YOGA SUTRA II.16 HEYAM DUKHAM ANAGATAM
Pain which has not yet come is avoidable.

Using our understanding of how karma works, that good seeds produce good effects, this sutra offers us a pearl of wisdom for the future. In his commentary, Shri Brahmananda Saraswati explains that past and present pain are unavoidable, because they stem from our past karmic seeds coming to fruition. The yogi is concerned with future pain, that can be avoided by rooting out the causes of suffering.

Choosing to live a vegetarian or vegan life is the way to create good karma. By making daily choices that protect and respect life, we plant the seeds for happiness and freedom in our lives. By doing all that we can to minimize the suffering of other beings, we can root out the seeds for our own future suffering.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION: THE KARMA OF EATING ANIMALS
The Yoga Sutras tell us that the karma we acquire from eating animals is the karma of stealing, because while we do not kill the animals ourselves, they are being killed for our consumption. The act of eating another’s flesh is a tremendously harmful karma, because we have preemptively taken away their vehicle for enlightenment.

All beings long to feel connected to one another and long to experience wholeness. When we contribute to the suffering and to the shortened life of an animal, it becomes a dark seed in our hearts. The seed ripens and forces us to experience a similar result to the cause. If we have shortened the lives of others, then we must experience a shortened life in return. We can already see the latter effect in the large numbers of people who suffer from heart attacks and diseases such cancer and diabetes. The karmic correlations are obvious if you only look.

The law of karma says that we can have whatever we want, as long as we are willing to provide it for someone else first. Let us choose wisely what we wish to experience and propagate in the world.

PROTECT LIFE CHECKLIST:
* When buying furniture, choose pieces that aren’t made with leather or fur. The same goes for car seats: choose a vegan interior!
* Buy candles that are beeswax and tallow-free. Beeswax is stolen from beehives and tallow is a slaughterhouse product from cows.
* Read your labels. The 30 seconds it takes for you to read through a list of ingredients can help save the lives of many animals! If you are unsure of the source of an ingredient listed, make a mental note of it and research it via the Internet when you get home. Some “hidden” ingredients that are derived from animal products are:
** Casein, rennet and whey. These are dairy by-products that are used in some soy products.
** Red colored foods that contain cochineal or carmine come from crushed insects.
** Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling animal skin, connective tissue or bones (usually from cows or pigs) that is used as a gelling agent, stabilizer or thickener in cooking.
* When using sweeteners, choose agave, maple syrup and unrefined sugar over honey, which is stolen from bees. Also note that some refined sugar is processed with animal bone char to remove color and impurities.
* Look for the Leaping Bunny logo, which is the Corporate Standard of Compassion, when you buy cosmetics or toiletries. Also look for “Not tested on animals” and “No animal ingredients” on the labels. The free Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide from PETA is a helpful thing to carry with you at all times.
* Buy pet food that is not tested on animals. For a list of brands, visit www.iamscruelty.com. As a second step, consider feeding your companion animal a vegan diet: www.animalawareness.org.
* If you like the way that fur looks, choose faux fur. Many furriers can’t even distinguish between real and faux fur anymore, but your conscious decision will save many lives: it takes between 40-65 minks to make a mink coat.
* Choose animal-friendly sporting equipment-there are vegan versions of baseballs, soccer balls, basketballs, etc. available now. And never support cruel sporting events like dogracing, horseracing or dog fighting.
* If you enjoy knitting, there are many beautiful alternatives to wool, such as soy silk, bamboo and organic cotton.
* Avoid buying leather shoes. Most of us already own several pairs of leather shoes, and it’s okay to wear them out, rather than throwing them in the trash. However, we should have a sense of gratitude to the animal beings that gave their lives to protect our feet. The next time you put your shoes on, remember to thank that animal, and make the next pair of shoes you buy a vegan pair!
* Choose to bake with compassion. Substitute vegan ingredients such as flax seeds, applesauce, silken tofu and Earth Balance for butter and eggs.
* If you have pets at home, you have even more reason to use earth and animal friendly cleaning products. Avoid commercial cleaning products and choose products that don’t test on animals, that are biodegradable and that do not contain ammonia, dyes and chlorine.
* Be aware of ingredients derived from animal products commonly used in toiletries and cosmetics, such as: Lanolin (grease derived from wool); Beeswax; Shellac (crushed insects); Civet (from anal pouch of civet cat); Musk (from male musk deer); Castoreum (anal sex gland of the beaver); Ambergris (whale excretion); Chitin (from insects and crustacea); Keratin (protein from hair, horn, hoof and feathers); Tallow (hard animal fat); Gelatin (from animal bones, skin and hide); Elastin (from meat); Squalene (from liver of shark); Urea (waste nitrogen); Honey (bee food); Propolis (bee glue).
* Use your power as a consumer to boycott companies that support cruelty to animals. For example:
The Nalgene Corporation, makers of the popular Nalgene water bottles, produces and distributes products which cage and restrain animals during animal testing. Boycott Nalgene and ask friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.
* Entertain yourself consciously and don’t support circuses, zoos, movies or any other form of “entertainment” that exploits animals.
* Write to the producer of any program in which characters abuse or ridicule animals, and dash off a letter to the TV network that airs the show as well.
* Pen a brief letter "with a point" to the editor of a newspaper that runs an ad for a fur sale.
* Ask for more vegan options at local restaurants and grocery stores.
* Ask your child's teacher to stop keeping animals in the classroom or requiring the students to dissect.
* Include an animal rights quote, or bettera web link to a video in your e-mail custom signature.
* Buy animal rights books to donate to your local library. Most library book donations are tax deductible. Check with your library to find out more.
* Thank publishers and producers for animal-friendly messages on TV and in print.
* Write letters to companies that conduct cruel experiments on animals, such as Iams and its parent company, Procter & Gamble.
* Call and write your legislators, asking them to support animal-friendly legislation and thanking them for any similar past support.
* Offer to walk your neighbor's dog if you've noticed that he or she is always tied up outdoors or left alone throughout the day. Make sure the dog has food, fresh water, and toys.
* Donate to groups that help animals and make cruelty-free investments.
* Take yummy vegetarian food to the next office party.