--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All breathing beings are spiritual; this…" description: "\"All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone who breathes, whether they are animals or humans, carnivores or vegetarians.\" — Sharon Gannon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png" --- # All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone… ![“All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone who breathes, whether they are animals or humans, carnivores or vegetarians.” quote by Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png) > “All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone who breathes, whether they are animals or humans, carnivores or vegetarians.” [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All living beings, human or animal, share a spiritual essence, emphasizing universal respect for life. **In simple terms:** Everyone who breathes is spiritual. Key Takeaway Treat all life with reverence. Themes spirituality animal rights universality Mood empathetic inspired Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - vegetarianism - animal welfare - environmental activism - holistic health Key Concepts ethics compassion interconnectedness Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing universal spirituality influence daily choices? - What responsibilities arise from this belief? A Different Perspective Critics may argue spiritual equivalence ignores species‑specific needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Beings Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-spiritual-1344786/) [Breathe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathe/) [Breathes Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathes-animals-1398742/) [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing Beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-beings-1398741/) [Carnivores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnivores/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Includes Breathes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/includes-breathes-1398743/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian/) ## Related quotes > [All living beings are spiritual beings because all of life breathes. Breath is an indication that spirit is present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/all-living-beings-are-spiritual-beings-because-all-of-life-breathes/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [For the most part, we carnivores do not eat other carnivores. We prefer to eat our vegetarian friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-the-most-part-we-carnivores-do-not-eat-other-carnivores-we-prefer/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [We have always been involved in spiritual evolution. We are spiritual beings, we have always been spiritual beings and we will always be spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/we-have-always-been-involved-in-spiritual-evolution-we-are-spiritual/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/drugs-don-t-have-spiritual-potential-human-beings-have-spiritual/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-human-beings-on-a-spiritual-journey-we-are-spiritual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You could conceive spirituality as the study of the immeasurable, of the qualitative. But that's very different from the way we typically use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/you-could-conceive-spirituality-as-the-study-of-the-immeasurable-of/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [We human beings are spiritual beings. We have soul. We have spirit. We have mind. We have consciousness. We want fulfillment, we want happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satish-kumar/we-human-beings-are-spiritual-beings-we-have-soul-we-have-spirit-we/) [Satish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satish-kumar/) > [“We are not human beings on a spiritual path, but spiritual beings on a human path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-artress/we-are-not-human-beings-on-a-spiritual-path-but-spiritual-beings-on-a/) [Lauren Artress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-artress/) > [It is a testament to the effectiveness of advertising campaigns funded by the animal-user industries that a diet that is bad for us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-is-a-testament-to-the-effectiveness-of-advertising-campaigns/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [In fact, we are designed anatomically to be vegetarians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/in-fact-we-are-designed-anatomically-to-be-vegetarians/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Raising crops to feed animals for human consumption requires a lot of land. It takes eight or nine cows a year to feed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/raising-crops-to-feed-animals-for-human-consumption-requires-a-lot-of/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [There were studies that asked people in different cultures to draw pictures of their enemies, and the pictures all looked remarkably the same. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/there-were-studies-that-asked-people-in-different-cultures-to-draw/) [Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/) > [“I’m not sure I’d like to be burned. I think I might like to be fed to zoo animals. It would be both environmentally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/i-m-not-sure-i-d-like-to-be-burned-i-think-i-might-like-to-be-fed-to/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [He burst into the house and ate Grandma, an entirely valid course of action for a carnivore such as himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-finn-garner/he-burst-into-the-house-and-ate-grandma-an-entirely-valid-course-of/) [James Finn Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-finn-garner/) > [So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, but am feeling quite well this way. It always seems to me that man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/so-i-am-living-without-fats-without-meat-without-fish-but-am-feeling/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Sharon Gannon > [Communication implies communing, having a shared experience with another, not "talking at" or "talking down to" someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/communication-implies-communing-having-a-shared-experience-with/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Human overconsumption is a greater problem than human population growth, and meat eating is a big part of that problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/human-overconsumption-is-a-greater-problem-than-human-population/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Some well-to-do parents may say, "I have a right to have as many children as I want because I can take care of them."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/some-well-to-do-parents-may-say-i-have-a-right-to-have-as-many/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [In fact, studies show that vegans tend to get more iron than meat eaters. Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables increases iron absorption. Meanwhile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/in-fact-studies-show-that-vegans-tend-to-get-more-iron-than-meat/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or for any exploitative purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/animals-are-not-ours-to-eat-wear-experiment-on-use-for-entertainment/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [When we have a choice it is always best to choose kindness. Veganism is simply the kinder choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/when-we-have-a-choice-it-is-always-best-to-choose-kindness-veganism/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Don't try to do this by yourself: to become a good yogi you need a teacher. Find a teacher you can bow to, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/don-t-try-to-do-this-by-yourself-to-become-a-good-yogi-you-need-a/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [It is true that every being is enjoying life or suffering as a direct result of his or her own past actions. The animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-is-true-that-every-being-is-enjoying-life-or-suffering-as-a-direct/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Lions and other carnivorous animals do a lot of things besides eat meat. They live outdoors, not in houses; they don't wear clothes or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/lions-and-other-carnivorous-animals-do-a-lot-of-things-besides-eat/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yoga may have originated in India, where the cow has been revered as sacred for thousands of years, but times have changed since Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yoga-may-have-originated-in-india-where-the-cow-has-been-revered-as/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [It may take sixteen pounds of grain to make one pound of beef, but it also takes one hundred pounds of fish to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-may-take-sixteen-pounds-of-grain-to-make-one-pound-of-beef-but-it/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yes, all of life is sacred, including plants; and yes, there is research that demonstrates that plants have feelings - they feel it when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yes-all-of-life-is-sacred-including-plants-and-yes-there-is-research/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Live with the anticipation that something incredible might happen at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/live-with-the-anticipation-that-something-incredible-might-happen-at/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Yoga teaches us that we can have whatever we may want in life if we are willing to provide it for others first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/yoga-teaches-us-that-we-can-have-whatever-we-may-want-in-life-if-we/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Welfarists are concerned with the quality of the animals' lives before or even during their slaughter and want animals to be treated, and slaughtered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/welfarists-are-concerned-with-the-quality-of-the-animals-lives-before/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) [Explore all 166 Sharon Gannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone who breathes, whether they are animals or humans, carnivores or vegetarians.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Gannon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this-includes-everyone-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this-includes-everyone-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/sharon-gannon-2432_animal_all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this_918038.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All breathing beings are spiritual; this includes everyone who breathes, whether they are animals or humans…” — Sharon Gannon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sharon Gannon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All breathing beings are spiritual; this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this-includes-everyone-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/all-breathing-beings-are-spiritual-this-includes-everyone-who/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```