Why Centaurica? and Why Vegan?

My first conscious encounter with centaurs was had while watching Disney’s Fantasia. I was immediately attracted to the burly guys who were half  horse. Years passed before I encountered any centaur again and then it was in, of all places, a Danny Thomas television special in the early 60′s. The idea of muscular guys who were part horse again captured my imagination and, this time, never let go.

Over the years I have searched for anything at all to do with centaurs and, for the decades before the advent of the Internet, the pickings were too darn slim. But in 1997 that all changed. I did my first search for centaur material online and, I am happy to say, there has been a steady stream of images and stories ever since.

MMORPGs feature centaurs, as do other PC games. Films like the Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia series feature centaurs. Books such as Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and The Olympians” series feature centaurs. It is obvious I am no longer alone in my fascination with the four-legged studs. And, to my pleasure and surprise, I am not the sole centaur aficionado out there. Other guys love them, too.

I have had, since 2002, two separate group sites devoted to centaurs and now it is time for a turn at creating a blog devoted to them, too.

Centaurica will feature centaur-related media scavenged online. I will give credit and links to artists whenever it is possible. If something appears here that the original author doesn’t want featured I will, of course, remove it at once. I will also post You Tube videos and my personal musings on the subject of centaurs. Centaurica is meant for the appreciation of centaurs alone.*

If you are a fan of these marvelous beasts and have things (links, book names, images, etc.) you would like to share, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks for checking out Centaurica. Please subscribe if you are so inclined. If you love centaurs even a quarter as much as I do, you won’t be disappointed with Centaurica.

*Why Vegan?

The above statement that–”Centaurica is meant for the appreciation of centaurs alone.”–has, of course, bitten the dust. With the passing of time my intentions for the scope of this blog have changed. Centaurs will still be the primary focus here, but along with these very grounded Earth creatures I am taking on the task of addressing my concerns with the state of modern man’s health. Yes, I guess this seems like a considerable departure from the subject of mythical males. But consider the fact that centaurs are usually depicted as the embodiment of masculine fitness and health. It is imagined that centaurs are like wild equines and live off the land. This implies their following a natural and healthy diet. If the centaurs have a society it is either subsists as one of hunters and gatherers or as an agriculturally based one. I also prefer to believe that centaurs were not completely wild, enraged and libidinous beasts who spent all their time carousing, raping, and becoming intoxicated on wines and ales. I don’t personally imagine these beings as working in office buildings and using high-tech transports (though others might), either. I’m thinking in line with the concept of the classical centaur and what he would ingest and do to stay fit and healthy. To my way of thinking a centaur would probably follow something akin to the Paleo Diet. Some meat, fish, fowl, eggs, fruits, greens, nuts and seeds would have been consumed. So, centaur diet isn’t dramatically removed from the diet and regime I espouse.

I am a vegan for health reasons and because I believe it has a very negative impact on the entire world to consume factory-farmed animals. Simply put, I cannot afford to live on the Paleo Diet. So I’ve chosen what I can do. I chose to eat as healthy as I can and to eschew meats because free range meats and fowl are out of my financial grasp. Occasionally, I will eat an egg or krill oil, but that is my limit for the time being.

What this is leading to is that the focus of Centaurica will now include, to a lesser but still important degree, education of why it is of importance to use nutrition as the most substantial part of any health regime. I want to share with others how they can heal themselves and become more balanced in a world that is frequently frustrating, stressful, and damaging. We can keep from becoming toxic even in a toxic environment and improve our lives by following some simple and practical precepts. The rules need not be so rigid that they can’t be followed and/or maintained modestly and with graceful effect. I suspect that the few who read these entries might not be in irretrievably bad condition and will gain some sound footing in increasing their health by reading what I offer. If that happens, I’ll be satisfied and gratified. It will mean the blog serves a higher purpose than just that of admiring centaurs.

I dedicate this effort to the memory of Jack LaLanne (1914-2011) who strove to help others by showing them practical ways to get healthy and happy.