Food For Thought : Should Pagans be Vegan?
When approaching the Wiccan spirituality, many have questions about what is the appropriate behavior to live a life aligned with Wiccan values. Can you eat meat, or should you become vegetarian or even vegan?
There are Wiccans who choose to answer these questions in many ways. What’s important is that you explore your own connection to nature through Wiccan principles.
Let’s look at some important values to help you find the answer.
“AN’ IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT YE WILL”
One of the central tenets of the Wiccan creed, the principle of “harm none” is at the core of our morality and actions. By decreeing that Wiccans can do anything so long as they are actively avoiding causing harm, we find greater freedom. For many Wiccans, this leads them down the path of vegetarianism – sensing that when eating meat you’re causing harm to other living beings.
Following this principle further, some Wiccans choose veganism. By construing animals not as inferior to humans but meriting equality, using them for dairy harms them by diminishing their autonomy. Many Wiccans feel comfortable using animal products if they know that the animal wasn’t harmed in their production. This means that eggs and milk are okay, but by a broader definition of harm, and the rights we owe to animals, others see veganism as the only option.
THE SANCTITY OF FOOD
Food is one of the ways that Wiccans can build a stronger connection to the Earth. If we follow the path taken by food, it naturally leads us back to the land. This connection of food to Earth imbues what we eat with profound magickal energies, which Wiccans must feel and respect.
Food, therefore, is so much more than nutrition. These magickal energies impact different Wiccans in different ways, and for some they feel the suffering of animals in every bite.
Food also connects us to our community. If consuming dairy products is important to your rituals and traditions, then the sanctity of food may be inherent in eating animal products.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Many Wiccans feel strongly about the impact of humans upon the environment. Wicca’s interconnected and holistic perspective reveals plainly how human choices damage our environmental world, leading to climate change and great chaos. The creed of ‘harm none’ therefore, leads Wiccans to consider the broader impact of their actions.
For many people, veganism becomes inevitable through this perspective. The dairy industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation, through the release of greenhouse gases for example. Wiccan vegans see environmental harm as indistinguishable from harm to sentient beings due to the interconnectedness of everything.
DEVELOPING A CONNECTION TO NATURE
Many Wiccans are led to the faith by their inherent sense of connection to nature and Wicca is a powerful way of pursuing a connection with the natural world. One way in which we can do so is by considering what we choose to eat. Purchasing meat and dairy products leads us to soulless grocery stores where prepackaged products line the shelves – an experience that is utterly, inevitably disconnected to the processes of production behind that food.
On the other hand, vegans can produce everything they need for sustenance in their own back garden. By tending to our own crops we build a deep connection with nature and the chain of growth to nourishment is unbroken. Even Wiccans who live in city settings can take advantage of this by cultivating herbs and tomatoes in window boxes.
COVENS
In order to further explore the Wiccan creed, joining a coven can be a valuable element of Wiccan life.
Joining a coven means communing with other Wiccans. You’ll be expected to follow certain rules of behavior, which can include dietary habits. Certain covens will require you to respect a vegan diet at all times, while others will only mandate veganism for group meetings where food is present, such as dinners and potlucks. This might influence your own diet in your wider life.
VEGETARIANISM OR VEGANISM?
Ultimately, for Wiccans, the choice is yours. Only by examining your relationship with the environment, your approach to food and your interpretation of living a life that does no harm can you see if your Wiccan path leads to veganism or vegetarianism. In either case, Wicca develops a strong sense of connection with our natural world, providing spiritual and holistic benefits.