Music to Make You Move: The Ultimate Yoga Playlist
You know those moments in your yoga practice when everything is quiet- your body, your breath, your mind? I cherish those transcendental pauses within the noisy confusion of daily life. However, there are times when I cannot find that silence. But that doesn’t mean my yoga practice should suffer as a result. Incorporating music into your yoga session can be that boost of vitality necessary to keep you focused and enthused on the mat.
In order to sustain a daily home asana practice without the motivation of a class or teacher, a kick-ass playlist is my secret weapon to get me onto my mat when I am feeling a little lazy or lackluster. This ultimate yoga playlist is designed for a 1.5 hour class and mixes upbeat and energetic songs with more subdued and pacified melodies that lends itself to both a vinyasa practice or a more gentle hatha or yin style. Starting leisurely then progressing as you warm the body and continuing with higher energy songs to keep a steady pace and flow. Finally, it winds down into softer beats as you move into sitting asanas and shavasana is accompanied by songs that inspire more of a meditation than simple passive listening.
I use to obsess about what was “appropriate” yoga music. But really any genre or intensity can be yoga music- it’s not about the style of yoga, it’s about the style of the yogi. And sometimes my sun salutation needs a little Jimi Hendrix infusion to inspire my movements.
I’m not suggesting to blow out your speakers every time you practice. But yoga is all about balance- femininity verse masculinity, strong verse soft, a silent practice verse jamming out.
A few of the artist on my playlist, including Krishna Das and Mirabai Ceiba, will be performing at the Barcelona Yoga Conference on July 4-8. Check out their website, www.barcelonayogaconference.cat, for more information and concert times.
So here’s the hard copy of my playlist. Pick and choose what sings to your personal music preferences or check out the full version on Spotify titled, “Analisa Yoga Vibes”. Listen, practice, play, shake your booty, create your own playlist… because yoga doesn’t always have to be silent and serious.
- The Long Road- Eddie Vedder (Ft. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan)
- Natural Mystic- Bob Marley
- Love Song #1- Meshell Ndegeocello
- Dreaming East- DJ Drez
- Until the Morning (Rewound)- Thievery Corporation
- Krishna´s Dub- DJ Drez (Ft. Marti Nikko & Domonic Dean Breaux)
- Pura Vida- Guts
- Even After All- Finley Quaye
- Follow the Sun- Xavier Rudd
- Aqueous Transmission- Incubus
- Little Wing- Jimmy Hendrix
- Nectar Drop- DJ Drez
- I Will Be Light- Matisyahu
- Man on Fire- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
- Hanuman Baba (dub farm remix)- Krishna Das
- Prabhujee- Ravi Shankar
- Ong Namo- Mirabai Ceiba
- Offering Chant- Lama Gyurme and Jean-Philippe Rykiel
Source: BYC Blog
