Theos-Talk Archives (April 2005 Message tt00734)

"IN speaking of the relation between vegetarianism and occultism, it 
may be well for us to begin by defining our terms. We all know what 
is meant by vegetarianism; and although there are several varieties 
of it, it will not be necessary to discuss them. The vegetarian is 
one who abstains from eating flesh-food. There are some of them who 
admit such animal products as are obtained without destroying the 
life of the animal, as, for example, milk, butter and cheese. There 
are others who restrict themselves to certain varieties of the 
vegetable - to fruit and nuts, perhaps; there are others who prefer 
to take only such food as can be eaten uncooked; others will take no 
food which grows underground, such as potatoes, turnips, carrots, 
etc. We need not concern ourselves with these divisions, but simply 
define the vegetarian as one who abstains from any food which is 
obtained by the slaughter of animals - of course including birds and 
fish.

How shall we define occultism ? The word is derived from the Latin 
occultus, hidden; so that it is the study of the hidden laws of 
nature. Since all the great laws of nature are in fact working in the 
invisible world far more than in the visible, occultism involves the 
acceptance of a much wider view of nature than that which is 
ordinarily taken. The occultist, then, is a man who studies all the 
laws of nature that he can reach or of which he can hear, and as a 
result of his study he identifies himself with these laws and devotes 
his life to the service of evolution.

2. 
How does occultism regard vegetarianism ? It regards it very 
favourably, and that for many reasons. These reasons may be divided 
into two classes - those which are ordinary and physical, and those 
which are occult or hidden. There are many reasons in favour of 
vegetarianism which are down here on the physical plane and patent to 
the eyes of any one who will take the trouble to examine the subject; 
and these will operate with the occult student even more strongly 
than with the ordinary man. In addition to these and altogether 
beyond them, the occult student knows of other reasons which come 
from the study of those hidden laws which are as yet so little 
understood by the majority of mankind. We must therefore divide our 
consideration of these reasons into two parts, first taking the 
ordinary and physical.

3. 
Even these ordinary reasons may themselves be sub-divided into two 
classes - the first containing those which are physical and as it 
were selfish, and secondly those which may be described as the moral 
and unselfish considerations."
http://www.anandgholap.net/Vegetarianism_And_Occultism-CWL.htm