Yoga at Home for Absolute Beginners!

Yoga at Home: Enhance Your Practice with Music: Options Now Abound!

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

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginner's Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga for Beginners: Energize Your Practice with the Music of Mehdi!

My latest discovery, the ethereal and energizing music of composer and instrumentalist Mehdi creates a blissful ambiance for my mind, body, and spirit as I practice yoga!

Although I have shared the following statement by yoga practitioner and singer Colette Aubrey a few years ago in a previous post, it is worth repeating:

"Some yoga teachers will say that in a  yoga practice, there should not be any music.  I think it really enhances the entire experience.  If you've taken a yoga class and been able to stay in a beautiful state of mind, music really enhances that.  They call it a yoga high.  You feel better than any drug or orgasm you could possibly have.  It can enhance practice, but it's really a personal preference."  

And, in a recent interview presented in the Yoga Journal (August 2014), celebrity yoga instructor and model Tara Stiles shares that music is central to her yoga studios' philosophy and that all classes are taught to music with a playlight of the month on Spotify.

I agree that music can be a vital to your yoga practice as I have so often stated.  My tastes in music and the pieces I choose for my yoga practice are eclectic.  You may not like what I enjoy.  However, from time to time, I share music selections and artists that enhance my practice just in case they might enhance yours.  

It is worth a try.  Play the above youtube video.  And also check out his piece, "Stargazer" which you can also find on youtube.com. And, please share with me and my readers your favorite music for your home yoga practice...!

Yours for moving and stretching to the music,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginner's Yoga at Home Coach

  ^TM

Also see:  http://www.DoYogaAtHomeNow.com

 

More Musing on Music for Yoga

"Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul creates the symphony of life." ~ BKS Iyengar

As the above statement by yogai BKS Iyengar implies, yoga and music go hand in hand!

 

Since I created this beginners' yoga blog almost six years ago, I have written many posts about selecting music to complement and energize your yoga practice.  As I have said often, I have an eclectic taste in music that ranges from Madonna to Mozart and my daily moods shift.  Sometimes (less often), I practice in total silence.  Most of the time, however, I select an album from my music collection or I tune into a particular Pandora station.

After receiving the above "Putumayo Presents World Yoga" cd from for Christmas a few weeks ago, I have enjoyed playing this album several times during my yoga practice.  

The album features 15 different musicians from around the world who play selections that reflect their diverse cultures and countries.  Overall, the album is comprised of melodies that vary in tone and tempo and are, for the most part, mellow and meditative.  The album is thus well suited to the gentle, slow-motion yoga that I practice.  I have found the music to be soothing and energizing.  You can listen to samples of this album on Amazon.com.

However, as I have said in the past, you need not buy "yoga" music to make the most of your yoga practice. When I began yoga at age 15, I practiced to the ballet music of Tchailkovsky.  

It does not matter which music you choose as a backdrop to your yoga practice.  Here are some suggestions for choosing music that will enhance your practice.

    *  Choose music that suits your personal taste, that you enjoy and would listen to it outside of your     yoga practice.

    *  Experiment to find music that motivates you to move with energy, ease, and grace and that complements your breathing

   *  Create a variety of playlists for your yoga practice so that you can switch around to keep your practice fresh and fun. Alternatively, listen to a variety of music stations.  Don't allow yourself to get bored with a particular album by listening to it repeatedly in a short time frame. 

    Yours for enhancing your yoga practice with a variety of music,

    

    Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginner's Yoga at Home Coach

 

  ^TM

Also see:  http://www.DoYogaAtHomeNow.com

 

 

Yoga at Home: Healing Music by Elio to Soothe Your Yoga Practice

http://www.elio.net.au 

 

In August 2012, I wrote about discovering the ethereal and gentle melodies created by Australian composer and musician Elio Pagliarulo and how they can be an excellent accompaniment to a gentle home yoga practice.  

Elio's music is also excellent for meditation and I play one of his albums created for a meditative/energy medicine practice called the Healing Codes (see http://www.thehealingcodes.com) every morning.

Recently, by email, I shared with Elio some recent and intense family challenges I have had and the anxieties experienced by my son and daughter. The reason I have not updated this yoga blog for 3 weeks is that the resulting extreme stress and drama (and trauma...) have disrupted my writing schedule.  I apologize for that. Hearing about my challenges, Elio  recommended his album, "Tree:  Music for Healing. I immediately ordered it.

On the CD front and back covers, Elio states that the "music is the simplest form of healing.  It vibrates and resonates with our bodies."  Furthermore, he states that the purpose of the Tree CD is to "balance and harmonize your emotions from trauma and that the music is inteneded to lead you to a deeper state of consciousness, helping you to become aware of your inner state and to open yourself to healing. "  How powerful!  

