takes discipline and study to ascend to right reason, which brings with it the benefit of knowing, from direct experience, both the irrational and the rational. And it is essentially this knowing (in whatever degree) that allows for one to distinguish between virtue and vice, and to act accordingly. Thus, the rational man understands both himself and the irrational man, but the irrational man understands only his own irrationality.

This is important in the application to animals, since Porphyry demonstrates earlier that animals possess both virtue and vice, and are able to distinguish between the two and thus incorporate justice into their social systems. This, in itself is a powerful argument for the reasoning capacity of animals, which, it may be argued, may exceed that of many humans, who are as yet unable to distinguish between virtue and vice and thus maintain quite confused notions of justice. It becomes difficult, in the light of these arguments, to maintain the concept of human superiority - we may be superior in potential , but have we yet demonstrated ourselves to be superior in actuality?

Porphyry continues on to dismantle several of his opponents arguments which suppose to prove that animals are not rational, among them being:

that brutes do not consult, nor form assemblies, nor act in a judicial capacity,

to which he replies:

But tell me whether all men do this? Do not actions in the multitude precede consultation? And whence can anyone demonstrate that brutes do not consult? For no one can adduce an argument sufficient to prove that they do not. For those show the contrary to this, who have written minutely about animals.

In modern times we, of course, know animals to consult with one another, in one manner or another, particularly among anthopoids and other social animals in regards to their social structure and communal decisions. Porphyry continues:

As to other objections, which are adduced by our adversaries in a declamatory way, they are perfectly frivolous; such, for instance, as that brutes have no cities of their own. For neither have the Scythians, who live in carts, nor the Gods. Our opponents add, that neither have brutes any written laws. To this we reply, that neither had men while they were happy. For Apis is said to have been the first that promulgated laws for the Greeks, when they were in want of them.

This is quite important, as it can be seen, upon reflection, that the need for legal laws arises only due to the want of them - i.e. only because we have proven ourselves incapable of living in harmony without exterior laws to enforce the self-control and right reason that we evidently lack. Animals, having no such laws, demonstrate not an incapacity, but a lack of need of such laws, and thus can be seen to surpass humans in their ability to live naturally in harmony.

In regards to equal justice to animals, Porphyry observes:

… is it not absurd, since we see that many of our own species live from sense alone, but do not possess intellect and [right] reason, and since we also see, that many of them surpass the most terrible of wild beasts in cruelty, anger, and rapine, being murderous of their children and their parents, and also being tyrants, and the tools of kings (is it not, I say, absurd,) to fancy that we ought to act justly towards these, but that no justice is due from us to the ox that ploughs, the dog that is fed with us, and the animals that nourish us with their milk, and adorn our bodies with their wool? Is it not such an opinion most irrational and absurd?

One after another, his opponents arguments are shown to be unfounded and illogical.

Following this, and directly towards the application of justice to all animals, he rightly observes:

… all men [are allied] to each other; for one of these two reasons, either because they originate from the same ancestors, or because they participate of the same food, manners and genus. Thus also we must admit that all men have an affinity, and are allied to each other. And, moreover, the principles of the bodies of all animals are naturally the same… . But animals are much more allied to each other, through naturally possessing souls, which are not different from each other … in the reasoning faculty, and, above all, in the senses. But as with respect to bodies, so likewise with respect to souls, some animals have them more, but others less perfect, yet all of them have naturally the same principles… . And if this be admitted, the genus of other animals has an affinity, and is allied to us… . Hence, since animals are allied to us, if it should appear … that they are allotted the same soul [psyche] that we are, he may justly be considered as impious who does not abstain from acting unjustly towards his kindred.

And

Through these arguments, therefore … it is demonstrated that brutes are rational animals, reason in most of them being indeed imperfect, of which, nevertheless, they are not entirely deprived. Since, however, justice pertains to rational [sentient] beings, as our opponents say, how is it possible not to admit, that we should also act justly towards brutes?

The question ought to hang in the air for a while, to be considered fully in light of the sound arguments that preceded it.

It is beneficial for us to close this section by considering, as Porphyry does, the effect engendered by one who does extend justice to all animals.

Pythagoras said, that to injure no one, and to be exhilarated with justice, is the sweetest sauce; as the avoidance of animal food, will also be the avoidance of unjust conduct with respect to food.

And indeed we agree. This exhilaration with justice lends itself to joy, bliss, or what Porphyry calls “felicity”, which is again what eastern philosophers might call Anand. It exists together with compassion and empathy and all other noble virtues, which exist potentially in all sentient beings but are activated in but a few.

For he who abstains from every thing animated [i.e. from exploitation of animals] … will be much more careful not to injure those of his own species. For he who loves the genus, will not hate any species of animals; and by how much the greater his love of the genus is, by so much the more will he preserve justice towards a part of the genus, and that to which he is allied. He, therefore, who admits that he is allied to all animals, will not injure any animal. But he who confines justice to man alone, is prepared, like one enclosed in a narrow space, to hurl from him the prohibition of injustice.

Justice breeds justice, as love breeds love and compassion does compassion. Our recognition that animals are “allied to us” by shared principles and reason, by genus (kind), lends itself to an expansion of justice not just externally, but within ourselves, which carries with it profoundly beneficent results. We become, as Porphyry explained earlier, increasingly divine (Good) by the practice of goodness.

Porphyry closes book three of his discourse with the following profound statement, addressing directly the inherent problem of the irrational (passionate) nature - a problem existing in excess in our consumerist world.

If, however, say our opponents, all men were persuaded by these arguments, what would become of us? … But now this question is just the same as if men should be dubious what the life of the Danaids would be, if they were liberated from the employment of drawing water in a sieve, and attempting to fill a perforated vessel. For they are dubious what would be the consequence if we should cease to replenish our passions and desires, the whole of which replenishing continually flows away through the want of real good; since this fills up the ruinous clefts of the soul more than the greatest of external necessaries. Do you therefore ask, O man, what we should do? We should imitate those that lived in the golden age, we should imitate those of that period who were (truly) free. For with them modesty, Nemesis [harmony], and Justice associated, because they were satisfied with the fruits of the earth.

The fertile earth for them spontaneous yields abundantly her fruits.

But those who are liberated from slavery, obtain for themselves what they before procured for their masters. In like manner, also, do you, when liberated from the servitude of the body, and a slavish attention to the passions produced through the body, as, prior to this, you nourished them in an all-various manner with externals, so now nourish yourself all-variously with internal good, justly assuming things which are (properly) your own, and no longer by violence taking away things which are foreign (to your true nature and real good).

This visual of trying to “fill a perforated vessel” or of “drawing water in a sieve” is immensely profound. It is an illustration of how the passionate nature within us operates, wherein it seeks more and more of that which it is associated with, but remains always empty, ever unfulfilled. Our reasoning nature - our higher self, our Soul (psyche) in its highest degrees - is capable, however, of “nourishing us all-variously with internal good”, thus truly fulfilling us. It is entirely our choice which of these paths we will take - the one of blind and irresponsible passions, mistaken beliefs and ignorance, or the other of mindful responsibility, true perception and understanding, compassion and wisdom. The latter is that which is associated with animal rights, the former is that which is associated with the status-quo of exploitation, destruction and suffering.

