Stay in the know with our newslettersSarah Bowen
Sarah Bowen is an animal chaplain, multifaith educator, and award-winning author of Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice for Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Trying to Heal the Planet and other books. She teaches interspecies mindfulness practices, helps humans survive the pain of animal loss, and advocates for exploited and endangered species. You can often find her huddled over wildlife struck by cars, giving them a sacred sendoff.
Bowen is co-founder of Compassion Consortium, the first interfaith, interspiritual, and interspecies spiritual community, where she directs the Animal Chaplaincy Training Program. Also a member of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary’s faculty, the International Society for Anthrozoology, and the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, she strives to support all beings regardless of their species or belief system. Follow her on Instagram @modernreverend.
Coping with Grief from Pet Loss
Animal chaplain Rev. Sarah Bowen explores different “flavors” of grief associate…
Flower Essences for Animal Healing
Flower essences operate on a subtle, energetic level as “vibrational medicine.” …
Cats and the Enneagram
Our animal chaplain explores feline personalities and how to support cat well-be…
Is Your Dental Floss Animal-Safe?
Animal chaplain Sarah Bowen shares how your dental care routine might not be ani…
Making Animal Prayer Beads
Two animal chaplains explore interfaith and interspecies beading. Learn how to c…
Are Dog Parks Nature’s Newest Spiritual Space?
Science and mindfulness meet in canine-filled green public locales.
3 Animal Holidays Your Dog Wishes You Knew About
Looking for creative ways to promote animal well-being year-round? Here are thre…
Pets and Incense: What You Need to Know
Enjoy using incense in your spiritual routine? Consider the effects it might hav…
The Spirituality of Gardening
By changing how we garden to encompass spiritual principles, we can drastically …
The Future of Wildlife Encounters
Our animal chaplain explores the latest in technological help for lions, tigers,…
4 Lessons from a Massage
When we allow ourselves to rest, we can better understand the workings of the wo…
5 Spiritual Books About Animals
If you consider yourself a spiritual animal lover, dive into these five book tit…
A Guide to Overcoming Guilt About Animal Loss
Feeling the loss of a beloved animal companion and conflicted about their passin…
Dragon-Inspired Practices for Embracing Power and Generosity
Animal chaplain Sarah Bowen offers practices inspired by the Year of the Dragon …
Spiritual Wisdom from Cats
Our animal chaplain shares some potent spiritual lessons from a little black cat…
Helping Street Dogs
Our animal chaplain shares inspiration for sustaining canine advocacy from a mot…
Oh, Rats: An Animal Chaplain's Suggestions for Unwanted Houseguests
What is one to do with rats in the house? Explore our animal chaplain’s ideas on…
An Animal Blessing for All Creatures
In honor of the Feast of St. Francis, our animal chaplain offers an alternative …
What Is Speciesism (and Why Does It Matter)?
Speciesism is a complex issue. Explore why understanding this paradigm matters, …
How to Mindfully Photograph Animal Roommates
Our animal chaplain gives the scoop on the most ethical, mindful ways to snap pi…
An Animal-Friendly Summer Reading List for Kids
Our Animal Chaplain’s Favorite Books for Humane Education
Visionary Virgins & Miraculous Mothers
It's time to look to the natural world for guidance on the conversation around m…
A Pre-Spring Sun Meditation
Combat winter malaise with celestial contemplation—practice this meditation to h…
Ode to a Hollywood Mountain Lion
Our animal chaplain mourns the death of a famous mountain lion, and shares lesso…
Helping At-Risk Cats—and Incarcerated People
Time with our feline friends can be deeply nourishing. Explore how one program i…
Aging With Cats and Dogs
Our resident animal chaplain explores the complexities of mortality as it regard…
Funeral for a Mouse
Our animal chaplain shares what it's like to choose compassion for the smallest …
Ultra Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Practice for Animal Lovers
Explore more compassionate ways to eat and be this Thanksgiving—starting with wh…
About That Walrus in My Creche Set …
Our resident animal chaplain offers her musings on an eclectic nativity scene. …
An Easy Meditation Practice for You and Your Dog
Practicing interspecies mindfulness can help us increase the ability to live in …
A Day in the Life of an Animal Chaplain
A glimpse at what it's like spiritually supporting animals (and the humans who l…
Bee-ing Here Now: Lessons From Honey Bees
What spiritual lessons can we glean from pollinators? Our resident animal chapla…
Holy Habitats
Instead of traveling to distant spiritual sites, what we if we found such sanctu…
An Ethical Obligation to Ticks?
Ticks are animals, just like us. Is it possible to stay safe while keeping ticks…
The Future of Dogs
Dig deep into “dogness” by asking what would happen to dogs if humans were no lo…
Missing Fido or Fluffy? Tips for Helping Kids Survive Pet Loss
Kids can experience psychological distress for up to three years after losing a …
Self-Care Tips from Slow Animals and Helpful Droids
While animals are good inspiration for self-care ideas, droids are excellent for…
Book Review: Judaism Without Tribalism
With precision derived from decades of immersive experience and devoted thought,…
Animal Movement Practices
Movement practices like animal flow, primal play, and yoga asanas teach us to be…
Book Review: Sacred Sendoffs
SARAH BOWEN CREDITS her first pet, a cat named Him, with putting her on the path…
Lessons From an Underwater Monastery
“Each morning I threw on a wetsuit and plunged into a life-filled, underwater mo…
Can Watching Bear Cams Improve Wellbeing?
