Sharon GannonArtist Bio:| |  Yogini Sharon Gannon'squest for independence began with her birth on July 4th in Washington,DC. Her interest in mysticism was nourished by her Catholic upbringing.
Jivamukti Yoga-
In 1984 Sharon Gannon and David Life created the Jivamukti YogaMethod, which is a path to enlightenment through compassion for allbeings. They are pioneers in teaching yoga as spiritualactivism/activation. The JY Method emphasizes vinyasa, scripturalstudy, devotion, prayer, music, chanting and meditation as well asanimal rights, veganism, environmentalism and political activism.Jivamukti?s passionate focus on the original meaning of the Sanskritword "asana" as seat, connection, relationship to the earth is aspractical as it is radical at this time of global and consciousnessshift.
The Jivamukti Yoga Method is taught worldwide at Jivamukti YogaSchools in NYC, Detroit, Toronto, London, Berlin and Munich. TheJivamukti practice is also available on DVDs
Media Support-
Yoga Journal has recognized Gannon and Life as innovators in Yogaand the NY Times says, "Without Jivamukti, yoga in the US would stillbe the obscure practice of a few." TIME magazine recognized JY as oneof the nine methods of Hatha Yoga taught in the world today. JY isfeatured in the acclaimed documentary film: What is Yoga? Sharon is a featured yogini in various books: Yoga by Linda Sparrowe, American Yoga by Carrie Schneider, Yogini by Janice Gates and Women to Women by Christina Lessa.
Yoga Master- Sharon has studied yoga since 1976. Her guru's are Shri Brahmananda Saraswati, Swami Nirmalananda, and Shri K. Pattabhi Jois.
Sharon brings a rare blend of scholarly study, artistic pursuitsand a highly disciplined asana and meditation practice to her offeringsas a teacher. Sharon is a renowned teacher around the globe. She hastaught yoga and meditation throughout the United States as well asMexico, the Caribbean, Canada, England, Germany, Switzerland, France,Italy, Turkey, Israel, India, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Bali,China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. Her high profile students includeSting, Trudie Styler, Russell Simmons, Gabriela Bozic, Mike D. DonnaKaran, Michael Franti, Geshe Michael Roach and Christy McNally
Since 1993 she has presented annually at various national andinternational conferences hosted by The Omega Institute, Yoga Journal,Asian Conferences and others. Each year, along with David Life sheteaches a one-month intensive Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training coursewhich is offered in the US at the Omega Institute, Rhinebeck NY www.eomega.org and in Germany, 100 km from Berlin in Lychen, www.schluesshof.ee
Artist- As a poet, musician, dancer and producer, Sharonviews art as a means for uplifting the soul and her artistic pursuitsseek to enrich the community by being both inspirational andeducational. She holds a BA in Dance and has studied ballet, modern,classical and various forms of Indian Dance; as well as music, poetry,painting and alchemy.
During the 1970's & 80's first in Seattle and then in NYCshe was the vocalist and violinist for the jazz/rock band Audio Letteras well as directing and choreographing for the dance company'Moon-Food'. Her choreography is featured in the Video: Asana: sacred dance of the Yogi. In 2003 she produced the CD Neti-Neti,a remix of the 1987 Audio Letter album of the same name, receiving ravereviews and critical acclaim from Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone,Yoga Journal and others. She collaborated with Janet Rienstra of MetaRecords to create the cd: Chakra, seven centers. She collaborated with Raven Recording to produce Sundari,music for a Jivamukti Yoga Class. In 2004 she co-produced with WhiteSwan Music Records, the CD, Jai MA, a collection of divine womensingers. Sharon is a guest vocalist, appearing on CDs with innovativeworld-beat musicians including Bill Laswell, Mike D., Sean Dinsmore,David Newman, Shyam Das and DJ Cheb I Sabbah.
Animal Advocate- Sharon is an animal-rights activist andoutspoken advocate of ethical veganism. She was nominated for the"Gutsiest Woman of the Year 1999" by Jane Magazine. She is the author of Cats and Dogs are People Too,an investigation of the corporate profit-driven insensitive attitudesthat result in commercial "pet food" and the health risks to companionanimals who eat it. Together with David Life and Janet Rienstra, sheestablished the Animal Mukti Free Spay & Neuter Clinic, which wasthe first free spay and neuter clinic in New York City, at the HumaneSociety of NY in 1999. In 2004 she was recognized as "Friend of Ferals"by the Humane Society of New York and Neighborhood Cats. She is a longtime vanguard member of PETA, working with them on various projects andcampaigns to help make this world a kinder place. In 2003 she appearedon a video screen in Times Square behind the New Years Ball advocatingYoga and Vegetarianism as a step toward world Peace. Along with Lifeshe has established a 76-acre Wildlife Forest Sanctuary in upstate NewYork.
Author- Sharon has co-authored two books on Yoga with David Life, Jivamukti Yoga, Practices for Liberating Body & Soul and The Art of Yoga. She is the author of Cats and Dogs are People Too and the newly release Yoga and Vegetarianism . She contributes the Focus of the Month, a monthly essay, focusing on yogic topics, which can be read on www.jivamuktiyoga.com. She is the compiler and translator of the Jivamukti Chant Book. She has contributed essays and short stories to Semiotext(e). She was a past editor of Patio Table Magazine. She is a member of the Woodstock Poetry Society. A collection of her poems and essays are complied in the book Freedom is a Psycho-Kinetic Skill.She is currently working on three soon to be published books, The YogicArt of Assists, a book of Poetry as well as a Vegan Cookbook. | | |
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