a musical post for a cold rainy day.

Ok Yogi's after some online research I have decided that I am not able to post this entry the way I would like to, either because it is not possible or that I am not internet savvy enough to figure it out. So if you will bear with me, might I present to you: There Will Be Sun; a one hour play list for day’s you feel you will never be warm again.

1. Nya Sky: DJ Drez

2. Life is Beautiful: Amy Correia

3. I Was Made For Sunny Days: The Weepies

4. Blessings: The Dum Dum Project

5. Girl That Does Yoga: Damien Rice

6. My Sweet Lord: George Harrison

7. A Sunday Smile: Beirut

8. O-O-O Child: Nina Simone (Nickodemus Remix)

9. Bhakti Boombox: MC Yogi

10. Three Little Birds: Bob Marley

11. Devi “Rave”: Krishna Das

12. Sun Dance: John De Kadt

13. Gayatri Mantra: Deva Premal

(I was hoping to have these as links to the songs or better yet a playlist you could play while reading, but that proved beyond my blogging skill level)

So why a playlist today in all simplicity because it’s a yucky day here in my tiny town and all the motivation I had last night for projects I was going to do today is about as soggy as the leaves I haven’t racked yet. All I could think today while staring at my scraps of fabric and freshly clean craft/yoga room was “man, I need a pick me up.” So I made one and now I’m blogging about it.

I actually love making new yoga play list, I love pondering the intention of a class and rummaging through my digital milk crates (child of mix tape generation) and finding the right songs to fit. It’s a personal pet peeve of mine when yoga teachers just throw on any old cd or hit random on their mp3 players because I am a strong believe in the power of music. I feel like music can elevate, it can motivate, it can evoke and sooth so to be in a really great flow and then the music takes a crash into moody or worse sad tunes it kind of bums you out. Or the opposite when you’re in a very introspective class and suddenly there’s dance beats or chipper guitars strumming along. Granted yoga is fluid and the class you think you’ll be teaching often takes a turn so having “appropriate” music can be tricky. But today I made a go at it, below I’ve given a little blur about each song on the list and why I chose it maybe you can have better luck finding them in the cyber world…

1. Nya Sky. I love DJ Drez! I’ve met him at a few yoga conferences and be honored to have him spin live in some of the workshops I took. I chose this track because it is a little funky and engaging but not to strong as you warm up for some sun salutes.

2. Life is Beautiful. Hopefully this sweet track will make you smile as you start to move your body and help you affirm how great things are!

3. I Was Made For Sunny Days: this song keep the beat hopping while those sun salutes get alittle quicker and more heat building, and lets face it some of us just aren’t winter people, we were made for warmer climates (or were born in Alabama!)

4. Blessings. A little instrumental ditty as you start to get more focus in class and maybe start attempting more difficult asanas. But still groovy and keeping the energy up

5. Girl That Does Yoga: I love this song, it makes me smile and talks about orange trees is there a better fruit to remind you of warm climates and coastal breezes when it’s down right cold out.

6. My Sweet Lord: Shout of some happy for your lord, Krishna or so other named because we’ll be praying for 5 months (give or take) to them for a break in the snow and to please please please bring spring anytime now.

7. A Sunday Smile: remember strolling around on Sunday afternoons in the park barefoot? That’s what this song makes me think of and that makes me smile.

8. O-O-O Child: This song kind of speaks for itself but with a new beat to grove your asana to.

9. Here Comes the Sun: the sun will come back, it will and you will wear flip flops again one day. The Beatles promise.

10. Bhakti Boombox: I challenge anyone, yogi or not, to listen to an MC Yogi song and not be entertained on some level. I triple dog dear you.

11. 3 Little Birds: I like to think of Bob Marley as anti-anger music. I cannot stay mad when I’m listening to him. And if that doesn’t work than close you eyes and pretend your on a beach. And if that doesn’t work…well Marley has some other suggestions which I will not publicly condone.

12. Devi “Rave”. It took me a little while to get into Krishna Das, he just seemed ‘too much” for me. But sometimes I just want good music to yoga to that doesn’t sound all sacred. Let go and let flow with this one.

13. Sun Dance: Starting to bring it down now, a little instrumental song to help release any tension left over from your practice.

14. Gayatri Mantra: sit back in your Savasana and listen to one of the most sacred mantras known, giving thanks for the life giving light of the sun and the divine.

Namaste yogis and rock on!