Part 4: Additional Arguments

In his essay, Porphyry weaves his several arguments together into a single stream, but we will here make selections in relation to the primary arguments presented by his opponents. As we saw in his primary argument, Porphyry’s underlying philosophy will continue to support his positions, thus it will be helpful to reflect upon this philosophy while considering each argument presented. When we have finished with these additional arguments, we’ll proceed to his second chief argument which relates to animal sacrifice (and which we may relate to modern animal testing), and to a consideration of vegan history according to Porphyry.

Addressing the fallacy that consuming animal products is healthy, Porphyry argues:

Again, neither does animal food contribute, but is rather an impediment to health. For health is preserved through those things by which it is recovered. But it is recovered through a most slender and fleshless diet; so that by this also it is preserved.

… that which is especially preservative of health, is an undisturbed state of the soul [psyche] … For much benefit is from hence derived to the body, as our associates have demonstrated from experience. Hence some who have been afflicted with the gout in the feet and hands, to such a degree as to be infested with it for eight entire years, have expelled it through abandoning wealth, and betaking themselves to the contemplation of divinity. At the same time, therefore, that they have abandoned riches, and a solicitude about human concerns, they have also been liberated from bodily disease. So that a certain state of the soul greatly contributes both to health and to the good of the whole body. And to this also, for the most part, a diminution of nutriment contributes… . And in this manner those are affected, who are vehemently desirous of such nutriment, and through it are involved either in great expense, or in disease, or repletion, or the privation of leisure.

In short: remove stress and add proper nutrients (while eliminating unhealthy nutrients) if one desires health. Just as vegans today appeal the many examples of reversal of disease and of long-term health on a whole foods, vegan and simplified (non-stressful) lifestyle, so too did Porphyry appeal to the same in his day.

Expanding on health and the role of reason, he says:

Hence also, in simple and slender food, repletion is to be avoided, and every where we should consider what will be the consequence of the possession or enjoyment of it, what the magnitude of it is, and what molestation of the flesh or of the soul it is capable of dissolving. For we ought never to act indefinitely, but in things of this kind we should employ a boundary and measure …

Later he touches on another aspect of health, explaining something many modern vegans, particularly high carb raw vegans, have come to recognize.

It is also necessary to accustom the body to become alienated, as much as possible, from the pleasure of the satiety arising from luxurious food, but not from the fullness produced by a slender diet, in order that moderation may proceed through all things, and that what is necessary, or what is most excellent, may fix a boundary to our diet.

As many vegans come to recognize, there is an essential difference between the fulness of fruits and vegetables and the satiety and heaviness of consuming animal products. One essential challenge in adopting a vegan lifestyle is to let go of the unnatural desire for this heaviness, which we have unfortunately, through habit, come to crave and to mistake for fulness.

Furthermore, Porphyry relates the opinion of the priests of various traditions who abstained from animal foods (see also history in Part 5).

For holy men were of opinion that purity consisted in a thing not being mingled with its contrary, and that mixture is defilement. Hence, they thought that nutriment should be assumed from fruits, and not from dead bodies, and that we should not, by introducing that which is animated [i.e. food from animals] to our nature, defile what is administered by nature. But they conceived, that the slaughter of animals, as they [animals] are sensitive, and the depriving them of their souls, is a defilement to the living; and that the pollution is much greater, to mingle a body which was once sensitive, but is now deprived of sense, with a sensitive and living being.

And:

… the mixture of dead with living bodies, and the insertion of beings that were once living and sentient into animals, and of dead into living flesh, may be reasonably supposed to introduce defilement and stains to our nature…

From this mingling, as we now know, arises all manner of physical disease. But the problems resulting are not solely physical, as our mental state is likewise effected.

The soul [psyche], likewise, is polluted by anger and desire, and the multitude of passions of which in a certain respect diet is a co-operating cause.

The consumption of animals, according to Porphyry, and supported by many others in modern times, contributes to mental imbalances or pollutions that manifest in all manner of human vice. The passions we associate with the consumption of animal products also lends themselves to other aspects of our lives, creating people in whom the irrational consistently overshadows the rational. Their lives become dictated not by reason, nor by compassion or morality, but by their own limited passions and desires, the habits of consumption, etc..

But purification consists in a separation from all these [defilements], and the wisdom which is adapted to divine concerns, is a desertion of every thing of this kind. The proper nutriment likewise, of each thing, is that which essentially preserves it… . It is one thing, however, to nourish, and another to fatten; and one thing to impart what is necessary, and another to procure what is luxurious.

… the soul which administers its own affairs in a body that is dry, … [i.e.] is not moistened by the juices of foreign flesh, is in a more excellent condition, is more uncorrupted, and is more prompt for intellectual energy.

In addition to feeding ourselves with the proper nutrients and avoiding defiling ourselves through animal foods, it is important, Porphyry explains, to also feed our minds through study and inner discipline.

Hence, the nutriment of the rational soul is that which preserves it in a rational state. But this is intellect; so that it is to be nourished by intellect; and we should earnestly endeavour that it may be fattened through this, rather than that the flesh may become pinguid through esculent substances… . the body when fattened causes the soul to be famished, through its hunger after a blessed life not being satisfied, increases our mortal [irrational] part, since it is of itself insane, and impedes our attainment of an immortal condition of being. It likewise defiles by corporifying the soul, and drawing her down to that which is foreign to her nature.

We return once again, then, to the philosophy underlying Porphyry’s arguments. The dragging down of the psyche into “foreign lands” - false ideas, beliefs, as well as the resulting unhealthy and unsuitable bodies - is an inevitable result of “fattening” ourselves through improper diet and lifestyle (both mental and physical). The rising up into our true nature, our real self, the rational, reasoning mind, which gives rise to understanding, wisdom, compassion and morality is the inevitable result of living well, eating a proper diet physically and engaging our minds in a proper diet mentally. Health, Porphyry argues, alongside modern vegans, comes naturally and easily from the vegan lifestyle.

Addressing the Epicurian’s fear-based positions, Porphyry argues:

It is necessary however to preserve health; not by the fear of death, but for the sake of not being impeded in the attainment of the good which is derived from contemplation.

And,

… he who fears to abstain from animal food, if he suffers himself to feed on flesh through pleasure, is afraid of death. For immediately, together with a privation [lack] of such food, he conceives that something indefinitely dreadful will be present, the consequence of which will be death. But from these and similar causes, an insatiable desire is produced of riches, possessions, and renown, together with an opinion that every good is increased with these in a greater extent of time, and the dread of death as of an infinite evil. The pleasure however which is produced through luxury, does not even approach to that which is experienced by him who lives with frugality. For such a one has great pleasure in thinking how little he requires… . He will likewise thus be truly rich, measuring wealth by a natural bound, and not by vain opinions. Thus too, he will not depend on the hope of the greatest pleasure, the existence of which is incredible, since this would be most troublesome. But he will remain satisfied with his present condition, and will not be anxious to live for a longer period of time.

This goes straight to the point made earlier about the “inner garments” we wear. The ideas and assumptions we live by will color many aspects of our lives. In this case, Porphyry explains how the mistaken idea that we need animal products to survive may be associated with a fear of death that intermingles with other areas of our life, thus informing and amplifying our consumerist needs. In short, certain inner assumptions we hold may feed both our consumption of animal products and our overall consumerism - the two being essentially the same type of activity, i.e. an attempt to ward off death and cling (fearfully) to life, attempting to extract as much as possible from it, an activity which is an unhealth of the soul [psyche], which manifests as unhealth in the body.

