New Books Network Kenneth R. Valpey, "Yoga and Animal Ethics" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025)
Sep 25, 2025
Kenneth R. Valpey, a scholar of Hinduism and bhakti yoga, discusses his book, Yoga and Animal Ethics. He explores how yoga's principles can transform ethical views on animals. Valpey highlights yoga's contributions like attention, discipline, and self-transformation in the context of animal ethics. He traces the historical discourse on animal sacrifice and emphasizes the relevance of Indic thought in ethical discussions today. Additionally, he shares insights from the Mahabharata, illustrating valuable lessons we can learn from our relationships with animals.
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From Text To Ethnography
- Use this book as a springboard for empirical work and lived-religion studies on yoga practitioners' relations to animals.
- Move beyond textual analysis by conducting ethnography to see how yogic ideals translate to action.
Use Practice To Shift Toward Recognition
- Bring yoga practice into daily life to increase attention and care toward nonhuman animals.
- Use experiential practices, not just argument, to move from disregard to recognition of animals.
Four Yoga Contributions To Animal Ethics
- Valpey identifies four yoga contributions to animal ethics: attention, discipline, ontology, and self-transformation.
- These elements shift ethical change from abstract reasoning to embodied practice and identity change.
