Q: Should serious spiritual seekers limit themselves to a vegetarian diet? It seems to me that if killing is wrong, then killing animals is wrong, too.
If you’ve been contemplating spiritual matters long enough, this question inevitably comes up. There are a few different ways to look at it. Your view could be said to align with the ethical values of nonviolence and prevention of cruelty. Certainly, many spiritual people strive to live by those values.
Q: But is choosing a vegetarian lifestyle necessary for a spiritual life?
In fact, there is no “hard and fast” one right answer for this. Many factors can influence someone’s dietary choices, of which spiritual beliefs are certainly one set. But let’s take a look at some of the variables.
If we start by asking what the optimal diet is for humans—what we were naturally designed to eat—we need to consider our biology and anatomy. To do that, we need to examine three key aspects of human physiology: the placement of our eyes, the structure and function of our teeth, and the length of our digestive system.
Eye Placement
Humans have forward-facing eyes, a characteristic common among predators. Predators need depth perception to track and pursue their prey, which is aided by having eyes on the front of the head. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean humans are meant to be strictly carnivorous. Many primates, who are also considered omnivores but are predominantly herbivorous, also have forward-facing eyes that facilitate locomotion and hand-eye coordination.
Teeth Structure and Function
Human teeth are omnivorous in nature. We have incisors and canines for biting and tearing, which are necessary for meat consumption. However, we also have molars and premolars for grinding and crushing, which are required for consuming plant matter. So, our teeth tell us that we’re biologically equipped to eat both plant and animal matter.
Digestive System Length
The human digestive system is somewhere in between that of carnivores and herbivores. Carnivores tend to have a shorter digestive tract because meat can be broken down faster than plant matter. Herbivores, on the other hand, have a longer digestive tract to facilitate the breakdown of plant matter, which takes longer to digest. Humans have a moderately long digestive tract, suggesting, again, that we are equipped to handle a varied diet that includes both meat and plant matter.
We live in a closed system (which means we live in an eat-and-be-eaten world). This simply states the reality of food chains in nature. In these chains, organisms consume other organisms for energy and nutrients and will, in turn, be consumed by others. From a biological perspective, humans have evolved as omnivores because it’s survival positive—being able to eat pretty much anything we can find has helped keep humans alive through the ages.
We can place a value on that and choose to limit the types of organisms we consume for health or spiritual reasons, or we can look at it as we are meant to be the Goldilocks of the animal kingdom, where we’re not built to eat only meat nor only vegetation. Eating from both categories biologically provides the just-right diet for maximum health.
Q: So, are you saying you’re for or against vegetarianism as a prerequisite for a spiritual life?
Neither. And many well-known spiritual teachers will tell you the same: it doesn’t matter. Eat whatever you like. What is far more important is learning to quiet the mind and sustaining the spiritual practice itself.
If you’re unsure what the best diet for your spiritual life is, experiment. Try varying amounts of animal and plant matter and note which ratios make you feel the best physically and spiritually.
Q: Do you mind if I ask what you eat?
I’m largely vegetarian. Rarely will my body crave meat, and when it does, I listen to it. But it’s important to me that when I do consume meat, the animal has been raised and killed humanely because I care about the quality of the animal’s life for the animal’s sake. As I do for all beings.
This is also why I grow as much of my own food as I can. Because plants are also living beings, I know the care and love I give my plants give them a great life. It also gives me a direct physical and spiritual connection with my food.
I’ve found that the longer someone pursues the spiritual path, the more naturally they’ll move toward a plant-based diet. It happens organically. The bottom line is that it’s really a personal choice, so listen to your heart and listen to your body, and they will guide you.
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