I have been studying the Kitab-i-Iqan, the Book of Certitude, by Baha'u'llah, and reflecting on the different types of knowledge. A lot of knowledge is obtained by drudgery, by book learning; some by the school of hard knocks; but sometimes one receives a sort of sudden illumination, a sense of certainty. One hears a statement and knows it is true.
This happened to me the day I was listening to my friends Jay and Kristina talk about their switch to a vegan diet. My thoughts were protesting, reminding me of my deep emotional attachment to meat and dairy foods, and I voiced the opinion that I could never give them up. I think that to continue spending a lifetime saying goodbye to each of my favorite foods in turn, as if they were my closest friends, would have been emotionally painful and have made me very ill, indeed.
I think that is when I had this illuminating flash, this realization that I was allowing mere emotional attachment, however compelling and powerful, bar me from acknowledging what I knew at heart was true. I thought: "this is ridiculous!" and the next morning, in a state of near terror, I began putting my new understanding into practice.
Many mornings after that, fiercely and doggedly cutting vegetables for a stir-fry [all I ate in the first two weeks was stir-fry] I mentally chanted this verse:
"Hal min mufarajin, qayrullah. Qol sobhanullah, hovallah. Kollon abadon lahu, va kollon be amrahi qaymun," each silent syllable an emphatic flash of the knife as I desperately sliced up carrots, celery, and any vegetation I could think of.
"Is there any Remover of Difficulties save God? Say: Praised by God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His Bidding." ~ The Bab.
Every stroke of the knife valiantly striving to sever my attachments to food.
Quoted in the Kitab-i-Iqan: "Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth." ~ Baha'u'llah.
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