We find here the essential problem of the insatiability of human desires - once certain passions are stirred up and amplified they tend to infect every aspect of our lives. Thus, the distorted assumption that death is to be feared and thus that life is to be frantically clung to lends itself to all manner of harmful consumptions, as the infected mind attempts to fill the imaginary void it has itself created.

The Epicurians demonstrate by their arguments a preoccupation with fears of various kinds, basing their entire argument on the several imagined calamities that will result if they change their ways. We may recall their summarizing statement that:

… the destruction of every thing noxious [harmful], and the preservation of that which is subservient to its extermination, similarly contribute to a fearless life.

But while the Epicurians keep themselves firmly imprisoned to their own fears,

The contemplative philosopher, however will invariably adopt a slender diet. For he knows the particulars in which his bond consists, so that he is not capable of desiring luxuries. Hence, being delighted with simple food, he will not seek for animal nutriment, as if he was not satisfied with a vegetable diet.

One of the principle attributes of the philosopher is that of contentment, directly antithetical to the ever-unsettled nature that arises from fear.

Two other Epicurian arguments are briefly addressed and dismissed and promptly dismissed by Porphyry.

Addressing the fallacy that animal populations would overrun the world, he argues:

For if all men conceived rightly, there would be no need of fowlers, or hunters, or fishermen, or swineherds. But animals governing themselves, and having no guardian and ruler, would quickly perish, and be destroyed by others, who would attack them and diminish their multitude, as is found to be the case with myriads of animals on which men do not feed.

Ecosystems have an in-built balance, which maintains itself through a multiplicity of mechanisms, and contrary to human arrogance, it does not need us to force it into balance.

Argument to the appeal to existing law:

We’ll remember that the Epicurian argument appealing to law was based on the the idea that because the laws established for their society were deemed to be just, that it must then follow that because those laws don’t demand abstinence from animal foods, that animal consumption must be right and just. To this absurdity, Porphyry argues that:

… the law grants to the vulgar many other things (besides a fleshly diet) … [for example] the law does not forbid the vulgar from associating with harlots … but thinks that it is disgraceful and base for men that are moderately good to have any connexion with them. Moreover, the law does not prohibit a man from spending the whole of his life in a tavern, yet at the same time this is most disgraceful even to a man of moderate worth. It appears, therefore, that the same thing must also be said with respect to diet. For that which is permitted to the multitude, must not likewise be granted to the best of men.

These examples make it clear that the existing law doesn’t necessarily represent perfect morality, allowing for many things that are recognized as immoral, and likewise to things not yet recognized (by the multitudes) as immoral. One underlying point is, of course, that no system of law is infallible, and appealing to fallible law to uphold immorality is an incredibly weak argument, as has been demonstrated in the many rights movements of our recent generations. Even if the current multitudes imagine something to be just this in no way makes it just per se. Appealing to law as justification, while ignoring inner morality is to replace internal truths with static external structure.

Argument against the fallacy that eating plants is equal to eating animals:

Some one, however, perhaps may say, that we also take away something from plants [when we eat, and sacrifice them to the Gods]. But the ablation is not similar; since we do not take this away from those who are unwilling that we should. For, if we omitted to gather them, they would spontaneously drop their fruits. The gathering of the fruits, also, is not attended with the destruction of the plants, as it is when animals lose their animating principle.

A sound argument shared by modern fruitarians. Later, amid his discussion of reason and justice, Porphyry again addresses the fallacy:

… we do not extend justice to plants, because there appears to be much in them which is unconnected with reason; though of these, we are accustomed to use the fruits, but not together with the fruits to cut off the trunks. We collect however, corn and leguminous substances, when, being efflorescent, they have fallen on the earth, and are dead. But no one uses for food the flesh of dead animals, that of fish being excepted, unless they have been destroyed by violence. So that in these things there is much injustice.

He then makes a point that addresses itself both to the fallacy at hand and to several of his opponent’s arguments, returning to the theme of both health and justice.

As Plutarch also says, it does not follow that because our nature is indigent of certain things, and we use these, we should therefore act unjustly towards all things. For we are allowed to injure other things to a certain extent, in order to procure the necessary means of subsistence (if to take any thing from plants, even while they are living, is an injury to them); but to destroy other things through luxury, and for the enjoyment of pleasure, is perfectly savage and unjust. And the abstinence from these neither diminishes our life nor our living happily. For if, indeed, the destruction of animals and the eating of flesh were as requisite as air and water, plants and fruits, without which it is impossible to live, this injustice would be necessarily connected with our nature. But if many priests of the Gods, and many kings of the barbarians, being attentive to purity, and if, likewise, infinite species of animals never taste food of this kind, yet live, and obtain their proper end according to nature, is not he absurd who orders us, because we are compelled to wage war with certain animals, not to live peaceably with those with whom it is possible to do so, but thinks, either that we ought to live without exercising justice towards any thing, or that, by exercising it towards all things, we should not continue in existence?

This touches on a central foundation of the modern vegan movement, namely the steady destruction of the myth that consuming animal products is necessary for either survival or health. As Porphyry says, and as many of us rightly echo today, the proof that we do not need animals to survive, or thrive, is demonstrated by those who abstain and yet maintain their health. In his day these were to be found chiefly among the priests and philosophers (which we will discuss in part 5), but also among certain kings (as we saw in our investigation of Apollonius of Tyana).

Porphyry also explains, as is the case with, for example, lettuce and other vegetables, that it is required to injure the plant “to a certain extent” in order to procure the food, but that this is a necessity of our nature, exactly as with any herbivore, and needed for our health (a built-in aspect of our relation to the ecosystem), but that the injury of animals by humans is solely out of “luxury” and not necessity \ a central argument of modern animal rights activists as well. In short: we eat animals (and sacrifice them) only because we desire to, not because it is in any way necessary for our health (it is, in fact, a detriment to it), and thus the practice is absolutely devoid of justice. As Porphyry rightly observes:

… he who acts in this manner through the acquisition of wealth, or through satiety or luxurious pleasure, and for the purpose of satisfying desires which are not necessary, appears to be inhospitable, intemperate, and depraved.

And,

… to deliver animals to be slaughtered and cooked, and thus be filled with murder, not for the sake of nutriment and satisfying the wants of nature, but making pleasure and gluttony the end of such conduct, is transcendently iniquitous and dire.

Returning to the central issue of justice, we later read:

By admitting, therefore, that pleasure is the end (of our actions) justice is evidently destroyed.

Our treatment of animals, from Porphyry’s perspective, shared by modern vegans and animal rights activists, is that because there is no necessity in harming animals, nor in consuming them, our choice to do so is seen to arise solely from our desire for the so-called benefits that arise (gluttonist pleasure, corruption, greed, etc.). This complete and utter obeisance to the worst in us is therefore easily seen by any thinking, feeling person to be the very epitome of injustice.

