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I hope whomever reads through these posts are moved to walk through the world with a wider sense of being, a more compassionate heart, and with a greater intention to recognize and work towards fostering interconnectedness with all beings. One of my favorite Buddhist texts, the Bodhicaryavatara by Shantideva has these beautiful lines that for me, sum up my intention as a human and as a chaplain:

May I be a guard for those that are protectorless, 
A guide for those who journey on the road.
For those who wish to cross the water.
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

- Bodhicaryavatara by Shantideva (chap. 3, vs 18 Padmakara Translation)

Animal Chaplaincy Susan Shannon Animal Chaplaincy Susan Shannon

What is Animal Chaplaincy?

When I first heard the term “Animal Chaplaincy” my heart jumped. Though the term felt so familiar to me, a life-long animal lover and steward of the earth, I needed to know more about what Animal Chaplaincy actually embraced. I started off on a journey to find out. Luck was with me, as my advisor in my Masters of Divinity program agreed to let me formally study Animal Chaplaincy as an Independent Study project. Below is an excerpt  from my report, along with some stories sharing some of my Animal Chaplaincy experiences. 

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