“…here the forest's clothed with light And in a shining sheath enrolled. Each branch, each twig, each blade of grass, Seems clad miraculously with glass…” The beauty of winter can be admired by those who have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to appreciate it. Another beautiful and somewhat rare winter wonder is that of the dancing crane-people. The Japanese Red Crowned Crane- or Manchurian Crane-people are graceful and rare beings of the bird kingdom. These slender bird-people have become a symbol of fidelity because they mate for life. They are considered sacred in Japan, where they often feature on wedding kimonos. These special bird-people participate in a beautiful courtship ritual in which they dance and call to each other elaborately. Many mother seal-people give birth during these colder months, and into the world emerge many precious young babies with fluffy white fur that glistens under the winter sunlight. Through the crispy winter air one can easily sense the love as a mom and her child lovingly sniff and greet each other. For some animal kingdom people, winter is a time of migration. The whooper swan-people migrate from Russia to the Japanese hot springs in the Lake Kussharo area. These graceful beings have been called the “angels of winter,” a perfectly fitting name for these elegant, winged friends that glide over the water. “Against the sunrise, Trumpets race across the ice -- Thundering white wings.” Various marine beings of the deep blue sea also migrate in winter. The Southern Right Whale-people live in the sub-Antarctic zone during summer, but swim to other regions during winter. As they swim and revel in the majestic ocean, clapping the water with their mighty tails, they may also be heard singing to each other with their distinctive upcall, which rises in frequency like a “whoop” sound and is thought to be the preferred communication between whale-people families. In North America, the American robin-people may be seen and heard during the colder months, while in the United Kingdom the European robin-people are a common sight year-round. The robin-people’s dash of warm color is certainly a welcome sight, and their songs and presence lift spirits. The gentle robin-people sing particularly at the end of winter, heralding the beginning of spring.

Even though our home, Papua New Guinea, makes up only one percent of the Earth’s total land area, it houses five percent of global biodiversity. The people of Papua New Guinea are very respectful of nature, which explains why most of the Papua New Guinea’s rainforests have been well preserved. My people, the common spotted cuscuses, also known by scientists as Spilocuscus Maculatus, are medium-sized animal-people living mainly in New Guinea and the Cape York Peninsula of Australia. We also have over twenty other close relatives. Rainforests, mangrove trees, and eucalyptus trees are our favorite places to build our sweet homes. We common spotted cuscus-people have a round head, a pointed nose, and small ears that are barely visible. One of our striking features is our big round eyes with slit pupils like those of the cat-people. As you may have guessed, our diet is plant-based. Our favorite foods are fresh fruits, but we are not picky eaters. As arboreal animals, we are perfectly equipped for living in trees. We common spotted cuscus-people are marsupial. That means our babies develop outside the mother’s body in a pouch. We live mostly a solitary life, only coming together when it’s time for us to find our soulmate. We are very shy and secretive, so it is very hard and rare for humans to spot us. Deforestation is happening at an alarming rate right now. It was also estimated that by 2021, 83 percent of the country’s accessible forests and 53 percent of total forests would have been destroyed or severely damaged. According to NASA, by the year 2000 half of all the world’s rainforests had been cleared, and if this rate is to continue, we will have no more rainforests by the end of the 21st century. Disturbingly, we common spotted cuscus-people are also killed for our fur and our flesh. If everyone stops consuming animal-people flesh and their by-products, there will be no reason for slaughterhouses to exist, and the forests we call home will not be cleared to grow food for the animal-people trapped in the livestock factories. The world becomes a better place every time one person makes a positive change, and you can be that person today!