Porphyry further elucidates the distinction between animals and plants, thus:

… we do not say that one tree is more ignorant than another, as we say that a sheep is more stupid than a dog. Nor do we say that one herb is more timid than another, as we do that a stag is more timid than a lion. For, as in things which are immoveable [i.e. non-sentient], one is not slower than another, and in things which are not vocal, one is not less vocal than another: thus, too, in all things in which the power of intellection is wanting, one thing cannot be said to be more timid, more dull, or more intemperate than another. For, as these qualities are present differently in their different participants, they produce in animals the diversities which we perceive.

And concluding the argument, Porphyry cuts straight to the central point:

To compare plants … with animals, is doing violence to the order of things. For the latter are naturally sensitive, and adapted to feel pain, to be terrified and hurt; on which account also they may be injured. But the former are entirely destitute of sensation, and in consequence of this, nothing foreign, or evil, or hurtful, or injurious, can befall them.

In short: it comes down to the ability to self-consciously experience suffering. Animals are capable of this, as are humans. Plants are not. The difference is evident to any who give this a modicum of rational thought.

Argument against the opinion that animals were created with no other purpose than to be of use to humans:

[It] is considered by our opponents to be very probable, that the Gods made us for the sake of themselves, and for the sake of each other, and that they made animals for the sake of us; horses, indeed, in order that they might assist us in battle, dogs, that they might hunt with us, and leopards, bears, and lions, for the sake of exercising our fortitude. But the hog … was not made for any other purpose than to be sacrificed; and God mingled soul, as if it were salt, with the flesh of this animal, that he might procure for us excellent food. In order, likewise, that we might have an abundance of broth, and luxurious suppers, divinity provided for us all-various kinds of shell- fish, the fishes called purples, sea-nettles, and the various kinds of winged animals; and this not from a certain other cause, but only that he might supply man with an exuberance of pleasure; in so doing, surpassing all nurses [in kindness], and thickly filling with pleasures and enjoyments the terrestrial place.

This, sadly, is the position taken by many, if not the majority, of monotheistic religionists even in our modern world, imagining that their God created all of this for our use and nothing more. The idea is, of course, to any thinking person, not only absurd, but disgusting and depraved. Porphyry gives his reply:

… if God fashioned animals for the use of men, in what do we use flies, lice, bats, beetles, scorpions, and vipers? of which some are odious to the sight, defile the touch, are intolerable to the smell, and in their voice dire and unpleasant; and others, on the contrary, are destructive to those that meet with them.

And if our opponents should admit that all things were not generated for us, and with a view to our advantage, in addition to the distinction which they make being very confused and obscure, we shall not avoid acting unjustly, in attacking and noxiously using those animals which were not produced for our sake, but according to nature [i.e. for the sake of the universe], as we were.

A wonderful argument! If animals were created for our use, what of those that we find no use in? And if we find no use in some animals, then it is unjust to destroy them, as then we are robbing them of their actual purpose, whatever that be. Based on his opponent’s position then (assuming, for the moment, that it were even remotely plausible), we can surmise that we ought not kill any animal that we do not have a use for, which forces his opponents to admit to the justice in not killing the vast majority of animals. Continuing to use his opponent’s arguments against them, he makes the wonderful point:

… that if we define, by utility [i.e. the purpose of a thing], things which pertain to us, we shall not be prevented from admitting, that we were generated for the sake of the most destructive animals, such as crocodiles, balaenae, and dragons. For we are not in the least benefited by them; but they seize and destroy men that fall in their way, and use them for food …

His opponents, it would seem, inadvertently place Man somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of utility, and not, as they would love to have it, at the pinnacle. Let any modern monotheistic religionist who takes up the position that animals were created for Man address these arguments and escape without entangling themselves in their own twisted logic!

Furthermore,

those, however, who speak stupidly about these things, assert that animals are neither delighted, nor enraged, nor terrified, nor make any provision for what is necessary, nor remember; but they say that the bee as it were remembers, that the swallow as it were, provides what is requisite, that the lion is as it were angry, and that the stag is as it were afraid. And I know not what answer to give to those who say that animals neither see nor hear, but see as it were, and as it were hear; that they do not utter vocal sounds, but as it were utter them; and that, in short, they do not live, but as it were live. For he who is truly intelligent, will readily admit that these assertions are no more sane than the former, and are similarly destitute of evidence.

This addresses directly the religious sentiment that animals are devoid of soul and thus do not live as humans live, but are merely automatons, seemingly exhibiting similarities to human emotions, reason, etc.., but in reality only do so automatically and without individuality or mind (psyche, soul). It is, as Porphyry says, unfounded and illogical and “destitute of evidence”.

We thus return to the concept of justice, as:

… this [that animals are automatons] to our opponents does not appear to be at all absurd. For as they admit that the love of parents towards their offspring is the principle in us of association and justice; yet, though they perceive that this affection is abundant and strong in animals, they nevertheless deny that they participate of justice …

This, as we can see, is entirely erroneous and irrational. There is no logic in assuming that animals exhibit the same behavior as humans and yet somehow do not contain the same principles or faculties that are associated with that behavior in humans. As argued earlier, animals display a wide variety of sentient (rational, intelligent, reasoning) capabilities, and thus must be concluded to be possessed of the same animating principles, namely soul or psyche (mind). Logic, however, seems to escape Porphyry’s opponents as widely as it escapes ours.

Having summarized the secondary arguments weaved by Porphyry throughout his essay, it remains yet to explore two related issues covered at length in it, these being Animal Sacrifice and the dual history of both veganism and animal consumption. We will consider these, then, in our final section.

Part 5: On Sacrifice and History

Having covered the bulk of Porphyry’s arguments against the opponents of animal rights and veganism, we will now take into consideration the second of his central arguments, which comprises a large portion of his essay. This argument, as we will see, is interwoven with Porphyry’s treatment of the history of animal consumption and its counterpart, veganism. His examination of history is worth serious consideration, as it stands in contrast to conventional modern theories but in direct correlation with alternative theories put forward in recent years.

Addressing the argument of the need to sacrifice animals to the gods and its relation to the consumption of animal products:

Porphyry speaks at length on the subject of sacrifice, but it will serve us best here to make a few selections as a summary. Prior to entering into his argument, however, let us understand that while we may not actively sacrifice animals on the alters of religious institutions in our modern times, we are very far from abolishing the underlying practice. On the contrary, we have simply replaced religion with science, and its gods with ourselves, having continued the practice of sacrifice under the name of vivisection and all manner of animal testing. We sacrifice countless animals annually to ourselves, the ‘gods’ of science, to please our own desires for knowledge, for medicine, fashion and so on. Let us then, read the following with this in mind, and not detach ourselves from this portion of Porphyry’s essay by perceiving this to be solely an archaic practice. The act of carelessly sacrificing animals, and its underlying brutality of thought, is alive and well in our day and needs to be fought as strongly as it was in Porphyry’s.

The argument Porphyry presents, opens with a little display of simple logic to separate and target the issue.

Firstly,

… it does not follow because animals are slain that it is necessary to eat them. Nor does he who admits the one, I mean that they should be slain, entirely prove that they should be eaten.

Secondly,

… the laws permit us to defend ourselves against enemies who attack us [by killing them]; but it did not seem proper to these laws to grant that we should eat them, as being a thing contrary to the nature of man.” And “… it does not follow, that because it is proper to sacrifice certain animals to daemons, or Gods, or certain powers, through causes either known or unknown to men, it is therefore necessary to feed on animals.

