A yoga CD will most likely be filled with soft, soothing music, with as many tracks as a regular CD. Some CDs come with vocal instructions for how to perform the stretches and body movements involved with yoga, along with directions for how to focus your attention on a certain body part, or how to achieve a certain state of mind. String instruments or piano, along with softer percussion instruments, like a triangle or sometimes bongos, are ideal yoga instruments, because they invoke feelings of calm or balance in people. The combination of these instruments can also convey a message of quiet strength, which is a necessity in both yoga and isolate meditation.
All yoga CDs don’t necessarily have ‘instruments’, though. Some CDs are compilations of nature sounds that can help you concentrate, relax, and channel your energy into a positive place. It also provides more of a ‘natural’ environment for those who are especially connected to the outdoors. CDs with nature sounds are also a wonderful idea if you’re used to exercising outside. In case the whether doesn’t permit you to do yoga outside of the house one day, you can listen to the sounds of waterfalls, insects, wind, or even rain to make you feel like you’re out in nature.
CDs are also available with music from other countries. Since yoga derived from India, there are many CDs with Indian-themed music, which is extremely soothing. It can also make you feel connected with the culture and eager to learn more about the practice of yoga. Of course, yoga in its many forms, is practiced in other countries, too, and there are CDs that reflect that. Even if the intent of the artist wasn’t to produce a CD for yoga, African drums are ideal for yoga, as is Celtic-inspired music, which is filled with flutes and guitar-like instruments.
Since yoga is becoming so well known, you can find yoga CDs at just about any music store these days. They will most likely be under the ‘meditation’ or ‘world music’ sections. Many bookstores carry these CDs, too. Barnes and Noble, Borders, and some Starbucks coffee shops are great places to pick up CDs with a variety of sounds and themes. If you’re looking for these CDs on a budget, you may even want to check your local Wal-Mart or K-Mart, since CDs are sold there too.
If you want to be creative, you can make a yoga CD of your own. Just take your favorite songs or sounds and record them in the order you want to work out to. You can combine a variety of songs to create the feel you want for your workout—like slower songs for your warm-up and cool-down, and songs with more of a steady, upbeat rhythm for your actual working out time. This will motivate you to keep working out and will definitely make you feel as though you’re working at your own pace, so you won’t feel any pressure and exercising (or meditation) will actually be enjoyable for you.
It’s important to make exercise fun for you, and listening to or creating a CD for your yoga work out is a great way to do that. Make your yoga sessions a little more interesting by adding music—you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll be able to accomplish in what will seem like no time at all.
By Tamiya King