About this episode
As a child, Karlene Stange, DVM wanted to be an "animal doctor" before she knew the word "veterinarian". Her spiritual journey began as she drove her pickup loaded with medical supplies to attend to animals throughout southwestern Colorado. As an ambulatory veterinarian, she experienced the sorrows and joys of working with creatures great and small. Her quest to understand the spiritual nature of animals inspired a deep exploration into the world's religious, scientific and spiritual teachings about the nonphysical aspect of animals. Today she incorporates acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and nutritional therapy into her Rocky Mountain practice. She often speaks at conferences and lives in Durango, Colorado. Book: The Spiritual Nature of Animals: A Country Vet Explores the Wisdom, Compassion, and Souls of Animals Website: animasanimals.com Websites mentioned in the interview: Chi University International Veterinary Acupuncture Society Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to "The Spiritual Nature of Animals" 00:04:17 - Defining the Spiritual Nature 00:08:41 - The Separation of Spirit and Body 00:12:51 - The Nature of Reality and the Quest for Truth 00:16:31 - The Consciousness of Animals 00:20:56 - The Purpose of Life and the Transformation of Suffering 00:25:01 - Duality on Different Planets 00:29:10 - Animal Consciousness and Instincts 00:32:54 - Animals and Reincarnation 00:37:03 - Exploring Animal Consciousness 00:41:27 - The Emotional Impact of Divorce on Pets 00:45:27 - Spirits and the White Owl 00:49:59 - The Reflection of Animals 00:54:18 - The Ethics of Killing and Consciousness 00:58:52 - The Karma of Euthanasia 01:03:08 - Conflicting Views on Animal Death 01:06:48 - The Spiritual Nature of Animals 01:10:57 - The Power of Spiritual Guidance 01:14:55 - Animal Emotions and the Effects of Hormones 01:18:31 - Challenges in Meat Production and Disease Prevention 01:22:25 - The Joy of Connecting with Animals 01:26:01 - The Cruelty of Factory Farming and the Challenges of Humane Slaughter 01:30:23 - The Ethics of Lab-Grown Meat and Animal Sacrifice 01:34:12 - The Importance of Kindness and Praying for Animals 01:38:29 - Finding comfort in animal communication 01:42:33 - Animal Communication through Pulse Diagnosis 01:46:50 - Understanding Separation Anxiety in Animals 01:50:49 - Treating Animals with Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine 01:54:49 - Treating Challenging Cases with Chinese Medicine 01:58:28 - Cats and Birds: Nature and Karma 02:02:24 - Supporting Local Producers in Stopping Factory Farms