The musical score above is a slow (that's why it's called "Andante") classical guitar piece that I played years ago-back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And, it could pair well with a slow, gentle home yoga practice. However, in 2017, there are virtually no limits to the music you can choose to inspire your yoga practice!
Many yoga purists and perhaps a number of readers of this blog prefer to do their home yoga practice in total, "sacred" silence. It is true that practicing yoga in silence enhances its relaxation benefits and enables you to keep your focus on your breathing, stretches, and holds. I practice yoga in silence from time to time, when my mind, body, and spirit demand an extra dose of quiet (usually during times of extreme stress which fortunately are few).
However, as a passionate lover of music with eclectic tastes ranging from Mozart to Madonna to MC Yogi, adding music to my yoga practice is almost mandatory. Why? Because as I have said in the past, music motivates me to move with energy, enthusiasm, and grace. It transports me to a dimension in which I feel totally "on." And, you want to be totally "on" when you do your home yoga practice to gain maximum benefits.
When I began my home yoga practice at age 15, my music options were limited. I used to take out my mother's long-playing records (remember those old vinyl things...? although if you were born in the 1980s and onward, you probably don't) - specifically Swan Lake and the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky - and play them over and over, day in and day out. Sometimes I listened to the radio, but I didn't like the commercials. Tchaikovsky's music stirred my soul as I moved and stretched in my mom's living room. So, a handful of classical music vinyl albums were my go-to music for yoga.
Fast forward to now - 2017. Our music options have exploded - literally! Pandora - Spotify - Apple Music - music channels on your cable channel and on and on. Plus, you can of course shuffle the music you have bought and downloaded on your various smart devices and create scores of playlists.
A few days ago, I suddenly realized the breadth of musical choices I had access to during my yoga practice. I was so awestruck and grateful that I felt compelled to write about it.
Truth be told, folks, I am chagrined to admit that during the past year, because of my busy schedule in which I am pursuing a new, second career, I was "multi-tasking" during some of my yoga practices! Yes, I am guilty of often listening to audio and video training material during my yoga practice.
I committed this sacrilege which long ago, I advised you NOT to do. It was because I allowed myself to feel time pressured.
Recently, however, I felt an inner urge to resume listening to music during my yoga practice. Listening to music allows me to put my full attention back on to yoga and reap its maximum benefits. I trust that I would figure out how to create more time for my second career pursuits by being more mindful of how I spend my time, day by day. And, you know what? I am enjoying my yoga practice a lot more - once again. And, I am still keeping up with my studies for my second career!
To recap, if you love music as I do and if you want to maximize your enjoyment of your home yoga practice, take advantage of all the affordable music options you now have at your fingertips. Choreograph your yoga practice with the music you love and "moves you" and experiment and explore new selections as well!
Until next time- Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity with a Home Yoga Practice in 20-30 Minutes a Day