Blessing the Bridge: What Animals Teach Us About Death, Dying, and Beyond [Paperback]

Rita M. Reynolds (Author), Gary Kowalski (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 29, 2000

A pioneer in working with sick and dying animals, Rita Reynolds offers a spiritual perspective on the final stages that moves beyond fear and grief. She draws on 20 years of working with animals at her sanctuary, Howling Success, and includes inspirational stories and suggestions on how to be involved with an animal during the transition into death and beyond.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Like a hospice worker, author Rita M. Reynolds cares for sick and dying animals, helping them comfortably cross the threshold into death. At times, Blessing the Bridge reads like a kindly vet's instruction book, teaching basic skills in respectfully handling a dying animal, whether it's a newborn bird that's fallen from its nest or a beloved dog that's terminally ill. Readers learn ways to make an animal comfortable, such as laying wild animals to rest in beds of flowers or letting domestic animals die in a human's arms. What separates Reynolds from other authors that write about caring for sick and dying animals is her willingness to take the process into a more intuitive and spiritual realm. Reynolds offers suggestions for how to dialogue with dying animals to find out their preferences--whether they wish to die on their own or die through the mercy of euthanasia. She also believes in divine and angelic influences when it comes to helping animals cross over: "Much like the physician or midwife who helps the mother and infant through the birthing process, the angelic ones stand ready to assist those who are dying, but from the other side to speak, waiting on the spirit side of the bridge called death." There is no question in Reynolds's mind that animals possess unique souls or that they move onto an afterlife. She even tells of seeing the spirits of dead animals visiting her. Many of her lessons are conveyed through real-life stories, where we witness how she simultaneously releases and embraces dying animals. Like The Tibetan Book of the Dead, this book has functional appeal and spiritual longevity. Reynolds shows us how to ritualize and soothe animals' deaths, while also offering us abiding wisdom about life on earth. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

For the past 15 years, Rita M. Reynolds has provided a sanctuary to sick and dying animals. In her sentimental and sincere Blessing the Bridge: What Animals Teach Us About Death, Dying, and Beyond, featuring a foreword by Gary Kowalski (The Souls of Animals), she credits these creatures with enabling her to accept death more freely and to realize that everlasting love endures beyond this world. Agent, Barbara Bowen.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: NewSage Press; 1st edition (December 29, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939165384
• ISBN-13: 978-0939165384
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #993,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EVEN AFTER DEATH...THEIR LOYALTY CONTINUES, June 19, 2001

By 

Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blessing the Bridge: What Animals Teach Us About Death, Dying, and Beyond (Paperback)

When my review was posted on May 2, 2001, I did not know the reading of this book would provide comfort so soon. Today on June 19, just a little over a month after this review was written, the decision was made to allow my ten year old Shih-tzu to make her final journey, a journey that would ease her pain, give her the wings, and take her to a Heavenly world far beyond this one.

This morning, faithfully licking the tears from my eyes, as if in understanding - to say "it's okay, I know my time has come," it was evident the greatest gift I could give this loyal, loving companion was the right to die with dignity and peace. This wonderful, gentle dog, diagnosed with cancer over a year ago, has seen me through divorce, a career change, re-location, re-marriage, and the death of my father. She asked for nothing, but gave - oh, so much. The words of "Blessing the Bridge" resounded in my head as I held her one last time...now I lay you down to sleep.

There simply are not enough stars for this soul-searching book. For anyone who has been blessed with the endless love of a soulmate from the animal kingdom, the words of this book will give you peace of mind and strength when it is most needed.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Connecting with animals, connecting with ourselves..., October 3, 2002

By 

Writer in Alaska (MatSuValley, AK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blessing the Bridge: What Animals Teach Us About Death, Dying, and Beyond (Paperback)

Those who are dying are often the best equipped to teach us about the mysteries of death and the wonder of living. This is no exception with animals. Rita Reynolds has worked with sick and dying animals for over 20 years at her animal sanctuary in Virginia. Not only has she comforted a wide variety of animals in their final hours, helping them to die with peace, grace and dignity, but she has listened to them and learned.

The day before Rita's beloved dog Oliver died, he communicated to her the importance of sharing such moments rather than drowning in grief. "Everything is as it is meant to be," reassured Oliver. "And if you let me, I will guide you for all the moments to come." As Rita was to learn in all matters of life and death, there is only the moment - and, "love given and received, moment by moment, is all that really matters."

Reynolds' book is both a spiritual and practical guide. Including her personal story of creating a hospice as well as the stories of many animals who have shared their wisdom and insights, Rita also suggests a variety of tools for helping sick, old or dying animals - from prayers and flower essences to massage, chants and healing music. As we help our animals to be comfortable, to lose fear and transition effortlessly, gracefully (or, as each body needs to do - sometimes with noise and fanfare) across the bridge called death, we lessen the fear within ourselves.

Rita covers some difficult topics as well: how to know when euthanasia is appropriate; how to let go of a beloved animal companion; what to do once an animal has passed; and how to open to the larger understanding that death can be beautiful and that each being, human and animal alike, brings us a unique gift. In all cases, Rita offers many ways to deepen our connection, not only with the dying but with the living, and with the deeper aspects of ourselves.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blessing The Bridge, September 13, 2002

By 

J. Ellis (Reading, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blessing the Bridge: What Animals Teach Us About Death, Dying, and Beyond (Paperback)

This is an amazing book! I personally appreciated the author's reverence for all life forms. To be able to look deeply and appreciate the lives of everything from the largest life forms, those creatures that we all are used to having share our lives, to those less common ones or those we often ignore or distance ourselves from, is something I truly honor and respect. I could relate to the author's childhood experience of feeling that she was "different" because she felt so connected to nature and animals, even more so than to many humans sometimes. I, too, felt the same connection as a child - a feeling that continues still. Each individual story is touching in its own way. Each story brought tears to my eyes as I felt the depth of love flowing between the author and each life form as well as the love flowing from one animal to another. Death is difficult whether it is an animal or a human. However, to be able to be there and honor the soul as it makes its transition, is an experience I've had many times and one that I cherish as does Rita. Read the book and experience the love between two ducks, or the wonderful interactions between the author and a spider, or the story of a lady bug, or the strength of a little mouse! Stories that are real and touching and yet most people don't even let the experience happen. It is very sad that they therefore miss out on experiencing a special joy and connection. Rita is a gift to this world in her ability to share her feelings of compassion, to give love and comfort and to be able to love enough to release, to let go, and to set free when the time has come. This book isn't just for animal lovers, it's for anyone who honors life. The stories and lessons contained in the book apply to life in general. The book is a strong reminder to everyone that "kindness uplifts the world."