🙏🏻 Yoga & Meditation Music and Song Reviews – Tunes to Downdog, Chill or Get It On To

Yoga Meditation MusicTop Yoga Meditation Music and Yoga Songs I play in Class

In a yoga class setting up a vibe with lights, music and space is such a key part of the experience.  It really takes you to a sacred place and I tend to get all bejiggety is my sound system is not working.  Whenever I am teaching at a new place or subbing I make sure to spend awhile understanding how their music system works (I’m not technically inclined and tend to panic when the music won’t start)

I tend to play the same 30 CDs all the time but I love picking up new ones all the time ( a few years from now this list will be very different) Even if you don’t practice yoga, these CDs will work well if you want a sacred vibe for meditation or a special ceremony.  A few of them will work well for cocktail parties too.  Since I work a lot with couples yoga, I am always looking for couples romance products to review and awesome yoga meditation music.
Shamanic Dream  – When I play this in my classes, I almost always get a student come up and ask me what the CD is.  It is hypnotic, ambient and a bit tribal all at the same time but with a fairly even tone.  I teach a lot of couples yoga classes and I usually play this at the end so people can drop into a very deep space when the lights are very low.  This will transport you.

Sound Sleep for Infants -Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs.  I don’t know if I would play this during the entire class but it works stunningly during Shivasna.  It is some ambient music with a heartbeat in the background.  This doesn’t work well if there is background noise like an AC in background though.  I also play this CD for 40 minutes at night when I have insomnia.  This CD makes me feel like I am in the womb.

Dessert Dwellers – One of my students suggested this to me a few months ago.  I tend to have a lot of CDs that are not just Sankrit chants and Ooommming.  I like the chill, funky vibe but the tone is even enough to play in a class.  A good one to play at cocktail hour as well.

Snautam Kaur – I discovered her when I was at Omega a few years ago.  She was part of the Ecstatic Chant weekend.  Don’t let her turban scare you.  She does a few songs in English as well.  She has a voice like an angel and you can feel her soul pouring into all of her chants.  This is one of the CDs that my yoga students ask me about the most in my yoga class.

Rain – Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs.  This is acoustic guitar and piano and I remember playing this when I driving around in the mountains of Vermont during the changing of the leaves.  I still see the leaves whenever I listen to this.  The music just matched the mood so well – melancholically beautiful.

 

Wah! – The ! is not a typo.  I discovered Wah! when I was working at the Chopra Center in San Diego a few years ago.  We used to play her CDs in the store to give it a Chopra Center vibe.  I’ve seen her play a few times and it always shocks me that she is is not in bigger venues ( she usually leads a Kirtan at a yoga studio)  If Natalie Merchant and a chanting Indian guru had a baby then this is who they would produce.

Yoga & Meditation Music and Song Reviews

Yoga & Meditation Music and Song Reviews

Le Spa Sonique – Don’t let the purple flowers scare you.  This had a euro chill kind of vibe to it, sweet, sultry and sexy.  I think I discovered this at Kripalu a few years ago.The beat can be a bit funky and might not work that well during shivasana.  This is a great CD to play for a cocktail hour as well.


Deva Premal & Mitten
I don’t think you can call yourself a yoga teacher unless you have at least 2 of their DVDs. Deva’s voice is like an angel and their tunes are soulful, sensual and penetrating. I get plenty of students that come up to me after class asking what the music is.  I remember the first time I went to one of their concerts.  They think of their concerts more like a group of people getting together and singing…very interactive and the way that they lead some of the mantras you’ll feel incredibly connected to the ether of the universe.  My favorite song is in English though, “There is so Much Magnificence”.   http://www.devapremalmiten.com/  I love Deva Premal yoga music and her songs are so soulful.

