Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

[emilynghiem]

This meditation is taking from The Mindfulness Bell
where Nobel nominated monk Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh
presents traditional principles from Buddhism in more
proactive, engaged ways for modern audiences to apply in daily life
and relations.

I thought I should post and share this because I've been overdoing it
and upsetting friends who are nontheists by posting too much
Christian/Constitutional arguments from a conservative approach.

This is more general and universally accessible and user friendly
in that sense. for secular audiences who tire of the other approaches,
may this serve as a kind gentle relief from too much overdosing on politicized preaching.

================================
NOTES from the Author:

After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

The Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

1. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

2. May I be free from injury. May I live in safety.

3. May I be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.

4. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.

5. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

6. May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.

7. May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.

8. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

9. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

NOTE: After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

 

[yiostheoy]

This meditation is taking from The Mindfulness Bell
where Nobel nominated monk Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh
presents traditional principles from Buddhism in more
proactive, engaged ways for modern audiences to apply in daily life
and relations.

I thought I should post and share this because I've been overdoing it
and upsetting friends who are secular by posting too much
Christian/Constitutional arguments from a conservative approach.

This is more general and universally accessible and user friendly
in that sense. for all the audiences who tire of the other approaches,
may this serve as a kind gentle relief from too much overdosing on politicized preaching.

================================
NOTES from the Author:

After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

The Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

1. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

2. May I be free from injury. May I live in safety.

3. May I be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.

4. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.

5. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

6. May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.

7. May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.

8. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

9. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

NOTE: After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

There is a big difference between Theism and Deism.

Ultimately all the evidence supports Deism not Theism.

 

[yiostheoy]

I vaguely recall there are 5 professions that Buddhists are NOT supposed to engage in:

1 - the manufacture and distribution of poison

2 - the manufacture and distribution of weapons

3 - the manufacture and distribution of alcohol

4 - butchering meat

5 - murder for hire.

While those are all good rules, I don't see anything wrong with weapons, alcohol, or meat.

 

[Pogo]

This meditation is taking from The Mindfulness Bell
where Nobel nominated monk Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh
presents traditional principles from Buddhism in more
proactive, engaged ways for modern audiences to apply in daily life
and relations.

I thought I should post and share this because I've been overdoing it
and upsetting friends who are secular by posting too much
Christian/Constitutional arguments from a conservative approach.

This is more general and universally accessible and user friendly
in that sense. for all the audiences who tire of the other approaches,
may this serve as a kind gentle relief from too much overdosing on politicized preaching.

================================
NOTES from the Author:

After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

The Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

1. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

2. May I be free from injury. May I live in safety.

3. May I be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.

4. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.

5. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

6. May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.

7. May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.

8. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

9. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

NOTE: After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

There is a big difference between Theism and Deism.

Ultimately all the evidence supports Deism not Theism.

Profoundly irrelevant here. No wonder you rated the OP as "funny".

These are good positive thoughtforms Emily. I use ones like them and have for decades.

 

[emilynghiem]

I vaguely recall there are 5 professions that Buddhists are NOT supposed to engage in:

1 - the manufacture and distribution of poison

2 - the manufacture and distribution of weapons

3 - the manufacture and distribution of alcohol

4 - butchering meat

5 - murder for hire.

While those are all good rules, I don't see anything wrong with weapons, alcohol, or meat.

Dear yiostheoy
I am guessing you are referring to the Buddhist principle to
"practice the right profession" and not "profit or benefit off the suffering of living beings"

When asked about Vegetarianism, Rev. Hanh explained the point
is to reduce suffering "as much as possible".
Total perfection is not possible. Even the plants are going to be
affected by harvesting them for us to eat, but the impact is less than on animals
that suffer more. It's relative, so the point is to be AWARE and
accept responsibility for the impact we know we are causing.
Not deny it.

When other monks were asked what about Soldiers in War?
The answer given is to "be the best Soldier you can be"
whatever your karma or calling in life, you do the best you can.
The Karmic patterns are going to shape our behavior and relations.
We should be AWARE, and understand the responsibility we take
on with our actions.

That AWARENESS is enough to work through our spiritual path
and learning in life

yiostheoy all Buddhist teaching is based on independent investigation
and free choice. None of it is ever supposed to be dictated by authority of
external sources.