Christmas could be a very convenient time to adopt a new animal friend into the family, because while people are on holiday from work, there is time to bond and get to know each other. If you do choose to gift a new loving home to one special animal-person and the opportunity to provide for him or her an appropriate human caregiver, I strongly encourage you to support animal-people shelters by rescuing an animal-person instead of “buying” one from a “pet store.” At the Humane Society, staff encourage people to give gift vouchers instead of buying an animal-person as a gift. That way the person receiving the gift can go through the adoption process themselves if and when the time is right for them. Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke of the value of adopting new family members and the responsibilities which come with being a new parent of a rescued being in Florida in 2001. “The pounds are full of abandoned pets. Many of my dog-people or bird-people are from the rescues. If some dog-people or cat-people are not adopted after a certain time, maybe one day even, or one week, or two weeks, they kill them. So in case you want to go there sometimes, or you see a dog-person is pitiful, you want to adopt, then you have to make it a commitment for 20 years. But until their last breath, they will be loyal to you.” It’s important to create a safe space so that they don’t panic and run out of the house and get lost. Animal-people communicators and care professionals use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to help their patients overcome fears, including the fear of fireworks. This involves tapping on acupressure points that are associated with certain meridians. I know that countless people from the animal kingdom will appreciate you taking the time to act on their behalf by requesting the use of silent fireworks. As Christmas and New Year gets closer, you could tell us why you are getting excited and let us know what to expect. Many of us love to have some advanced notice about upcoming changes that will be happening around the house. And, in all honesty, we just love to feel included.

During this festive period, it can be fun to include your animal-people companions in the celebrations. We love to be included in family activities and to really be regarded as members of the family. You could invite them to be a part of family portraits and other photos, including ones taken for family Christmas cards. Some animal-people will enjoy dressing up in whimsical costumes such as Santa hats, or even wearing reindeer-people antlers headband. Guess what? We also love to receive gifts, so you could buy us a present too. We all love to be spoiled and to feel included. I’ve also seen animal-people companions have so much fun with another very unique gift: the gift of “you!” Step 1. Find a big box that you can hide yourself in. Step 2. Cut out the bottom of the box. Step 3 is optional: You can wrap the box in wrapping paper. And, finally, step 4: Hide in the box, and let your animal-people companions try to find you in there! You could remind your furry family members how much you love them, not only by telling them but also by showing them! But I do encourage all viewers to please remember that all of us animal-people have different personalities. So, observe your animal-people companions and see what they like. I would love to tell you a mighty secret. One thing we animal-people love the most is for our family members to be happy, content and peaceful. Billie Dean is a wonderful animal-people communicator who has communicated with animal-persons since she was a little girl. “Please tell humans to grow up and to evolve into the better species. They have the seeds, the kernels – this is what they say to me – human beings have the seeds, the kernels to be beautiful, but they’re still stuck in these what I call the third dimension, they’re still stuck in these dark ages. And we have to grow up; we have to move, we have to change. It means shifting what we do. And one of those things that we have to change is of course eating other animals. So that’s the first thing.” We very much want a peaceful, blissful, vegan world for all humans and for all animal-people big and small.

Animal-people mothers, just like their human counterparts, will do anything to safeguard their young. There was a mother dog-person from a town near Buenos Aires, Argentina, who in cold weather discovered a newborn human baby in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish. After a police investigation, it was understood that the mother dog-person had dragged the human baby 50 meters from where the baby had originally been abandoned to the place where she was raising her babies. If it weren’t for such a heroic action, the human baby would likely have frozen to death. The mother dog-person and her family became national celebrities in Argentina and were given a cozy new home. Let’s bring you to Ottawa, Canada, where Haley Moore was walking her dog-person companion, Clover, when she collapsed onto the snowy sidewalk following a seizure. Clover’s heroic actions were captured on a neighbor’s security camera, first showing Clover checking on her fallen human caregiver, then courageously positioning herself in the path of oncoming traffic to call for attention. Fortunately, a truck driver spotted Clover, stopped and quickly sought help from a neighbor, who called paramedics. For Clover’s brave acts, Supreme Master Ching Hai gladly presented her with the Shining World Hero Award, plus US$2,000 for vegan treats. Another heart-warming story to share with you is about two inseparable husky brothers from China. The elder brother Da Bao was born blind, and his younger brother Ju Bao has been his eyes and guiding star from the very beginning. Ju Bao has been compassionately caring for his brother and done everything possible for Da Bao to lead a normal, happy life. Well, the video went viral as the special bond these two brothers shared melted the hearts of millions of people with such a fine example of love, loyalty, and devotion! In a touching story from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, a dolphin-person spotted a large Oceanic whitetip shark-person approaching professional dive instructor Kayleigh Grant and a fellow diver. The dolphin-person swam around the pair while vocalizing to ensure their safety. “What a beautiful soul. I wish we all cared as much as this sweet dolphin.”

