admin In my mind, the only thing better than a calm, therapeutic yoga class is the perfect playlist to heighten that feeling of total relaxation. Music that seems to match your breathing and heartbeat, coaxing them into a smooth, melodic rhythm, takes the practice to the next level.
When I teach or practice this passive style of Yoga, I like to use a mix of ambient sounds and songs with lyrics. This is my 45-minute yoga playlist to calm you down.
Instrumental By Jose Gonzales
It’s impossible to praise Jose Gonzales enough for the magic of his music. This is my favorite song from him. I have at least one in every playlist. It’s a very simple song. There are no lyrics. Just a steady and consistent strumming of the guitarist. This is the perfect song for when you are getting into your breath and body.
Fink’s A Revolution
This song will help you keep your breath steady and carry it into your first movements. Revolution’s lyrics are meditative and reflective without being too energetic.
River By Leon Bridges
You’ll know how much I love this song if you’ve ever been moved to tears by music. It is a love song, a soulful vocal, and one that gives me goosebumps. It’s a song that I use as part of my meditation practice. This allows me to surrender to my feelings as they surface.
The Head and the Heart: These days are numbered
This song is a reminder to be present in the moment and to be grateful. The music is beautiful, both lyrically as well as instrumentally. It touches on the connection we have to the moon.
The Head and the Heart, Winter Song
This song is the peak of this practice. It builds in intensity and tempo. This song is perfect for a few slow vinyasas or any flowing movements.
Slow Dancing In A Burning Room By John Mayer
This song’s heavy drumbeat allows me to feel truly present in my body. This song is perfect for letting me fall into a Pigeon Pose.
Cherry Wine By Hozier
Recently, I stumbled upon this song and fell instantly in love. The singer’s voice has a lot of depth and almost a heaviness to it that is perfect for restorative Yoga. This song has a certain lightness towards the end, with birds chirping. I can’t help but be happy whenever I hear birds.
Orange Sky By Alexi Murdoch
This is a song that I often use in my classes. The first time I heard this song, I was lying in Savasana following the most intense yoga class I had ever attended. The sun was setting in San Diego, and I was gazing out of the window at a palm tree against an orange sky. Every time I hear this song, it transports me back to that moment and the feeling of gratitude and synchronicity.
Happiness By Jonsi & Alex
This song, which uses only simple violins to create a sound that resembles the gentle ebb-and-flow of ocean waves, somehow manages to capture this feeling. There’s nothing that makes me feel more relaxed than the sound and images of the ocean. I can find total peace in the sea.
This playlist has the same power for me as it has for you. Finding music that makes you feel more connected with your body, mind, and spirit is a powerful thing. There is a lot of space to let go in a calm yoga session, and the music that encourages this release is wonderful.
