Books

Kindred Spirits
How the Remarkable Bond Between
Humans and Animals Can Change the Way We Live

by Allen M. Schoen, D.V.M., M.S.

When Allen Schoen began practicing veterinary medicine twenty-three years ago, his peers scoffed at his assertion that animals have feelings and emotions. Today he is one of America's most celebrated veterinarians, traveling worldwide to treat the domestic animals of scores of clients and working daily to improve the ways we understand and interact with our animal friends. Kindred Spirits shares the transformative power of Schoen's remarkable methods and his vision for a society in which we cease to be owner and pet, human and animal, but are simply respected companions connected by an inimitable bond--Kindred Spirits.

Treating animals just as any healer would treat human beings, Schoen draws on his extensive experience in veterinary practice and the latest research in animal neurophysiology to show how humans and animals can mutually benefit from heightened awareness and respect. Along the way, he explores how natural healing methods are revolutionizing his profession, and, in the tradition of James Herriot, shares heartwarming, fascinating stories of animals and their caretakers who have deeply enriched each other's lives.

"Animals are a gift to the human race–a gift that humans seldom fully appreciate. Only now are we even beginning to understand what a marvelous blessing animals truly are."

Through moving scenes--such as the cancer-stricken dog that helped its guardian cope with diabetes, or the ailing German shepherd, King, who fights to stay alive so he can assist and comfort his ailing human companion--Kindred Spirits details the many ways in which the human-animal bond can provide a wellspring of love and support, and help us all lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

Kindred Spirits also outlines Schoen's special prescription for improving the care we give our animals and deepening the kindred connection between us. He shows us how to ensure the well-being of our animal companions through adopting simple healing practices at home, such as providing them with the most nutritious foods and performing a "natural pet scan" weekly to identify any major health concerns.

Through simple techniques such as co-species meditation, kindred relaxation, and sharing mindful moments, Schoen shows us how we can enhance our relationship with our animals and our connection with the world around us. Creating a new synthesis of conventional veterinary and natural medicine, and offering a timely vision for all creatures great and small, Kindred Spirits will touch and enlighten anyone seeking deeper levels of awareness and uplifting stories of true love.

Praise for Kindred Spirits

"I cannot imagine life without my dogs, and I've long known that patients with pets do better than those without. The bond between animals and humans can improve both physical and mental health. In Kindred Spirits Allen Schoen explores the nature of that bond and shows how the techniques of natural medicine can help both pets and their owners. I learned a lot from reading it."
–Andrew Weil author of Eating Well for Optimum Health

"Kindred Spirits is an eloquent, moving exploration of a belief I have long held--that animals and humans are intimately connected, and that we do ourselves and our animal friends a disservice when we underestimate the special bond that exists between us. Allen's call for us to embrace and respect our fellow creatures who share this planet is a powerful prescription for life in the twenty-first century."
–Dr. Jane Goodall, author of In the Shadow of Man and Through a Window: My Life with Chimpanzees

"As an animal lover and a firm believer in nonviolence and animal rights, I know that we are all endowed with the divine light of Buddha nature. We are all Kindred Spirits. This is the profoundly meaningful message of Allen Schoen's wonderful new book, chock full of heartwarming stories of how our spiritual and emotional connection with our pets and animals can bring us closer to the love, connectedness, spiritual wellness and deep sense of oneness and belonging that we all seek."
–Lama Surya Das author of Awakening the Buddha Within

"Kindred Spirits will touch the depths of your emotions and beliefs, and in
doing so, will change the way you live. Read, learn, and open your heart to
the animals with whom we share a kinship, and whose stories are shared so beautifully here."
–Bernie Siegel, M.D. author of Love, Medicine & Miracles
and Prescriptions for Living

"Kindred Spirits is a blessing of a book, honoring the powerful spiritual and intuitive connection between humans, animals, and all of life."
–Judith Orloff, M.D., author of Dr. Judith Orloff's Guide to Intuitive Healing
and Second Sight

"Like a modern day James Herriot, Allen Schoen evokes the wonder of the human-animal bond and illustrates how animals anoint our humanity by providing companionship, unconditional love, protection, and nurturance. Animals touch our souls, share our lives, and are our link to becoming better children of God."
–Gregory K. Ogilvie, DVM,diplomate ACVIM and Professor of Veterinary Oncology, Colorado State University

Allen M. Schoen, D.V.M., M.S., is one of the most sought-after doctors of veterinary medicine in the nation. He frequently lectures at conferences and schools across the United States and is the author of three other books, including Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing. An affiliate faculty member at Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, he lives in Sherman, Connecticut

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