Sharon Gannon

Vocation

American yoga teacher, animal rights advocate, musician, author, dancer/choreographer and painter. Along with David Life, she is the co-founder of the Jivamukti Yoga Method which contributed to the exponential rise in popularity of yoga in the west during the late 20th century. The Jivamukti Yoga Method distinguishes itself as a path to enlightenment by promoting compassion for all beings, challenging the modern belief that enslaving and exploiting animals and the natural world is our right as the dominant species. Considered radical even within the modern yoga community, the Jivamukti Yoga Method teaches its students that they must be willing to promote the happiness of all beings without exception if they wish to realize their fullest capacity for joy. Jivamukti students are encouraged to adopt a diet that eliminates all animal products (vegan) as this is the diet that causes the least amount of harm to the earth and other beings, humans included. According to Gannon: "How you treat others will determine how others treat you. How others treat you will determine how you see yourself. How you see yourself will determine who you are." Jivamukti Yoga is taught worldwide at Jivamukti Yoga Schools, and affiliated centers. She has taught many high profile yogis and yoginis, notably Sting, Russell Simmons, Donna Karan, Madonna and Christy Turlington. As a musician she has collaborated with such luminaries as Run DMC's Reverend Run, the Beastie Boys' Mike D, Bill Laswell and Don Cherry. She has written and appeared in many books, most notably the international bestseller Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul which she co-authored with David Life, and the ground-breaking Yoga and Vegetarianism, the seminal work which investigates the link between extending kindness to animals and our own material happiness and spiritual liberation. Link to Wikipedia biography