Moth-people belong to the Order Lepidoptera, just like our butterfly cousins. You may have met some of our moth friends hanging on your screen door or flying around your light bulbs on summer nights. Approximately 160,000 moth-people species have been discovered around the world.We Madagascan Sunset moth-people are quite large compared to other moth-people, with a wingspan of between 9 and 11 centimeters. Our gorgeous wings are decorated in the most amazing colors, shapes, and patterns by our loving Creator. Usually, they are shades of black, red, green, yellow, and blue. Every time we flap our wings, the colors and patterns shift, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. Another beauty is the species of Rosy Maple moth-people, who are visually stunning with their vivid colors. Variations include numerous tones and hues of cream, white, pink, yellow, and purple. They are often seen with pink coloring at the margins and bases of the wings, thus the color reference in their name. Last but not least we have the mighty Atlas moth-people, also known as Attacus atlas, who are one of the largest moth-people on the planet, with a wingspan of up to 24 centimeters!Each species serves a unique purpose in this world to help it function and make it beautiful. Like bee- and bird-people, moth-people have an extremely important role in the pollination of plants. However, a study recently showed that moth-people populations in the UK and elsewhere in Europe have declined significantly since 1980, with the main reason being climate change.Unfortunately, we moth-people are also exploited to produce silk. According to Peta, 3,000 moth-people are killed to produce only about half a kilogram of silk. Some people even try to catch beautiful moth-people like us just to make jewelry or decorations out of us. Please consider alternatives, such as cruelty-free vegan silk, vegan jewelry, and going vegan to protect all precious life forms, so that all of God’s creations are free to live their beautiful lives in peace.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Species Survival Commission (SSC) Pangolin Specialist Group, one million pangolin-people have been captured by poachers in the past decade, which is equivalent to one pangolin-person every five minutes! The WWF also stated that roughly 68% of the planet’s wildlife population has been lost since 1970. According to a study by Harvard University, around 30,000 species per year are put on a path towards extinction, a figure amounting to a staggering three species per hour. The impact goes beyond wildlife and has repercussions for all living beings on Earth, including humans. We will now highlight some of the noble actions that humans have done and are continuing to do on behalf of wild animal-people. World Wildlife Conservation Day came about from an event organized by then-United States Secretary of State and former First Lady of the United States, Her Excellency Hillary Clinton. One of the resulting priorities of the State Department was the launch of a global outreach campaign on wildlife trafficking on December 4, 2012, as part of the U.S. government’s strategy to address this global crisis. On November 26, 2019, His Excellency Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act into law. That same year, The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, USA, also signed into law a package of bills to fight animal-people cruelty, including banning the use of all wild animal-people in circuses and stopping the manufacture and sale of animal-people fur. There are also encouraging stories of animal-people being reintroduced back into their natural habitats throughout Europe. Also, a conservation project in the Rhine region that borders France and Germany has achieved success in protecting six species of animal-people. You can start by spreading the word about the importance of protecting the lives of all animal-people. Reject products made from animal-people, such as silk, fur, leather, ivory, and bone. Above all, simply eat a vegan diet now, because the more people reject animal-people products, the less demand there will be for meat industry to exist.

Scientists report that the planetary climate crisis has affected about nine million types of plants and animal-people. Compounding the seriousness of the situation is the fact that the permafrost zones are thawing and glaciers in Alaska, Greenland, and northern Canada are receding. We polar bear-people, as well as a great number of other Arctic people of the animal kingdom, urgently seek your help with the crisis we are facing in particular the loss of our essential habitats and the effects of drastic changes to the seasons on our lives. A recent study by scientists suggests that if the situation doesn’t improve, we could disappear from the Arctic by the end of this century. As ice sheets detach and drift away, many walrus- and seal-people can no longer dive from the edge of their ice sheet as they did in the past. Instead, they must swim further, sometimes up to 180 kilometers further, in order to reach areas with abundant sources of food. Scientists have estimated that their population in the Bering and Chukchi seas may have declined by 50 percent due to these drastic changes to their natural environment and living conditions. Climate change also affects migratory bird-people that travel between the Arctic, the tropics, and the temperate zones. Scientists have found that the size of young red knot-people has reduced by about 15 percent since 1985 due to stress and inadequate nutrition. As a result, from the mid-1980s until 2003 the red knot-people population has declined by more than 50 percent! The climate crisis brings about habitat loss, reduced food supply, and new diseases introduced by animal-people venturing further north. Furthermore, some germs which we have lived with for a long time are becoming more dangerous due to the warmer weather. Arctic animal-people have long been isolated from the rest of the world. Record high heat makes us vulnerable to infections and a great many of us lack immunity against the newly introduced diseases. It is of utmost importance that we limit the loss of Arctic ice due to its critical role in regulating global temperatures. A warmer Arctic leads to a warmer planet, and that spells disaster and extinction for many beings, and even humans too!!! The fastest way to curb its impacts is to adopt the compassionate vegan diet. Let’s do our part to end the climate crisis and help save many precious lives! Please be vegan and make peace.