“For these things not being confused, but distinguished in a proper manner, most of the opposing arguments will be found to be vain. For the greater part of them endeavour to show, either that it is necessary to slay animals, on account of the injuries sustained from them, and it is assumed as a thing consequent, that it is proper to eat them; or because animals are slain in sacrifices, it is inferred that therefore they may be eaten by men. And again, if it is requisite to destroy certain animals, on account of their ferocity, it is conceived, that it must follow, that tame animals likewise ought to be slain… . all these inferences are bad, and are incapable of exhibiting any necessity for their adoption. And, indeed, that all of them are bad, will be immediately evident to men that are not contentious.”

This is important at the outset, that we separate the act of consuming an animal from the act of killing them (for whatever reasons we conceive). The two acts must be addressed individually, as one does not follow from the other. In this way, we can easily see that the argument for sacrificing animals, even if it were successful, in no way leads to the conclusion that we ought to eat animals. However, as Porphyry will explain, the two acts are related in their historical context.

So, in moving forward from this logical separation, Porphyry proceeds to trace the history of sacrifice, demonstrating that the original sacrifices made to the gods consisted of burning grasses, flowers, leaves, or by presenting fruits, cakes made of wheat, etc., but that:

This mode … of offering first-fruits in sacrifices, having, at length, proceeded to great illegality, the assumption of immolations, most dire and full of cruelty, was introduced; so that it would seem that the execrations, which were formerly uttered against us, have now received their consummation, in consequence of men slaughtering animals, and defiling altars with blood; and this commenced from that period in which mankind tasted of blood, through having experienced the evils of famine and war.

Religious sacrifice, then, was not originally meant to consist of something as cruel the slaughtering of animals, this being only a later development, spawned by the trauma of human experience.

The sacrifice, therefore, through animals is posterior and most recent, and originated from a cause which is not of a pleasing nature, like that of the sacrifice from fruits, but received its commencement either from famine, or some other unfortunate circumstance.

In terms of modern practices (vivisection, animal testing, etc.), we may likewise say that scientific observation of animals began in their natural environment and without injury to them, and only later did it devolve into capturing, imprisoning, torturing, murdering and dissecting them, as our thirst for knowledge and power (over nature) overpowered our morality.

The practice of sacrifice, according to Porphyry, began as a simple showing of gratitude and respect for the gods (the embodiments of the forces of nature) - a basic act of thanking Mother Earth for supplying us with our needs - and only later was it degraded to the killing of animals to please supposedly vengeful gods (imagined to be the cause of human plight). These sacrifices, Porphyry tells us,

… had their beginning, either in ignorance, or anger, or fear…

While this specific type of animal sacrifice (to the gods) is, as said, no longer a direct concern in our current societies (though its morphed ‘brother’ is), what is of great important in Porphyry’s treatment of this issue is his explanation of the history underlying animal sacrifice - and it is important because he traces not only the history of animal sacrifice, but the history of animal consumption itself. He begins this by recounting specific instances of the first animal sacrifices, after which he concludes that:

All of them however, are full of explanations that are not holy. But most of them assign famine, and the injustice with which it is attended, as the cause. Hence men having tasted of animals, they offered them in sacrifice, as first- fruits, to the Gods; but prior to this, they were accustomed to abstain from animal food.

Here Porphyry agrees with several modern historians, taking the position that the consumption of animal products is a relatively recent adaptation, and that humans were once “accustomed to abstaining from animal food,” and he is clear on the cause of this transition to eating animals:

… pestilence and war were the causes that introduced the necessity of eating them [animals].

We must also recognize that even his opponent, Claudius, himself verified this tradition - that humanity was once accustomed to abstaining from animals (see Part 1, Claudius’s first argument).

Furthermore, Porphyry relates:

… at first, indeed, sacrifices of fruits were made to the Gods; but, in the course of time, men becoming negligent of sanctity, in consequence of fruits being scarce, and through the want of legitimate nutriment, being impelled to eat each other, then supplicating divinity with many prayers, they first began to make oblations of themselves to the Gods, not only consecrating to the divinities whatever among their possessions was most beautiful, but, proceeding beyond this, they sacrificed those of their own species.

We can imagine the process: the trauma and desperation of famine and pestilence leading men to face the choice of death or such acts as cannibalism. This history (as we’ll discuss later) is pre-agricultural, wherein the skills to grow and harvest were not utilized, and given that, according to Porphyry, they were “accustomed to abstaining from animal foods” the skill of hunting was likewise absent, and thus in the advent of famine humanity found themselves rather helpless.

To appreciate this process, the trauma of famine must be fully recognized, understood and appreciated for its magnitude. The psychological effect of starvation, without the prospect of availability of food has, throughout human history, led to many terribly difficult decisions, cannibalism among them. And according to Porphyry, with many historical records at his disposal that are unavailable today, humans were first accustomed to abstaining from animal foods, but then faced the trauma of famine, pestilence and war, which led some to adopt, out of desperation, the practice of sacrificing and eating each other.

Proceeding therefore from hence, they made the bodies of other animals supply the place of their own in sacrifices, and again, through a satiety of legitimate nutriment, becoming oblivious of piety, they were induced by voracity to leave nothing untasted, nothing un-devoured. And this is what now happens to all men with respect to the aliment from fruits. For when, by the assumption of them, they have alleviated their necessary indigence [need], then searching for a superfluity of satiety, they labour to procure many things for food which are placed beyond the limits of temperance. Hence, as if they had made no ignoble sacrifices to the Gods, they proceeded also to taste the animals which they immolated; and from this, as a principle of the deed, the eating of animals became an addition to men to the nutriment derived from fruits.

So men began by sacrificing vegetation and “first-fruits” to the gods - i.e. they sacrificed that which they also ate - and when they began eating animals (which started only as a response to pestilence, famine and war) they continued the habit of sacrificing that which they ate. But more importantly, the consumption of animal products, while it started as a reaction to harsh conditions, became a habitual part of human life, even when conditions improved and fruits were again in plentiful supply.

From here, Porphyry cuts straight to the point of the issue, making his position on animal sacrifice absolutely clear.

But the most beautiful and honourable of those things, by which the Gods benefit us, are the fruits of the earth. For through these they preserve us, and enable us to live legitimately; so that, from these we ought to venerate them. Besides, it is requisite to sacrifice those things by the sacrifice of which we shall not injure any one… . if someone should say, that God gave animals for our use, no less than the fruits of the earth, yet it does not follow that they are, therefore, to be sacrificed, because in so doing they are injured, through being deprived of life. For sacrifice is, as the name implies, something holy. But no one is holy who requites a benefit from things which are the property of another … for how can this be holy, when those are injured from whom they are taken? … In sacrifices, therefore, we should abstain from animals.

From his arguments we can see that the sacrifice of animals is firstly not holy or necessary, even from the perspective of one steeped in the holy life, as Porphyry was, and secondly that even if one does insist on the practice of sacrificing animals (or killing them for any reason) there is no logic in the sentiment that they then ought to be eaten. Indeed, he takes the position that the consumption of animal products began only as a response to imminent starvation and only later did it become habitual. Therefore, neither act, animal sacrifice or animal consumption, need play a role among humanity, as both are artificial additions to human life.

