Best CDs and Songs for Yoga

Yoga is an excellent exercise for both mind and body. It increases circulation, strengthens muscles, improves flexibility, and provides relaxation. Although yoga classes may be available in your area, you may prefer to practice poses at home. One option is to watch a yoga program on FitTV or another channel; another is to purchase or rent an instructional DVD. These options are best when you are first learning how to perform the poses, especially how to integrate proper breathing. They usually include appropriate yoga music.

However, once you have learned a sequence of yoga poses that you enjoy and that fits your needs, you may want to practice on your own. Music can make a huge difference in the quality of your yoga practice - appropriate yoga music will help your breathing and aid in smooth transitions between poses, while no music or inappropriate music can produce a choppy sequence that prevents relaxation and flexible motion.

So what are the characteristics of good yoga music? First, it should have very light downbeats, especially if the melody moves quickly. Second, instrumentals are often preferable since there are no words to distract you from thinking about your breathing and the motion of your body. Third, music that flows makes it easier for the body and breathing to also flow as you do your yoga practice. Certain types of music are generally unsuitable for this kind of exercise. For example, the rock or hip-hop music that fits so well with your aerobics most likely will be counterproductive for yoga. Likewise, certain types of music tend to go well with yoga, including New Age, trance, gothic, Celtic, and classical works.

One of my personal favorite CDs for practicing yoga is East of the Full Moon by Deuter. This artist from Germany has been producing instrumental music since the 1970's, after a near-fatal car crash caused him to revisit his dream of being a musician. His discography includes over 60 albums on which he plays an incredible number of instruments both acoustic and electronic. Another Deuter album that is well suited to yoga is Buddha Nature. It contains fewer tracks but they are longer, which might be helpful for an extended practice session. Sample this great yoga music online and you will get an idea of why it works!

Another good choice is The Chakra Suite by Steven Halpern. This CD takes you through each of the 7 chakras, focusing on the appropriate keynote, then finishes with "Sonic Satori" and "Ascension." All of these beautiful songs warm the spirit, and invite the mind and body to enter into the state of relaxation with strength that follows good yoga practice. Steven Halpern also has other CDs, such as The Om Zone, that may provide you with appropriate yoga music.

These are New Age artists; so what if you really don't like New Age? Here are some examples of individual songs that work well for yoga: "Dante's Prayer" by Loreena McKennitt (Celtic), "Chorus and the Ring" by R.E.M. (alternative), "In the House of Stone and Light" by Martin Page (pop), "Mercy on Me" by Midori (Gregorian chant), "Silence" by Delerium (trance), and "Water Lily" by Keiko Matsui (smooth jazz). Listen to these songs to get an idea of what good yoga music sounds like.

Finally, you might want to check out a CD called Cinem Ocean by Anastasi. It's been discontinued, but is often available from Amazon, eBay, or other online sources. Cinem Ocean combines well-known movie themes with ocean sounds such as breaking waves. It's designed for general relaxation, but it works great as yoga music as well!