Reflections on Plant-Based vs. Vegan

After spending an incredible weekend at this year's Farm Sanctuary Hoedown​, I find myself thinking a lot about vegan vs. plant-based, but mostly about how I can share and inspire deeper connections with all beings.

Eating plant-based is unquestionably a win for our own health and the well-being of animals and the environment but the label can also cause confusion.  More and more people are eating "mostly plant-based" (which is great!) but are not committed to being vegan.  To many, eating plant-based is about a strong commitment to eating plants for health, and that's something we should embrace -- but it can be confusing as it leaves the door open to recidivism and clinging to values that are in conflict.  Here's an example I read in Philly Magazine recently:

 click here to read the article

I applaud the author of this article for writing about being (mostly) plant-based and hope that vegans refrain from criticizing anyone on this path.  It's the same path I took, which eventually made me realize the confusion I felt was inner conflict of my ego -- a tension between the values I wanted to live and the actions whereby I allowed myself to find comfort in old habits.  Making the leap to being vegan freed me from this inner conflict and helped me live in alignment with the values I already had.  It felt so liberating, and continues to deepen my connection and compassion to all life.  My intention is to help others find this connection too -- whether that means going plant-based, or even just plant-curious, it's still one of the most powerful compassionate steps you can take on the path of life.