Photo by kike vega on Unsplash

Celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21st

With muggy, humid weather like this, you can have a hot yoga class in your backyard! Just step outside with your yoga mat and I guarantee the temperatures and sweat will be as high as you’d be paying for in an infrared studio! It’ll also be nice to stretch out your body, breathe into your muscles and hear the birds chirping outside. Plus, did you know that June 21st is International Yoga Day? What better way to celebrate than with some calm outdoor yoga and smooth jazz tunes! We at Night is Alive have got you covered with a playlist that’ll help you unwind and unfold.

Lorca Hart Trio – Let Me in Your Life

I think yoga is best when it is done with a specific intention in mind. Whether it be to let go of the past, be in the present moment or allow yourself to make mistakes, it’s important to set a goal to work towards in your yoga practice, which is why I thought it’d be great to start our playlist with a song from Lorca Hart Trio’s album Inspiration and Gratitude. Maybe your intention could be to be grateful for all that you have, or to let some love into your life?

Harry Allen Trio – Each and Every Yesterday

This beautiful slow tune from Night is Alive’s newest album It Takes 3 really showcases the buttery brilliance of Harry Allen’s saxophone. Allow the mellow melody to smooth out all the kinks in your back and neck as you warm up and stretch out, maybe with some table-top positions and cat/cow. Let all the stress of each and every yesterday roll off your body like every music note rolls so effortlessly from the instruments.

Bill Cunliffe, Tim Horner & Martin Wind – Border Widow’s Lament

I think Wind’s bass really stands out in this track from the album of the same title, released by Night is Alive. And Cunliffe’s masterful piano is also incredibly peaceful, while Horner’s drums pull everything all together. A song like this makes me want to get into a child’s pose and allow the laments of the day to slip away, like the drops of sweat, onto my mat.

John Di Martino & Others – Only the Lonely

This song, from Night is Alive’s album Call Me Irresponsible, is hauntingly beautiful and I guarantee it will stick with you long after it’s over, much like your yoga practice. Maybe it feels a bit lonely to be outside practicing yoga by yourself, but you’re not alone–you have the music to keep you company. You have the arresting vocals, the piano, guitar, bass, drums to guide you as you unwind your body further and push it to the threshold where growth occurs.

The Lorca Hart Trio – Duke and Billy

As you finish up your half-pigeon pose and do your final pose, maybe it’s a wheel or full bridge, or even a shoulder stand, this snazzy tune will only serve to enhance your relaxation. Then, when you get into that final resting pose, flat on your back on the mat, allow the Colors of Jazz (the name of this album) to wash over you and spark your synapses with joy and accomplishment. You did it. You took this time for yourself today and your body greatly appreciates it.

Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page!

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by kike vega on Unsplash

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