Robert Ohotto is a brilliant archetypal astrologist, author, teacher, and intuitive life strategist. I enjoy listening to his podcasts and audio classes. He is intelligent, has a great radio voice, and knows his subject thoroughly.
As a fan of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, I especially admire and appreciate how Robert overlays the study of archetypes with astrology. I find it fascinating and very helpful!
Over the years of listening to Robert I have learned that early on in his life he wanted to become an environmentalist. In fact he had big dreams of winning the lottery so that he could donate all the money to environmental causes. He loves nature, elephants, whales, and his companion animals. He was especially moved by the documentary Blackfish which tells the horrific reality of whales kept in captivity for human entertainment. I can relate to all of these points!
I listened to his recent podcast titled Letting Go of Spiritual Perfection which aired on August 25th. (You can also find his podcasts on iTunes.)
I’m treading lightly writing this post because I want to make sure that I am not promoting perfectionism, spiritually or in any other way. I agree with Robert that perfectionism is a manifestation of shame which is an emotion that I have no desire to feel, spread, or amplify.
Robert recently wrote on his Facebook wall a post that he references in the podcast:
“If you refuse to witness what’s happening in the World because it might ‘throw your vibration off’ or because you don’t like it – how do you expect to be called to serve that same World without knowing what’s going on in it? What do you think Destiny is, disconnecting from others in crisis or pain so your frequency isn’t thrown off? Where do you think ‘Light Workers’ are called to go? They are called to the dark places in the World that need their light!
The supreme spiritual truth that All IS ONE means you are part of this entire Universe, and it is ALL of The Divine. And if that truth is truly alive in you, you’ll tend [to] care about the experiences of others, and if you care about what’s happening in the world, you’ll then be guided to bring your Light where it’s needed through your heartbreak and passion.
Too many folks feel lost and without a purpose, only then to turn away from Life’s heartbreak via the idea that activating your life’s purpose is all about your ‘vibration’ being in some pure alignment to being positive and grateful. I greatly disagree…Purpose is about CONNECTION! And connection is about living from a PRESENT, MESSY, and UNCONDITIONAL HEART as much as you can!
If your heart’s not broken by what’s happening in the world today, you’re not paying attention. Tune into LIFE and then you’ll find your purpose and discover how you’re meant to LIGHT LIFE UP with the Genius of your Soul! Destiny is found in your offering of love to the World. Here’s an intuitive tip: The Universe guides people who give a sh*t.”
I feel guided to provide a vegan response to some of Robert’s comments during his podcast because his are perspectives that are held by many people in the world. Knowing how smart Robert is and sharing his love for the environment and animals, I feel it’s important to help him connect the dots of compassion because I give a sh*t.
At 52:08 Robert says “There was a book out, Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav, and he puts out there that somehow animals are lower on the totem pole as souls than us. This reeks not only of spiritual perfectionism but also of the human dominator model where we’re somehow as man more sophisticated and evolved than animals and I’m calling bullsh*t on that. I’m telling you dolphins, elephants, they’re far more advanced than we are. I think my cat is far more advanced than I am.”
Carla: Yes, dolphins and elephants and cats are very evolved and so are cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, goats, and all the other animals in the animal kingdom. Reptiles operate from their reptilian brain. Mammals operate from reptilian (instinct) and mammalian (memory and emotions) brains. Humans operate from a reptilian brain, mammalian brain, and a neo cortex which allows us to plan, project, and imagine into the future. We share the commonality of souls and of many brain capacities.
To align some animals, but not all, with human capacities or similarities is to practice speciesism which is a system in which humans have deemed themselves the most important and valuable species on Earth which allows them to give no moral consideration to other species. Because of this, humans are allowed to do whatever they want to other species (pet some, eat others). It is another hierarchy socially constructed to explain away the exploitation of another group of sentient beings. (source)
We know that there is no human nutritional need for the flesh or fluids (milk, eggs) of animals. As long as a person has access to a decent grocery store, s/he can purchase all their caloric and nutrient needs as plant-foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, tubers, fungi, nuts, and seeds.
To mark some sentient nonhuman animal beings for breeding, slaughtering, and consumption for human want, not need, is as illogical and insensitive as marking some favored animals – elephants, whales, lions, horses, cats, dogs, dolphins – as less evolved than humans. Our neo cortex can help us understand these distinctions.
At 54:04 Robert says “…I’m going to give up sugar. I’m going to give up gluten. I mean, if you give up gluten because you actually have celiac disease or you have really something that’s going on, that’s one thing. But when it’s the next fad and the next fad which I’ve seen happen, well now I’m giving up this and this, before you know it you’re not even enjoying your f*cking life. You just renounced everything and now you’re back to the same Catholic bullsh*t of renunciation that we just thought we left. There’s only landing in what’s true. It can be true for somebody to give up sugar or be a vegan. Absolutely. But you don’t know that if you don’t really question “why am I doing this.” Why am I doing this? Is it because I think that killing animals is wrong, moralistically? Well, that’s interesting because they eat each other. Do you go judging mountain lions and judging you know…no.”