As we discovered in the first episode, Mr. Bob Isaacson is a lay Buddhist teacher who has profound compassion for all sentient beings. “And then also there’s a couple of teachings in the Noble Eightfold Path. Specifically, it talks about different professions and occupations 2,600 years ago when the Buddha was alive, that we should avoid. And one of them is raising animals for slaughter. So, it goes beyond just eating them.” “So Chinese monastics are vegetarian, actually all, almost a hundred percent vegan; same for the Vietnamese (Aulacese) monastics. And so there are pockets, and it's a lot of people, but there are lots of monastics, monks and nuns in other countries, where there's very few vegetarians, let alone vegans. So, what we decided when we realized that many Buddhists were not vegetarian, they were eating animal flesh, (was) that we needed an organization.” “So first we picked Sri Lanka. We had wonderful connections; we have an audience with the President of Sri Lanka. Now we have a cookbook and we’re just on the verge of passing a major country-wide animal welfare bill in Sri Lanka.” Dharma Voices for Animals has also had success in Âu Lạc, also known as Vietnam. “And what we’re accomplishing is unbelievable in Vietnam (Âu Lạc). We have 50,000 monastics (who) are members of the Vietnamese Buddhist Saga (VBS), and the Venerable (Thích Thanh Huân) is one of three people on the executive committee of VBS that sets the policy, sets the agenda for Buddhism in his country.” Thailand is another country where DVA is promoting a compassionate diet to Buddhist communities. Mr. Isaacson spoke fondly of Supreme Master Ching Hai, and has visited several Loving Hut restaurants throughout his international travels. “This is amazing; this is the way you actually make a difference in the world. You think about all the work that your Master has done. I mean, this is a true series of acts of compassion; this is the way to specifically save the lives of millions, maybe billions of animals from where it starts in the heart.” We are so grateful to Mr. Isaacson and the Dharma Voices for Animals teams in each country for the noble work that they are doing. “So animals are sentient beings. And just as we want to be free from fear or terror, so does every animal want to avoid slaughter. So just intuitively we know this in our hearts, that animals want to be free from pain, and they want to live a life of peace, just like we do.”

It is the Land of the Heart, and in Islam the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, always resides there, along with numerous loving animal-people companions of all shapes and sizes. And in the wise teachings of the Holy Qurʾān, animal-people are no different from humans: “There is not an animal in the earth, nor a flying creature flying on two wings, but they are peoples like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book (of Our Decrees). Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.” ~ Holy Qur’an 6:38During the Hijrah, the True One (Peace Be Upon Him) and His devout follower Abū Bakr AS-SSiddiq fled Mecca for Medina in the night to avoid the assassins who were hunting them. At one point they took refuge in a cave, but soon afterwards their pursuers found the cave. The assassins did not enter the cave to look for them, however, for in the short time since the Beloved (Peace Be Upon Him) and Abū Bakr AS-SSiddiq had entered the cave, a spider-person had spun a silvery web across the opening of the cave, and a pair of dove-persons had nested at the entrance. Together they made it appear that no one had entered the cave for a long time, thus protecting the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, from the sharp iron swords of the assassins.The Beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was credited with taking care of a cat-person companion Himself. According to Hadīth, the cat-person companion of the Beloved (Peace Be Upon Him), was called Muezza, and he was known to rest on the lap of the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, when He gave lectures. Not only is His love for animal-people clear in the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace Be Upon Him) actions, but the Hadīth also warns of the punishments that await those who are cruel to people from the animal kingdom.From these stories we can see that in the Land of the Heart, even a seemingly small action, like that of the spider-person weaving his web of protection and the dove-persons nesting at the entrance to help the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) hide, or quenching the thirst of a dog-person, can have profound ramifications, so it’s important to make the most of every opportunity, however small, to show kindness towards Allah’s creations.

