Animal Chaplain, Writer, Educator, & Spirituality Mentor
Ordained Interfaith, Interspiritual, Interspecies Clergy | Award-winning Spirituality Author | Academic staff @ One Spirit Interfaith Seminary | Founding Member of the Compassion Consortium | Member of Spiritual Directors International | Member of the Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement | Co-host "Big Universe" podcast | Columnist, Spirituality & Health Magazine
I confess. I was not always this spiritually put together.
It's true, I was born the daughter of a mighty fine preacher man. And for much of my early childhood, Jesus "was just alright with me." And so was God for that matter. Then came puberty. And I became a religion-phobic Gen-Xer who felt a void because I had become detached from my faith. In fact, I wasn't sure what my faith was or if I actually had any faith at all. I soon had an astonishingly long list of why religion didn't work for me. And so I stuffed the hole with all sorts of unhealthy things—until five years after my father's death, I began reading his sermons.
Soon, I hunkered down to craft my first book, Void if Detached: Seeking Modern Spirituality through My Father's Old Sermons. Reading through the manuscripts of 1,500 sermons, I found myself on a fascinating spiritual recovery. Incredibly, I found myself curiously drawn to One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City, where I eventually enrolled to pursue the addition of Reverend to my name as well. Now came courses on two dozen of the world's religions, an overwhelming book addiction, and a shifting perspective, as I learned how to be of more service to this world. Further studies at Chicago Theological Seminary and Emerson Theological Institute fueled my passion for a worldview that encompasses all beings.
And so, I entered the (proverbial) family business my becoming a Reverend... a modern one, with an interfaith/interspiritual/interspecies view.
Which means I'm interested in how you connect spiritually, in which ever way is meaningful to you. rather than picking the road for you. I'm not here to put up road blocks, I'm here to fuel your creativity. (As is my book, Spiritual Rebel: A Positively Addictive Guide to Finding Deeper Perspective & Higher Purpose.)
Of special interest to me is the animal-human spiritual bond, and how to help expand many religions' view of the role of animals. I'm passionate about the new field of Animal Chaplaincy, especially in helping people recover from the grief of pet loss and reducing suffering for animals kept captive in human systems. Having myself lost 3 cats within 6 months, I personally understand the pain of this very special kind of loss, and am interested in helping others through it.
In my forthcoming book, Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Trying To Heal The Planet, I explore the relationship between spiritual values, animal welfare, and the fate of our planet. You can also read more about animals and spirituality in my weekly column for Spirituality & Health Magazine.
Part minister, part ecotheologian, part animal lover. Beyond our frontiers of sexism, classism, racism, genderisms … I address the injustice of speciesism to ensure we aren't marginalizing otherkind.
Ordained Interfaith, Interspiritual, Interspecies Clergy | Award-winning Spirituality Author | Academic staff @ One Spirit Interfaith Seminary | Founding Member of the Compassion Consortium | Member of Spiritual Directors International | Member of the Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement | Co-host "Big Universe" podcast | Columnist, Spirituality & Health Magazine
I confess. I was not always this spiritually put together.
It's true, I was born the daughter of a mighty fine preacher man. And for much of my early childhood, Jesus "was just alright with me." And so was God for that matter. Then came puberty. And I became a religion-phobic Gen-Xer who felt a void because I had become detached from my faith. In fact, I wasn't sure what my faith was or if I actually had any faith at all. I soon had an astonishingly long list of why religion didn't work for me. And so I stuffed the hole with all sorts of unhealthy things—until five years after my father's death, I began reading his sermons.
Soon, I hunkered down to craft my first book, Void if Detached: Seeking Modern Spirituality through My Father's Old Sermons. Reading through the manuscripts of 1,500 sermons, I found myself on a fascinating spiritual recovery. Incredibly, I found myself curiously drawn to One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City, where I eventually enrolled to pursue the addition of Reverend to my name as well. Now came courses on two dozen of the world's religions, an overwhelming book addiction, and a shifting perspective, as I learned how to be of more service to this world. Further studies at Chicago Theological Seminary and Emerson Theological Institute fueled my passion for a worldview that encompasses all beings.
And so, I entered the (proverbial) family business my becoming a Reverend... a modern one, with an interfaith/interspiritual/interspecies view.
Which means I'm interested in how you connect spiritually, in which ever way is meaningful to you. rather than picking the road for you. I'm not here to put up road blocks, I'm here to fuel your creativity. (As is my book, Spiritual Rebel: A Positively Addictive Guide to Finding Deeper Perspective & Higher Purpose.)
Of special interest to me is the animal-human spiritual bond, and how to help expand many religions' view of the role of animals. I'm passionate about the new field of Animal Chaplaincy, especially in helping people recover from the grief of pet loss and reducing suffering for animals kept captive in human systems. Having myself lost 3 cats within 6 months, I personally understand the pain of this very special kind of loss, and am interested in helping others through it.
In my forthcoming book, Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Trying To Heal The Planet, I explore the relationship between spiritual values, animal welfare, and the fate of our planet. You can also read more about animals and spirituality in my weekly column for Spirituality & Health Magazine.
Part minister, part ecotheologian, part animal lover. Beyond our frontiers of sexism, classism, racism, genderisms … I address the injustice of speciesism to ensure we aren't marginalizing otherkind.
BOOKS
SACRED SENDOFFS:
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SPIRITUAL REBEL:
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VOID IF DETACHED:
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WHAT I'M UP TO
COMPASSION CONSORTIUMNon-sectarian monthly worship services with interfaith reflection, music, meditation, and guest speaker. Open to all faiths & species!
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WRITING FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALTHRead my writings on the intersection of animals, spirituality, and the Earth
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SPIRITUAL REBEL BOOK TOURAccess radio, podcasts, book reviews, and more for the Spiritual Rebel tour
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CO-HOSTING PODCASTGeeked to join Unity Online Radio's Jim Lefter to interview spiritual authors including Don Miguel Ruiz, Jr., Royce Christyn, James Redfield, & Victoria Price
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FINISHED THE AUDIO BOOK!Yoga teacher Nicole Losie joined me in narrating Spiritual Rebel for Audible.
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MEDITATE WITH ME Short guided meditations on the cosmos or connection with animals.
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...aspire to act with the eyes and heart of compassion, to bring joy to one person in the morning, and to ease the pain of one person in the afternoon.
