The Astonishing Intelligence of Being

Dr. Will Tuttle

Researchers investigating the structure of the body have discovered that cells are phenomenally complex and compare a single cell in our body in complexity to New York City. We have several trillion cells in our body. Let’s savor that for a moment. It’s humbling and inspiring to contemplate the unfathomable intelligence invested in each one of us by the universe. This extraordinarily intelligent and complex physical body is our precious vehicle and has a purpose, which is to enable us to celebrate our lives and fulfill our creative, intellectual, social, and spiritual purposes in this lifetime.  This understanding can inspire us to treat our body with kindness and respect and to do the same for all the people we meet.

It’s essential to remember that cows, pigs, fishes, chickens and all the other animals are similarly made up of trillions of cells and are also staggeringly complex. There is an overwhelmingly enormous investment of universal intelligence in animals and it is the foundation that allows them to fulfill their purposes and celebrate their lives on this beautiful and intelligent Earth. And yet, we are all born into a culture that compels us from infancy to disrespect and destroy this massive storehouse of intelligence in animals by enslaving, raping, and killing them by the billions, stealing their purposes, and sacrificing both their and our own intelligences and purposes. It’s completely unnecessary and is invisible to us, and it obstructs our strivings for meaningful individual and social progress.

By consciously refusing to buy and consume animal foods and products, we are respecting not just the inherent intelligence of animals and ecosystems, but also our own intelligence, and we are sowing seeds for awakening and liberation. World peace is based on respect for our intelligence and the intelligences and purposes of all beings. This respect is the missing foundation for health, freedom, awareness, and the possibility to fulfill our lives together in harmony on this abundant and completely misunderstood Earth. Deep thanks for your caring heart and your awareness that yearns to savor and celebrate the magnificent intelligence that flows through birds, flowers, trees, forests, oceans, squirrels, squashes, starfish, elephants, and planetary systems: all of us and every dimension of our lives. Blessed be.