Oprah's 21-Day Cleanse: Hope Prevails

Well, I've said it before: I love being wrong. Many of you have written to me over the years and asked when Oprah was going to have me on her show. A friend of mine recently said that she saw an indication that Oprah was going to embrace veganism on her show at some point. "Nah - she won't touch it," I said. "She's too afraid to touch it after having been sued by the Cattlemen's Beef Association." Now, I still haven't been on her show, but I still admit I was wrong. And I love being wrong.

Recently, Oprah announced - on her show, on her site, and on her blog - that she is adopting a 21-Day Cleanse outlined in Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness." Some of you may be familiar with Kathy, whose popular article "Veganism is the New Prius" made its way around the web about a year ago. She is a beautiful and eloquent ambassador for veganism, and I'm thrilled she will be guiding Oprah on her journey. This cleanse includes avoiding gluten, sugar, alcohol, and animal products, but it's not just for health reasons that Oprah is giving this a try.

On her blog, Oprah wrote, "What she [Kathy Freston] talks about in her book is a higher level [of conscious eating]. She speaks of "spiritual integrity." How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony? So this 21-day cleanse gives me a chance to think about it differently and see what my attachments are to certain kinds of foods—and what I'm willing to do to change."

I certainly don't know what the ultimate outcome will be, but the fact that Oprah even opened up the discussion about an animal-product free diet is HUGE. If this is as far as it goes, it's a monumental boon for the animals and for the consciousness of the world.

However, as you know, once a seed is planted and you begin to awaken to the truth of animal suffering, our power to stop it, and the joy that comes with living a life of consciousness and integrity, there's no going back. And though I've been wrong before, I predict that there's no going back for Oprah where this issue is concerned. This could very well be her own awakening, and I am very hopeful for her and for all of those who benefit.

For those of you who have experienced the joy and peace of mind that come with this amazing lifestye, I encourage you to share your 'joyful vegan' stories on Oprah's message board. (Register here.) Your joy and peace will be a magnet for those who will detect your radiance. The vegan glow will prevail.

For those of you new to this path or venturing along with Oprah, may Compassionate Cooks be a guide for you. Please check out our many resources and various methods of delivery, whether it be our award-winning cookbook, podcast (which will answer ALL your questions), cooking DVD, recipes, or cooking and nutrition resources.

I wish you all the best on your journey.