This is like offering wisdom, and if people understand, they can change their minds.
Everyone has their own process, thus Buddha himself was reluctant to share
when asked. He offered Noble Advice that included not taking anything to be
true based on outside authority, not even from him, but to study things for
oneself, and only if something proves itself to be consistently true then adopt it.
This is called independent investigation and was also adopted by the Bahai.

yiostheoy the way I would interpret what you posted in
relation to "right profession" is that these jobs and profit made from them
are highly unethical or unhealthy. And it is wiser and more sustainable
for the health of people and the planet to invest in other areas of production and work.

We can certainly benefit from more jobs in teaching, in medical and mental health care.
Is it not more economical and cost-effective to invest in
better education and training for doctors and nurses, teachers and child/elderly care?

Sure it may make more money exploiting war, prisons, crime, drugs, etc.
But those are not sustainable for people or the planet.

People can discover greater levels of harmony and peace of mind,
better mental health and relations by working toward developing
social programs and innovations that help save more lives.

Whatever our path is to better peace and health,
we can promote that by investing our time, labor, resources
and mental energy. So we have a choice do we want to
invest in a better future?

The point is to offer better opportunities to grow society
in a more sustainable healthy direction for stable relations and economies.

These principles you list are to teach from.
These are examples, but it is left to us to understand
the bigger responsibilities, and to choose for ourselves.
The point is to teach about ethics so people can decide
by comparison what is better or what is worse.

If you disagree yiostheoy that's part of the process,
to analyze with your own mind and experiences,
and try to solve the same problems in better ways.

so if you can do better than listed, go for it, yiostheoy
that's even better and it shows ethics and
awareness, and applying wisdom and understanding.
that's the point of the exercise and sharing with each other.

 

[Pogo]

I vaguely recall there are 5 professions that Buddhists are NOT supposed to engage in:

1 - the manufacture and distribution of poison

2 - the manufacture and distribution of weapons

3 - the manufacture and distribution of alcohol

4 - butchering meat

5 - murder for hire.

While those are all good rules, I don't see anything wrong with weapons, alcohol, or meat.

Dear yiostheoy
I am guessing you are referring to the Buddhist principle to
"practice the right profession" and not "profit or benefit off the suffering of living beings"

When asked about Vegetarianism, Rev. Hanh explained the point
is to reduce suffering "as much as possible".
Total perfection is not possible. Even the plants are going to be
affected by harvesting them for us to eat, but the impact is less than on animals
that suffer more. It's relative, so the point is to be AWARE and
accept responsibility for the impact we know we are causing.
Not deny it.

When other monks were asked what about Soldiers in War?
The answer given is to "be the best Soldier you can be"
whatever your karma or calling in life, you do the best you can.
The Karmic patterns are going to shape our behavior and relations.
We should be AWARE, and understand the responsibility we take
on with our actions.

That AWARENESS is enough to work through our spiritual path
and learning in life

yiostheoy all Buddhist teaching is based on independent investigation
and free choiceTNone of it is ever supposed to be dictated by authority of
external sources.

This is like offering wisdom, and if people understand, they can change their minds.

yiostheoy the way I would interpret what you posted in
relation to "right profession" is that these jobs and profit made from them
are highly unethical or unhealthy. And it is wiser and more sustainable
for the health of people and the planet to invest in other areas of production and work.

We can certainly benefit from more jobs in teaching, in medical and mental health care.
Is it not more economical and cost-effective to invest in
better education and training for doctors and nurses, teachers and child/elderly care?

Sure it may make more money exploiting war, prisons, crime, drugs, etc.
But those are not sustainable for people or the planet.

People can discover greater levels of harmony and peace of mind,
better mental health and relations by working toward developing
social programs and innovations that help save more lives.

Whatever our path is to better peace and health,
we can promote that by investing our time, labor, resources
and mental energy. So we have a choice do we want to
invest in a better future?

The point is to offer better opportunities to grow society
in a more sustainable healthy direction for stable relations and economies.

These principles you list are to teach from.
These are examples, but it is left to us to understand
the bigger responsibilities, and to choose for ourselves.
The point is to teach about ethics so people can decide
by comparison what is better or what is worse.

If you disagree yiostheoy that's part of the process,
to analyze with your own mind and experiences,
and try to solve the same problems in better ways.

so if you can do better than listed, go for it, yiostheoy
that's even better and it shows ethics and
awareness, and applying wisdom and understanding.
that's the point of the exercise and sharing with each other.

As for the meat part which Emily doesn't mention --- it's an astoundingly inefficient use of the land, requiring as it does far more natural resources than farming does for the same return.

