Jivamukti is a Hatha Vinyasa based yoga practice that was founded in 1986 by David Life and Sharon Gannon in New York City. It holds Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as one of its foundational elements. Three renowned yogis served as the physical, philosophical and spiritual inspiration and foundation for the method. These three include Pattabhi Jois (founder of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Research Institute), Sri Brahmananda Sarasvati (founder of the Ananda Ashram and innovator of Nada Yoga – deep listening), and Swami Nirmalananda (often known as the “Anarchist Swami” and a strong advocate for animal rights and environmental conservation).

Jivamukti Yoga is grounded in five tenets:

1. shastra (scripture) - such as Patanjali’s Yogasutras and the Bhagavad Gita

2. bhakti (devotion)

3. ahimsa (kindness)

4. nada (music)

5. dhyana (meditation).

An Open class presents classical yoga teachings as relevant to one’s life on and off the mat, drawn from the Focus of the Month essay, supported by chanting, breath awareness, flowing vinyasa sequences, alignment exploration, hands-on assistance, relaxation and meditation. All Open classes include 14 points—asanas, meditation and spiritual teachings—in a sequence creatively designed by the teacher. Exuberant, eclectic music plays an integral role: you might practice to a shifting soundtrack of kirtan, global trance, hip-hop, spoken word, Moby, Coldplay, Mose, Krishna Das, Nina Simone, and Mozart.

The class is called “Open” because it is open and suitable to all levels of practitioner. Even so, beginning level students should know that there will not be much detailed “how to do” descriptions.