[HealingMaven]

Dear Steve,

I have to say, I'm surprised. You often make me think and sometimes said things I disagree with, but I've never thought that you sounded judgmental before, and I've never been offended by one of your posts before. I truly hope I've misread something.

I was surprised a few days ago at the lightworker post and how condemning it was of "darkworkers." In previous posts on the topic you said that an enlightened dark worker and an enlightened lightworker were virtually the same, that the health of the cell was vital to the body and vice versa. I kept looking for the exception but, no. It sounded surprisingly one-sided. I remember before, you said that an enlightened darkworker is someone you'd rather work with than someone wishy washy, because a) you knew where they stood, and b) an enlightened dark worker knows that what's in everyone's best interest is in his/her own best interest too.

Then I read this post, and am even more surprised and honestly, disappointed in you. It looks to me like you've made the PETA mistake. PETA is often made fun of, even among liberal lefties like me as being completely over the top. I don't like the idea of torturing animals, it's clearly wrong, but the approach PETA people often use is so overblown with emotion and so little logic that they usually come off sounding as nuts as anyone on the extreme right who think that AIDS is god's punishment for being gay. I am especially astonished to hear you comparing eating meat to brutality ("supporting slaughterhouses for pleasure"), and that eating meat automatically makes you a darkworker. I had to read your post several times in order to be sure that I hadn't misread you. It genuinely looks to me like you've joined the One True Way camp, and I'm astonished and disappointed by that. I am incredibly sad to say that you've just lost a great deal of credibility in my eyes.

I am truly happy for you that you've found a diet that makes you happy and feels great for you -- but last I checked, you're not an expert on diet, do not have a degree in medicine, biochemistry, nutrition, etc., to position you as expert in the field of what humans should or should not be eating, or even in divinity, philosophy, or ethics to give you that much of a moral high ground. What works for you is not necessarily the *Right* thing for everyone else. Every human being is different -- different patterns of health, different bodies, sizes, and environments mean different nutritional needs. In my opinion (and I believe, the opinion of most practitioners of Chinese or Ayurvedic medicine), the biggest thing wrong with western medicine is that it is completely One Size Fits All. And I honestly think you just jumped into that camp with both feet.

Just for the record, I do NOT believe I'm a darkworker. (And I do, to a degree, reject your polarization concept.) I honestly believe I have polarized as grey. My larger actions and orientation is generally towards things that make both me and the larger community a better place. Most people would consider me a light worker and until a few years ago I would have agreed. I am a healer, and a generous, loving person by nature. 2 and a half years ago I became a business owner and suddenly had to learn business and as a result feel that I became somewhat more calculated. Everything good I used to do spontaneously now automatically comes with an awareness of what benefits (usually goodwill) that I'll derive. It's disturbing at times, but it is somewhat balanced the converse effect of when I do "selfish" things - dining out, enjoying myself, etc., it comes with an awareness that I'll be smarter and happier when seeing my patients and thus do better work for them.

I deeply hope this post was either thought experiment or experiment in reader reaction.