Bean Happy - Music for Yoga

7.10.09
Yoga Music - Appropriate Playlists for Yoga

For me, my playlist is inseparable from my teaching style. I use my music to bring my students deeper, to slow them down, to encourage them and to help them concentrate. Finding good music, that is suitable for all types of yoga, can be a daunting task. Just go to itunes and type in the term 'yoga', you'll be lost in the void for hours! I've tried many styles in my classes, counting bpm (beats for minute) using only traditional hindi music, using all contemporary sounds and even having a class without music. In the end, I found that what really mattered was that the music felt good to me, that it flowed the way I wanted it to. Now, one of my favorite things to do is to create my playlist every day for my classes. If you are playing music that doesn't inspire you, chances are, it won't inspire your students either.

There are different types of music for different types of yoga. There's music for meditation, music for relaxation and even music for kundalini yoga. You don't have to stick to traditional music filled with singing bowls and harmonium although this type of music can be very beneficial in many environments. The music I use in my classes ranges all the way from hip hop to classical and everything in between.

Focusing on the tempo of the songs as well as the wave of the musical style in conjunction with your planned sequence is the best way to gaurantee a successful soundtrack. It's probably not a great idea to play Michael Franti during Savasana but it might be perfectly suitable during abdominal work or backbends.

Below is my example of a great playlist for a mellow class:

Chuck Jonkey - The Masters Breath (Tibetan Singing Bowls)
Drala - Opening the Gates (Drala)
Tommy Guerrero - The Simple Man (Return of the Bastard)
Moby - Porcelain (Play)
Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeat (Veneer)
Zero 7 - Destiny (Simple Things)
Anoushka Shankar - Prayer in Passing (Rise)
To Life! - Written (Tasabasaba)
Thievery Corporation - A Gentle Dissolve (The Cosmic Game)
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (Grace)
Dustin O'Halloran - Opus 23
Nadaka - Bairagi (The Lotus of the Quiet Mind)

Post your favorite playlist for others to see...