Ana Funes

Although Irigaray’s approach to Eastern traditions has been strongly criticized, some scholars argue that her engagement with yoga philosophy should be read as a “narrative of transformation” rather than as a theoretical analysis of India or Hindu philosophy. This essay situates that narrative in relation to the yogic sources that inspired it, directly or indirectly, and argues that, despite some inaccuracies, Irigaray’s reflections on yoga philosophy constitute a valuable attempt at a cross-cultural philosophical encounter. I show that her critique of Patañjali’s samādhi, which she understood as implying non-dualism, echoes concerns found in Rāmānuja’s qualified non-dualist Vedānta, an important influence on Krishnamacharya’s yoga, whom Irigaray met in India. This paper suggests that engaging Irigaray’s dialogue with Eastern philosophies with the same rigor scholars apply to her Western influences offers a meaningful response to her call for a new culture of energy that goes beyond the categories of “East” and “West.”