Your guide to the spiritual benefits of going vegan

I’m so proud to call Dr. Angela Crawford a client. We met in the various vegan networking circles years ago, and I was one of many folks who answered a survey about how veganism has transformed me.

That survey turned into interviews, and those interviews turned into her first book, The Vegan Transformation: A Journey to Heal Yourself and the World, which is published by Lantern Publishing & Media and released on Earth Day this month, April 22. (If you’re into signs, that’s gotta be one!)

For a long time, I have been thinking about how living as a vegan is an inherently spiritual practice, and why most spiritual people aren’t close to becoming vegan despite many religions encouraging against animal consumption. Jun Fuchs, Generation Vegan and Christspiracy have both made attempts in their own ways, but no one’s really been putting their stake in the ground and being “that” spiritual vegan. Enter this book!

Dr. Crawford—a trained psychologist—talks about her vegan journey and states right off the bat that this book is not just for vegans. I’d even argue that this is a book you want if you’re thinking of transitioning. There are a ton of cookbooks you can buy to learn what to buy and cook, but 9 of 10 people who go vegan turn around and start eating animals again, so it can’t be just a diet for you. You must learn why it’s a lifestyle worth living permanently.

I’m no stranger to self-development, and all the religions and orgs talk about the mind-body-spirit connection. But having an ideal “body” isn’t just exercise/fitness and sleep. It’s what you put into your body, too. And it’s my belief that if you’re putting dead animals into your body, you won’t go far in the mind-spirit parts either.

But enough about me—here are my highlights in Dr. Crawford’s book:

• The book talks about the benefits of going vegan aside from compassion for animals: human health, planetary health, preventing pandemics, and aligning with your values, which is the most important part. She also explains why plant-based foods improve mental and emotional health and the neurobiology around spirit.
• She covers the 7 themes that are common among vegans.
• She shares how she learned how to cook plant-based and some of the social challenges she overcame. She said, “I broke through deep layers of emotional disconnection and social conditioning.”
• She shares 7 reasons for the Meat Paradox: eating meat even if it conflicts with your values.
• She shares how veganism activates life meaning and purpose, and gives examples.
• The author’s interviewees said they healed from trauma, experienced a spiritual awakening, and felt more connected to their natural cycle, interconnected, intuitively guided, and morally aligned.
• There’s a really amazing part about gaining transcendence, despite the sense of “cosmic sadness” that many vegans feel.
• Each chapter ends with reflections and exercises, which is so helpful for avoiding the temptation to toss this book aside!
• She ends the book with tips on how to sustain a vegan lifestyle to be well, 9 tools on confronting social & emotional challenges, and resources, including meal ideas & recipes, books on various aspects of veganism, cookbooks, websites, and documentaries.

There’s so much more I can say about this book, but overall, if you’ve felt an inner call to go vegan and are wondering if living as a vegan will deepen your spirituality, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

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