 

[emilynghiem]

This meditation is taking from The Mindfulness Bell
where Nobel nominated monk Rev. Thich Nhat Hanh
presents traditional principles from Buddhism in more
proactive, engaged ways for modern audiences to apply in daily life
and relations.

I thought I should post and share this because I've been overdoing it
and upsetting friends who are secular by posting too much
Christian/Constitutional arguments from a conservative approach.

This is more general and universally accessible and user friendly
in that sense. for all the audiences who tire of the other approaches,
may this serve as a kind gentle relief from too much overdosing on politicized preaching.

================================
NOTES from the Author:

After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

The Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

1. May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

2. May I be free from injury. May I live in safety.

3. May I be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.

4. May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.

5. May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

6. May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.

7. May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.

8. May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

9. May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

NOTE: After practicing "May I be . . . " you can practice, "May he or she be . . ." -- visualising first someone you like, then the one you love the most, then someone who is neutral to you, and finally the person whom thinking of makes you suffer the most. Then you can practice "May they be . . ." beginning with the group, the people, the nation, or the species you like, then the one you love, then the one that is neutral to you, and finally the one you suffer the most when you think of.

There is a big difference between Theism and Deism.

Ultimately all the evidence supports Deism not Theism.

???

Dear yiostheoy
Thanks for clarifying this distinction between Deism and Theism.
It seems Theism is broader and includes both Deists who believe
God does not actively intervene and other Theists such as Christians
who believe there is interactive relationship between people and God.

Where I do see "proof" of interaction,
when people undergo exorcism for help from practioners
to call on the authority of Christ Jesus to cast out demonic oppression and energy,
these prayers have been shown to bring measurable outcomes toward healing the patients.

Dr. Scott Peck observed this process of change in schizophrenic patients,
who came to him with demonic voices, personalities and obsessions rendering
them unable to comply with treatment but resist and fight violently and verbally,
endangering him and his staff. After the treatment these patients regained their
normal minds and ability to follow instructions and work cooperatively with medical
and mental treatment. So Dr. Peck did Note in his book "Glimpses of the Devil"
that the stages and changes were
measurable as with other forms of psychotherapy based on observations.
Thus he recommended further and formal medical research to develop
and incorporate this exorcism method of therapy as part of valid practice
that can work in some cases if the causes involve these "demonic" type obsessions
or infestations.

The process used to "cast out" these demons is calling on God's authority
through Christ Jesus and commanding these demons to leave the patient.

Sure yiostheoy even Dr. Peck agreed that this spiritual process can never
be proven as it occurs on a Spiritual Level. But what we CAN prove using
science, and measure using quantifiable standards, are the SYMPTOMS
in the patients before and after the treatment and all stages are completed successfully.

While I consider that demonstration of God's healing energy "intervening"
and used to overcome obstructions from "negative energy and influences"
(Christians call these generational curses and demons, while Buddhists
refer to past life karma that is carried spiritually from the past and
creates patterns of suffering in future generations and circumstances)
Sure @yiotheoy you can say there is no proof this is from God.

But you cannot prove it is NOT FROM GOD either.
Whatever God is and does can neither be proven or disproven,
but both remain faith based.

Thus I recommend we focus instead on practical things
we can change and/or prove works, regardless if we call this
spiritual from God, or just natural healing process through the mind
having control over the body. Dr. Peck went into the study of these
patients with the mindset that the demons and process were just
the mental delusions of the patients and weren't really spiritually operating
on the level of any Satan or God intervening in people's lives or relations.
After he saw for himself the change in the patients, from incurable
schizophrenic out of control and destroying themselves with mental
and physical illness, to returning to normal personalities and minds
where they could function and work through the rest of their therapy
as other people, he changed his mind and did see "proof" of a spiritual process
he could not explain using only science. He said 95 percent could be
just the effects that science can explain psychologically, but 5 percent
that went into the spiritual realm of him and his team SEEING and
HEARING demonic entities that were outside his patients' knowledge
and control, where they even verbally attacked him with unconscious
memories his patients didn't know and couldn't have verbalized to him,
that's when he understood a greater spiritual process was going on.

Whether you call that God intervening in casting out these "demons"
all the people I know who have been cured through this process
recognize the changes "came from a highe source."

You can call that noninteractive but natural process,
but others call it God intervening. Both are valid descriptions
so both are possible and neither is disproven.

