Jivamukti classes in Koh Samui
Flow, chanting, music and philosophy.
Jivamukti is a flowing, physically strong style of yoga that weaves in chanting, music, meditation and a short talk on a monthly theme. The name comes from jivanmukti, Sanskrit for being liberated while still alive.
No classes scheduled in the next two weeks.
What Jivamukti does for you
You get a full-body flow class with more texture: a few minutes of chanting to start, a playlist that might jump from Sanskrit mantras to punk, and a theme that gives the hour a thread. The mix of effort, sound and stillness tends to leave people both worked and lifted. If you like your yoga with ideas and music attached, it keeps things interesting. It is also an easy way into chanting and philosophy without needing to know anything first.
It suits you if
- you want a strong flow with music
- you are curious about chanting and philosophy
- you like a theme that ties the class together
- plain vinyasa feels a little thin to you
Read the full guide to JivamuktiWhat a class is like, your first time, history and the words you will hear
What a class is like
Classes usually run 75 to 90 minutes. They often open with chanting and a short reading or talk on the Focus of the Month, an essay the school publishes each month, followed by a vigorous vinyasa sequence, inversions, deep relaxation and a few minutes of seated meditation. Music plays through much of the class. The facilitator often gives hands-on assists. You will sweat, and you will likely sing, at least a little.
Your first time
- Wear fitted clothes you can sweat in and bring water.
- Arrive ten minutes early and tell the facilitator about injuries and whether you are fine with assists.
- You do not need to know the chants; listening is fine, and the words are often handed out or displayed.
Good to know
- Expect chanting in Sanskrit and talk about yoga philosophy, which can include ethics such as nonviolence toward animals and a vegan diet.
- Hands-on assists are part of the method; say clearly if you prefer not to be touched.
- Classes are physically demanding and often include headstand and shoulderstand; ask for variations if you need them, and mention any pregnancy.
Where it comes from
Jivamukti was founded in New York City in 1984 by Sharon Gannon, a dancer and musician, and David Life, an artist who ran a cafe in the East Village. Both had studied with several Indian gurus, including Swami Nirmalananda, Brahmananda Sarasvati and K. Pattabhi Jois, whose Ashtanga gave Jivamukti much of its physical form.
Gannon and Life built the method on five tenets: shastra (study of texts), bhakti (devotion), ahimsa (nonviolence, including toward animals), nada (sound and music) and dhyana (meditation). Their downtown studio drew artists, musicians and actors through the 1990s, and the style helped make chanting and music part of Western studio culture.
The first Jivamukti center outside New York opened in Munich in 2003, and Germany became one of the method's strongholds; Berlin has had a Jivamukti presence for many years. The last New York location closed in December 2019, and the method continues through certified facilitators and affiliated centers worldwide.
The school has also faced criticism: a 2016 sexual harassment lawsuit against a senior member of the New York faculty was settled, and journalists reported on a workplace culture that former staff described as controlling and secretive.
Words you will hear
- Ahimsa
- Nonviolence; in Jivamukti it extends to animals and the environment.
- Focus of the Month
- A short monthly essay that sets the theme for classes around the world.
- Nada
- Sound, including music and your own voice in chanting.
- Bhakti
- Devotion, practicing for something larger than yourself.
- Om
- A single syllable chanted at the start and end of many classes.