After I received the album by mail (it's available on CD or as an MP3), I used it to accompany my yoga practice. I have maintained my yoga home practice during the family crisis- I always keep my commitment to daily yoga as I consider it to be essentiall health insurance!  Yoga is soothing and can be healing in itself, but with Elio's Tree music, the healing effect is amplified.

In a recent interiew, Elio revealed how he creates his compositions - he meditates and prays first and asks for guidance on how to best meet his listeners' needs.  All I can say is that I feel Elio's heartfelt positive energy and intention in his Tree CD music!  

If you are experiencing any extreme stress or need healing of any kind, consider investing in Elio's Tree album to accompany your yoga practice and/or mediation.  I believe you WILL notice a shift in your feelings and a release of stress.  You may shed some tears as you practice - but, know that you are cleansing and clearing out. Playing Elio's album as you do gentle yoga poses can be a mega powerful healing tool and practice for your mind, body, spirit during super stressful times.

You can check out Elio's music by clicking on the "Yoga Music" tab above in the home page of this blog. (Full disclosure:  I became an affiliate of Elio's music shortly after discovering his music.  However, I enter affiliate relationships ONLY for truly excellent products and services that I think everyone could benefit from and that I personally use.)

Yours for a soothing, healing yoga practice with Elio's Tree music album,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: Music to Enhance Your Home Yoga Practice!

Two days ago, I had an encounter of the most inspiring and auditory kind!  I became acquainted with the soothing, mellifluous music of Elio, an Australian musician and composer.  He created an album of music to accompany a healing energy modality/technique called the "Healing Code" and developed by Dr. Alex Loyd. 

Elio has been composing and performing music for many years and most recently created pieces specifically designed to enhancing the healing effects of the "Healing Code."  I was so taken by his ethereal melodies that I listened to them during my entire commute to work.  They induced an energizing state of relaxation that enabled me to begin my work day with clarity and focus.  I also realized that Elio's music is ideal for a home yoga practice.  In fact, he has composed some of his music expressly for yoga and meditation.

As I mention in my yoga book, Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day, my experience with "yoga music" has been dismal.  Despite repeated attempts at listening to one yoga music CD, I finally gave up and put the CD away because it gave me headaches which I rarely have!

In contrast, however to that abysmal yoga music album I bought one day about 6 years ago, I found Elio's quiet, ethereal, and moving pieces (which you can sample at his website  (http://elio.net.au)  well suited to my gentle yoga practice. They mirror the feeling of flow and their dreamlike quality can encourage you to stretch, bend, and hold the asanas with greater ease and power.  If these tunes can enhance healing, they may also enhance the ease with which you practice yoga.

Of course, everyone has their own personal taste for the type of music they select to accompany their home yoga practice.  However, in my semi-humble opinon, Elio's music is worth investigating. Listen to some samples soon!

Yours for doing yoga moves to mellifluous melodies such as those of Elio Pagliarulo!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home for Beginners: A Song that Reflects Yoga's Benefits

 

Why have I included a music video by John Tesh in today's post and what does it have to do with yoga?

Well, I have a wonderful DVD of a spiritual concert that John Test performed with his band about 8 years ago at the Red Rocks music "hall" in Colorado that prompted me to do further searching of his music on youtube.  I came across this video about a year ago and was enthralled!  The music is both passionate and inspiring- qualities that I seek so deeply in every aspect of my life.  Plus, I enjoy doing my yoga practice with this song in the background every so often.

Also, for me, the song points out that just being alive is a phenomenal gift!  And, despite life's pains and challenges, as long as we have faith, hope, and love and live from our heart, each day we wake up is a gift to embrace fully. 

And, that is also how I view a daily yoga practice - it's as a gift to yourself.  Because of its ability to enable you to gain energy, flexibility, and serenity, yoga enables you to "learn how to live" more fully.  And the music and the lyrics of the song, "This is Your Gift" beautifully remind me of that!

Yours for recognizing the gift of life through yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Home Yoga Coach 

This Is Your Gift by John Tesh - Lyrics

"If a star can be a sign that the light is breaking through,
and the child in your arms makes the whole world seem brand new. 
We can embrace all the grace we've been given, 
stand in the light of the wonder we live in.

This is your gift, this brand new day. 
So take it to heart, take it on faith. 
Open your eyes, don't be afraid to learn how to live. 
This is your gift. This brand new day. This is your gift.

When it's hard to say a prayer, when you're overcome by fear, 
and you see each day through a thousand fallen tears, 
Hope takes your hand and it picks up the pieces. 
Love comes to life as we live and believe it.

This is our new beginning. This is where we start. 
We'll take what God has given and we'll live it from the heart.

This is your gift, this brand new day. 
So take it to heart, take it on faith. 
Open your eyes, don't be afraid to learn how to live. 
This is your gift. This brand new day. This is your gift."

Yoga at Home for Beginners: Vivaldi Adds Vitality to Yoga!

