Hi - I’m just starting out and taking my first class. Is it usual to have music playing during Yoga class? I’m finding it somewhat distracting.
Hi - I’m just starting out and taking my first class. Is it usual to have music playing during Yoga class? I’m finding it somewhat distracting.
Hello Rivette,
You may find the phrase “usual” as it relates to yoga and the forum to be a less than clarifying term.
The answer about music is simply that some do and some do not play music during class. The same can be said of burning incense and turning up the heat, to mention only a few.
And from my experience those playing music stick by it just as those not playing it do. Each group, I imagine, has a bevy of reasons why and it might be educational to inquire of the teacher why they play music. I know I welcome such questions about this and other things around the practice. An asking student is an engaged student.
My personal sense, which may be meaningless to you here, is that music is marvelous, but not during my practice. I’ve got enough sound already in my life. It is stillness and quiet that I find a need to carve out. And my practice is one of internal reference so that which is external draws me away rather than into. Obviously there are some external things that are beyond control - other students, passing sirens, aromas from restaurants…and that is fine. I simply prefer not to add to it.
The resolutions are obvious, no?
If you cannot find joy in the practice there with the music then it would be sensible to go where there is none.
Hello Rivette,
In Classical Yoga asana classes, I think it is very unusual to have music playing. Other than having a single teacher play a flute during savasana, I had not heard of music being played during class until my friend told me that this was a regular thing at our local Core Power studio. She said that the music there ranged from New Age to hip hop.
Our daily lives are full of images and noise, from movies, magazines, the internet, buzzing florescent lights, TV, cellphones, you name it. I find it soothing to have a space free of these things as a container for my practice.
When I was little, my Grandma Julianna told me when I complained to her that God was not answering my prayers, that maybe I should try being quiet so I could hear him (she also recommended sitting still…you see the pattern here 
) Now that I am older, I consider this brilliant advice.
Namaste
I prefer music when I do Yoga, but I usually do it alone rather than in a class. I don’t know if I would prefer it the other way in a class, but I doubt it. Usually social settings are more comfortable when music is playing.
I love to have music playing in class. I don’t like it when there are too many words though…I find it distracting.
Hello, my first post. Wonderful forum you have here.
Interesting thread btw. However, it seems I detect a particular distaste for music among certain members of this yoga forum.
Whatever happened to OM, the sound and symbol of the universe? Sound therefore, includes music. Perhaps, a quiet and contemplative atmosphere is nice and conducive
when practicing yoga or meditation for that matter, but it is not necessary.
For example, in Bhakti-yoga, which is another form of meditation, it involves the chanting, and hearing in [I]sound[/I], the names of the Lord.
Namaste
[QUOTE=Kaos;5767]
Interesting thread btw. However, it seems I detect a particular distaste for music among certain members of this yoga forum.
Whatever happened to OM, the sound and symbol of the universe? Sound therefore, includes music. Perhaps, a quiet and contemplative atmosphere is nice and conducive
when practicing yoga or meditation for that matter, but it is not necessary.[/QUOTE]
Hello Kaos and welcome to Yoga Forums,
I was unclear on how you detected a “distaste for music” from anyone sharing on this forum, especially on this thread. Would you please be specific to what and to whom you are referring to?
[QUOTE=Kaos;5767]
For example, in Bhakti-yoga, which is another form of meditation, it involves the chanting, and hearing in [I]sound[/I], the names of the Lord.
Namaste[/QUOTE]
From my understanding of what I have learned from my teachers, Bhakti Yoga is a path of Yoga, specifically a path of devotional practices and to a personally chosen deity or representation of God. That meditation is a practice that may–or may not–be part of an individual’s Bhakti sadhana, but Bhakti Yoga is not limited to meditation or defined by it. It is also not necessary to have chanting (or listening to the names of God) as a practice to be on the Bhakti path.
Is what you are referring to in your post as Bhakti-Yoga better presented as the Nada Yoga (e.g. Kirtan, Om Mantra, etc.) aspects of the Bhakti Yoga path?
Please share more with us; I hope that you will.
Thank you.
Namaste
Kaos raises a good point.
My personal preferences aside (since they are only for my practice and that is what makes them personal preferences in the first place)…
Nothing happened to OM. Om is completely appropriate and used frequently. Oddly enough there are many teachers who use music but are scared to death to OM in their class.
Om is the sound of the infinite, it is a vibration rather than a song. There is nothing wrong with singing OM, however OM within the yogic context is not a chorus line, orchestra, or song. Again, it may be used as such but it is no more song than a cat purr is a meow.
Obviously one is not chanting OM or the gayatri during asana practice and I believe “yoga” in this thread at least, seems to represent asana class.
[QUOTE=Kaos;5767]Hello, my first post. Wonderful forum you have here.
Interesting thread btw. However, it seems I detect a particular distaste for music among certain members of this yoga forum.
Whatever happened to OM, the sound and symbol of the universe? Sound therefore, includes music. Perhaps, a quiet and contemplative atmosphere is nice and conducive
when practicing yoga or meditation for that matter, but it is not necessary.
For example, in Bhakti-yoga, which is another form of meditation, it involves the chanting, and hearing in [I]sound[/I], the names of the Lord.
Namaste[/QUOTE]
For most people when they come from the crazy outside world, it is scary to jump right into the ocean of silence. We need the stimuli from the senses otherwise we fall asleep. Music can bridge this gap.
