Whether you enjoy Hatha, yin, hot, Bikram, vinyasa, or aerial yoga, it’s undeniable that yoga improves strength, balance, and flexibility while also relaxing your mind and body. And after the year that we’ve had, relaxation sounds like something we could all use a bit more of! Here are some soothing songs to help you let go of negative energy, absorb the positive and ease yourself into some of those more challenging poses!   

Lorca Hart Trio – Here’s That Rainy Day

A good thing about yoga is that it can be done both outside and inside. So, don’t fret if it’s raining and gray outside! Just grab your mat, roll it out in the living room and get into an easy seated position. Take a deep breath, clear your mind, close your eyes and listen to the tenor sax while raindrops sprinkle softly against the roof. Visualize the deep gray clouds gliding lazily past, in no hurry to reach their destination. You are completely at peace just like the drifting clouds.

Bill Evans – Peace Piece

This simple piece, recorded in 1958 by the influential jazz pianist, Bill Evans, has a peaceful melody and meditative feel to it, which evokes a pastoral scene. Green meadows of daisies, cloudy blue skies and sun shining on your serene and strong tree pose. Feel the breeze on your skin. Keep yourself rooted firmly in the present moment. Nothing can knock you down.  

Thelonious Monk – Ruby, My Dear

This 32-bar ballad is a slow, moody song that was composed in 1945 and actually first titled “Manhattan Moods.” It was later retitled after Thelonious Monk’s first love and older sister’s best friend, Ruby. 

Monk’s percussive approach to the piano provides a perfect accompaniment for a deep spinal twist. With each strike of the piano, twist deeper into the pose. Monk was also famous for his idiosyncratic habit of stopping in the middle of a performance to stand up and dance for a few moments before returning to play, so this tune would also be a good one to listen to while holding the more difficult dancer pose!

WJ3 All-Stars – Cry Me A River

At this point in the yoga practice, some emotions may be bubbling up. No worries. That’s normal. As our bodies unfurl, so do some of those pent-up feelings. This bluesy jazz ballad will encourage you to accept and embrace all of your emotions, even the bad ones. Because that’s part of the therapeutic benefit of yoga—to release the negativity weighing you down. Let it slide off your body like drops of sweat while you hold tight in the intricate eagle pose. 

I hope that you enjoyed this yoga session and if you’re looking for more relaxing songs to guide your practice, I would recommend the album Colors of Jazz. With songs like “Introspection,” “Discoveries” and “Dew Drop” this recent release from the WJ3 All Stars will have you unwinding in no time! Colors of Jazz is available in our store now and on all major music platforms. 

This post was written by Blog Editor, Jacqueline Knirnschild.