 

[emilynghiem]

I vaguely recall there are 5 professions that Buddhists are NOT supposed to engage in:

1 - the manufacture and distribution of poison

2 - the manufacture and distribution of weapons

3 - the manufacture and distribution of alcohol

4 - butchering meat

5 - murder for hire.

While those are all good rules, I don't see anything wrong with weapons, alcohol, or meat.

Dear yiostheoy
I am guessing you are referring to the Buddhist principle to
"practice the right profession" and not "profit or benefit off the suffering of living beings"

When asked about Vegetarianism, Rev. Hanh explained the point
is to reduce suffering "as much as possible".
Total perfection is not possible. Even the plants are going to be
affected by harvesting them for us to eat, but the impact is less than on animals
that suffer more. It's relative, so the point is to be AWARE and
accept responsibility for the impact we know we are causing.
Not deny it.

When other monks were asked what about Soldiers in War?
The answer given is to "be the best Soldier you can be"
whatever your karma or calling in life, you do the best you can.
The Karmic patterns are going to shape our behavior and relations.
We should be AWARE, and understand the responsibility we take
on with our actions.

That AWARENESS is enough to work through our spiritual path
and learning in life

yiostheoy all Buddhist teaching is based on independent investigation
and free choiceTNone of it is ever supposed to be dictated by authority of
external sources.

This is like offering wisdom, and if people understand, they can change their minds.

yiostheoy the way I would interpret what you posted in
relation to "right profession" is that these jobs and profit made from them
are highly unethical or unhealthy. And it is wiser and more sustainable
for the health of people and the planet to invest in other areas of production and work.

We can certainly benefit from more jobs in teaching, in medical and mental health care.
Is it not more economical and cost-effective to invest in
better education and training for doctors and nurses, teachers and child/elderly care?

Sure it may make more money exploiting war, prisons, crime, drugs, etc.
But those are not sustainable for people or the planet.

People can discover greater levels of harmony and peace of mind,
better mental health and relations by working toward developing
social programs and innovations that help save more lives.

Whatever our path is to better peace and health,
we can promote that by investing our time, labor, resources
and mental energy. So we have a choice do we want to
invest in a better future?

The point is to offer better opportunities to grow society
in a more sustainable healthy direction for stable relations and economies.

These principles you list are to teach from.
These are examples, but it is left to us to understand
the bigger responsibilities, and to choose for ourselves.
The point is to teach about ethics so people can decide
by comparison what is better or what is worse.

If you disagree yiostheoy that's part of the process,
to analyze with your own mind and experiences,
and try to solve the same problems in better ways.

so if you can do better than listed, go for it, yiostheoy
that's even better and it shows ethics and
awareness, and applying wisdom and understanding.
that's the point of the exercise and sharing with each other.

As for the meat part which Emily doesn't mention --- it's an astoundingly inefficient use of the land, requiring as it does far more natural resources than farming does for the same return.

Thanks Pogo I just heard on public radio the comparison
between eating one hamburger and consuming enough water to shower each day for 3.5 weeks or 23 days.
Given the choice between buying me a Big Mac
or paying for water for me to shower every day for a month,
I think even my boyfriend would pick the showers.
However I'd like to ask how much water does it take
to eat only veggies, given that I would eat a lot more, several times a day
so I don't get hungry again, whereas one hamburger and I can go all day.

As for the vegetarian mantra that if 10 percent of the American
population gave up meat totally, that's enough resources saved to end world starvation,
my answer to that is why not just ask 100 percent to REDUCE meat eating by 10%.
Or ask 50 percent to reduce by 20 percent?
I think we'd have better chance of that, of REDUCING than cutting out totally.

I think the best influence of the Vegan and Environmentalists
is changing the market to promote more green organic alternatives.
We wouldn't have a growing market for healthier food, salads at fast food drive thrus,
recycling and reducing antibiotics hormones chemicals etc.
if it weren't for that pressure and influence.

The more educated the public, the market changes
to offer better choices even if they cost more; as
we start placing greater value on the health of
people and the planet, and add THAT to the equation, costs and calculations!

 

[Pogo]

I vaguely recall there are 5 professions that Buddhists are NOT supposed to engage in:

1 - the manufacture and distribution of poison

2 - the manufacture and distribution of weapons

3 - the manufacture and distribution of alcohol

4 - butchering meat

5 - murder for hire.