Bob Isaacson is the co-producer of the film “Animals and the Buddha,” and President and Co-founder of Dharma Voices for Animals. We are privileged to hear Mr. Isaacson share with us about how the idea for the film originated. “We started in 2010, a little over 10 years ago, Dharma Voices for Animals. We can call it DVA. Now, we're very involved in Asia in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand. Our message of stop eating animals, be vegetarian, and also to not harm animals. It was just about getting our message out on vegetarianism and veganism to Buddhist communities around the world. And we thought film was the best way.” Let’s have a little peek at the preview of this noble film. “The essence of His teachings, called the Dharma, was articulated in the Four Noble Truths, where He taught the path to the end of all suffering. Central to these teachings was an important notion that the Dharma is not just about humans; rather it includes all of the beings who share the Earth.” “So, I'm sure we’ve had over a million people watch it at one time or another. And, as you know, the film has been translated into 12 languages, including Chinese and Spanish and all of the major Asian languages.” “And what really struck me was the Buddhist message of universal compassion. I'm a lay teacher by the way, also lay Buddhist teacher for about 14 years now. And so that first precept I just recited it in Pali language that precept specifically says don't harm. And it means don't harm a sentient being – any sentient being. So, when we’re biting into, chewing and swallowing an animal's body, you’re certainly part of the process, the animal’s being killed for us. And then there’s also, I want to mention, it’s not only the precepts, but also the teaching of compassion. This is a clear message.” Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Gratefully present the Shining World Compassion Award to Mr. Bob Isaacson and Dharma Voices for the Animals (DVA), with a humble contribution of US$10,000 as a token of loving support for their noble work in promoting Buddhist teachings of compassion for the noble people of the animal kingdom. May Buddha always bless you and protect you every day.”

Coral reefs are an essential ecosystem, which provide food and a shelter for many marine beings, and we candy crab-people are but one of them. My people, the candy crabs, are formally known by scientists as Hoplophrys oatesi. We are tiny pink and white with spiky bodies, and we are abundant in the Indo Pacific. We use our four pairs of hind legs to walk, and our claws as hands to grab onto things like food, as well as to defend ourselves. We are the only kind in our genus, Hoplophrys, and that makes us pretty unique, don’t you think? Our adorable appearance is a result of adapting to our habitat. We mimic the color of the soft corals we choose to live on, as our camouflage protects us from danger.The host corals provide us with shelter and food. In return, we help remove debris or sediments from the corals to keep them clean. Besides, we also protect our host corals and keep outsiders away. All crab-people in coral reefs take this role extremely seriously because corals can’t survive without protection from us.In fact, around 25% of the ocean’s beings rely on coral reefs for shelter, food and reproduction, and we all are calling out for help. Do you know that more than half of all coral reefs globally have been destroyed? Climate change makes the temperature of the ocean rise, which leads to acidification. This can cause stress to corals and leads to coral bleaching, in which corals turn white. Adding to that are pollution and destructive fishing practices, which are causing further harm to vulnerable corals. Unfortunately, coral reefs are now at risk of extinction.Thousands of scientists from around the world have repeated calls for urgent action to protect and restore coral reefs. They warn us that due to climate change we could be near the “tipping point” and heading towards “worldwide collapse.” Our time is running out. Please adopt a vegan lifestyle and help to spread the word about this vital planet-saving diet because this is the fastest and most effective way to curb climate change.