In relation to modern practices we may say that the study of animals need not include harm to any animal. In this case also “it is requisite to sacrifice [only] those things by the sacrifice of which we shall not injure any one.” In seeking the abandonment of cruelty to any animal, we must fully remove any injury resulting from scientific study as well as the practice of consumption.

Porphyry moves to an explanation of the proper substance to be sacrificed and the proper state of mind from which real sacrifice naturally arises in the form of gratitude:

… the benefit derived from fruits is the first and the greatest of all others, and which, as soon as they are matured, should alone be offered to the Gods, and to Earth, by whom they are produced. For she is the common Vesta of Gods and men; and it is requisite that all of us, reclining on her surface, as on the bosom of our mother and nurse, should celebrate her divinity, and love her with a parental affection, as the source of our existence.

This is sacrifice: gratitude. It is an offering of our thanks to the Earth that sustains us and gives us life. As she supplies us with fruits for our sustenance, it is fruits that constitute the most noble objects of our gratitude, being the symbol and source of our health and of our Mother Earth’s love.

Argument against the fallacy that consuming animal products is natural because all nations engage in it:

Following his arguments on sacrifice, Porphyry expands upon the history of veganism, which we will summarize here. He does not bother to directly counter the very obvious fallacy that because something is customary it is right, but simply illustrates that not all nations or individuals do engage in the consumption of animal products, which in itself dismantles the fallacy.

He begins:

… we shall confute the assertion of our opponents, that no wise man, nor any nation, has rejected animal food, as it leads those that hear it to great injustice, through the ignorance of true history …

And continues:

… we shall begin from the abstinence of certain nations, in the narration of which, what is asserted of the Greeks will first claim our attention, as being the most allied to us, and the most appropriate of all the witnesses that can be adduced. Among those, therefore, that have concisely, and at the same time accurately collected an account of the affairs of the Greeks, is the Peripatetic Dicaearchus, who, in narrating the pristine life of the Greeks, says, the ancients, being generated with an alliance to the Gods, were naturally most excellent, and led the best life; so that, when compared to us of the present day, who consist of an adulterated and most vile matter, they were thought to be a golden race; and they slew no animal whatever. The truth of this, he also says, is testified by the poets, who denominate these ancients the golden race, and assert that every good was present with them.

We must again remember that Porphyry had many works available to him that we no longer have, many of these having been destroyed by the budding Christian Church in the centuries after his time. Our approach to Greek history is, therefore, almost surely lacking in comparison to the history available to Porphyry. And while we explored, in a previous blog, the Orphics - the most ancient of philosophers of Greece - who were known to have eaten no animal products, the prehistoric Greece described here as the “golden age” would refer to far more distant eras, indeed, as we’ll see, to the pre- argricultural Greeks.

All things, therefore, are very properly said to have been then [in Prehistoric Greece] spontaneously produced; for men did not procure any thing by labour, because they were unacquainted with the agricultural art, and, in short, had no knowledge of any other art. This very thing, likewise, was the cause of their leading a life of leisure, free from labours and care; and if it is proper to assent to the decision of the most skilful and elegant of physicians, it was also the cause of their being liberated from disease… . For they neither assumed such food as was stronger than the nature of the body could bear, but such as could be vanquished by the corporeal nature, nor more than was moderate, on account of the facility of procuring it …

Moreover, there were neither any wars among them, nor seditions with each other. For no reward of contention worth mentioning was proposed as an incentive, for the sake of which some one might be induced to engage in such dissensions. So that the principal thing in that life was leisure and rest from necessary occupations, together with health, peace, and friendship.

Truly a picture of Eden, corresponding to many other versions of prehistoric humanity found throughout religious and ancient philosophic literature. And, parallel to other traditions, Porphyry then recounts the “fall” from this condition:

But to those in after times, who, through aspiring after things which greatly exceeded mediocrity, fell into many evils, this pristine life became, as it was reasonable to suppose it would, desirable … A pastoral life succeeded to this, in which men procured for themselves superfluous possessions, and meddled with animals. For, perceiving that some of them were innoxious [harmless], but others malefic and savage, they tamed the former, but attacked the latter. At the same time, together with this life, war was introduced. And these things, says Dicaearchus, are not asserted by us, but by those who have historically discussed a multitude of particulars. For, as possessions were now of such a magnitude as to merit attention, some ambitiously endeavoured to obtain them, by collecting them (for their own use), and calling on others to do the same, but others directed their attention to the preservation of them when collected. Time, therefore, thus gradually proceeding, and men always directing their attention to what appeared to be useful, they at length became conversant with the third, and agricultural form of life.

The historical documents Porphyry had at his disposal seem to have been quite clear on this process, notwithstanding modern theories. Those documents give light to the idea that animal consumption is a recent addition to human life, and thus unnatural and capable of being discarded.

And this [history] is what is said by Dicaearchus, in his narration of the manners of the ancient Greeks, and the blessed life which they then led, to which abstinence from animal food contributed, no less than other things. Hence, at that period there was no war, because injustice was exterminated. But afterward, together with injustice towards animals, war was introduced among men, and the endeavour to surpass each other in amplitude of possessions.

We can certainly see the logic in these assertions. Infant human civilization undoubtedly had less possessions in much narrower variety; there is no indication of war among “pre-civilization” humanity - war going hand in hand with both the increase of possession and the accompanying desire for more (i.e. the “attempts to fill a perforated vessel” from Part 2). Indeed, Porphyry is clear that, according to these historical records:

… together with the slaughter of animals, war and injustice were introduced.

There is, according to this history a correlation and commonality in the adoption of cruelty to animals and the adoption of war and a consumerist mentality. And, if we reflect on the sound philosophy underlying Porphyry’s arguments, we can see clearly why these things correlate with one another.

Moving on from the ancient Greeks, Porphyry then recounts a portion of the history of Lacedaemonia (Laconia, Sparta).

Hence, this [the relation of possessions, slaughter of animals, war and injustice] being afterwards perceived by the Lacedaemonian Lycurgus, though the eating of animals then prevailed, yet he so arranged his polity, as to render food of this kind requisite in the smallest degree. For the allotted property of each individual did not consist in herds of oxen, flocks of sheep, or an abundance of goats, horses, and money, but in the possession of land, which might produce for a man seventy medimni of barley, and for a woman twelve, and the quantity of liquid fruits in the same proportion. For he thought that this quantity of nutriment was sufficient to procure a good habit of body and health, nothing else to obtain these being requisite.

He further explains how this leader created policies to lessen the negative effects that he had observed in the “fall” into vice throughout and surrounding his region, and that this led to a most peaceful, frugal and temperate kingdom.

As the exploitation and consumption of animals became more and more ingrained into society, we see that veganism and animal rights became increasingly relegated to the priests and priestly organizations. Porphyry relates several of these bodies of holy men in regards to their abstinence of animal foods, wherein the degrees of initiation into such a life were often accompanied by increased abstinence, such that the higher degrees absolute veganism was demanded.

He speaks at length on the Egyptian priests and their strict lifestyle, saying that:

… they were studious of frugality in their diet and apparel, and also of continence and endurance, and in all things were attentive to justice and equity.

