Paul Rodney Turner's Blog, page 5

Geometric Signatures and how to use them

This is the geometric signature (soul yantra) of the words, "Merry Christmas" based on the numerology of each of the letters and mapped to a magic square. I have found some very revealing geometries when I map a person's name or a statement and typically the people whom I create their soul yantra will be able to identify with the geometry and the colours I choose.


Take for example this one of Lady Diana Spencer, to me it looks rather royal and like some crown jewel.

Or this one of the world famous spiritual guide and author Deepak Chopra. It looks rather mystical and I coloured his geometric signature according to his principle planetary influences, Saturn and the Sun.

And this is the soul yantra of Nassim Haramein His name and birthday mapped to a magic square of the sun and colours according to his numerology.


How about John Oko Lennon, his soul yantra has pink as the main colour because Venus is very strong for him. 
How to use a Geometric Signature (Soul Yantra)According to the Vedas, a Yantra  is a medium through which the invisible forces of energy can act on an individual. Yantras are typically used to summon the power of God or protective angel.

Like the traditional Magic Sigils, Yantras and Talismans, a Soul Yantra is based on the sciences of numerology, magic squares, geometry, geomancy and astrology. However, in this case, the encoded data is not a call to God or some Archangel, but is representative of you and your life purpose.

By mapping your name and date of birth to a powerful and harmonious magic square, and then colouring the resulting geometry according to your astrological influences, the unique geometric pattern becomes your Soul (personal) Yantra. In the same way that numerology can encode a person’s character, aptitudes and life’s lessons in numbers, a person’s Soul Yantra can do so through geometry. Your Soul Yantra literally captures your essence in a harmonic geometric pattern—it is essentially your inner spirit and karma captured in art.

By meditating on your soul yantra, you are bringing the life lessons resonating within your name and birthday into your subconscious mind. You can hang your soul yantra above your bed, in your office or wear it as jewelry or  on clothing. You may also wish to use your soul yantra in spiritual rituals as a medium to represent your higher self.  Use your Soul
Yantra as a personal seal or as part of your logo.

Your Soul Yantra is as unique as you are!

How to Order Your Own

Visit www.soulyantra.com

Gifting the Gift of Gratitude

Typically when we think of exchanging gifts it is all about the material acquisition of stuff that at a certain point in time becomes useless stuff and we either throw it away or donate it to a thrift store. But what if we could gift something that never deteriorated in value -- something that lived on well beyond the "Use by Date" and enriched the person's heart indefinitely with gratitude. Surely this is the kind of gift really worth giving!
ConsumerMas Let's be clear about it: For most people Christmas has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ and everything to do with consumerism. But Christmas and the holiday season should not be an excuse to accumulate more things or gift something mundane as a show of one’s love. Yes, gifting is one of the ways we express our love, but the quality of the love being expressed is very much tied to the quality of the gift being given. Now when I say “quality” I am not referring to the material quality of a thing — the brand name, etc — I am referring to the ethical and spiritual quality of something.

For example, rather than gifting a pair of cool looking Ugg boots to your teenager because all the cool kids are wearing them, choose the vegan equivalent that are just as nice looking and sturdy and yet a quarter of the price. Moreover, you will be sending a message to your child that it is very uncool to wear the skin of a tortured animal . PETA reported:

Just when you thought that footwear involving the mutilation of millions of sheep couldn’t get any ugglier, several makers of knock-off UGG-style boots have been found to use fur from animals who were beaten and skinned alive. Tests conducted on products labeled as “Australian sheepskin” found that they were actually made of raccoon dog fur, most likely from animals confined to barbaric Chinese fur farms.

Today we are seeing more and more teenagers as sophisticated consumers. Long gone are the days when you would only find groups of adults at Starbucks. Now it is just as common to see groups of teens and pre-teens gathering around a Starbucks table drinking salty caramel mochas. Kids today are way ahead of the consumer curve. They know all about the latest gadgets and apps and what else is cool way before us adults do. Quite frankly teens are driving the marketplace now and marketers know it too well. As INC.com reports:

Having lost its $3 billion bid for Snapchat, and with teens consistently fleeing Facebook by the millions each year, it's clear that Facebook was willing to pay just about any price to get them back. When the world's largest social network and a major purveyor of data considers this demographic priceless, you pay attention.

As mothers and fathers we have a responsibility to share our years of wisdom with our kids so as to help them avoid the same mistakes we made. It is never easy, especially with teenagers, but that is no excuse. So putting aside all those cool toys for a moment, what is really the best gift we could give our children?
The Invaluable Gift of GratitudeI remember one Christmas party at my father's work where all the children were given a present by some guy dressed as Santa Claus. I was gifted an orange skateboard, it was cool, but it wasn't the kind of skateboard I really wanted. It was a standard plastic skateboard with standard rubber wheels. I wanted  the flexy fibreglass skateboard with the thick polyurethane wheels. I complained to my father about it and he snapped back at me: "Have gratitude. It is a gift, for crying out loud." His words stung me and my heart felt burned by the truth he gave me that day. I can still hear his words vibrating in my heart, some 40 years later. In his own harsh way, he had given me the gift of gratitude.


Giving your child the gift of gratitude is in my opinion the greatest gift you can give them because it will influence, in very positive ways, the very foundation of their world view. We all have so much to be grateful for and yet we get so caught up in what we don't have or what we think we need. Holiday gifting of mundane toys, gadgets and designer clothing, if not accompanied by a healthy serving of gratitude, will only serve to entrap our kids further and further into a downward spiral of soul-less consumerism.
Charitable Giving Whenever you can, try to engage your children in charitable giving so that they can learn to appreciate the value of unconditional service and the soul-enriching satisfaction of the smile of the recipient. Food for Life Global and other charities can help facilitate this kind of gifting through sponsorship and donations in the name of your child. That at least is a start, and hopefully it will lead to them wanting to be more hands on in the charitable gifting experience. DONATE NOW

You can donate or sponsor in the name of your child today for as little or as much as you like. All contributions are tax deductible for US citizens because they will be processed through our US partner  A Well Fed World .
The Gift of GivingShould you like to take your child to one of our projects and get them directly involved we can facilitate that too. Just contact us for arrangements.

From all of us at Food for Life Global, we wish you the very best of health and happiness and success in teaching the gift of giving this year.

Paul Rodney Turner
Executive Director
Food for Life Global
www.ffl.org

What do Your Numbers Say About You?

My numerology services are unique in the market in that I bring a spiritual perspective to my readings, having been a monk for 14 years from age 19 - 33 with intense study and meditation on the divinity of numbers. My principle realization is that God -- the divine force that permeates this world and who is also available in person to us -- has provided clues to enable us to reach our full spiritual potential as fast as we wish to progress. But are we paying attention?

We are all spiritually equal as souls and yet we are so different as physical beings. The soul is qualitatively just like God, but in quantity much smaller. Sort of like a drop of ocean water to the entire ocean. This separation is how the magic of relationship happens, for without separation the unconditional dynamic of giving and receiving in love could not take place. Relationship is what drives us. It is the core value and "sweet spot" of all enjoyable experiences. Pleasure without connection or relationship is not fulfilling.

This same dynamic is there between us and the Divine Source we call God and a host of other names. So according to my understanding, God is simultaneously one and different at the same time. He/She is everywhere and yet also a singular person to whom we can have a loving relationship with. A simple example of this is the sunshine and the sun globe. Both are one and different at the same time.