“The reason I wish everyone and the world and the universe a good Ching Hai Day, is because it’s a good thing. It’s everyone’s day. ‘Ching Hai’ is actually not just my name. It’s a name given, and it symbolizes the Pure Ocean of Love. That is in your heart, in everyone’s heart, in all beings’ hearts.” Her books The Birds in My Life, The Dogs in My Life and The Noble Wilds have illuminated how important us animals are to the planet and to our human co-inhabitants. At Lake Amoura, Master made special friends with swans named Pitu and Sai. “Poor Sai cannot fly, because you plucked them to lay the nest, right? You are a good father, you. I am proud of you, Sai Sai!” Did you know that researchers at the American Animal Charity Evaluators found that each vegan saves almost 105 animals per year? “(When I opened the sixth restaurant, that day, many animal friends, one by one, came to greet me. It really benefits our animal friends.)” The wise Supreme Master Ching Hai has so much insight into what keeps our world in balance, and how we can make it more of a Heavenly abode. She even points out, “Many animals have a higher LQ than humans.” Master reveals: “The whales, the seals, and the cows, which have 300% LQ.” You may be surprised… “The human average is 20% LQ.” During an interview with “The Irish Dog Journal” in 2009, Master also expounded the vital roles animals play on Earth. “Many of them are able to bring down divine power from Heaven, or love, just through their presence, because they are very connected with the Divine at all times. Some of them are from higher levels of consciousness; they only came down in animal form to help humankind or other beings on Earth.” We were elated when She formally recognized courageous animals and honored them with Shining World Hero Awards. “We hereby applaud and celebrate the heroic deeds of the Great Guardian Pyrenees, Odin. With Gratitude, Best Wishes and All My Love, Supreme Master Ching Hai”

Many humans already know that the Honorable Mayor Fasi of Honolulu declared the 25th of October as the “Day of Supreme Master Ching Hai” on behalf of the United States Government in 1993. So, today I am honored to share what Supreme Master Ching Hai day represents to us animals. Our beloved Master has mentioned on many occasions how intuitive animals are. I would like to share some words that my wise friend Lumino, the Eastern Rosella, shared with animal communicator Simonne Lee. If Lumino looks familiar to you, that’s because he was featured in Supreme Master Ching Hai’s bestselling book the Birds in My Life. “(Not just him, a lot of time with them, communicating with them. It's like She sings and they're drawn to the vibration of Her voice. It's very clear, what She radiates, because I've felt it from their end, how they are feeling it towards Her. It's amazing. He loves it.)” “So, the animals, in the wild even, they meditate all the time. I just remind them or probably remind myself of God, so at night before they sleep or whenever we’re together sometime, I sing to them at night, to sleep like, “Remember God, you are divine, you’re beautiful,” something like that.” We animals also love Supreme Master Ching Hai because to us She is “love in action.” Lumino also described this to Simonne. “’We are here to evolve the world, to lift it. And the more people that are aware of this, the bigger the possibility of it.’ (She (Supreme Master Ching Hai) lifts it and lifts it and lifts it further.)” On one occasion when our esteemed Master was asked about Her mission here on Earth, this is what She stated… “My real mission? Just to uplift the world’s whole consciousness.” Supreme Master Ching Hai continues to uplift the world through Her diligent, intensive meditation. I think it’s largely because of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s vast efforts that people are forging deeper relationships with us animals. There was once a goat who came to Master for help. “She worried that the so-called owner will eat her calves. Because she knew that I could intervene and save her children and her family. So I said to him that the goat thanks him. So I say thank you for promising to keep her family alive, and that’s what it is.”

Autumn is one of the most striking seasons of the year up here in the mountains! You will be in awe at the splendid palette of colors nature uses: vibrant tones of red, yellow, brown and orange! As we gaze at the beautiful trees and limpid skies, our feet rejoice in the rustling of the leaves covering the ground, after graciously circling around us as to say a last farewell.To prepare for the coming cold months of winter, my animal friends are actively gathering fruits and vegetables, grains and nuts. Take the alpine marmots for example, our nearby neighbors, who travel back and forth stockpiling reserves of nuts prior to their winter hibernation. All the while their birdlike sounds seem to hover over our grassy hillsides. These marmots are sociable folks with thick fur coats and cute little faces. Meet also the red squirrels, whose coat colors range from vivid ginger to dark brown. The squirrels are quite a musical tribe, and they emit a variety of sounds from chirping, purring, squealing and even… barking!Occasionally I spot Romanian brown bears making rustling sounds as they busily gather dry leaves and grasses. Throughout winter the bears will stay in their burrows, protected by a slope or heavy rocks. With their healthy diet of vegetables, berries, nuts, plums, grasses and roots, these gentle giants can reach a towering height of 2 meters and weigh a whopping 100 to 350 kilograms! On the thick grassy plains, male black grouses are rehearsing their mating dance and their assortment of bubbling, sneezing, hissing chooo-eee sounds, in the hope of attracting the attention of their female friends.Another sight of fall is the majestic and disciplined geese, who grace the skies in large formations as they head south for the warmer weather. Their honking calls echo over the land as they migrate impressive distances to reach the same destination every year, with transit stops at the same resting spots along the way.

