Yoga Soundtracks

I have an interview and trial class at Cornell University this week (to teach classes there) and one of the optional things to bring to the trial class is music. I haven't taught to a set list in a good long while (I once developed class as set to music) and it got me to thinking about the use of music in classes.


What do folks, teachers and practitioners alike, think about music during class? During personal practice? Is it an interruption or does it help create breath/movement synchronicity (and flow in general)? 

A teacher once said this about music: if you don't need music, you become so involved in the practice that you cease to hear it, and forget it's there. If music helps your practice, it's a good thing it's there. Generally speaking, it's pretty rare to go into a class and be distracted by the music, although I'm sure it happens. Part of being a good teacher is picking music that can be a tool when you need it and fade into the background when you don't. 

What are some of your favorite yoga-related artists? Any unusual artists that you love to do yoga to? (Personally, I am a big fan of some Feist songs) Let me know and the following week I'll put together a sequence to the songs that go with it. 

Yoga Soundtracks

For today, however, here's a lovely, warming sequence, no matter what soundtrack goes with it!

1. Parshva Savasana (Side Corpse Pose). Repeat other side.
2. Table pose (on hands and knees)
3. Lift one knee, like a dog doing its thing on a firehydrant, and lower. Repeat 10x.
4. Repeat fire hydrant other side
5. Cat/cow spine in table
6. "Donkey kicks" in table (taking knee towards mid-line and then kicking it back behind you)
7. Repeat Donkey Kicks other leg
8. Adho Muka Svanasana(Downward Facing Dog Pose)
9. Bend and straighten knees in Adho Muka Svanasana. Pedal heels.
10. Step into high lunge
11. Adho Muka Svanasana
12. Pulse between steps 10 and 11
13. Repeat with other leg
14. High Lunge, bending and straightening knees
15. Repeat other side
16. Uttanasana (Foward Fold Pose)
17. Supta Kapotanasana (Pigeon Pose). Slowly move torso like a wave (head, then chest, then stomach coming down) over leg, taking time to settle into Reclined Pigeon
18. Vinyasa to Kapotanasana on other leg
19. Adho Mukha Svanasana
20. Garbasana
21. Upavista Konasana (Seated Wide Angle)
22. Supta Konasana (Reclined Angle)
23. Halasana (Plow Pose)
24. Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand Pose)
25. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Shoulderstand Pose)
26. Parshva Savasana (Side Corpse Pose). Repeat other side.
27. Savasana