So why is there inequality in this physical realm? It is because each soul is on a unique path of evolution, resulting from millions of decisions made in the past. Where we are now is a result of all of our past decisions combined along with what is known as Karma or what we deserve. So two factors are present here: Karma and desire. We may desire something, but not actually deserve it. The same is true that we may deserve something but not be ready to receive it or desire it. Karma is certainly not as simple as the law of action and reaction. We are talking about billions of actions and reactions all affecting each other as each soul moves along their unique spiritual evolutionary path.
What do the Numbers Reveal? You and I were born on a particular day and time to receive a particular set of astrological influences throughout our life that would then nudge us in certain directions and influence our decisions and reactions to give us a particular set of experiences according to our karma. No soul is better than the other. It is what it is, and ultimately we are all moving in the same direction, only for some the path may be fast and direct and for others, slow and distracted. It is all up to us, for we each have a choice at every step of the way.

My experience tells me that the story of the soul's evolution is probably pretty much the same for all of us, just that it takes on different narrations of the same essential story. Each number of our name and birthday in this life reveals something about where our consciousness is at in this incarnation and how we may take advantage of the strengths gifted us in this life and how we may nurture the weaknesses. I have found it particularly effective in communicating to a person when I know their numbers. For example, how I give instructions to a 5 person would be very different from how I instruct a 4 person. Whereas the 4 is practical and hands on and therefore more secure in their nature, a 5 is much more sensitive and will often wear their emotions on their sleeve. So as a manager of people, understanding a person's numbers would be very useful in creating healthy office dynamics.
Gift a Numerology Reading Numerology is the study of numbers, and the occult manner in which they reflect certain aptitudes and character tendencies, as an integral part of the cosmic plan. The sum of the numbers in your birth date and the sum of value derived from the letters in the name provide an interrelation of vibrations. Similarly, each phonetic letter has a numeric value that provides a related cosmic vibration. All these numbers combine to show a great deal about character, purpose in life, what motivates, and where talents may lie. Numbers can also be used to determine the best time for major moves and activities in life, like when to invest, when to marry, when to travel, when to change jobs, or relocate.



I have studied the ancient schools of Vedic numerology and Pythagorean systems for over 30 years and now use these two systems to not only provide a complete reading for my clients. Furthermore I can capture your unique number vibrations inside a geometric signature or personal yantra based on a magic square that can then be used as a talisman, meditation tool or company logo. ORDER NOW - $55 Full numerology reading of name and birthdate numbersAnalysis of Name and Birth Chart combinationIdentification of strengths and weaknessesIdentification of the 4 major cycles in your lifeCurrent year of your cycle and how it is affecting youIdentification of lucky: gems, days, colours, planet, and deityIdentification of ideal partner numbers for business and romanceProtective Mantra10 Minute Skype Consultation to discuss the reading ORDER NOW - $55
WHAT IS A SOUL YANTRA?


A SOUL YANTRA is a unique geometric signature (pattern) of a name + birthday mapped to a harmonic magic square. Your Soul Yantra captures the frequency of this data and all the corresponding life lessons and qualities in art. You can also have a unique geometric signature of your secret wish. Any personal name, company name, partnership, affirmation — anything that can be described in words, can be captured as a SOUL YANTRA.Soul Yantra Package includes: Full colour Soul Yantra (Personal Geometric Signature) Numerology reading of name and birthdate numbers Analysis of Name and Birth Chart combination Identification of strengths and weaknesses Identification of the 4 major cycles in your life Current year of your cycle and how it is affecting you Identification of lucky: gems, days, colours Identification of ideal partner numbers for romance and businessProtective Mantra10 Minute Skype Consultation to discuss the reading YES , I would like to have a reading and personal yantra designed for me! ORDER NOW...ONLY $197
You will receive a full numerology reading of your name and birthday, along with a high resolution A3 colour poster or digital art file of your unique geometric signature that you can use as you please.

ORDER NOW...ONLY $197The SOUL YANTRA for the world famous author and inspirational speaker Deepak Chopra (centre above) is not only unique like everyone else, but I have coloured it according to his main astrological influences, Saturn and Sun. Hence you will see the deep blue, dark purple and blacks for Saturn and the golden rays of the sun. I will do the same for your unique geometric signature.To see other amazing soul yantra, visit our galleryThank you for reading.Happy Holidays! Paul Rodney Turner The Food Yogiwww.soulyantra.com
www.foodyogi.org
www.paulrodneyturner.com

What do the Numbers tell us?

My numerology services are unique in the market in that I bring a spiritual perspective to my readings, having been a monk for 14 years from age 19 - 33 with intense study and meditation on the divinity of numbers. My principle realization is that God -- the divine force that permeates this world and who is also available in person to us -- has provided clues to enable us to reach our full spiritual potential as fast as we wish to progress. But are we paying attention?

We are all spiritually equal as souls and yet we are so different as physical beings. The soul is qualitatively just like God, but in quantity much smaller. Sort of like a drop of ocean water to the entire ocean. This separation is how the magic of relationship happens, for without separation the unconditional dynamic of giving and receiving in love could not take place. Relationship is what drives us. It is the core value and "sweet spot" of all enjoyable experiences. Pleasure without connection or relationship is not fulfilling.

This same dynamic is there between us and the Divine Source we call God and a host of other names. So according to my understanding, God is simultaneously one and different at the same time. He/She is everywhere and yet also a singular person to whom we can have a loving relationship with. A simple example of this is the sunshine and the sun globe. Both are one and different at the same time.

So why is there inequality in this physical realm? It is because each soul is on a unique path of evolution, resulting from millions of decisions made in the past. Where we are now is a result of all of our past decisions combined along with what is known as Karma or what we deserve. So two factors are present here: Karma and desire. We may desire something, but not actually deserve it. The same is true that we may deserve something but not be ready to receive it or desire it. Karma is certainly not as simple as the law of action and reaction. We are talking about billions of actions and reactions all affecting each other as each soul moves along their unique spiritual evolutionary path.

What do the Numbers Reveal? You and I were born on a particular day and time to receive a particular set of astrological influences throughout our life that would then nudge us in certain directions and influence our decisions and reactions to give us a particular set of experiences according to our karma. No soul is better than the other. It is what it is, and ultimately we are all moving in the same direction, only for some the path may be fast and direct and for others, slow and distracted. It is all up to us, for we each have a choice at every step of the way.

My experience tells me that the story of the soul's evolution is probably pretty much the same for all of us, just that it takes on different narrations of the same essential story. Each number of our name and birthday in this life reveals something about where our consciousness is at in this incarnation and how we may take advantage of the strengths gifted us in this life and how we may nurture the weaknesses. I have found it particularly effective in communicating to a person when I know their numbers. For example, how I give instructions to a 5 person would be very different from how I instruct a 4 person. Whereas the 4 is practical and hands on and therefore more secure in their nature, a 5 is much more sensitive and will often wear their emotions on their sleeve. So as a manager of people, understanding a person's numbers would be very useful in creating healthy office dynamics.

Gift a Numerology Reading Numerology is the study of numbers, and the occult manner in which they reflect certain aptitudes and character tendencies, as an integral part of the cosmic plan. The sum of the numbers in your birth date and the sum of value derived from the letters in the name provide an interrelation of vibrations. Similarly, each phonetic letter has a numeric value that provides a related cosmic vibration. All these numbers combine to show a great deal about character, purpose in life, what motivates, and where talents may lie. Numbers can also be used to determine the best time for major moves and activities in life, like when to invest, when to marry, when to travel, when to change jobs, or relocate.