People expressed improved relaxation & stress reduction after watching bears…
Spiritual Fire: A Candle-Burning Ritual for Happiness
Ignite spiritual fire and attract joy with this revamped spin on an age-old prac…
I Ching Divination for Tackling Overwhelm
Focus on a dilemma or stressor, then use the ancient text to interpret coin toss…
Enlightened Dog Training Tips
Enlightened dog training offers a peaceful approach to communicating with canine…
It’s Time for Shedding
Sarah Bowen provides some creaturely resolutions and insights for the New Year. …
Last-Minute Gifts for Animal Lovers
Avoid holiday faux paws with earth- and animal-friendly presents.
How Macaques, Birds, and Cats Can Improve Your Meditation
Acknowledging other animals’ capacity for still minds might be a helpful tool fo…
A Spiritual Approach to Pest Management
Practice interspecies ethics with humane bug catchers and mousetraps, underhood …
Mindful Lessons From Hummingbirds
For one, it’s possible to be slow and fast at the same time.…
Mindful Decisions for Critically Ill Pets
How do we choose on behalf of another being and make sound decisions when we’re …
How Do You Mother Your Mother?
How the divine feminine, car washes, snarky t-shirts, and senior care advisers c…
Sustainable Activism for Animal Lovers
Self-care tools for people who advocate for the more-than-human world.
Becoming Moon-imals
What might we gain from considering ourselves in the same way, affected by both …
Benefits of Catnip … For Humans Too!
Repel mosquitos, chill out, and get a good night’s sleep with catnip.
Noah Time Like Today
Sometimes you just need an Egyptian vulture named Bob to lead you in the right d…
Iwígara: Embracing the Spirituality of Plants
Thinking of botanical entities as relatives, what might we learn from connecting…
Superpowering Mental Wellness
Wisdom from Sharon Blady, a Proud Geek Grrrl and the Former Health Minister of Manitoba
What the Cicadas Can Teach Us About Sex & Sacredness
We experience the cicadas’ life cycle as sound, sex, then silence. The coming br…
Delightful and Bear-able Sabbath Practices
Tap into the Sabbath practices of a hibernating bear. Unplug, rest ... and just …
3 Compelling Reasons to Rethink How You Use Eggs
Springtime practices for decreasing health risks and increasing spiritual connec…
Be Squirrely
Giant squirrels, giant lessons? Animal chaplain Sarah Bowen explores what squirr…
4 Practices to Embrace Blue Spirituality
Water is more than a resource. Water is a life-bringing entity, via aqua. Embrac…
Visioning a Re-NEW-able Year
This year, turn to the first known resolution makers—the ancient Babylonians—for…
Embracing Enchantment
Look beyond Santa and enjoy inspiration from elves, the fae, and other not-so-hi…
Planning a Heart-Centered Thanksgiving
Three Ideas for Heart-Centered Gatherings and a Compassionate Thanksgiving
Winter Is Coming: Prepare Your Pandemic Pup
A puppyhood coach and pack therapist explains how to ease the transition from fa…
Praying the Animal Rosary
Find solace in an animal rosary practice that invokes blessings on our furry, fi…
Black Cats: Reclaiming the Sacred Feline
Halloween and the season of black cats is a good time to examine our misplaced b…
Cultivate Your Spiritual Sweet Tooth
Munching through the Halloween and Christmas holidays alone, Americans consume o…
A Halloween-Time Practice for Finding Balance
Feeling off-kilter? This simple and powerful practice can bring you out of your …
Dos and Don'ts of Holistic Digestion for Your Animal Companion
Keep your four-legged family members from developing digestive issues by followi…
12 Reasons to Yawn Every Day
Is a yawn simply a silent scream for coffee or is it something more? Understand …
Roosters Rule: Finding Purpose Through Animal Rescue
Read how a rescued rooster is tackling climate change and spreading kindness, pl…
4 Lessons on Forgiveness From a Rescue Dog
Maggie the Wunderdog was shot, attacked, and left for dead, but, thanks to a res…
Faux Paws: Common Sayings Animal Lovers Should Avoid
Thingifying animals is a thing (Sure! I'll be your guinea pig!)—and words matter…
4 Animal-Inspired Tips for Better Sleep
If you're looking for ways to naturally sleep better at night, where better to l…
3 Nature-Based Practices for Battling Zoom Fatigue
How greening your space, petting your animal bestie, and taking a break to walk …
Reiki for Stressed-Out Cats
Got a stressed-out cat? Here is everything you need to know about reiki for cats…
LGBTQ+ Animal Pride
"Let’s bring to light the stunning diversity of life on Earth. Welcome to Animal…
Wizard of Paws’ Derrick Campana on Saving Our Pets
Wizard of Paws' Derrick Campana “is proving a healthy and happy life is possible…
Is Your Feline Sending Divine Signs?
“Are cats on their own spiritual paths to enlightenment?” Here are four divine s…
Wild Lovingkindness: Creating Mettā Connections
“That's so meta.” ... From self-reflective to the Buddhist mettā (cultivating be…
The Power of Fierce Singing
“Whether we are singing alone as an outlet for our personal anger or raising our…
5 Spiritual Lessons We Learn From Cats
Cats are spiritual—or at least they can help us be spiritual. Here are five less…
Pets and Coronavirus: What We Need to Know
The news that a tiger in the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19 is raising q…
6 Sustainable Gardening Tips for Animal Lovers
In creating cultivated backyards, we are removing habitats for wild animals. Her…
#MooToo: Why We Should Rethink Drinking Cow’s Milk
Joaquin Phoenix very publicly pointed the spotlight on inter-species entitlement…
Roadside Blessings: Conscious Driving Practices for Animal Lovers
When it comes to roadkill it can be easy to act as if you have no responsibility…
May the Fork Be With You
My four-legged roommates Buba-ji and Deacon are not happy with me today. They we…
Book Review: Spiritual Rebel
"Bowen is adept at taking complex ideas from a variety of ancient and modern sou…
