I Disagree

I met a great teacher who advocated eating meat. He said it is a way for us to connect with the balance between life and death. For me to live, something must die. Bugs, worms, and small animals like rabbits are killed by the large machines that pick our corn and wheat. If we don't meditate deeply on that cycle, we loose an opportunity to connect with the death of all beings. In addition, he says, eating that flesh can help that animal connect to a higher realm.

I disagree.

It seems much more sane or humane to connect with prayer and meditation rather than the violence of eating meat. Why eat the flesh of another animal to get the second-hand nutrition from that meat? Do you really need that much protein? How do you know how much you really need?

All this said, I have to admit that there are huge people who are good in spirit and use their powerful bodies to help those of us who don't have that strength. They may need to eat meat. For me to grow spiritually, however, I don't think meat helps.

See the Sivananda Companion to Yoga section on food.