I have studied the ancient schools of Vedic numerology and Pythagorean systems for over 30 years and now use these two systems to not only provide a complete reading for my clients. Furthermore I can capture your unique number vibrations inside a geometric signature or personal yantra based on a magic square that can then be used as a talisman, meditation tool or company logo. ORDER NOW - $55 Full numerology reading of name and birthdate numbersAnalysis of Name and Birth Chart combinationIdentification of strengths and weaknessesIdentification of the 4 major cycles in your lifeCurrent year of your cycle and how it is affecting youIdentification of lucky: gems, days, colours, planet, and deityIdentification of ideal partner numbers for business and romanceProtective Mantra10 Minute Skype Consultation to discuss the reading ORDER NOW - $55
WHAT IS A SOUL YANTRA?

A SOUL YANTRA is a unique geometric signature (pattern) of a name + birthday mapped to a harmonic magic square. Your Soul Yantra captures the frequency of this data and all the corresponding life lessons and qualities in art. You can also have a unique geometric signature of your secret wish. Any personal name, company name, partnership, affirmation — anything that can be described in words, can be captured as a SOUL YANTRA.Soul Yantra Package includes: Full colour Soul Yantra (Personal Geometric Signature) Numerology reading of name and birthdate numbers Analysis of Name and Birth Chart combination Identification of strengths and weaknesses Identification of the 4 major cycles in your life Current year of your cycle and how it is affecting you Identification of lucky: gems, days, colours Identification of ideal partner numbers for romance and businessProtective Mantra10 Minute Skype Consultation to discuss the reading YES , I would like to have a reading and personal yantra designed for me! ORDER NOW...ONLY $197
You will receive a full numerology reading of your name and birthday, along with a high resolution A3 colour poster or digital art file of your unique geometric signature that you can use as you please.

ORDER NOW...ONLY $197The SOUL YANTRA for the world famous author and inspirational speaker Deepak Chopra (centre above) is not only unique like everyone else, but I have coloured it according to his main astrological influences, Saturn and Sun. Hence you will see the deep blue, dark purple and blacks for Saturn and the golden rays of the sun. I will do the same for your unique geometric signature.To see other amazing soul yantra, visit our galleryThank you for reading.Happy Holidays! Paul Rodney Turner The Food Yogiwww.soulyantra.com
www.foodyogi.org
www.paulrodneyturner.com

The Stain on the Vegan Diet - B12 deficiency. The Solution may Surprise you.

[Updated from a post in April 2014]

Bullshit! Yes, actually that's it. Well, that and cow shit, usually referred to as cow dung. You see, despite the obvious merit of choosing to be a vegan, which essentially means avoiding all foods, clothing and products that are the result of animal suffering; and extending that ideal to advocating that all animals should live independently (including cows and bulls); the vegan ideology does not honestly address the lack of B12 in the diet. And so to live the vegan ideology you absolutely have to take B12 supplements and obviously that is not natural and certainly not the way God and nature intended human life to be.

I mean, seriously, how silly is it to think that humanity has to take supplements in order to justify a more humane way to live? But that is exactly what well-meaning vegans all over the world do, at least those that live in the city. But sadly, very few have the guts to admit that something is terribly wrong with that notion.

What is B12Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis (especially odd chain fatty acids) and energy production. Neither fungi, plants nor animals are capable of producing vitamin B12.
 Only bacteria and archaea have the enzymes required for its biosynthesis.

How do I know if I'm Deficient?Vitamin B12 deficiency can potentially cause severe and irreversible damage, especially to the brain and nervous system. At levels only slightly lower than normal, a range of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and poor memory may be experienced. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of mania and psychosis.

To be fair, however, most cases of B12 deficiency have nothing to do with diet. Rather, sometimes individuals lose their ability to absorb the vitamin and become deficient no matter what sort of diet they follow.

The human physiology of vitamin B12 is complex and, therefore, is prone to mishaps leading to vitamin B12 deficiency. Protein-bound vitamin B12 must be released from these proteins by the action of digestive proteases in both the stomach and small intestine. Gastric acid releases the vitamin from food particles, so people with weak stomach acids are prone to B12 deficiency. Therefore antacid and acid-blocking medications (especially proton-pump inhibitors) may inhibit absorption of B12.

In the non-industrialized world, where bacterial contamination commonly brought traces of B12 to foods, B12 deficiency is largely prevented. However, modern hygiene has eliminated this source, just as indoor living has largely eliminated sunlight, nature’s source of vitamin D.

However, owing to the extremely efficient enterohepatic circulation of B12, the liver can actually store several years’ worth of vitamin B12; therefore, nutritional deficiency of this vitamin is rare in most healthy adults. The level changes of B12 in the body depends on how much is secreted and how much is absorbed. B12 deficiency may take a year to show up if initial stores are low and genetic factors unfavourable, or it may not appear for decades. In infants, B12 deficiency can appear much more quickly.

Absorption of vitamin B12 thus requires 4 key factors:
Healthy Stomach;Healthy Exocrine pancreas;Intact Gastric intrinsic factor (glycoprotein);Healthy small bowel. Problems with any one of these organs make vitamin B12 deficiency highly likely.

How much do I need?The total amount of vitamin B12 stored in the body is about 2–5 mg in adults. Around 50% of this is stored in the liver. Approximately 0.1% of this is lost per day by secretions into the gut, as not all these secretions are reabsorbed.

What is the Solution?So how to solve this vegan dilemma? Well, it all starts with a load of bull dung or cow dung. You see, B12 is actually made from bacteria that lives in soil and is plentiful wherever farm animals live. Animals like cows eat grass, thus picking up bacteria that then creates B12 vitamin inside their stomachs. B12 is found naturally in manure fertilized soil and synthesized via bacteria which are present in the intestines of animals. However, animals themselves are not capable of synthesizing the vitamin, only the B12 bacteria contain the enzymes capable of breaking it down. Which means, in order for humans to acquire an adequate amount of B12 they must either obtain it from animal sources, fortified foods or multi-vitamins? When someone kills a cow this B12 is present in the meat and thus a carnivorous human does not usually have B12 deficiency. If someone takes dairy products they can also get remnants of B12, but a vegan misses out completely, unless they too live around farm animals and play and work in the same soils where the B12 bacteria exist.

Diane Vukovic (PlenteousVeg.com) points out:

So, how is it that vegetarian animals like cows and sheep can make their own B12 but humans cannot?  One reason is because many vegetarian animals (like cows and sheep) have stomachs with four chambers.  The first chamber, called the rumen, is rich in bacteria which can make B12.  Other animals also have stomachs which are shaped differently and allow more bacterial fermentation.

Another reason that vegetarian animals aren’t B12 deficient is that they often consume soil along with their food.  Soil often contains cobalt, which is necessary for making B12 in the intestines.  As Dr. Justine Butler points out, many primates have been known to eat dirt to naturally treat/combat nutrient deficiencies.  When moved to a zoo and fed a sterile diet, many primates develop B12 deficiencies.

What about Fortified Foods?Foods fortified with B12 are also sources of the vitamin, but they cannot be regarded as true food sources of B12 since the vitamin is added in supplement form from commercial bacterial production sources such as cyanocobalamin.

