Be the light in November! The founders of Jivamukti Yoga, Sharon Gannon and David Life, are coming to Stockholm to spread some yoga love at Wild Wood Stockholm. Experience yoga with Sharon, David and Team Yogobe's guest teacher Camilla Veen from Norway, and meditate with the swedish artist Thomas Di Leva. Here are Sharons words about Jivamukti Yoga and Wild Wood Stockholm.
Soul liberation and enlightenment
The word Jivamukti is composed of two words: jiva = individual soul + mukti = liberation. Jivamukti means soul liberation. The Jivamukti Yoga method is a path to enlightenment through compassion for all beings, grounded in the original meaning of the Sanskrit word asana as 'seat, connection' – relationship to the Earth, this implying all of life. The classes are usually quite vigorously and presented in a flowing form, combined with hands-on adjustments, breathing exercises, meditation, Sanskrit chanting, yogic philosophical teachings and deep relaxation.
Compared to a lot of other types of modern yoga, it perceives yoga not as just a way to improve ones physical health but in a more holistic way, equating yoga with spiritual enlightenment. One of the main things that strike most people about Jivamukti Yoga is the emphasis on ahimsa (non-harming) – especially expressed in veganism and animal rights activism.
Chanting and music in a Jivamukti class
During a class we experience chanting and music through Nada and Shastra. Nada yoga – the yoga of deep listening – is one of the five tenets of Jivamukti Yoga: The development of a sound body and mind through deep listening. The teacher will incorporate this in class using recorded music, spoken word or silence. Exuberant, eclectic music plays an integral role in a Jivamukti yoga class.
Shastra – the study of yogic teachings as found in the ancient Sanskrit texts – is another one of the five tenets. This is usually incorporated in class by the teacher leading the class in chanting a Sanskrit mantra and/or a verse from a classical Yogic text, for example: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra or the Bhagavad Gita, then explaining the practical application of that classical teaching in one’s modern life. Each month there is an essay written by either Sharon Gannon, David Life or one of the senior Jivamukti teachers in the lineage. The teachings in this essay focus on one or more philosophical ideas/concepts found in the shastras (classical Yogic scriptures). Another way that Shastra is incorporated into the Jivamukti Yoga system is through the study of Sanskrit. All teachers are given a basic understanding of the alphabet and some rudimentary grammar, when they are certified as a Jivamukti Yoga teacher and because most of the relevant ancient Yogic texts are written in the Sanskrit language, Jivamukti teachers are encouraged after graduation to continue to study.
Experince this at Wild Wood Stockholm
Vigorously physical and intellectually stimulating yoga classes, including flowing asana sequences, hands-on adjustments/ alignments, breathing exercises, chanting, yogic philosophical teachings, meditation and deep relaxation.
- Three special three hours master classes where you get the opportunity to go deeper than what we can typically accomplish in a standard practice.
- Two Asana labs: An interactive asana creative problem-solving laboratory workshop.
- Open class: One of the six standard Jivamukti types of classes. All Open classes include asana, meditation and spiritual teachings – in a sequence creatively designed by the teacher. Music plays an integral role.
Thrilled to teach Jivamukti in Stockholm
Jivamukti Yoga is spreading all over the world and we are especially happy and honored to be apart of its blossoming in the beautiful city of Stockholm. Yoga is synonymous with peace and Stockholm is the noble city of peace. This is the first time in many years that David and I will both be traveling together to Europe to teach at such an event. We are especially thrilled to be teaching along with senior teacher, Camilla Veen, director of Atha Yoga, the Jivamukti Affiliate Center in Norway. We hope that this gathering of the tribe will draw many old and new Jivamukti students together to celebrate the opening of the first Jivamukti Yoga center in Sweden.
Read more about Wild Wood Stockholm here!
Jivamukti Yoga Videos
Jivamukti Yoga online with Camilla Veen.
