As human beings, what is our true relationship to the animals on earth? What is our responsibility to our fellow creatures? Douglas Sloan explores these and other questions in this important book on the human-animal connection. His explorations are based on personal experience and wide-ranging research into the work of Rudolf Steiner and others, including scientist students of the inner life of animals and committed defenders of animal wellbeing.
Rudolf Steiner describes how, from the beginning of creation, humans and animals have been united in deep kinship. A loss of the sense of this human-animal connection has resulted in an immense animal suffering the world over. Especially now, in their suffering, animals pose many pressing and perplexing questions for the modern humankind, which constitute the primary focus of this book, as well as how Rudolf Steiner presents a vision of the ultimate redemption of the animals from their suffering. What is the nature of this redemption? What is our responsibility in making it happen?
Exploring these and related questions with the help of Rudolf Steiner's work and that of others on the issue, we begin to see the importance today of relating to animals in a completely new way--a relationship that can understand and respect the animals' inner spiritual being, and one that requires a deep grasp of our own spiritual being in relation to theirs. Douglas Sloan helps us toward this new relationship with animals, both conceptually and through our everyday actions.