As Mike Adams, the Health Ranger points out in his article: Cyanocobalamin is a low-grade, low-quality and slightly toxic (cyanide) form of vitamin B-12 that's used by all the cheap vitamin manufacturers because it is easy to crystallize and is not sensitive to air-oxidation. It is also up to 100 times cheaper than the higher quality methylcobalamin. What these manufacturers don't tell you is that this form of vitamin B12 is bound to a toxic, poisonous cyanide molecule that must then be removed from your body by your liver and that even less of it is absorbed by your body.

This form is not perfectly synonymous with the naturally occurring form of methyl-B12 (methylcobalamin), and which is pre-methylated, meaning it's ready for our biochemistry to put to immediate use. Cyanocobalamin has also been contraindicated in early Leber's disease, which is hereditary optic nerve atrophy and can also cause severe and swift optic atrophy.

However, even taking high quality vitamin B-12 (methylcobalamin) as an oral dose is largely a waste of money because as much as 99% of what you swallow is not even absorbed!

Adams suggest, "a vitamin B-12 skin patch is now available on the market that delivers methylcobalamin through the skin, using a small medical-grade patch placed behind the ear. Each patch delivers 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin (1,666% DV) in a steady release over a 1-2 day period, after which the patch may be removed and discarded." However, like oral doses, they cost money and certainly this is not the way nature intended us to get our source of B12.

Is Cow Manure the Answer?A summary of the results of a study by Dr. A. Mozafar in Switzerland, reported in the November issue of New Century Nutrition by T. Collin Campbell, Ph.D., and Jeff Gates, D.H.Sc. found that Soils enriched with organic fertilizer (cow manure) resulted in a several-fold increase in the soil's B12 content, as compared to soils worked with conventional inorganic or chemical fertilizers.


That means, if we choose to live naturally, the way nature and God intended, playing and working in soils where farm animals live then B12 is practically everywhere, and in fact, we can even breath it in, it is so plentiful! But most vegans will declare that all animals are to be independent, even cows and bulls; that animals should never be used by humans for any labour, etc. The problem with those kinds of sweeping statements is that they completely ignore history. You see, from the beginning of time, man and beast have had a symbiotic relationship. The problem today is that this natural and respectful symbiotic relationship has been lost and now most of humanity exploits animals. If however, we respect and love and serve animals, as they do us, then a healthy symbiosis can ensue.

Animals should never be slaughtered for their meat, except in cases of survival where there are no other options for food. But in a world where food is plentiful, this is not the case. In fact, the world has the capacity to feed double the current population; "the problem is not food shortage, but inequitable distribution," declared the United Nations.

Making cow dung patties
So getting back to cow dung. Yes, the miracle and magic of cow dung. You see, bull dung and cow dung is loaded with the B12 bacteria. So if we use this natural and most powerful manure to fertilise our fruits and vegetable and actually play with the soil they inhabit, we will get more than enough B12 inside our bodies. In fact, India villagers literally play with bull and cow dung, forming them into "cow patties" that are then used for cooking, or taking advantage of the anti-bacterial properties of cow dung by mixing it with clay and covering the walls and floors of their houses, as a means to purify the area and also keep the house cool in the hot summer. In fact, cow dung has proven to be the best natural soil for our gardens. See this informative video:


A village woman has mixed cow dung with mud and spreads it on her floor. 
But for some vegans, such practices would mean acknowledging the reality that living around farm animals is essential for good health and that is hard to do if you don't acknowledge the natural symbiosis of man and farm animals. We need them just as much as they need us.

A cow eats grass and produces milk. A bull eat grass and has the muscle and power to till a field. Both of them excrete loads of B12 fertiliser that man can then use to make the best organically-grown, non-GMO fruits and vegetables. They serve us and we serve them by keeping them happy and healthy. That is how God and nature intended it, but if you listen to some vegans, they will outright reject such notions and either suffer B12 deficiency or supplement with B12 tablets.

So that is my big problem with the vegan ideology, at least the "hard-core" version, and so I choose not to be that kind of vegan, but believe that in order for me to live a healthy and natural life, I have to accept that farm animals must be part of my livelihood and the most natural and non-violent way to do that is to either live on a farm with farm animals and grow my own fruits and vegetables using cow manure as a fertiliser. Or obtain B12-enriched cow manure for my city garden; or consume (heaven forbid) non-violent milk from a family-owned cow that is protected and loved.

I have abstained from commercial dairy for well over 15 years now. I am a "vegan," but not in the fanatical and impractical sense, but more so in adhering to the essential truth of the ideology, namely, non-violence to animals. Therefore, whenever it is available, I will gladly consume milk offered to me by a protected and loved family-owned cow, knowing that her offering was given with love and she is happy, healthy and will live a long and natural life. That kind of milk is actually beneficial and to ignore that possibility is to ignore the entire history of domesticated cows. History has proven that cultures can survive for thousands of years and their people live long, healthy lives when there is a symbiotic relationship between humans and animals. Hundreds of millions of Hindus have used dairy products for many thousands of years, lending credibility to the notion that dairy products can be safe to consume when they are offered with love from healthy cows. To ignore this fact is to allow ourselves to be blinded by our reluctance to even consider evidence that challenges our own personal convictions and the current medical belief.

Big Business has screwed over this idealThe sad part of that story is how big business took over this once sacred tradition and turned it into a profit-driven hell for all bovine. Sadly, the so-called "ahimsa dairy" standards being promoted today are not as sattvic (pure) as they make out, as clearly evidenced on the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation website.

Their present practices are far from non-harming:

Calves with Mothers: 5 days with no further access Conception: Bull for first pregnancy followed by artificial insemination (AI) Milking method: By machineHorns: Debudding of milking cows Treats: None
To read more on so-called "ahimsa dairy" see: Is Ahimsa Dairy Really Non-Violent? 

It seems whenever commerce is involved there will always be a compromise on purity and integrity. Therefore, because of the controversy surrounding the dairy industry Food for Life Global does NOT financially support food distribution containing commercial dairy.

Even in India, the "land of the cow," gross abuse of cows is taking place and commercial milk is now a contaminated cocktail containing detergent, hydrogen peroxide, urea, and contaminated water.

Consuming dairy from a loved, respected and family-owned protected cow is perfectly in line with at least the ahimsa principles of veganism. But if you're close-minded, you won't bring yourself to accept such a possibility. So my feeling is that veganism in the strictest use of the term is flawed and cow dung is the stain on the "white sheet" of this otherwise pure and caring ideology.

Unless you are prepared to eat dirt or live with farm animals and work with their manure, you will need to take a B12 supplement as a vegan and that is just not natural.

Other sources of B12Non-animal sources of b12 include, kombucha, tempeh, seaweed, and miso. Certain makers of kombucha cultured tea, list vitamin B12 as naturally present in their product and one brand purports to contain 20% of the daily value of B12 in a single bottle, making kombucha a potential "high" food source of B12. Because kombucha is produced by a symbiosis between yeast and bacteria, the possibility that kombucha contains B12 does not contradict current knowledge, but no scientific studies have yet been published confirming the fact, nor whether the B12 in kombucha is the biologically active B12.

Although these non-animal products may have some b12, according to the vast majority of research in this field, the ONLY reliable source of b12 is dirt and that is why we have to live closer to nature.

Studies that support the need for b12 far outweigh those that say we don't need it, including those from PCRM.

