Sharon Gannon is a 21st century Renaissance
woman who excels in many artistic, spiritual and social mediums.
Sharon is best known for creating, along with David Life, the
Jivamukti Yoga Method—a path to enlightenment through compassion
for all beings. Blessed by her teachers Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati,
Shri Swami Nirmalananda, Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and Shyamdas, she is
a pioneer in teaching yoga as spiritual activism and is changing
the way that people view, spirituality, life, themselves, each
other, animals and the environment.
The Jivamukti Yoga method emphasizes asana, Sanskrit, scriptural
study, devotion, prayer, music, chanting and meditation as well as
animal rights, veganism, environmentalism and political activism.
Jivamukti’s passionate focus on the original meaning of the
Sanskrit word "asana" as seat, connection—relationship to the Earth
is as practical as it is radical at this time of global crisis and
consciousness shift.
The Jivamukti Yoga method is taught worldwide at Jivamukti Yoga
Schools, and affiliated centers, in Australia, Canada, China,
Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Russia,
Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, Turkey, Spain, the United
Kingdom and the United States. Sharon travels extensively teaching
and lecturing throughout the world.
YOGA JOURNAL Magazine has called her an innovator and VANITY
FAIR gives her credit for making yoga cool and hip. JANE Magazine
nominated her as Gutsiest Woman of the Year and THE FARM SANCTUARY
awarded her the compassionate living award. She is a long-time
vanguard member of PETA and has helped with many of their
campaigns.
She has produced numerous yoga-related DVDs and music CDs
including the 2010 release of Sharanam, her solo debut album, which
Sting describes as, "inspired, daring and essential." She is a
prolific writer and has authored several books: Jivamukti
Yoga, (also translated into German, Russian & Italian) The
Art of Yoga, The Jivamukti Chant Book, Yoga Assists, Simple Recipes
for Joy (also translated in Italian) and Cats and Dogs are
People too! (also translated into Italian) and Yoga and
Vegetarianism (also translated into Chinese, German, Italian,
Japanese, Russian and Turkish), which has been acclaimed as the
seminal work on the subject of how a vegan diet relates to
yoga.
Along with David Life she is the founder of the Jivamukti Yoga
School, New York City and the Wild Woodstock Forest Sanctuary, a
125-acre wild forest sanctuary in upstate NY, USA.