How Animals Heal Us with Jay Griffiths

Thursday June 19th
Doors & drinks 6.30pm; Talk starts 7pm

In this talk, writer Jay Griffiths will explore how animals are healing, not only for the individual but for society.

Healthy societies need a sense of ethics, justice and wise politics. We'll hear how humans learned ethics from wolves, how some police dogs have acted more ethically than their handlers, and how many primates and dogs detest unfairness and have a sense of justice. We'll learn about the democracy of honeybees and the political alliances created by fieldfares, among many other examples.

We'll also discuss how animals are the wellspring of human art, how they are the remedies at the heart of myth and folk tales (medicine stories) and how the spiritual invigoration that animals provide is at the heart of the wellness of the collective psyche. In the longest sweep of history, shamans, who are the first healers, have always said it is the animals who heal.

Jay is a writer and author of "Why Rebel" (2021), "Wild" (2006) and "Kith: The Riddle of Childscape" (2013). Her most recent book is "How Animals Heal Us" (2025).

The evening will include a break for supper and plenty of time for discussion.

Kairos, 84 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TG

Doors open at 6.30pm for drinks. Talk and discussion starts at 7pm.

£8 Kairos Club Member, £15 Non-member, £10 Struggling financially, £20 Supporter, £8 Under 30. Food complimentary.

Before requesting a discounted ticket, please consider sincerely: Are you struggling to meet your basic needs? Would you have to make a genuine sacrifice to buy a full priced ticket? Do you have reduced earnings through a lifestyle choice or rather because you're dedicating your time to unpaid work relating to the climate and nature crises or as a result of structural inequality?

Please note that most of our events take place in our basement space and we do not have a lift so our venue is not fully accessible. Please get in touch if you have accessibility issues via events@kairos.london.

You can find our returns policy here.

Please note that most of our events take place in our basement space and we do not have a lift so our venue is not fully accessible. Please get in touch if you have accessibility issues via events@kairos.london.