We are better off when we live closer to nature, and that means living with farm animals like cows. That does not mean you have to drink their milk. The artificial separation of humans and cows is what I believe is a big flaw in any diet or lifestyle ideology, but particularly noticeable in the vegan diet.

I believe it is time to redefine what it means to be a "vegan" and retire the old fanatical, ideologically inconsistent and unhealthy definition of veganism.

B12 InformationB12 Food chart from the FOOD FACTS web site Wikipedia b12 information  Resources on the link between B12 and cow manureRelation of Vitamin B12 to growth factor present in cow manure (J.Biol. Chem. 1948 176: 1477-1478. PDF)RGCB scientists unravelling the Vitamin B12 mystery (Author: Reema Narendran | ENS (Published Date: Feb 4, 2013)
Also read: Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy

The Stain on the Vegan Diet - B12 deficiency

[Updated from a post in April 2014]

Bull shit! Yes, actually that's it. Well, that and cow shit, usually referred to as cow dung. You see, despite the obvious merit for choosing to be a vegan, which essentially means avoiding all foods, clothing and products that are the result of animal suffering; and extending that ideal to advocating that all animals should live independently (including cows and bulls); the vegan ideology does not honestly address the lack of B12 in the diet. And so to live the vegan ideology you absolutely have to take B12 supplements and obviously that is not natural and certainly not the way God and nature intended human life to be.

I mean, seriously, how silly is it to think that humanity has to take supplements in order to justify a more humane way to live? But that is exactly what well meaning vegans all over the world do, at least those that live in the city. But sadly, very few have the guts to admit that something is terribly wrong with that notion.

What is B12Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis (especially odd chain fatty acids) and energy production. Neither fungi, plants, nor animals are capable of producing vitamin B12.
 Only bacteria and archaea have the enzymes required for its biosynthesis.
How do I know if I'm Deficient?Vitamin B12 deficiency can potentially cause severe and irreversible damage, especially to the brain and nervous system. At levels only slightly lower than normal, a range of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and poor memory may be experienced. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of mania and psychosis.

To be fair, however, most cases of B12 deficiency have nothing to do with diet. Rather, sometimes individuals lose their ability to absorb the vitamin and become deficient no matter what sort of diet they follow.

The human physiology of vitamin B12 is complex, and therefore is prone to mishaps leading to vitamin B12 deficiency. Protein-bound vitamin B12 must be released from these proteins by the action of digestive proteases in both the stomach and small intestine. Gastric acid releases the vitamin from food particles, so people with weak stomach acids are prone to B12 deficiency. Therefore antacid and acid-blocking medications (especially proton-pump inhibitors) may inhibit absorption of B12.

In the non-industrialized world, where bacterial contamination commonly brought traces of B12 to foods, B12 deficiency is largely prevented. However, modern hygiene has eliminated this source, just as indoor living has largely eliminated sunlight, nature’s source of vitamin D.

However, owing to the extremely efficient enterohepatic circulation of B12, the liver can actually store several years’ worth of vitamin B12; therefore, nutritional deficiency of this vitamin is rare in most healthy adults. The level changes of B12 in the body depends on how much is secreted and how much is absorbed. B12 deficiency may take a year to show up if initial stores are low and genetic factors unfavourable, or it may not appear for decades. In infants, B12 deficiency can appear much more quickly.

Absorption of food vitamin B12 thus requires 4 key factors:
Healthy Stomach;Healthy Exocrine pancreas;Intact Gastric intrinsic factor (glycoprotein);Healthy small bowel. Problems with any one of these organs makes vitamin B12 deficiency highly likely.
How much do I need?The total amount of vitamin B12 stored in body is about 2–5 mg in adults. Around 50% of this is stored in the liver. Approximately 0.1% of this is lost per day by secretions into the gut, as not all these secretions are reabsorbed.
What is the Solution?So how to solve this vegan dilemma? Well, it all starts with a load of bull dung or cow dung. You see, B12 is actually made from bacteria that lives in soil and is plentiful wherever farm animals live. Animals like cows eat grass, thus picking up bacteria that then creates B12 vitamin inside their stomachs. B12 is found naturally in manure fertilized soil and synthesized via bacteria which are present in the intestines of animals. However, animals themselves are not capable of synthesizing the vitamin, only the B12 bacteria contains the enzymes capable of breaking it down. Which means, in order for humans to acquire an adequate amount of B12 they must either obtain it from animal sources, fortified foods or multi-vitamins. When someone kills a cow this B12 is present in the meat and thus a carnivorous human does not usually have B12 deficiency. If someone takes dairy products they can also get remnants of B12, but a vegan misses out completely, unless they too live around farm animals and play and work in the same soils where the B12 bacteria exists.

Diane Vukovic (PlenteousVeg.com) points out:

So, how is it that vegetarian animals like cows and sheep can make their own B12 but humans cannot?  One reason is because many vegetarian animals (like cows and sheep) have stomachs with four chambers.  The first chamber, called the rumen, is rich in bacteria which can make B12.  Other animals also have stomachs which are shaped differently and allow more bacterial fermentation.

Another reason that vegetarian animals aren’t B12 deficient is that they often consume soil along with their food.  Soil often contains cobalt, which is necessary for making B12 in the intestines.  As Dr. Justine Butler points out, many primates have been known to eat dirt to naturally treat/combat nutrient deficiencies.  When moved to a zoo and fed a sterile diet, many primates develop B12 deficiencies.

What about Fortified Foods?Foods fortified with B12 are also sources of the vitamin, although they cannot be regarded as true food sources of B12 since the vitamin is added in supplement form, from commercial bacterial production sources, such as cyanocobalamin.

However, the cyanocobalamin form of B12 does not occur in nature normally and cyanocobalamin is contraindicated in early Leber's disease, which is hereditary optic nerve atrophy. Cyanocobalamin can cause severe and swift optic atrophy.

Since the cyanocobalamin form of B12 is easy to crystallize and is not sensitive to air-oxidation, it is has become the preferred form of B12 for food additives and in many common multivitamins. However, this form is not perfectly synonymous with the natural occurring form of methyl-B12 (methylcobalamin). This is the form that exists in nature, and it is pre-methylated, meaning it's ready for your biochemistry to put to immediate use.

However, even taking high quality vitamin B-12 (methylcobalamin) as an oral dose is largely a waste of money because as much as 99% of what you swallow is not even absorbed!

Cyanocobalamin is a low-grade, low-quality and slightly toxic (cyanide) form of vitamin B-12 that's used by all the cheap vitamin manufacturers who use it because it can be bought in bulk (up to 100 times cheaper than the higher quality methylcobalamin) and added to products with claims that they "contain vitamin B-12!" What they don't tell you is that the vitamin is bound to a toxic, poisonous cyanide molecule that must then be removed from your body by your liver and that even less of it is absorbed by your body.

A vitamin B-12 skin patch is now available on the market that delivers methylcobalamin through the skin, using a small medical-grade patch placed behind the ear. Each patch delivers 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin (1,666% DV) in a steady release over a 1-2 day period, after which the patch may be removed and discarded. However, like oral doses, they cost money and certainly this is not the way nature intended us to get our source of B12.
Is Cow Manure the Answer?A summary of the results of a study by Dr. A. Mozafar in Switzerland, reported in the November issue of New Century Nutrition by T. Collin Campbell, Ph.D., and Jeff Gates, D.H.Sc. found that Soils enriched with organic fertilizer (cow manure) resulted in a several-fold increase in the soil's B12 content, as compared to soils worked with conventional inorganic or chemical fertilizers.