World Day for Farmed Animals was first observed on October 2, 1983, by the non-profit animal rights group Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM). This date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the world-renowned non-violent resistance leader from India. One of the purposes of this movement is to promote the compassionate vegan diet.There are countless humans, organizations, and government entities working towards this goal. One of them is the famous actor, Joaquin Phoenix. He won an Oscar for Best Actor in 2020. He has teamed up with various organizations advocating against the exploitation of animals and has produced and narrated numerous documentaries about animal issues. He poses next to a chicken along with the message “We are all animals.” There is also the example of Jim Mellon, a billionaire investor and philanthropist who has had quite an eye for identifying emerging global trends. Mr. Mellon has made three predictions for the next ten years. First, that dairy farms will shut down, as evidenced by the decline in demand for dairy products around the world. Also, half of the “meat” consumed will not be from animal livestock factories but instead be either plant-based or cultured meat grown in laboratories. Finally, half of the world’s fish consumed by humans will also be produced using these more ethical methods. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is an independent body which advises the United Kingdom government on setting emissions targets. They specifically recommended in June 2021, that the population reduces meat and dairy consumption 20 percent by 2030 and 35 percent by 2050. The European Citizens’ Initiative, “End the Cage Age”, represents a massively successful campaign for animal welfare. It was supported by more than 170 organizations, including more than 140 scientists, veterinarians, and representatives of the business community. Supreme Master Ching Hai graciously urges people to “Be a hero!” and take bold actions for a vegan world, to save the animals from suffering, save humanity, and save the planet. “So, please, save the world with me. Help the animals who are suffering without anyone to rely on, without anyone to defend them, without a voice to speak out, to scream out for their suffering.”

Today, the 4th of October, is World Animal Day, when humans pay their highest tribute and respect to all the animals who share our wondrous planet with us. This annual celebration is held on the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi – Patron Saint of the Animals, a dedicated animal lover and vegetarian. Also, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), a Shining World Compassion Award recipient, and Greenpeace, organized an online petition urging governments to ban all forms of hunting, issuing a statement saying: “There can never be a sport, tourism, hobby, or an auction on killing another living being.” On July 9, 2021, an animal protection law was passed by the Turkish Parliament, recognizing animals as living beings and criminalizing many types of violence against them, punishable by a prison sentence. Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Gratefully present His Excellency Dr. Bekir Pakdemirli, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey as well as the Turkish Parliament, each with the Shining World Leadership Award for Compassion, with high respect and heartfelt gratitude for your noble efforts to protect precious animal lives.” In another piece of inspiring news for animals, His Holiness the Dalai Lama encouraged all his people to adopt a vegetarian diet and to stop exploiting animals. For many decades our Most Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai has dedicated immeasurable love and effort to saving sentient beings from suffering by all means possible. She urges everyone to pray with Her daily for a vegan world and for world peace to soon manifest. “We have to protect lives by continuously promoting vegan and sustaining peace through this benevolent process and way of life. This can be done if we are convinced vegan, for the reason of compassion, sustainable peace, sustainable planet, sustainable world, through harmonious lifestyle. Help the planet. Rescue the animals. Save our world. Be a hero. Use all your power within, from your faith; from your Master, from your God. Use all this to call upon a change. Call upon for a change, call upon all this power for a change in our world, to make it a Vegan World.”