I wonder why. It is like preferring only the gaps between heartbeats or preferring only to exhale during breathing.
And there is no sound in universal vibration? Including transcendental sound?
Asana practice is beneficial. However, it is only one among many types of yoga.
[QUOTE=Hubert;5778]For most people when they come from the crazy outside world, it is scary to jump right into the ocean of silence. We need the stimuli from the senses otherwise we fall asleep. Music can bridge this gap.[/QUOTE]
Namaste Dear Ones,
For me, this is the gem of this thread. Thank you Hubert.
The next time that I am having a difficult time and feeling tamasic toward my own asana practice, I will play some music for myself and see if this might be the bridge that sooths my own fears.
Thank you to you all.
Honestly why? For some it is that they do not do it in their own practice, in which case it is completely appropriate that they do not teach it. For others it is misunderstood as religion and they don’t want to “scare” anyone off because that would be “unpopular” and/or they are not prepared to respond to questions about Om relative to religion and so “skip it” feels safer. I’m sure there are other comfrot reasons that escape me.
And there is no sound in universal vibration? Including transcendental sound?
Of course there is sound in Universal Vibration which is why I used the cat analogy. Both are sounds. But sound is not song. And, even when it is, it may be divergent from the concept of playing Jai Uttal during asana practice. There are, of course very sweet, beautiful, melodic chants permeating yoga. But that wasn’t really the scope of the question.
Asana practice is beneficial. However, it is only one among many types of yoga.
Again we completely agree on this. But again it was not the context of the original question. Often questions on the board that say “yoga” mean asana. Occasionally I’ll bring that up but as mentor of mine once said “The horse is dead. Get off.” I try not to bring up that just over 100 years ago there was no real asana and that classical some admonish the practice as puffing and stirring ego - which clearly we’ve proven as correct:-)
Thank you all for your varied and useful comments. I finally spoke with the instructor for my class about the music. After reading your comments I realized that it wasn’t music, but the specific selections of music, that I found distracting. I explained this to her and now she has changed from Grateful Dead to calmer selections. She has also asked the class to bring in cd’s they like so we are now listening to rags, Brahms and light jazz.
I still would prefer silence so that I can more easily focus on the class, but this is a good compromise and over time perhaps I’ll learn to ignore it or incorporate it differently.
It is up to the individual’s personal preference. As a teacher, my students often tell me they love the music that i use in class, i think makes them feel less self-conscious about themselves, or perhaps stops them from looking around the room comparing with each other.
For me personally, it depends on what mood i am in, the situation, and where i am practising asanas. I LOVE music, and I especially love doing dynamic yoga to flowing or rhythmic beats. The music and postures become intertwined, taking me on a journey allowing my body to flow into a meditative state.
But then, I am also a dancer and perhaps that is why I love the combination of sound and movement…
I also believe that practising without music is a fantastic way to still the mind and concentrate on the physical nature of the postures.
In a surrounding society where everyone is moving, and at greater and greater speeds, combined with the obvious disconnect that is on display day in and day out, one may ponder how the moving and knowing the self can be strongly correlated.
Yesterday 03:06 AMInnerAthleteIn a surrounding society where everyone is moving, and at greater and greater speeds, combined with the obvious disconnect that is on display day in and day out, one may ponder how the moving and knowing the self can be strongly correlated.
Yes, it is good to question that. But it depends on what kind of ‘moving’ you do. If it is moving unconsciously, which can happen often when doing the routine everyday things, then there can be separation from oneself and being present in that particular moment.
However if the movement is conscious, then there is a strong correlation to knowing oneself. certain music of a high vibrational energy can enhance one’s asana practice. but there is some music that may not be appropriate in a yoga class, and we should be mindful of playing anything that isn’t positive. i find it’s good to vary the types of music, from peaceful panpipes to flowing urban beats. but sometimes it’s better to have no music. if your stance is 2 strictly not to have any music at all…then perhaps one should question what is music anyway? if perfoming asanas outside, then couldn’t the birds in the trees be considered as music? would this disconnect your practice?
again, it’s definitely up to the individual whether to practise to music or not. there are far worse things that disconnect our lives, for example using the internet too much. i’m sure the effects transmitted from the computer are far greater than relaxing music.
Yes, it is good to question that. But it depends on what kind of ‘moving’ you do. If it is moving unconsciously, which can happen often when doing the routine everyday things, then there can be separation from oneself and being present in that particular moment.
However if the movement is conscious, then there is a strong correlation to knowing oneself. certain music of a high vibrational energy can enhance one’s asana practice. but there is some music that may not be appropriate in a yoga class, and we should be mindful of playing anything that isn’t positive. i find it’s good to vary the types of music, from peaceful panpipes to flowing urban beats. but sometimes it’s better to have no music. if your stance is 2 strictly not to have any music at all…then perhaps one should question what is music anyway? if perfoming asanas outside, then couldn’t the birds in the trees be considered as music? would this disconnect your practice?
again, it’s definitely up to the individual whether to practise to music or not. there are far worse things that disconnect our lives, for example using the internet too much. i’m sure the effects transmitted from the computer are far greater than relaxing music.
I agree - for people who have pretty full on jobs and lives it can be confronting to come into a space with no sound. Personally I have always practised in silence but recently have been to a few classes with music and thoroughly enjoyed it. For me yoga is about being flexible, in both our bodies and our minds!