Vegan Spirituality Retreat this Saturday

There are many reasons people wind up as vegans. Health is a popular driver (though that one actually requires, you know, eating healthy), and increasingly as people learn about the toll animal agribusiness takes on the planet, that's also a factor for many. Then there are those of us for whom it's an ethical matter of justice vs. injustice to animals.

Related to the last but not quite the same is veganism as a spiritual practice, which some who have come to plant-based eating from one direction or another sometimes find themselves growing into. The 5th Annual Vegan Spirituality Retreat speaks to that aspect, and it will be held this Saturday, October 11th at Saunders Woods, 1020 Waverly Road, Gladwyne, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Here's what the groups mounting the event have to say:

In Defense of Animals and Vegan Spirituality present our 5th Annual Vegan Spirituality Retreat to explore Veganism as a spiritual practice. We welcome Peace to All Beings author Judy Carman as our featured speaker and Ecco Bella as our event sponsor. Enjoy group discussions, guided meditations, yoga classes with yogis Dawn Reid, Fania Maria Tzakalakos, and Ioanna Tsakalakos, a delicious vegan lunch prepared by The Nile Café, a naturalist guided walk, an animal blessing with musicians Jim Harris and Lonnie Davis, and kirtan with the Indigo Twins. Free childcare is provided. Friendly companion animals are welcome at the Retreat and Blessing Ceremony.

In case you're wondering about that Blessing Ceremony, here are some more details on that:

Animal Blessing: Honor your companion animals and animals around the world through drumming and dancing in nature. Bring companion animals, a photo, or your own animal spirit! Everyone is invited to drum and dance in the Ceremony, which offers opportunities to celebrate animal companions, honor those that have died, empathize with animals suffering around the world, and create a vision of harmony between humans and other animals. Please bring leashes or carriers for your animal companions. You're welcome to bring a vegan/synthetic drum!

Translation on that last part: Don't bring a drum whose head is animal skin. Not cool, vegan-spirituality-wise.

The cost for the whole day, including lunch, is $60 at the "door" or $50 for those registering online, and $10 for kids. There will be gifts and samples for those who register. More info on the event is available at

» READ MORE: veganspirituality.com

or you can contact Lisa Levinson (

» READ MORE: veganspirituality@gmail.com

or 215-620-2130), who's the driving force behind this and so many other good vegan things.