Krishna
Das What Bruce Springsteen is to Modern Rock, Krishna Das is to the kirtan (group chant) scene.  I saw him perform at Omega a few years ago and have been a fan ever since.   His songs are in Sankrit which could turn off some of your students ( or could turn the other ones on…everybody’s different). His CDs are good to play in class but attend one of his live shows and watch yogis jump and twirl around in delirium to his music.http://www.krishnadas.com

RECENT BLOG POSTS

  1. My Review of Amazingself.com – Fine-Tuning Your Eating, Skin, Wallet and Mindset
  2. Sleeping with Your Enemy or Shooting Your Enemy? My Review of SaveTheMarriage.com
  3. Partner Yoga for Beginners and Partner Yoga DVDs and Videos
  4. Romantic Ideas, Romance Tips and Top 9 Romance Sites for the Love-Challenge
  5. Yoga for Couples – Sexuality and Spirituality Merge in Yoga Poses and Couples Meditation
  6. Couples Yoga Poses and Couples Meditation Benefits

🎶 Yoga Music Reviews- Top 10 CDs I play in Class

In a yoga class setting up a vibe with lights, music and space is such a key part of the experience.

It really takes you to a sacred place and I tend to get all bejiggety is my sound system is not working.  Whenever I am teaching at a new place or subbing I make sure to spend awhile understanding how their music system works (I’m not technically inclined and tend to panic when the music won’t start)  I tend to play the same 30 CDs all the time but I love picking up new ones all the time ( a few years from now this list will be very different) Even if you don’t practice yoga, these CDs will work well if you want a sacred vibe for meditation or a special ceremony.  A few of them will work well for cocktail parties too.

Shamanic Dream – When I play this in my classes, I almost always get a student come up and ask me what the CD is.  It is hypnotic, ambient and a bit tribal all at the same time but with a fairly even tone.  I teach a lot of couples yoga classes and I usually play this at the end so peple can drop into a very deep space when the lights are very low.  This will transport you.

Shamanic Dream CD - Music for Meditation

Sound Sleep for Infants -Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs.  I don’t know if I would play this during the entire class but it works stunningly during Shivasna.  It is some ambient music with a heartbeat in the background.  This doesn’t work well if there is background noise like an AC in background though.  I also play this CD for 40 minutes at night when I have insomnia.  This CD makes me feel like I am in the womb.

 

Snatam Kaur – I discovered her when I was at Omega a few years ago.  She was part of the Ecstatic Chant weekend.  Don’t let her turban scare you.  She does a few songs in English as well.  She has a voice like an angel and you can feel her soul pouring into all of her chants.  This is one of the CDs that my yoga students ask me about the most in my yoga class.

Snatam Kaur - Yoga and Meditation Music Snatam Kaur - Yoga and Meditation Music

Rain – Another CD you won’t usually find on your top ten yoga music CDs.  This is acoustic guitar and piano and I remember playing this when I driving around in the mountains of Vermont during the changing of the leaves.  I still see the leaves whenever I listen to this.  The music just matched the mood so well – melancholically beautiful.

Rain CD Music for Meditation or Relaxation

Desert Dwellers – One of my students suggested this to me a few months ago.  I tend to have a lot of CDs that are not just Sankrit chants and Ooommming.  I like the chill, funky vibe but the tone is even enough to play in a class.  A good one to play at cocktail hour as well.

Wah! - Music for Yoga or Meditation

Wah! – The ! is not a typo.  I discovered Wah! when I was working at the Chopra Center in San Diego a few years ago.  We used to play her CDs in the store to give it a Chopra Center vibe.  I’ve seen her play a few times and it always shocks me that she is is not in bigger venues ( she usually leads a Kirtan at a yoga studio)  If Natalie Merchant and a chanting Indian guru had a baby then this is who they would produce.

Wah! - Music for Yoga or Meditation

Le Spa Sonique – Don’t let the purple flowers scare you.  This had a euro chill kind of vibe to it, sweet, sultry and sexy.  I think I discovered this at Kripalu a few years ago.The beat can be a bit funky and might not work that well during shivasana.  This is a great CD to play for a cocktail hour as well.

