Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken's Soul

Peace to All Beings is that rare kind of book that leaves the reader uplifted and perhaps even enlightened. While it discusses difficult themes such as widespread factory farming and animal suffering, it never depresses, in fact the reverse is true, as if by just flipping through the pages the reader is made better, somehow purified. Judy Carman has researched her subject well, offering insight, prayer and wonderfully interesting anecdotes to help the reader on his or her way toward compassion and reverence for all life. Statistics help educate us in areas we might have been ignorant. For instance: "One pound of meat requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce. A pound of wheat takes only 25 gallons. There would be no hungry people in a world of vegans, who consume no animal products of any kind." And medical facts are fascinating and potentially life altering: "The American Dietetic Association reports that vegetarians have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, kidney tones, gallstones, hypertension, and breast cancer than non-vegetarians. A study of young American soldiers killed in the Korean war showed clear signs of heart disease as compared with the Korean soldiers, who were primarily vegetarians and had no such signs." Speaking on the popular Law of Attraction: "When we eat meat and buy products that have resulted in animal suffering, we participate in that suffering to such an extent that the anguish of the animals becomes part of us. Much of the depression and anxiety so common in the world today, not to mention the many meat- and dairy-related diseases, are a direct result of eating and wearing someone's pain and death. We literally attract back to ourselves, in the form of human diseases and environmental disasters, the violence we have caused to the animals." Peace to All Beings is a call to the world to wake up to what we've created over the last millennium and to begin taking care of our planet and our brothers and sisters the animals. I know for many people the animal cruelties that take place every day can be overwhelming, but Judy Carman offers concrete steps--for instance in the form of many different prayers for each situation--that we can all easily do. This book is never preachy or angry, but filled with gentleness and wise compassion; it is not only a great book for animal advocates but for anybody who longs to a kinder world. We can change the world for the better and reading Peace to All Beings is one beautiful step we can take. Great thinkers, spiritual leaders and writers of all centuries are quoted throughout helping animal advocates to see they think or act not alone. For instance Robert Browning, "I would rather submit to the worst of deaths...than have a single dog or cat tortured to death on the pretense of sparing me a twinge or two." And the Buddha, "All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself in others. Whom can you hurt? W

What an inspiring book! To everyone who loves animals: read this book! You won't regret it!