And that:

… they abstained from all the fish that was caught in Egypt, and from such quadrupeds as had solid, or many-fissured hoofs, and from such as were not horned; and likewise from all such birds as were carnivorous. Many of them, however, entirely abstained from all animals; and in purifications this abstinence was adopted by all of them, for then they did not even eat an egg.

We get a sense here then, that even during times when animal consumption was common, there were orders of men, considered by the Platonist philosophers to be of great wisdom, who practiced varying levels of vegetarian and even vegan lifestyles. He relates that:

… though they neither exercised themselves in walking or riding, yet they lived free from disease, and were sufficiently strong for the endurance of modern labours. They bore therefore many burdens in the performance of sacred operations, and accomplished many ministrant works, which required more than common strength.

Furthermore, he relates that:

… the Egyptian priests, through the proficiency which they made by this exercise [of their lifestyle], and similitude to divinity, knew that divinity [the Good] does not pervade through man alone, and that soul [psyche] is not enshrined in man alone on the earth, but that it nearly passes through all animals. On this account, in fashioning the images of the Gods, they assumed every animal, and for this purpose mixed together the human form and the forms of wild beasts, and again the bodies of birds with the body of a man… For they venerated the power of God which extends to all things through animals which are nurtured together…

An unlearned man, however, does not even suspect that they [the priests], not being borne along with the stream of the vulgar who know nothing, and not walking in the path of ignorance, but passing beyond the illiterate multitude, and that want of knowledge which befalls every one at first, were led to reverence things which are thought by the vulgar to be of no worth.

Thus, while the multitudes fell into all manner of depraved living, seeing animals (among other things) as of no inherent worth (except as of utility to Man), the proper and natural human lifestyle and diet remained among the wise, who continued to hold much reverence for animals.

Another example given of those who abstained from animal foods is the Essenes, which account Porphyry bases on the historian Josephus. The Essenes, however, in Porphyry’s account, abstained from certain animals, but not entirely from animal products.

He moves on:

Farther still, it is likewise related that the Syrians formerly abstained from animals, and, on this account, did not sacrifice them to the Gods; but that afterwards they sacrificed them, for the purpose of averting certain evils; yet they did not at all admit of a fleshly diet.

He then relates how the Syrians devolved into the practices of both animal sacrifice and animal consumption, along the same general outline as covered in his general history.

Moving eastward, he touches on the Magi among the Persians.

Eubulus … wrote the history of Mithra, in a treatise consisting of many books. In this work he says, that the first and most learned class of the Magi neither eat nor slay any thing animated, but adhere to the ancient abstinence from animals. The second class use some animals indeed [for food], but do not slay any that are tame. Nor do those of the third class, similarly with other men, lay their hands on all animals.

Porphyry continues to India, where, like Apollonius before him, he credits the tradition of the Brahmins as including no animal foods. The average Bramins, however, may be said to be vegetarians, not necessarily vegans, as many (though not all) of them condone the consumption of milk. Porphyry relates:

A Bramin … is not a subject of any government, nor does he contribute any thing together with others to government. And with respect to those that are philosophers, among these some dwell on mountains, and others about the river Ganges. And those that live on mountains feed on autumnal fruits, and on cows’ milk coagulated with herbs. But those that reside near the Ganges, live also on autumnal fruits, which are produced in abundance about that river. The land likewise nearly always bears new fruit, together with much rice, which grows spontaneously, and which they use when there is a deficiency of autumnal fruits. But to taste of any other nutriment, or, in short, to touch animal food, is considered by them as equivalent to extreme impurity and impiety.

Having completed a brief and basic survey of several vegan and vegetarian men and groups, Porphyry describes that the common groups of nomads, etc., that:

… were brought to the necessity of eating animals through the infecundity of the region they inhabit, which is so barren, that it does not even produce herbs, but only shores and sands. And this necessity is indicated by their not being able to make use of fire, through the want of combustible materials; but they dry their fish on rocks, or on the shore. And these indeed live after this manner from necessity. There are, however, certain nations whose manners are rustic, and who are naturally savage; but it is not fit that those who are equitable judges should, from such instances as these, calumniate human nature …

It is not fitting of those of us who are “equitable judges” (of what is right and wrong) to imagine that because some peoples, either out of necessity or savagery, consume animal products, that we also ought to do so. On the contrary, as many of the wisest men among humanity have maintained, even while the multitudes continued their unjust practices, we must follow our own sense of reason, compassion and justice and to do what we know, in our hearts, is rightful to do. As Porphyry says:

… he who is perfectly legal and pious ought to abstain from all animals. For if some who are only partially pious abstain from certain animals, he who is in every respect pious will abstain from all animals.

And this is the stance of modern vegans. We have come to recognize that true justice must be extended to all sentient beings, that to be “perfectly legal and pious” is to abstain from causing harm to any of our kin, and we have learned that animals are our kin. Indeed, we agree with Porphyry when he asks:

… how is it possible not to lament the condition of the generality of mankind, who are so involved in darkness as to cherish their own evil, and who, in the first place, hate themselves, and him who truly begot them, and afterwards, those who admonish them, and call on them to return from ebriety to a sober condition of being?

We too can but lament this condition, wherein the most depraved vices rule our actions, wherein humanity demonstrates itself to be so full of hatred and cruelty. And we agree with that great mind who first envisioned the existence of the atom, for:

Democrates says, that to live badly, and not prudently, temperately, and piously, is not to live in reality, but to die for a long time.

We, however, wish to live, to truly live, and to be truly human. We wish to be reasonable, rational, intelligent and compassionate beings, and it is this wish that underlies our veganism and our action as animal rights activists. We wish to walk the age-old path of the philosopher, to rise into our truest self, thus embody all that is good , all that is divine.

As vegans, our closest kindreds in human history are to be found among the (oft concealed) wise ones of every age and region, among the philosophers and spiritually minded, who despite the fall of the multitudes into unpardonable sin, continued to “adhere to the ancient abstinence from animals.”

There have been vegans and animal rights activists throughout human history, Porphyry (and his predecessors) among them. But while these have for long centuries been relegated to the few, before us today stands the opportunity to rescue the most natural and just lifestyle from the hidden corners of humanity and restore it to its rightful place among the majority. Porphyry used all the means available to him to defend the animals in his day, and it is our duty to do the same in ours.

Ancient Vegans the Orphics and the Hymn to Health

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:36:54 -0800

Orpheus charming wild animals with his music

To Health

O Much-desir’d, prolific, gen’ral queen,
Hear me, life-bearing, Health, of beauteous mien,
Mother of all; by thee diseases dire,
Of bliss destructive, from our life retire;
And ev’ry house is flourishing and fair,
If with rejoicing aspect thou art there:
Each daedal art, thy vig’rous force inspires,
And all the world thy helping hand desires;
Pluto life’s bane alone resists thy will,
And ever hates thy all-preserving skill.
O fertile queen, from thee forever flows
To mortal life from agony repose;
And men without thy all-sustaining ease,
Find nothing useful, nothing form’d to please;
Without thy aid, not Plutus’ self can thrive,
Nor man to much afflicted age arrive;
For thou alone of countenance serene,
Dost govern all things, universal queen.
Assist thy mystics with propitious mind,
And far avert disease of ev’ry kind.