That means, if we choose to live naturally, the way nature and God intended, playing and working in soils where farm animals live then B12 is practically everywhere, and in fact, we can even breath it in, it is so plentiful! But most vegans will declare that all animals are to be independent, even cows and bulls; that animals should never be used by humans for any labour, etc. The problem with those kinds of sweeping statements is that they completely ignore history. You see, from the beginning of time, man and beast have had a symbiotic relationship. The problem today is that this natural and respectful symbiotic relationship has been lost and now most of humanity exploits animals. If however, we respect and love and serve animals, as they do us, then a healthy symbiosis can ensue.

Animals should never be slaughtered for their meat, except in cases of survival where there are no other options for food. But in a world where food is plentiful, this is not the case. In fact, the world has the capacity to feed double the current population; "the problem is not food shortage, but inequitable distribution," declared the United Nations.


So getting back to cow dung. Yes, the miracle and magic of cow dung. You see, bull dung and cow dung is loaded with the B12 bacteria. So if we use this natural and most powerful manure to fertilise our fruits and vegetable and actually play with the soil they inhabit, we will get more than enough B12 inside our bodies. In fact, India villagers literally play with bull and cow dung, forming them into "cow patties" that are then used for cooking, or taking advantage of the anti-bacterial properties of cow dung by mixing it with clay and covering the walls and floors of their houses, as a means to purify the area and also keep the house cool in the hot summer.


But for some vegans, such practices would mean acknowledging the reality that living around farm animals is essential for good health and that is hard to do if you don't acknowledge the natural symbiosis of man and farm animals. We need them just as much as they need us.

A cow eats grass and produces milk. A bull eat grass and has the muscle and power to till a field. Both of them excrete loads of B12 fertiliser that man can then use to make the best organically-grown, non-GMO fruits and vegetables. They serve us and we serve them by keeping them happy and healthy. That is how God and nature intended it, but if you listen to some vegans, they will outright reject such notions and either suffer B12 deficiency or supplement with B12 tablets.

So that is my big problem with the vegan ideology, at least the "hard-core" version, and so I choose not to be that kind of vegan, but believe that in order for me to live a healthy and natural life, I have to accept that farm animals must be part of my livelihood and the most natural and non-violent way to do that is to either live on a farm with farm animals and grow my own fruits and vegetables using cow manure as a fertiliser. Or obtain B12-enriched cow manure for my city garden; or consume (heaven forbid) non-violent milk from a family-owned cow that is protected and loved.

I have abstained from commercial dairy for well over 15 years now. But I am not a "vegan," in the fanatical and impractical sense, but more so in adhering to the essential truth of the ideology, namely, non-violence to animals. Therefore, whenever it is available, I will gladly consume milk offered to me by a protected and loved family-owned cow, knowing that her offering was given with love and she is happy, healthy and will live a long and natural life. That kind of milk is actually beneficial and to ignore that possibility is to ignore the entire history of domesticated cows. History has proven that cultures can survive for thousands of years and their people live long, healthy lives when there is a symbiotic relationship between humans and animals. Hundreds of millions of Hindus have used dairy products for many thousands of years, lending credibility to the notion that dairy products can be safe to consume. To ignore this fact is to allow ourselves to be blinded by our reluctance to even consider evidence that challenges our own personal convictions and the current medical belief.
Big Business has screwed over this idealThe sad part of that story is how big business took over this once sacred tradition and turned it into a profit-driven hell for all bovine. Sadly, the so-called "ahimsa dairy" standards being promoted today are not as sattvic (pure) as they make out, as clearly evidenced on the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation website.

Their present practices are far from non-harming:

Calves with Mothers: 5 days with no further access Conception: Bull for first pregnancy followed by artificial insemination (AI) Milking method: By machineHorns: Debudding of milking cows Treats: None
To read more on so-called "ahimsa dairy" see: Is Ahimsa Dairy Really Non-Violent? 

It seems whenever commerce is involved there will always be a compromise on purity and integrity. Therefore, because of the controversy surrounding the dairy industry Food for Life Global does NOT financially support food distribution containing commercial dairy.

Even in India, the "land of the cow," gross abuse of cows is taking place and commercial milk is now a contaminated cocktail containing detergent, hydrogen peroxide, urea, and contaminated water.

Consuming dairy from a loved, respected and family-owned protected cow is perfectly in line with at least the ahimsa principles of veganism. But if you're close-minded, you won't bring yourself to accept such a possibility. So my feeling is that veganism in the strictest use of the term is flawed and cow dung is the stain on the "white sheet" of this otherwise pure and caring ideology.

Unless you are prepared to eat dirt or live with farm animals and work with their manure, you will need to take a B12 supplement as a vegan and that is just not natural.
Other sources of B12Non-animal sources of b12 include, kombucha, tempeh, seaweed, and miso. Certain makers of kombucha cultured tea, list vitamin B12 as naturally present in their product and one brand purports to contain 20% of the daily value of B12 in a single bottle, making kombucha a potential "high" food source of B12. Because kombucha is produced by a symbiosis between yeast and bacteria, the possibility that kombucha contains B12 does not contradict current knowledge, but no scientific studies have yet been published confirming the fact, nor whether the B12 in kombucha is the biologically active B12.

Although these non-animal products may have some b12, according to the vast majority of research in this field, the ONLY reliable source of b12 is dirt and that is why we have to live closer to nature.

Studies that support the need for b12 far outweigh those that say we don't need it, including those from PCRM.

We are better off when we live closer to nature, and that means living with farm animals like cows. That does not mean you have to drink their milk. The artificial separation of humans and cows is what I believe is a big flaw in any diet or lifestyle ideology, but particularly noticeable in the vegan diet.

I believe it is time to redefine what it means to be a "vegan" and retire the old fanatical, ideologically inconsistent and unhealthy definition of veganism.
B12 InformationB12 Food chart from the FOOD FACTS web site Wikipedia b12 information  Resources on the link between B12 and cow manureRelation of Vitamin B12 to growth factor present in cow manure (J.Biol. Chem. 1948 176: 1477-1478. PDF)RGCB scientists unravelling the Vitamin B12 mystery (Author: Reema Narendran | ENS (Published Date: Feb 4, 2013)

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Is Ahimsa Dairy really non-violent?

A while back I was alerted to the fact that the standards of the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation in the United Kingdom was far from non-violent and in fact was supporting practices that were very much violent towards innocent cows.

I, like many consumers in the UK, were under the impression that Ahimsa milk was produced with the highest integrity and that the cows involved in providing the milk were respected and never caused any harm, which is exactly what the word "ahimsa" means (no violence). However, a close look at the standards of the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation revealed that they had been misleading the public all along and that the cows they are using to provide their milk are being violated. They clearly reveal this inside information on a new IndieGoGo campaign they just launched.

"When we began, in order to start with minimum capital, we partnered with an established organic dairy. They have been managing the breeding of our cows, and while we are very grateful to them, they have not been able to fully facilitate our calves with ongoing access to their mothers (beyond the basic organic standard of just five days together). Also they require that our cows give birth annually, rather than every two plus years, which we would prefer."

Forced pregnancy is rapeEven though it is honourable that the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation now strives to reach a much higher standard, the fact is forced pregnancy, even if it is just every 2 - 4 years is essentially rape. Furthermore, for all the mothers reading this post, how would you feel if I told you that you had to get pregnant to produce milk to satisfy our consumer demand and that we will take your child away after 6 months? Does that sound non-violent to you? Of course not, but that is the "highest possible welfare standards" the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation is striving for!

The note from their campaign page continues...

"We have decided to go it alone: to run our own dairy completely to the highest possible welfare standards. This will mean that we can ensure a calf will have ongoing access to its mother for a minimum of six months.  Under our system, cows will only become pregnant every two to four years. We also want to primarily milk by hand.  We aim to manage the size of our herd very carefully. ensuring that we know every cow’s name and their character. In essence, we are aiming for nothing less than an ideal compassionate dairy, a model to hold up to the world."

I know I am not going to be popular with them after writing this post, but this just goes to show that commercial interest and milk will never work as a non-violent (ahimsa) business model. 

The bottom line is as long as their is commercial interest at stake there will always been some kind of compromise present and when it comes to innocent animals that have no way to communicate their feelings to humans, this inevitably leads to some kind of exploitation.

 Love milk hate slaughter campaign "Love milk hate slaughter" is the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation's main marketing message, but what does this statement hide? While they claim no slaughter, they DO NOT claim complete non-violence to the cows involved in this project, which is the very meaning of ahimsa. The cows in this project do not have a choice, nor a voice to express their approval or disapproval for how they are being treated, so in effect their rights have been violated. Moreover, their current standards allow that calves can be forcibly taken away from their mother after only 5 days! How on earth is this NON VIOLENT? And to now claim that the "highest possible welfare standard" is that calves can remain with their mothers for 6 months is again misleading. Mothers and their children should never be separated. 
What kind of milk is really ahimsa?The only milk that could ever be considered truly non-violent is milk offered with love by a protected family-owned cow that is never forcibly impregnated, or milked by a machine. In other words, milk from a cow that is loved and respected like any other member of a family as an equal. This ideal is rare indeed but possible and I have seen examples of it. I have been calling this standard "Krishna-dairy," which of course is a shoutout to Lord Krishna and the pure standards that existed during His advent over 5000 years ago. Back then a cow was never considered a commodity to be exploited for selfish human interest. Cows were respected as "mothers" and the extra milk they lovingly offered to humans was revered as "liquid religion". I am certainly not using this label as a vote of confidence for ISKCON's controversial use of commercial dairy or any kind of support for commercializing this very intimate and sacred exchange between cows and humans. To be a "Krishna-dairyan" means that you only consume milk that is offered with love by a protected family-owned cow. With no tinge of selfish interest and the cow's offering totally under HER control. That is the ONLY kind of milk that can truly be considered "ahimsa".

So, let's get one thing straight here: Where business profits are at the forefront of dairy production there can never be non-violent milk, because in some way the cows will be inconvenienced or exploited to maintain profit margins. If however the cow's personal care and happiness is the primary motive, then ahimsa milk seems feasible, as evidenced by the Gita Nagari Yoga Farm in Pennsylvania, USA.

The Ahimsa Dairy Foundation has already openly admitted that they misled the public in the past with their claim of non-violence and now even their "highest possible welfare standards" for cows falls way short of the mark, so I say they should stop using the word "ahimsa" simply to take advantage of well-meaning consumers. Their product is certainly a higher standard than your typical commercial dairy operation but it is NOT ahimsa. Let's call a spade a spade.

Just tell it how it is: We use cows to make money. Our dairy products are not ahimsa but our cows are treated better than what you'll find at other commercial dairy farms. That at least is more honest.

Catching up with the Walking Monk

It was so nice meeting up with the Walking Monk, Bhaktimarg Swami during our visit to Orlando and it was serendipitous as well for wife Juliana and I are launching a new product called the "Walking meditator." (Launching soon). The swami wrote about our meeting on his blog: http://www.thewalkingmonk.blogspot.ca/2014/11/thursday-october-30th-2014.html

I have known the Swami for over 20 years and he is one of the kindest and most genuinely spiritual people you could ever hope to meet. He has been a big fan of Food for Life and has always encouraged my work.

During our meeting I gave him a copy of my new book FOOD YOGA and he was already quoting from it the next day!

We talked about doing a Festival of Consciousness either as a traveling road show or something we could do regularly in Orlando, FL. Typically when we talk about raising consciousness, it is either in the context of what we eat or what we do and not usually in the context of music and rarely are these things combined. Of course, one of the things I talk about most is that spirituality begins with mastering the tongue and the tongue has two functions: vibrating and tasting. So this festival of consciousness would serve to engage the tongue in ways that would help raise consciousness.

Bhaktimarg Swami is expert at putting on plays that stimulate higher thought and is a very entertaining speaker.

World Food Day is a great idea, but what is the real solution to World Hunger?

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
At the most recent United Nations General Assembly, it was declared that 2014 would be the “ International Year of Family Farming ” (IYFF). Therefore this year the theme for the internationally acclaimed event is:  Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth”



When I see the words, "Family Farming," I immediately wonder how many people think of family farms as associated with raising cattle. The animal agriculture lobby groups have had so much influence on public perception over the last 50 years that it would not be surprising. However, a "family farm" is simply a farm owned and operated by a family and not some large corporation. Like other family businesses, ownership often passes to the next generation by inheritance. It is the most fundamental economic structure of much of human history and continues to be so in developing nations.

The goal of the 2014 IYFF is to reposition family farming at the centre of agricultural, environmental and social policies in the national agendas by identifying gaps and opportunities to promote a shift towards a more equal and balanced development. This is a major push to change food production policies with much of the economic support currently going to animal agriculture, and with devastating consequences, as pointed out in the 2006 UN report on the environmental impact of animal agriculture, that stated that  the rearing of cattle produces more greenhouse gases than driving cars. And yet, some 8 years later, this damning report hardly gets any press. However, maybe, just maybe, with this new push for family farming by the UN the public may start to see the big picture.

"Family Farming is the fulcrum on which our future food security pivots," said Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Ertharin Cousin. She highlighted that in establishing a new and sustainable vision for family farms that enhances global food supplies and protects the earth's resources, "we must address one universal problem: gender inequity." With this statement Cousins highlighted the multitude of ways that unequal access to agricultural inputs (read: government subsidies) affects women, forcing them to "work harder and longer for less."


Archbishop Luigi Travaglino, Pope Francis underlined the need to acknowledge the increasing role of the rural family and to develop its full potential. "This year dedicated to family farming has served to allow us to see that the rural family can respond to a lack of food without destroying the resources of creation . But we must be responsive to their needs," he said.
Animal Agriculture's dirty secret One of the most important factors affecting national and global food supplies is the amount of money which governments pay out in subsidies to farmers. Most tax payers don't know it, but currently this "payout" is heavily weighted towards animal agriculture, making the cost of meat artificially low. Yes, your tax money has been paying for farmers to use and abuse animals, making animal agriculture (factory farming) an affordable business model when in fact the real cost of producing meat would leave the livestock industry broke. This biased support of an industry that has caused more environmental damage to the planet than even all the Exxon oil spills in history, is largely due to their powerful lobbyist and immense financial power to influence not only public policy, but the public narrative of what constitutes a healthy diet.

