The Jivamukti Method is grounded in the original meaning of the Sanskrit word asana as "seat, connection" – relationship to the Earth. Earth implies all of life. Citing Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, which states that asana should be sthira and sukham, Jivamukti Yoga maintains that one's relationship to others (asana) should be mutually beneficial and come from a consistent (sthira) place of joy and happiness (sukham). This is a radical idea that, when put into practice, can dismantle our present culture, which is based on the notion that the Earth and all other animals exist for our benefit and to be exploited for our own selfish purposes. So the practice of asana becomes more than mere physical exercise to keep one's body fit or to increase strength or flexibility; it becomes a way to improve one's relationship to all others and thus lead to enlightenment – the dissolution of the sense of separateness, the realization of the oneness of being, the discovery of lasting happiness. A Jivamukti Yoga class is spiritual, uplifting and physically challenging. It emphasizes the physical yoga poses/asana, practiced in a continuous flow with a playful approach. While also including elements of chanting, meditaiton and yoga philosophy The method originated in the 1980s in NYC. Founded by Sharon Gannon and David Life, students of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Swami Nirmalananda and Brahmananda Sarasvati.