What a glorious, brisk sunny morning I woke up to today!  I slept in and felt more refreshed than usual. Following my toasty warm shower I stepped into my yoga "studio"/space and turned on the light classical music channel.  As I have noted in many posts, my taste in music is ecletic and today I felt like moving and holding my yoga poses to classical selections.

I love the music channels on cable because they give you the opportunity to listen to a wide selection of performers and composers.  For years, I have loved Vivaldi's Four Seasons and other popular pieces. Today, however, I heard Concerto in A Major for Violin and Orchestra which was new to me. What an energizing piece whose melodies filled me with vitality and energy!  I felt especially fabulous after I completed my practice.  Choreograph your yoga practice with the music you love and try out new selections as well.

Yours for moving to lively music as you practice yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: More on MC Yogi - "Give Love" Song

  

 

I talked about this song a few weeks ago in a post and you know, I find it so inspirational that I just HAD to post the video here on my blog.  Go to Itunes and buy it now and add it to your playlist of songs to listen to as you move, stretch, and hold your yoga poses!

If you are like me, you will feel energized, happy, and bubbly. I know - I am sounding like a Pollyanna - but in all honesty, I only share with you what's true for me.

This song is so affirming!  With all the negative news in the media, we need to add as many upbeat positive energizers to our day!  And, I love how MC Yogi weaves in the yoga poses.  A great rap/hip hop yoga song!

Yours for practicing yoga with upbeat positive music,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the beginner's yoga at home coach

 

 

 

Yoga at Home for Beginners: "Give Love" by MC Yogi-Great Tune!!!

If you have been reading my blog for some time, you KNOW how much I LOVE music and that music adds an important element to my daily yoga practice.  I am alway looking to expand my eclectic mix of tunes to play as I move, stretch, and hold my yoga poses.  Also, if you have gotten to know me through this blog you have likely noticed that I emphasize practicing yoga with your heart, not just your mind.  I have talked about POURing love into your practice for gaining maximum benefits.

"Letting ALL I do be done in love" has become my mantra and I am doing my best to really live this principle.  Coincidentally (or NOT), this love theme has been popping up in my life everywhere - even among Facebook friends and acquaintances.  A month or two ago when I asked readers to share the type of music they listen to as they practice, one woman who frequently comments on this blog stated that she sometimes listens to yogi-hip hop artist, MC Yogi.  

I have to admit, I had not heard of him.  But, I can't say I listen to a lot of hip hop - although I do like to dance around to it every so often at home!  Well, I looked up MC Yogi and came across a toe-tapping tune with inspiring lyrics that reinforce the theme of "love."  You can easily find MC Yogi on the Internet - he has a website (www.MCYogi.com) and his "Give Love" song on youtube.  I recommend you check it out and add it to your playlist.  It will energize your yoga practice.  Below are some of the lyrics from the song.

Yours for a heartfelt yoga practice with energizing, love-inspired music!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez

P.S. - One of my other ALL time love-filled oldies is "Let My Love Open the Door" by Peter Townshend - it's awesome.

A few lyrics from MC Yogi's "Give Love" song

Open up your heart, unlock the cage, turn the key and break the chains.

Love will always find a way. If you want love, you have to give love away.

Give Love - Give Your Love Away

Give Love Don't be Afraid!

Give Your Love Away

Give Your Love Away Now!

Give Love

 

Love is life

and life is living 

Living is love

and love is giving

What we live for love

it gives life meaning

 

 

 

Yoga for Beginners: Musing on Music - Mix and Match?

 

Many people assume that "yoga music" consists only of ethereal, New Age-y, or slow, meditative type of tunes.  Well, it's just not the case.  As I have said SO many times, your home yoga practice allows you complete freedom to choose whatever "moves" you on any given day.  My tastes in music are most eclectic, ranging from Mozart to Madonna to well, no, not Metallica, but you get my point? Just because I practice the type of yoga that emphasizes slow, dreamlike movements, it doesn't mean I have to practice in silence or with somnolent tunes wafting quietly in the background.

No! If you do your research, you'll find that some yogis blast hard pumping rock while they roll out their mat and spin into sun salutations.  Well, my choice varies day to day.  Some days the music of Mozart and Beethoven stir my soul.  Other days, I can get my mind, body, and spirit REALLY hopping and bopping with songs by contemporary gospel singers like Kirk Franklin (Hosanna) and Shirley Murdock (Somebody). Just the other day I put on a "Sweating in the Spirit" CD which is contemporary gospel music for dance aerobics routines by trainer Donna Richardson.  I felt so fantastic after my yoga practice with that music playing in the background that I could barely contain myself reminding me of the book entitled, "How much Joy Can You Stand?" I hate to use the cliche, but it was awesome.  Duke Ellington once said that music was "his mistress."  Well, I say, amp up your yoga practice by mixing and matching any kind of tunes that personally raise your vibration!

Yours for high vibrational yoga,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez