Great Sources for Yoga Music

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October 26, 2011 | 508 min read

Unless you always do a silent practice when you teach (which has its own rhythm), the music that you play in your yoga classes sets the tone and creates the mood for the practice. You can create themed mixes for Valentine’s Day, a warm summer’s night or your jumping forward and back workshop, among others. Along with your words and instruction, music can truly build the heart and soul of your class.

If you’re in need of some new tunes, consider the following yoga music sources:

iTunes. It’s not against any yoga laws to play Bob Marley, Lady Gaga or the soundtrack to your favorite movie during your yoga classes. Especially popular and enjoyable for flowing vinyasa classes, creating a playlist of your favorite music can create a fun, joyful atmosphere for your next practice. Check out iTunes for the latest music, recommendations that relate to your previous purchases and playlists from other users. Likewise, iTunes also offers more traditional yoga music for sale as well as user rankings. www.itunes.com
White Swan Records: Offering kundalini mantras, relaxation music, spa music and much more, White Swan Records is a good option for more traditional yoga music (no rap music here). The site offers about 1,500 titles and a variety of ongoing specials. www.whiteswanrecords.com
Amazon. Interested in buying some yoga music as well as some new yoga pants, some books and maybe some gardening gear? Amazon includes a variety of yoga music among its robust offerings, in addition to free shipping on most purchases over $25. Even better, Amazon also offers ratings from previous yoga music shoppers. www.amazon.com
Artist websites. If you just love the smooth silkiness of Deva Premal’s voice or prefer quiet piano solos from a particular artist, check out the artists’ individual websites for more music, information and specials.
Namasta. The North American Studio Alliance for the mind-body community also offers a variety of traditional yoga music options (in addition to DVDs and more) on its website. http://www.namasta.com/services/otherservices.php?subpageID=11
Other teachers. When you take a class and find yourself flowing in perfect unison with a certain song or playlist, ask the teacher about his or her music – they will likely be flattered that you noticed. While you don’t want to copy an entire playlist verbatim (especially if it’s a teacher at a studio you teach at), hearing other teacher’s music can inspire you to create your own.
Yoga studios. Many yoga studios include retail areas with clothing, skin care, books, music and more. Likewise, many of them also offer listening stations so that you can listen to song excerpts before you purchase a CD. This is a great way to support your favorite yoga studios while building your music collection at the same time.
Take recommendations. Ask your students what they want to hear! Don’t be afraid to try new artists and music styles. This will help you create a community and connect even more with your students.

Music can be motivating, inspiring, captivating – it can bring 30 individuals together for some dolphin push-ups, handstand practice, core work or a beautiful restorative sequence. And never forget to remind your students about the music of their own breath!

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