Carla: Cats are obligate carnivores and don’t have access to grocery stores. Humans are not obligate carnivores. We are opportunistic omnivores when plant foods are scarce and most like fruigivores when plant foods are abundant.
Humans are not cats. We could not catch & eat a deer without a tool. Our anatomy and biology tell us that we can eat meat, dairy, and eggs to survive, but these are not our ideal foods for thriving. Luckily most of us reading this have access to decent grocery stores so that we can easily & conveneiently choose plant foods over animal-based consumables.
At 54:58 Robert says “What about factory farms that are horrific? That is an absolute atrocity to the soul of our connectedness. Absolutely, I agree. But personally I don’t think it’s wrong to kill animals for food. I think it’s about how humanely we are with them. That’s my landing in truth. But I’m clear on that because I questioned it. I was actually a vegetarian years and years and years ago for about three years. And it just didn’t feel right for me.”
Meat, dairy, and eggs purchased from any major grocery store chain or restaurant sources their products from factory farms.
Meat, dairy, and eggs purchased directly from small farmers still struggle with the humane treatment of animals when slaughter is included in the treatment package. “Needlessly killed” defies the definition of humane.
There are not some humans who need to eat meat, diary, or eggs and some who don’t. We’re not that different from one another. Baring any extreme and rare health condition, humans can and do thrive on plant foods. This is great news because Earth needs more humans to adopt animal-free diets in order to slow climate change & planetary pollution.
At 1:04:25 Robert says “Who’s going to like what happened to that lion? What happened to Cecil. Who likes that, unless you’re a trophy hunter? And who likes trophy hunters? Only other trophy hunters! And people that get paid by them! But my point being, you know, who’s going to like that? But shouldn’t we look? Shouldn’t we talk about it? If we’re going to live from “all is one” shouldn’t we f*cking say something? And maybe have a discussion about the laws in South Africa, or Zimbabwe…or would you just rather turn the other way toward positive-ism and gratitude while everyone else starves, dies, is raped, women’s pay and inequality goes on. You know, think about the changes that have happened in our society throughout history. Why did they happen? Because people looked at the dark side and they didn’t move from perfectionism, they moved from something deeper. They moved from “all is one.” They moved from that place that says wait a minute, I have to care about slavery. It’s just in violation of the soul-truth “all is one.” I have to care about elephants and them being slaughtered for ivory. It’s in violation of “all is one” and our interconnectedness. Is it in violation to kill an animal for food? No, I don’t think so at all. Because that animal, depending on the animal, and maybe it’s the deer that the mountain lions eat, is part of a whole journey, a whole schemata of life. And it’s a noble thing…it’s a Native American thing that a lot of tribes believed, that’s why they honored the animals spirits.”
Carla: Yes we need to look at slavery. Yes we need to look at the needless slaughter of elephants. Yes we need to look at the enslavement and needless slaughter of billions of magnificent farmed animals per year.
Native Americans living on the land prior to European invasion and eventual industrial revolution didn’t have access to grocery stores. Their meat consumption, as with all native peoples, was rare, ritualistic, and reverent. If ample plant food was accessible, the killing of nonhuman animals was not necessary. When the killing of an animal for its calories became necessary for survival it was employed consciously, sparingly, and with great awareness. This is very different than today’s massive slaughter & consumption practice.
To compare modern humans to native tribes or wild animals is an inaccurate analogy. Nutritional science has demonstrated that smart & safe plant-based eating is optimal for human wellness. Environmental science has demonstrated that eating a plant-based diet significantly lowers one’s destructive footprint. Nonhuman animal science has taught us that the animals we eat feel pain, terror, and grief. They are like us. When they see danger they fight or flee. When they are forcefully separated from their kind or offspring, they mourn. Factory farmed or pasture-raised animals bred, tended, and killed for unnecessary human food is unjust and inhumane every time.
Animal rights is a social justice issue. Whenever a sentient being, whether human or nonhuman, is exploited, disrespected, and made a victim, we are morally called upon to protect their rights and lives. No longer is eating meat, dairy, or eggs a personal choice because these choices create innocent victims. No longer is it responsible to make personal nutrition decisions for ourselves without taking into account the impact it has on animal and planet life.
If we enjoy, appreciate, and demand our personal rights being respected and protected, we need to extend the same courtesies to all the other living beings with whom we share Earth. It is a call to extend conscious compassion to our plates and do whatever we can within our awareness to practically and possibly not harm others, all without getting hung up on perfectionism.
Additional Resources
• What Any Social Justice Activist’s Lunchbox Must Contain
• Is Eating Meat Selfish?
• Johns Hopkins on Health & Environmental Implications of Animal Consumption