Le Spa Sonique - Yoga and Meditation Music

Deva Premal & Mitten I don’t think you can call yourself a yoga teacher unless you have at least 2 of their DVDs. Deva’s voice is like an angel and their tunes are soulful, sensual and penetrating. I get plenty of students that come up to me after class asking what the music is.  I remember the first time I went to one of their concerts.  They think of their concerts more like a group of people getting together and singing…very interactive and the way that they lead some of the mantras you’ll feel incredibly connected to the ether of the universe.  My favorite song is in English though, “There is so Much Magnificence”.

Deva Premal & Mitten- Yoga and Meditation Music

Krishna Das What Bruce Springsteen is to Modern Rock, Krishna Das is to the kirtan (group chant) scene.  I saw him perform at Omega a few years ago and have been a fan ever since.   His songs are in Sankrit which could turn off some of your students ( or could turn the other ones on…everybody’s different). His CDs are good to play in class but attend one of his live shows and watch yogis jump and twirl around in delirium to his music. Krishna Das- Yoga and Meditation Music

 

 

What are your favorite CDs or music to play during yoga or meditation?  Post your thoughts on our Facebook page.

 


Shamanic Dream

When I play this in my classes, I almost always get a student come up and ask me what the CD is. It is hypnotic, ambient and a bit tribal all at the same time but with a fairly even tone. I teach a lot of couples yoga classes and I usually play this at the end so peple can drop into a very deep space when the lights are very low. This will transport you.

Yoga Poses for Abs and Weight Loss – My Review of a DVD for a quickie workout

Beth Shaw’s YogaAbs – A YogaFit Workout.

One caveat which is both a big plus and big minus at the same time is that she has you use a special yoga ball that you keep between your legs which ensures the proper alignment and also helps to prevent injuries.  You don’t have to order to the special YogaFit ball but you should buy one to do the practice.  I did the practice plenty of times just using a block or with nothing but there is a noticeable difference in your body when you don’t use the ball.

Some of the benefits promised according to the yogafit.com website are:

– Improve body alignment

– Create a stronger midsection

– Develop a solid yoga foundation

– Enhance self-esteem and confidence

Yoga Poses for Abs and Weight Loss - My Review of a DVD for a quickie workout

Yoga Poses for Abs and Weight Loss – More reviews on Amazon

– Improve powers of concentration and focus

I don’t think this is a comprehensive enough DVD to offer a real yoga foundation since many of the traditional poses such as side angle and warrior are not included. If you want an athletic and quick yoga workout this is a worthwhile video.    This is mostly a bunch of traditional sun salutations but by using the ball it is a little more intense on your core since you are doing a lot more squeezing  and engaging on your core muscles.   The music is also pretty cool and funky.  I think the best part of this yoga abs dvd is that it is such a compact workout.  I love being able to get a tough workout in below 30 minutes.  This is not much of a cool down so if you want the relaxation part in your practice you’ll have to add an extra few minutes… some yoga teachers say this is the most important part of your practice since all the physical work you are doing is integrating and coalescing.  I always feel like the relaxation part is the dessert of the practice, almost like I graduated from the standing poses and deserve a few minutes of being able to just lie down and consciously rest….mmmmmmmmm

It is an extra $5 for the YogaFit ball which is worth ordering if you don’t already have one.    I had a different ball but my dog ate it. (I never realized how much I would say that phrase until I got my first Puggle (Pug Beagle mix) two years ago.  I thought it was just a cliche excuse but this damm dog eats just about everything…. except her own boring dry dog food of course. )

What kinds of yoga DVDs have you worked out to?  What kind of results did you get?

Philly Flower Show

We go to the Philly Flower Show every year and love seeing the Spring preview. It’s been a cold Winter and a slow Spring warm-up, so even thought The Flower Show was a few weeks ago, we’re sure you’ll enjoy these pictures! The theme this year was Articulture, so its rather unique compared to the years past.

