The Sound of Music (in Yoga): What Do You Like to Listen To?

I love practicing to music. Love it. Can't get enough. 

Personally, I think that an interesting, inspiring, energizing-at-the-right-time and relaxing-at-the-right-time playlist can help me to get completely lost in my practice, to amp things up when I'm building heat, and to  relax a bit more when I settle down for my final savasana. 

I've practiced without music and I've taught without music at many different times over the past year or two, and although yoga is still amazing either way (I'm not saying that yoga is any less powerful without music!), I think that my love of music--no matter what I'm doing--gives me this urge to practice to music, as well.

My personal need for inspiring tunes while I flow is one of the reasons that I spend hours on my new playlists each month (and then tweak them and work to perfect them for a week or so, until they're just right). Many of my fellow yoga instructors do the same thing as they work on their playlists, so I know that I'm not alone in this, but a yogi's comment about my playlist after class last week got me thinking about yoga + music + preferences. 

What makes a song "right" for yoga? Does it need to be classic "yoga" or new-agey music? Can it have words, or must it be instrumental? If it does have words, does it have to be chanting, or yoga words, or can it be anything, even angry words? Should the music be played quietly, or should it be played loud enough to fill the room with it's energy? Can you only practice to off-beat, unrecognizable musicians or bands, or can you get your yoga on to Enrique Iglesias (see below ;) or Britney? 

So many questions, and really, it all comes down to personal preference.

Every time Ben comes to my classes, he says I should turn up the music ("louder," he always says, even when I think it's blasting!). I love when I go to classes where the music is loud and I can really feel it as I flow, but I've heard students give feedback that they like it when the music is low and just there for a bit of background noise. 

Since I started teaching I've had students tell me that they love my music, or love hearing one of their favorite bands in the mix, and then I've also  had students who ask for more "Eastern-inspired music," less up-beat music, or even no music at all because they find it distracting. It really depends on the person! 

So what conclusion have I come to regarding the subject? You just have to be true to yourself (isn't this the answer to almost every question in life?). 

As teachers, we should play what resonates with us while also taking our "student body"--or what the majority of our students tend to like--into account. As students, we can gravitate towards those teachers whose entire teaching style works for us, music and all. I believe that the most important part of any practice is that your practice is your own, and that no outside sources are going to take you away from that. 

On the other hand, even if you don't like a teacher's music in a particular class, you can think of it as a chance to challenge yourself to tune inward and forget about any and all sensory distractions around you...you just may find that in the end, the music really doesn't even matter for you.

So how do you feel about this topic? Why do you enjoy the type music (or lack of music) that you like to hear when you practice? What are your favorite yoga songs, and why? I know my musical preferences during yoga are clear (see my "Shake Your Asana" posts, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2...), but I'm always very interested to hear other people's take on yoga + music, and very open to suggestions, as well :)

Now off to make my new November playlist! How appropriate, no? 

Namaste!
Mary Catherine

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