The Meat AtlasThe Meat Atlas is one of the most fascinating studies on the world’s agricultural industries ever to be released. It highlights just how much money is pumped into the animal agriculture sectors around the world, and how this is making meat prices drop lower than in a natural economy. Barbara Unmüßig, president of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, who created this report says that, “In many countries, consumers are fed up with being deluded by the agribusiness. Instead of using public money to subsidize factory farms – as in the United States and European Union, consumers want reasonable policies that promote ecologically, socially and ethically sound livestock production.
In the current situation, for the independent "family farmer" to regain any sort of practical economic independence, it would seem necessary that the entire food industry be restructured. Let's hope that on this day, a shift really starts happening to move the spotlight away from an industry that continues to destroy the environment and control the message.
What the UN is not ConsideringThe United Nations FAO has done much to educate the public about world hunger and have offered a number of solutions through their Millennium Development Goals, this year specifically pointing out how gender inequity is a major contributor. However, what they do not consider, and quiet frankly are unable to because of the political nature of their organization, is that the real cause of world hunger is spiritual inequality.
We strongly believe that only until their is a major shift in consciousness and the world begins to see the spiritual equality of all living beings , including cows, pigs, and chickens, can their be a remote chance of actually solving world hunger. How so?
As we have pointed out numerous times, and which is supported even by the United Nations, world hunger is not due to a lack of food in the world, but rather inequitable distribution of the Earth's resources. According to most reports, the earth has the capacity to feed double the current population if agricultural resources were used more efficiently. For example, did you know that animal farms use nearly 40 percent of the world’s total grain production. In the United States, up to 80 percent of grain production is fed to livestock? And yet this same livestock can only feed a fraction of humanity.
Diverting Resources To Environmentally Destructive UsesWhereas corn is a staple food in many Latin American and Sub-Saharan countries, “worldwide, corn is used largely as feed for animals. Wheat is more evenly divided between food and feed and is a staple food in many regions such as the West, China and India.
Consider the following:
The total cattle population for the world is approximately 1.3 billion occupying some 24% of the land of the planetHalf the water consumed in the U.S. is used to grow grain for cattle feedA gallon of gasoline is required to produce a pound of grain-fed beef

For every pound of red meat, poultry, eggs, and milk produced, farm fields lose about five pounds of irreplaceable top soil. The water necessary for meat breeding comes to about 190 gallons per animal per day, or ten times what a normal Indian family is supposed to use in one day, if it gets water at all. - Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest, (South End Press, 2000), pp. 70-71.

The impact of beef covers many issues todayThe intensive farming of animals to feed the world has been the biggest mistake of the modern world, leading to the greatest misuse and abuse of land in history, with overgrazing leading to land degradation, top soil loss and water wastage. Large amounts of forests, including the Amazon have been totally lost to cattle grazing.

Greenpeace Brazil released a report at the World Social Forum in Belém showing that up to 80 percent of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is due to an increase in raising cattle for human consumption. (Source)

[B]eef is terribly inefficient as a source of food. By the time a feedlot steer in the United States is ready for slaughter, it has consumed 2,700 pounds of grain and weighs approximately 1,050 pounds; 157 million metric tons of cereal and vegetable protein is used to produce 28 metric tons of animal protein. … [B]eef in the quantities that Americans consume it is unhealthy, being linked to cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. Yet Americans are among the highest meat consumers in the world and the highest consumers of beef. — Richard Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, (Allyn and Bacon, 1999) p.221

But putting aside the horrors and insanity of raising of cattle for food for a moment, the fact is: the principle cause of world hunger is none of the above, but is in fact spiritual inequality that manifests as greed.

You see, if the human population equitably shared the resources of the earth, world hunger and a host of other social issues would cease to exist. So why aren't we doing that?
The World of Names Keeps us DividedA funny thing about the world we live in is the names we give things. Languages have a way of keeping us rather distant and disconnected if our brains are not able to assimilate the meaning of the sound. In an English speaking countries, we call something "bread" and yet in Russia this same thing is known as "hlep," or in Armenia, bread is called "puri." They are very different sound vibrations all trying to identify the same material thing. The same applies to what some people consider "food". Whereas some people worship a cow, others see a cow as a whole lot of "hamburgers." Similarly, while it is very common for Americans to spend billions on their "pet dogs" in China and other countries "dogs" are on the main course!

Another thing to keep in mind is when we label something we are essentially giving that thing a sense of permanence when in fact nothing is really permanent in this world, since the material elements which make up that thing are in a constant state of flux and breaking down. What we consider to be a "desk" today, was at one time a "tree" and which in the future could very well be turned into "coal" in a fire place. The same combination of material elements has taken on three very different appearances, each with its own unique labelling and yet despite the transient nature of this world we generally turn a blind eye and go about making permanent plans for ourself.

So what does this have to do with world hunger? Everything.

You see, once we grasp the fact that we are all sourced from the same energetic pool then the feeling will be a sense of energetic equality. We are all made up of the same material stuff combined differently to create the various material forms we see, feel and hear. Of course, we are much more than matter and the great spiritual teachers of the world have tried to alert us to this deeper truth -- that we are essentially a "witness" or a "driver" within a material machine. When we go to this deeper understanding of life, it adds even more credibility to the notion of equality. We can now talk of not only energetic similarity but of true spiritual equality .


It is our mission at Food for Life Global to teach this simple truth of spiritual equality through the practical expression of sharing pure food. In doing that we hope that each and every person that receives a meal, along with each and every person that witnesses the selfless act of kindness, will have a real "aha" moment and will never see the world in the same way again and things like world hunger will become some remnant of a past ignorance.

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12 day Nepal Adventure with the Food Yogi April 3 – 14

Join the Food Yogi for this exclusive trek in Nepal in 2015

I have teamed up with Bohemian tours to put on an exciting trek in Nepal.

I have traveled to 65 countries in the last 30 years and have seen so many amazing places and had so many life-changing experiences, including: visiting three war zones, walking on rock ledges in the Grand Canyon, getting sprayed by Niagara Falls, scuba dived in Bali, and taking the orient express through Siberia during the Winter. I have even visited India over 25 times, but somehow I have never made it to the Himalayas. 

So next April I plan to change by leading a tour, trekking some of the most beautiful passes in the Himalayas while teaching Food Yoga and connecting with each one of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether. 

It is sure to be a life-changing experience and I hope you can join me. The spots are limited and we have an early bird discount of $200 off if you register before November 30. 
Highlights include:Incredible Himalayan trekking in the AnnapurnasWhitewater rafting on the Trishuli River w/ overnight campingExploring the amazing UNESCO architectural wonders of the Kathmandu ValleyBoating on Lake PhewaVegan BBQ and kirtan in the HimalayasYoga/meditation sessionsSeminars on Food Yoga and connecting with the 5 elementsReiki healing for humans and animalsAromatherapy basicsCost IncludesAirport pickup & drop servicesHotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara (3 star category by Nepalese standard) in twin sharing room on bed and breakfast basisInsurance, meals and accommodation and other expenses of trekking crew (guide and porters)All your meals (Vegan)Simple tea-house lodge accommodation with 3 meals daily during the trekNecessary trek permit and national park feeFarewell dinner with cultural programsTransportation by tourist bus KathmanduPokhara – Kathmandu and Pokhara-Nayapul-PokharaHimalayan white water rafting for 1 night 2 daysBoat ride in Phewa lake Pokhara BOOK NOW!!! http://foodyogi.org/food-yoga-trek-himalayas/

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL AND SAVE $200