Everything in this world you see, or not see, is helping us, blessing us all day long. And the animal-people are always blessing us unconditionally. They give and give and give and give. Despite, however we treat them, they give us blessing all the time. In fact, without the animal-people’s balancing blessing power, probably we would have died earlier, all of us, or the planet would have been destroyed. That’s how powerful the animal-people’s presence on this planet is.
Host: We really appreciate that You’ve given us so much time from Your busy schedule. So, Sandhya has one question.
Sandhya (vegetarian): Honorable Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Hallo, love!
Sandhya (vegetarian): Thank You so much for joining us at the first Middle East VEG Congress today.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): I’m privileged. The first ever and I’m here with you.
Sandhya (vegetarian): And You are at the Conference of Parties right across the world in Cancún, Mexico. And it’s a great honor for us that You can offer a message to all these delegates here, right across the ocean. You earlier asked why people don’t discuss meat as an issue, and if there is anybody who can answer… So, I’d like to add a point there for that. I think change is difficult, change for anybody, when they look at changing themselves. People go around changing the world very easily, so as to say. But changing oneself, I think, is very difficult. So maybe that’s why.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): You’re right, you’re right. But the thing is, if your house is on fire, you don’t sit there and argue. You jump out, no? (Absolutely.) The thing is, people do not realize the danger, but if they did, they would change. Yes. That’s why we have to implement the information, like the way she’s making the congress today, she’s trying to give people information. (Sure.) This is a great thing that she’s doing. (Sure.) Yes.
Sandhya (vegetarian): At this congress, we would like to also probably… since there’s so much positive energy right now, right here, with Your permission and blessings, can we do in our own small way, a minute of silence, connecting all of us right here? That will be just so wonderful.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): OK. We do that.
Sandhya (vegetarian): Yeah. Please, all of us, just close our eyes.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): And thanks for all the blessing that we have, up to now. (Thank you, everybody.) Thank you! I was going to do it at the end, and you – so fast. Thank you for it!
Sandhya (vegetarian): You are just so to the point in raising each one of the points for us here about the dangers about water, especially in the Middle East; very, very pertinent point. And if there is one urgent action, which should be carried out immediately to protect all our lives on this planet, what would that one action be? That’s the only question I have.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Thank you for the honor to be with you and for your noble question. Yes, it’s just one action: Vegan. Only one. You’re right. Just one action. (Thank You. Thank You very much.)
Host: Supreme Master Ching Hai, we have a lovely young person with us who would like to ask a question. Leena Abbas is a vegan and an owner of an organic beauty salon in Dubai, and she has the last question. Thank you for being with us today, Leena.
Leena Abbas (vegan): Hallo, Supreme Master Ching Hai. It’s a great honor for me to be able to ask You a question. Could You give us some insights into the existence of animal-people on our planet? Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, taught us to be kind to animal-people. What roles and significance do animal-people have in our spiritual, mental, and physical wellbeing? Thank You!
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Good question. Good question. Yesterday, among the distinguished delegates of the COP16 in Cancún, I have revealed a little bit of my spiritual diary, just like I’ve revealed a little bit today for you. I have told them that animal-people are here to bless us. Each animal-person will give you many spiritual points to add up to your spiritual power. If you refer to that talk again, yesterday – maybe it will be coming out soon, because yesterday was live, but probably they will broadcast it very soon again with multi-language subtitles. You please refer to that, but I will be brief.
Like, for example, if you earn every day like 100 spiritual merit points, then the dolphin- or the whale-people will give you 40 points more or 50 points more, even. Or the dog-people in your house will give you eight points more on top of whatever you earn. And the more you earn, the more it multiplies. And the bird-people in your life will give you also spiritual points. That little bird-person there, budgies even, will give you four points. Yes. Even the flies give you spiritual points.
Everything in this world you see, or not see, is helping us, blessing us all day long. And the animal-people are always blessing us unconditionally. They give and give and give and give. Despite, however we treat them, they give us blessing all the time. In fact, without the animal-people’s balancing blessing power, probably we would have died earlier, all of us, or the planet would have been destroyed. That’s how powerful the animal-people’s presence on this planet is. Thank you, love! (Thank You, Supreme Master.)
Host: Thank You, Supreme Master. This has been really an enlightening experience for all of us. So, thank You for answering all the questions with Your patience and with Your wisdom. It’s really a beautiful thought how we can make actually a Heaven or a paradise right here on Earth, where all human beings live in such harmony and love. Love and compassion are not just for us, amongst us human beings, but also amongst animal-people and other creatures, as You said, that they give us their blessings as well.
I would request just a few minutes more of Your time, because I’d like to share a very interesting thing here, ladies and gentlemen: we are honored to announce the Arabic edition release of the international bestselling book, “The Birds in My Life,” or as it’s said in Arabic, “الطيورفي حياتي” (“The Birds in My Life”), and that is what we are going to launch right here today.