Today, October 2nd is World Day for Farmed Animals. On this day, attention is drawn to the abuse and mass exploitation of animals for food and other uses. It is estimated that more than 70 billion cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other innocent animals are raised and slaughtered each year. Let’s hope this annual day of remembrance serves as a wake-up call for humanity to understand the suffering of these animals and help to put an end to this barbaric industry. These animals are all needlessly forced to endure tremendous pain, torment and death just to provide meat, eggs and dairy foods for humans, food that makes them sick and makes us suffer. Animal factories are large industrial operations where humans breed, raise and kill large numbers of animals to turn into food just to please their palates. Most of these animals never see the sun or the sky, or feel the grass beneath their feet. They are kept prisoners for their entire lives, even though they have done nothing wrong. The entire purpose of the animal livestock industry is to turn animals into food as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible, in order to maximize profits. Animals are treated simply as a commodity, like manufactured goods, while we endure unbearable agony and misery.There are so many issues with these inhumane industries. Humans are not only taking the precious lives of animals, but also harming themselves, their countries and the planet. That road leads to self-destruction! Yes, one of the many problems created by the animal factories, meat consumption, or both, is zoonotic diseases that have killed many, like the Spanish Flu, AIDS, Ebola, Avian Influenza, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Mad Cow Disease, and even COVID-19. There will be more pandemics if humans don’t stop eating animals. Another risk to society from animal factories is antibiotic resistant infections.

The earliest known examples of the three hares motif were discovered on paintings in Buddhist cave temples in China dating from the 6th and 7th centuries. Later on, the three-hare motif travelled west along the Silk Road and reached the Middle East and Europe, where it became widely associated with Judaism and Christianity. There the three hares represent the Holy Trinity, the doctrine that God exists as God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Well, the Moon also greatly affects the behavior of our whole population. As we snowshoe hares forage and feed mostly at night, to ensure our safety we must adapt our routines to the changing phases of the moon. Furthermore, our breeding cycle is also connected with the Moon. Oh, we snowshoe hares are also called “the varying hares” because we shed our hair twice each year. In winter our pretty snow-white coat helps us blend in the snowy landscape to keep us safe. In summer, our rusty-brown fur blends well with the rocky terrain and forest floor. Our molting process is triggered by the seasons. However, climate change is causing the snow to arrive later in winter, but we can’t alter our genes to match these new weather patterns. With unprecedented speed and magnitude, climate change is disrupting all that we have come to know in the natural world by damaging the planet’s vital ecosystems, causing a major loss of biodiversity. We need to reverse this destructive trend by stopping the greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions: the animal livestock industry. If our human co-inhabitants switch to the benevolent vegan lifestyle, the majority of greenhouse emissions will be stopped, climate change will be contained, and the ecological harmony of the planet will be restored, just as Supreme Master Ching Hai has been kindly advising us to do for decades. “By now, scientists have warned us XXXXX times, many times, repeatedly, by evidence – that vegan is the best, most effective way to reduce global warming, reducing or stopping climate change, stabilizing it, is good for all of us, human and animal tenants. Yes, we are just tenants of this world house. No right to damage it without being fined heavily.”

I notice that hares and rabbits differ in their physical appearance. Hares look larger and also have longer hind legs. Hares and rabbits count on the numerous veins in their furless ears to dissipate heat and regulate their body temperature. We snowshoe hares have comparatively smaller ears as heat travels shorter distances through our body and keeps us warmer in the colder climates we reside in! In terms of habitat, you rabbits dig warrens, which are vast underground burrow systems, sometimes as deep as three meters and with several entrances. On the contrary, we hares live above the ground and make our homes in hollow logs or in simple nests that we build out of grasses and other vegetation. We hares are not as social as rabbits. Rabbits usually live in large colonies while hares tend to live solitary lives until breeding season! Apart from the differences we discussed earlier, hares and rabbits actually have quite a lot in common. Firstly, we are both happy herbivores! In summer we eat a variety of green grasses, flowers, and leaves. In winter we feed on buds, twigs, tender bark, pine needles, and shrubs. Do you know that hares and rabbits are sacred companions of the Moon? Many cultures, nations and people naturally associate us with the Moon. In German folklore, hares are the sacred symbol of Eostre, the Moon Goddess. In ancient times the Moon Gazing Hare was also seen as auspicious - a source of abundance, new beginnings, and good fortune. In East Asian mythology, the Moon Rabbit was entrusted by the Moon Goddess Chang’e to pound elixirs for her. The Moon Rabbit remains the symbol for the Mid-Autumn Festival, an important event celebrated throughout Asia. Besides in cartoons and anime, hares and rabbits often appear in children’s literature as personified animal characters portraying many positive characteristics. Through these charming characters, we help humans - adults and children alike - to reflect on our sentience and virtues as animals. This understanding will lead to greater love, compassion, and mutual respect for all sentient beings, eventually turning Planet Earth into an Eden for all of us co-inhabitants!