The composition of this wonderful hymn is credited to Orpheus, the legendary ancient Greek philosopher/teacher who lived in prehistoric times. Little is historically known of him, but what is certain is that he was an influential teacher/philosopher of prehistoric Greek culture, founding the first Mysteries in Greece. It is said that:

“The Orphics had been the first philosophers of Greece and the spiritual ancestors of the Pythagorean and Platonic schools, renowned for asceticism and for belief in the immortality of the soul.” (ref)

This asceticism was, it seems, among the first of its kind on European soil. It is also said that:

“the Orphic Brotherhood ate no animal food and wore white linen garments, and had many ceremonies like those of the Brahmans.” - Theosophical Glossary

and elsewhere that they were, at the very least, vegetarian(1).

The Hymn to Health is found among the surviving Hymns of Orpheus. The very fact that Orpheus (and/or his followers) saw fit to include it among the Hymns (a central guiding text for Orphics) demonstrates the importance of health in the Orphic Life. Indeed, in the very hymn itself we find the thought that without health, one will “Find nothing useful, nothing form’d to please”, that “Without thy aid, not Plutus’ [the God of Wealth] self can thrive” (i.e. without health, wealth is useless), and that health “Dost govern all things.” Furthermore, they close the hymn with a call on health to “Assist thy mystics with propitious mind”, demonstrating that they considered health to be quite important to the philosophical or mystic mind. Combining these sentiments with their asceticism and vegetarianism/veganism indicates that such a diet must have been considered by them to be healthy, for if health is of such importance, surely the lifestyle associated with their movement would’ve been that which they understood to bring such health.

As described in a previous blog on the life of Apollonius of Tyana (see Ancient Vegans: Appolonius, the veganism of Apollonius is claimed to have originated in India among the Brahmans, from where it was taught to the Egyptians and on to Pythagoras and the Greeks. Orpheus, however, predates Pythagoras by perhaps many centuries. Western history recognizes him as being already historically famous in the 6th Century BC, while there are eastern traditions that equate Orpheus with Arjuna(2), who in this tradition is said to have traveled the world teaching wisdom and sciences and establishing “mystery schools”, thus placing Orpheus at the time of Krishna, who, tradition holds, died in 3102 BC. The latter tradition would, of course, reinforce Apollonius’s belief that the life he devoted himself to had its origins in India, bit in either case (and we may never know the truth of it), the antiquity is very great.

What is of primary importance is that we find the importance of health combined with vegetarianism/veganism among the first philosophers/thinkers at the very foundations of Greek, and thus western, culture. This cannot be understated, that the first thinkers of western culture, as we know it, practiced vegetarianism/veganism and understood it to be healthy.

Notes:

(1) In ancient works the term vegetarian may have meant the same as what we call veganism, as in the cases of Apollonius and Pythagoras, but may perhaps mean similar to what we term vegetarian, as is often the case in ancient India, where milk was still consumed. It becomes difficult, without clear indications, to determine the extent various ancient’s “vegetarianism”.

(2) Indeed, elements of their stories are starkly similar, including that both are said to have gone to the “Underworld” (Hades or Patala) in order to find/retrieve their wife. Also, it is said that Orpheus “was considered dark in complexion even by the Greeks, who were never very fairskinned themselves” (Theosophical Glossary), which may perhaps add some credit to the tradition. Furthermore, Arjuna, along with his Pandava brothers is said to have been sent into exile from their Indian kingdom for 13 years (during which they traveled far and wide), and it is reported that during that exile Arjuna learned and taught song and dance (Orpheus is known as a great teacher of music). These similarities may lend credence to the eastern tradition.

For more on The Orphics, go to the Rosicrucan site’s The Orphic Mysteries.

Wellnes on Towards Freedom

New Approach Methodologies

Preamble

Introduction

1. AI-Driven Drug Discovery & Repurposing

1.1 AI-Powered Drug Repurposing for COVID-19

1.2 AI-Designed Novel Drug Candidate for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

1.3 Topiramate for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

1.4 Drug Repurposing for Neurodegenerative Disorders

1.5 CoreFinder: AI-Driven Discovery of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters

1.6 Disrupting TSLP Signaling as a Treatment for Atopic Diseases

2. Organ-on-a-Chip & Microphysiological Systems

2.1 Emulate Liver-on-a-Chip Identifies Hepatotoxicity

2.2 Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Toxicity Mechanism

2.3 Lung-on-a-Chip for Antiviral Efficacy

2.4 Lung-on-a-Chip for Tumor Heterogeneity & Drug Resistance

2.5 Liver and Skin Organ-on-a-Chip for PK-PD Studies

2.6 ALS Pathogenesis and Early Biomarkers

2.7 GABAergic Signaling in Cancer Invasion

2.8 Cervical Protective Role in Dysbiosis

2.9 Lung-on-a-Chip Replicates Human Lung Disease and Drug Responses

2.10 Human Skin-Lymphoreticular Model-on-Chip for Inflammatory Skin Diseases

3. Human Organoids & Organoid-Based Models

3.1 Forskolin-Induced Swelling (FIS) Assay for Cystic Fibrosis

3.2 Patient-Derived Organoids for Gene Therapy in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

3.3 Patient-Derived Organoids for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (OPTIC Trial)

3.4 Organoid Immune Co-Culture Models for Cancer Vaccines

3.5 Kidney Assembloids for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

3.6 Miller-Dieker Syndrome (MDS) Root Cause

3.7 IGF-1 Dependency in Lung Cancer Subtypes

3.8 Intestinal Organoids Reveal Stem Cell Biology and Disease Mechanisms

3.9 Brain Organoids Model Microcephaly Caused by Zika Virus

4. In Silico Modeling, PBPK, and Computational Methods

4.1 Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling

4.2 Bioequivalence Bridging for Tofacitinib

4.3 Digital Twins for Clinical Trial Simulation

4.4 Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) Models

4.5 AlphaFold Predicts Protein Structures

5. High-Throughput & Omics-Based Approaches

5.1 Tox21 Consortium: High-Throughput Chemical Screening

5.2 Multi-Omics Integration for Toxicity Pathways

5.3 CRISPR Screens for Drug Target Validation

5.4 AOP-Linked In Vitro Screens for Seizure Liability

6. Toxicology & Safety Assessment via NAMs

6.1 Endocrine Disruption Assessment (Tox21 ER Model)

6.2 Skin Sensitization Hazard & Potency Prediction

6.3 Bioactivity-Exposure Ratio (BER) for PFAS Risk Assessment

6.4 Mixture Toxicology via NAMs

6.5 Reconstructed Human Skin Models Replace Animal Testing for Cosmetics and Chemicals

6.6 Corneal and Eye Irritation Models

7. Regulatory & Industry Adoption of NAMs

7.1 FDA Modernization Act 2.0

7.2 FDA CDER NAM Validation Guidance (March 2026)

7.3 OECD International Standards for NAMs

7.4 Industry Investments in NAMs

7.5 Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak) Regulatory Approval

7.6 Aspect Biosystems — 3D Bioprinting Platform

7.7 Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM)

7.8 USP Chapter <86> Recombinant Reagents for Endotoxin Testing

Summary Table: Key NAM-Enabled Discoveries

Conclusion: The NAMs Revolution in Biomedical Research

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