In these beautifully presented pages of this book, Supreme Master invites us to experience how She sees the beautiful birds in this world, giving us an account of the inner lives and the important messages that these creatures have for us. We take them for granted. We see them flying all around us. We never think from a certain point of view as to how to give them the proper respect, the love that there is. So “The Birds in My Life” is a journey told through pictures, photographs, deep personal experiences. And I’m sure that you’ll be transformed into another world altogether, where these compassionate co-inhabitants, intelligent beings, they all are living in harmony. And the awareness can go much beyond our imagination. So, what inspired You to write this book, Supreme Master?
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Thank you, angel, angel of Allah. What inspired me is my bird-people. They just give me so much information that even these books are just one little part of whatever we intercommunicated. Only a sample. And we have talked with each other that we should do something for the bird-people, and the bird-people are connected with all the animal-people as well, and hoping that through this book, people will be more connected with the bird-people, and then more connected with all other animal-people, and to respect, love and protect them the way you have just mentioned. That should be our world, the world where all live in peace and have no fear from each other.
Host: Excellent! That really is beautiful! So, now that we have Supreme Master right here with us, as if She was in the room, perhaps we can symbolically cut the ribbon to launch the Arabic edition of this book, “The Birds in My Life.” Can I request that? Would You join us in this wonderful launching ceremony?
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): I’ll do that. And I thank you immensely. Thank you so much! You are so kind, you’re so kind! (And You can see over here.) We cut it? (We drop it, and You cut it. Thank You so much!) OK. 1, 2, 3. Thank you so much, thank you, thank you, all of you! I am so pleased, so pleased. Thank you! So happy! Thank you!
Host: Thank You so much! We’d really like to thank You, Supreme Master Ching Hai. It’s been wonderful that You shared Your knowledge with us, and Your insights, and showing us the way how a vegan lifestyle could actually transform the world into a more peaceful place. And we wish You good health and hope for success in every aspect and in the life-affirming and love-spreading vegan diet that You follow, which follows through to other things. But before we say goodbye to You, I have some piece of news. Because we’ve just launched the book as of a few minutes ago, but it was put on the stands and all the books which were here in the UAE are on the reserve list. So, I’m going to request You to send another shipment. Already the book is quite a success here, even just a few minutes.
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Already gone? Thank you so much to your... (Nearly all the books...) I don't know how to say to thank you! My God!
Host: So kindly send us a shipment. And we’d love to welcome You one day in Dubai as well, so that You can be actually here with us. It would be an honor, Supreme Master. Thank You so much!
Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan): Yes, I would love that. I would love that, Allah willing, God willing. Thank you so much! My God! My people will be in touch with you to send the books, extra books that you requested. Oh, your people love birds, huh? (Yes, we do.) Yes. Please convey my thanks to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, all the staff in his company, and all the people involved. May Allah bless him, His Royal Highness. (Thank You so much. Thank You.)
I also bid you farewell now, and I will pray for your wellbeing. And I know you will make a right decision. Thank you! Allah bless us all! (Thank You, Supreme Master. Appreciate it.)
Host: So ladies and gentlemen, with such profound thoughts, we actually are going to be closing this two-day MEVEG Congress. And I think Sandhya’s going to cry. She’s so overwhelmed by the two days of the congress and looking forward to a next year.
Sandhya (vegetarian): You know, when you start and imagine that you want to do something, it is always very possible, be it for yourself, or for a community or a family. We all have certain dreams. We all are in the Middle East for many years, for our jobs, for several other reasons that we come here. But whatever we do in the place that we stay is vital. You cannot postpone things like doing good to a tomorrow – when you have more time, more money, you’re more relaxed. No, it doesn't happen that way. So, this whole journey of 17 years personally, and of each one of you who’s been around, always my message at the end of this congress is that: If you have a thought, and you want to make it happen, it’s only here and now. So the same goes for any change that we want to make in our lives. This particular congress is also a culmination of a thought that has been there in many minds, not just one. But the way we can connect again and do things that really make a difference and solve the problems of the land here is so very important.
And this whole particular congress has been the work of a lot of people, a lot of contributions. Deep thanks to everybody, and Zaufy, for carrying this through with that smile of hers throughout the two days, which is great! (Thank you! Thank you! It’s been a pleasure.)
Vegetarian (vegan) living for better health and environment was just the theme for this time. There are many other areas of depth that we can go to in the future with tools that we have launched. Please come up with your ideas. These are not any one person or two people’s things, please share your ideas online. We have Ram here, who’s brought the whole IT thing together for us, the website, Facebook, and so on. So, each one has just taken responsibility by themselves, and this doesn’t happen when there’s no team. So, I really thank the team that is behind all this. Without further ado, thank you! And deep, deep thanks to all of you please.