 

Yoga Mat Bag – How to Choose One

Yoga Mat Bag

Buy this versions of Yoga Mat Bag on Amazon

I think I realized that I was a serious yoga practitioner when I bought a yoga mat bag.  I remember being at yoga studios and feeling like I was constantly getting whacked by the other yoga students with their sideways yoga bags.  I know you are supposed to feel all compassionate and peaceful after a deep yoga class but when someone obliviously whacks me with their yoga mat strapped on their back ( because they are too cheap to pay for a bag) I just want to clock them in the face with a tire iron ( I know you do too…. you thought it but I wrote it!)

It was actually a Christmast present from my hotty hellenic hubby a year ago.   I did quite a bit of searching on Amazon for a bag.  I wanted one that fit 2 yoga mats since I sometimes have to lend them to my students in my beginner yoga classes.

I also wanted to be able to stuff a bunch of yoga CD, aromatherapy ( I spray this on my yoga students’ feet when they are in a restorative pose) and also my water bottle.  I can also stuff a few other yoga props in there like yoga blocks which I also lend out to students quite a bit.  I also like how there are two straps so I can wear it on my back like a backpack.

Please don’t just get the yoga straps that you just tie around your mat… you are going to end up hitting someone and who knows how centered and calm they will be at the time.

I can also use this for non-yoga stuff such as when I travel to San Diego to see my family next.  It’s quite lightweight so I can stuff my books, pillow, blanket and some snacks in here for my next West Coast flight.

So do you have a yoga mat bag?  How did you choose it?  Do you just carry your mat into class?

 

Top Posts of the Week in the Yoga World

 

Top Yoga Blogs

Top Yoga Blogs

Top Posts of the Week in the YogaWorld

YogaDork.com  – Happy Halloween Bikram O Lantern

Yogadork.com satisfies two needs of mine… the need to keep on what is fresh in ooooming-land and juicy tidbits about high profile yoga figure and pop culture celebs and yoga……. kind of like Yogajournal meet People magazine.   She also wrote a very introspective and heartfelt peace about the impact of Hurricane Sandy.   This is a fun yoga-centric blog to follow.

 

“Yoga B-n-r” Jelly Donut (feat. Daveed Diggs)

When Jelly Donut & Daveed Diggs are the only dudes in a class of beautiful yoga girls, they rise to the occasion. Get it?  Warning – this is NOT appropriate for work so if you are at your desk or in church then watch this later.   Another warning –  spontaneous gaffaws likely as a result of watching this video.    For those of you that take your yoga seriously and are easily offended, don’t watch.  (I guess now that I have put on these don’t watch warning, y’all just have to see it now, huh?)

 

I’m in Savasana, Dammit, Leave Me Alone! ~ Erin Mathiason. ElephantJournal.com

Elephant Journal is another progressive but non-new-agey blog with a variety of topics.  Erin explores how to connect with the ether of the universe without the teacher or other students bugging her.  Savasana is such a previous time… it feels like graduation since you work so hard to do your practice, make sacrifices to just get to your mat and then you have the most lovely float-y feeling when you finally get to this part.  As the teacher, I strongly encourage eye pillows or at least eye coverings and I also offer to spray aromatherapy on my students’s feet ( they let me know by just putting a hand on their belly).   I actually have the polar opposite needs as Erin though…. I used to love it when the teacher came by (only in the beginning of Savasana)  and adjusted my shoulders and put a drop of lavender oil on my feet. It’s pretty rare that teachers do this.  I think when I was single and not dating in New York, I literally did not have physical human contact for days at a time and I just craved the innocent non-sexual touch of another person…. ok…. maybe  I have overshared but that is why I have a different preference than Erin.

 

What are your favorite yoga blogs for the week?

What are your favorite yoga blogs for the week?

The Yoga Vote from YogaJournal.com

Staying as impartial as I can on my blog ( my personal Facebook page is another thing…), it’s time to use your voice at the polling station.  Can you imagine if everyone thought their vote didn’t count?  If your vote doesn’t count, then whose does?  You’re never too small too matter… just ask someone sleeping with a buzzing mosquito in the room.  This is one of the most emotionally charged elections and we can make a commitment.   You matter.

 

 Anyone else want to send me suggestions for what yoga blog posts I should put in the next curated list?