If you want to find yoga music for a home practice, then start to explore kirtan, sitar, New Age or chanting styles of music, to inspire a traditional yogic sound. The yoga scene has popular voices and musicians to explore, but you may find that you enjoy practicing yoga to folk, reggae or something else. The best advice for yoga teachers looking for playlists for their classes is to play what seems to inspire your students the most, as well as what inspires you to teach.
History
The sounds of early yoga consisted primarily of kirtan, which is chanting. "Yoga Journal" writer, Phil Catalfo, describes the popularity of contemporary kirtan artists in the yoga field, such as Krishna Das, Robert Gass and Jai Uttal, who emulate the ancient sounds of this traditional and meditative singing. Voices were the first sounds of yoga, but instruments soon came into play, such as flutes, drums and the sitar and chitravina, which are stringed instruments. Many yoga styles, such as Kundalini and Dru yoga, use ancient, yogic ideas of sound therapy and meditation.
Function
Yoga music should add to your yoga experience, rather than distract you from it. Try playing gentle flute, piano or instrumental music at the beginning of your practice. This is also appropriate for longer meditation sessions. During your yoga warm-up, or sun salutations, trance, drum beat or contemporary music may help raise your prana, or energy, so you feel motivated for your yoga practice.
Styles
Some yoga styles encourage a wide range of musical tastes for yoga practice. Jivamukti, started by David Life and Sharon Gannon, uses nada yoga, or the yoga of sound, as part of their style. They incorporate ancient traditions like saying "Om" at the beginning of each class, as well as playing modern music that is spiritually motivating. The Jivamukti website highlights that they play anything from the Beatles to Moby.
Selecting
The Internet allows you to sample varieties of music before purchasing. This is an easy way to create eclectic yoga music mixes for your practice. Yoga websites associated with yoga schools and studios usually include shopping sections with recommended yoga music media. The teacher training organization, YogaFit, markets media volumes such as "Zen Cafe" and "Active Music for Yoga." "Yoga Journal" lists yoga playlists by famous yogis with musicians such as Bob Marley, Norah Jones, John Coltrane and numerous others.
Considerations
Your yoga music does not have to be 60 minutes of New Age music or any other one style. Yoga mixes with various artists may be a safer bet when selecting music for teaching yoga to multiple ages and levels. Consider starting and ending your yoga mixes with gentle sounds and rhythms. This caters to getting focused on your practice. Steer away from overly distracting music or songs with negative lyrics. Some yogis prefer no music at all during their practice.
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