Top 5 Music Tracks For Practicing Yoga

Written by Ramya Achanta

Last Updated on Nov 25, 2013

Image: Shutterstock

Are daily yoga sessions getting to you? Have they become dull, boring and repetitive? Are you looking for options to spruce it up? Thank your stars, because we have what you are looking for. Music! Yes, soothing tracks that will enliven your practice. Soulful music with yoga is a combination worth trying and here are 7 such music tracks to use while practicing yoga. Read and listen away.

How Does Music Help With Yoga Practice?

Well, ideally it is best if you can practice yoga without music and by listening to the rhythm of your body and the sounds of nature. But that is not possible all the time. Sometimes you need external elements to motivate you on a bad day and help you continue with the exercise. Music is an ideal rescue option in such a scenario. Music combined with yoga is powerful. Each music track elicits a different response within the body which can be used to perform an asana better.

Compile songs after checking their tunes, lyrics, and beats carefully and then use them to bring more energy and power to your practice. But before that, make sure you start your practice without any music and only play it as you go deeper to motivate and energize your rhythm. Play tracks in tandem with the performing asana. For example, an upbeat and pumping track for a challenging pose and a slow and soothing one for a relaxing yoga asana.

Music is soulful. Use it the right way to enrich your yoga sessions. Here are few popular yoga music tracks that will help you get started. Check them out.

Music For Yoga Practice – Top 5 Tracks

1. Shri Radhe- Bhakti Without Borders by Madi

Bhakti Without Borders is an eclectic mix of Eastern music, American and Irish music. It is a combination of bhakti and folk elements that form a beautiful blend creating a happy and soothing effect on the listener. Bhakti Without Borders is one of the few albums on spiritualism nominated for the Grammy’s.

Madi and Chaytanya have rendered the Shri Radhe track. It is about Krishna and Radha and their eternal love. The song is part of the charity album ‘Bhakti Without Borders’ whose proceeds go to the education and empowerment of underprivileged girls from a school in Vrindavan, India. The music is smooth, and bhajan like that can easily sync into the background of your practice without intruding your flow. It starts slow and picks pace. You can plan your asanas accordingly where you start with something simple and go on to do more challenging ones as the pace increases in the album. The song is peppy and fun. It will keep your spirits high.

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2. Guru Mantra- Songs for the Sangha by Deva Premal and Miten

Songs For The Sangha by Deva Premal and Miten is an album that combines mantras from the Indian and Tibetan culture to form music influenced by musicians from Nepal, UK, Canada bringing in their ethnic elements into it. It has a touch of bamboo flute, bass, drums and acoustic piano. Fine artists have come together to create soulful music bringing sense to the word Sangha which means spiritual family.

Flute dominates Guru Mantra and the mantra ‘Guru Brahma’ is chanted as an end note to the track. The music is leveled and calming. It brings down anxiety and focusses entirely on the pose. It will help you to slow down and feel, experience and enjoy the yoga pose even better.

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3. Sita Ram- Bridge to Vallabha by Tina Malia

Sita Ram from the album Bridge To Vallabha composed and sung by Tina Malia is heart healing and has songs and mantras incorporated from various cultures and ethnicities. Some of the languages she has rendered songs in are Sanskrit, Hebrew, Gurmukh, and English. She works with award-winning instrumentalists from across the globe, and the album features sounds from the nylon guitar, vibraphone, rhodes piano, etc.

Sita Ram is a Sanskrit mantra put to music by Malia. She chooses her phrases very carefully. They have an underlying deep meaning and a profound effect on the listener. Sita Ram is one such she picked while traveling across the globe. The song is zen-like and inspiring, absorbing you into its warm tones and driving away the clutter in mind for a fulfilling yoga session.

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4. Maha Yogi- Dreaming In Sanskrit by Marti Nikko & DJ Drez

Maha Yogi is a track from the album Dreaming in Sanskrit by singer Marti Nikko and producer DJ Drez. The records reflect an excellent mix of the mysterious voice of Nikko and organic music of DJ. The album Dreaming in Sanskrit is intense yet gentle; it is an elegant combination of the strengths of both the artists oozing a feeling of sacredness.

Maha Yogi is mantra like sung in veneration of Lord Shiva of the Hindu mythology. The song gives a glimpse of the various names of Lord Shiva. It is a funky number which is uplifting and will keep you on your toes during practice.

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5. Gentle Awakening- Call Within by Manose

Gentle Awakening is an instrumental track from the album Call Within by world renowned Himalayan artist Manose. Manose creates magical music through his bamboo bansuri which is a side blown flute. His music is pure, sacred and hypnotic. Manose’s music is blissful incorporating hang drum, kalimba along with the bansuri. It even has Manose’s collection of nature sounds collected over a period.

Gentle Awakening is a mix of bamboo flute, kalimba and nature sounds. It is a perfect track to transform you into a reflective mode and works best during the practice of relaxing poses. Soak in the subtle, soft and breezy tunes of Manose and elevate your yoga experience.

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Expert’s Answers for Readers Questions

What kind of music do I choose for my yoga practice?

Pick tracks that reflect the energy, mood, and style of your practice.

When did the culture of playing music in yoga classes begin?

Playing music in yoga studios started recently. Fifteen years ago, this wasn’t a norm, and now it is highly popular in western countries.

Have you ever considered music for yoga practice? How did help you? Playing music or not during yoga practice is an individualistic choice. If it is helping you, then it is okay to practice with music once in a while to elevate your mood. The new lifestyles have changed drastically since the time of yoga creation so the rules can be tweaked to adapt to the present situation and its problems. Music is one such. So, use it to your advantage and practice away.

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