While those are all good rules, I don't see anything wrong with weapons, alcohol, or meat.

Dear yiostheoy
I am guessing you are referring to the Buddhist principle to
"practice the right profession" and not "profit or benefit off the suffering of living beings"

When asked about Vegetarianism, Rev. Hanh explained the point
is to reduce suffering "as much as possible".
Total perfection is not possible. Even the plants are going to be
affected by harvesting them for us to eat, but the impact is less than on animals
that suffer more. It's relative, so the point is to be AWARE and
accept responsibility for the impact we know we are causing.
Not deny it.

When other monks were asked what about Soldiers in War?
The answer given is to "be the best Soldier you can be"
whatever your karma or calling in life, you do the best you can.
The Karmic patterns are going to shape our behavior and relations.
We should be AWARE, and understand the responsibility we take
on with our actions.

That AWARENESS is enough to work through our spiritual path
and learning in life

yiostheoy all Buddhist teaching is based on independent investigation
and free choiceTNone of it is ever supposed to be dictated by authority of
external sources.

This is like offering wisdom, and if people understand, they can change their minds.

yiostheoy the way I would interpret what you posted in
relation to "right profession" is that these jobs and profit made from them
are highly unethical or unhealthy. And it is wiser and more sustainable
for the health of people and the planet to invest in other areas of production and work.

We can certainly benefit from more jobs in teaching, in medical and mental health care.
Is it not more economical and cost-effective to invest in
better education and training for doctors and nurses, teachers and child/elderly care?

Sure it may make more money exploiting war, prisons, crime, drugs, etc.
But those are not sustainable for people or the planet.

People can discover greater levels of harmony and peace of mind,
better mental health and relations by working toward developing
social programs and innovations that help save more lives.

Whatever our path is to better peace and health,
we can promote that by investing our time, labor, resources
and mental energy. So we have a choice do we want to
invest in a better future?

The point is to offer better opportunities to grow society
in a more sustainable healthy direction for stable relations and economies.

These principles you list are to teach from.
These are examples, but it is left to us to understand
the bigger responsibilities, and to choose for ourselves.
The point is to teach about ethics so people can decide
by comparison what is better or what is worse.

If you disagree yiostheoy that's part of the process,
to analyze with your own mind and experiences,
and try to solve the same problems in better ways.

so if you can do better than listed, go for it, yiostheoy
that's even better and it shows ethics and
awareness, and applying wisdom and understanding.
that's the point of the exercise and sharing with each other.

As for the meat part which Emily doesn't mention --- it's an astoundingly inefficient use of the land, requiring as it does far more natural resources than farming does for the same return.

Thanks Pogo I just heard on public radio the comparison
between eating one hamburger and consuming enough water to shower each day for 3.5 weeks or 23 days.
Given the choice between buying me a Big Mac
or paying for water for me to shower every day for a month,
I think even my boyfriend would pick the showers.
However I'd like to ask how much water does it take
to eat only veggies, given that I would eat a lot more, several times a day
so I don't get hungry again, whereas one hamburger and I can go all day.

As for the vegetarian mantra that if 10 percent of the American
population gave up meat totally, that's enough resources saved to end world starvation,
my answer to that is why not just ask 100 percent to REDUCE meat eating by 10%.
Or ask 50 percent to reduce by 20 percent?
I think we'd have better chance of that, of REDUCING than cutting out totally.

I think the best influence of the Vegan and Environmentalists
is changing the market to promote more green organic alternatives.
We wouldn't have a growing market for healthier food, salads at fast food drive thrus,
recycling and reducing antibiotics hormones chemicals etc.
if it weren't for that pressure and influence.

The more educated the public, the market changes
to offer better choices even if they cost more; as
we start placing greater value on the health of
people and the planet, and add THAT to the equation, costs and calculations!

That will require a cultural shift. At the risk of a terrible analogy it's the same thing gun violence requires. Not that carnivorism and mass shootings produce the same result, far from it, but the same kind of entrenched cultural attitudes that tell us "gotta eat meat" are entrenched the same way as the cultural attitudes that tell us "gotta shoot shit". It takes a mental paradigm shift.

Not to suggest that such a shift is impossible or should be daunting. We did it with the practice of cigarette smoking. So it all comes down to disseminating good information to the masses --- information about the consequences of one's actions and the alternatives thereto.

There's no shortage of common practices that need a cultural shift to remedy their consequences. The rampant use of plastic being another.