earth.ling (urth ling), n. 1. An inhabitant of earth.

"As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields." -Leo Tolstoy

Tonight I watched the most gruesome images I think I will ever witness. For this evening's satsang, we watched the movie Earthlings. This is the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between humankind, nature, and animals and human economic interests. Using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of some of the largest animal-dependent industries in the world. These images that I saw represent real animals who were brutally tortured and killed. By brutal, I mean the most awful, inhumane, and painful ways a human imagination can possibly think up. The shots that will be etched in my mind, haunting me forever include:

Watching a baby lamb get skinned ALIVE when he struggled and squirmed

Looking into the pained eyes of a goat still standing and struggling to walk around, although completely missing all of its skin after being skinned aliveWitnessing a gang of guys throw a live stray puppy into a garbage truck and seeing it get crushed and compounded as it peered out into the camera

Watching baby seals get axed

Witnessing the so-called "kosher" method of slaughtering animals which has degraded to be neither humane nor painless; consisting of slitting the cow's throat and tearing out its trachea and esophagus, and then leaving it writhing on the floor as it bled to death, with its entrails falling out

Watching pigs get burned alive in order to sear off their hair, and then dropped into boiling water

Witnessing various medical experiments done on animals while they were still alive and without anesthetic, to include cutting open the stomach of a baby monkey as it writhed there on the table, and opening up the skull of a kitten while meowing pitifully

Now, none of these were just one-time occurrences that were used to for shock effect but instead were just examples of the massive systemic exploitation of animals that is being done right under our eyes. The film went into excruciating detail about all the ways we as humans are committing the most unimaginable atrocities to our fellow Earthlings. Think about these categories:

Food (meat and dairy industry)

Entertainment (everything from circuses and zoos)

Pets (puppy mills, countless strays either abused or put to death)

Clothing (leather, fur)

Medical Experiments (including experiments on live animals without euthanasia)

Now, each of these categories is controlled by one thing and one thing only -- and its not consideration for the suffering of the animal. No, the one motivating driver is simply profit. Whatever is the cheapest method is usually what is used, and usually this is also the most painful. Like killing animals by gassing them, which often takes up to 20 minutes for the animal to die; electrocution rods up the anus, which is incredibly painful and often must be repeated multiple times; feeding animals raised for fur the discarded carcasses of those already skinned for fur. And often times, these crude methods are not only painful but ineffective, leading to animals being cut up, boiled, or teared apart while still alive. This is the stuff of nightmares.

Deep down inside, each of us knows that the commercial slaughter of animals has become less humane than we would probably be comfortable with, but few want to know the truth about how it is done. Honestly, I can't say that I would have chosen to watch this film had I a choice. Going into this evening, many people begged to be exempted from watching but Sharon pleaded for us to stay and watch. She asked us to watch for the sake of those who suffered and died in this film, so that their lives would not be lost in vain. So that we could become their voices.

So please, if you have the courage, watch the movie for yourself. If not, then at least ponder these words and ask yourself if you really are fully conscious of the effects of your choices. What you ultimately choose to do with your life is totally up to you, but you have the responsibility to know what is behind your choices. The truth of your habits. As difficult as it is, it is the job of the yogi to courageously be fully aware of the true reality so as to become empowered to make a difference.

And as Sharon told us, we alone cannot make a difference. But we all together can create a new world, a new way of living harmoniously. And as the Gopi tribes says, "We are the ones we have been waiting for."

In Honor of my two precious and gorgeous cats, Adam and Eve.

*******************************************************************

FROM THE EARTHLING WEBSITE: http://www.isawearthlings.com/

EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called "non-human providers." The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR) and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby.

With an in-depth study into pet stores, puppy mills and animals shelters, as well as factory farms, the leather and fur trades, sports and entertainment industries, and finally the medical and scientific profession, EARTHLINGS uses hidden cameras and never before seen footage to chronicle the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. Powerful, informative and thought-provoking, EARTHLINGS is by far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests. "