| Although names like Yanni, Dido, Ariel or Enya might | | | | yoga has its health benefits: less stress and lowered |
| not ever be listed among top traditional yoga music | | | | heart rate and blood pressure. |
| artists, they are popular in relaxation music for | | | | When the U.S. practitioner begins to look for music to |
| Westerners. For many U.S.-based practitioners, the | | | | accompany his rituals, he will probably not look for |
| availability of music by these artists has meant an | | | | names like Guru Ram Das or Mool Mantra. He will look |
| abundance of modern alternatives to meet their own | | | | for familiar names or names that would be suggested |
| cultural preferences and a contemporary | | | | in his own culture. Guru Ram Das and other similar |
| entranceway into an enlightened art. | | | | artists use the instruments that have always been |
| Contrary to what many have probably expected, | | | | used in both Hindu and yoga music: the santoor, flute, |
| yoga is not always practiced in the same ways as the | | | | sitar and sarangi, for example. Their music also makes |
| ancient (or modern) Hindu spiritual practices. The fast | | | | use of lyrics that come across a lot like chanting and |
| pace of U.S. life has created a strong need for ways | | | | invoke the sacred. Music as a universal relaxation |
| in which the average working American can relax. | | | | technique has not been around as long as the Hindu |
| Yoga - which teaches practitioners how to breathe | | | | worships music. |
| and relax through a series of postures - now gives | | | | The ancient sounds of Hindu do not have to be |
| people a way to slow down. It is a fitness art that | | | | present for music to qualify as yoga music. The main |
| allows for honoring tradition while keeping pace with | | | | requirement is that the music helps you to relax. The |
| modern times. | | | | number of people in the U.S. practicing yoga has |
| It should also be noted that yoga has no goal of | | | | forced a shift to offer alternatives. The Yoga Journal |
| converting its practitioners to Hinduism. Granted, much | | | | reports that more than 15.8 million people in the nation |
| of the traditional music of yoga has origins in this | | | | practice yoga ("Yoga in, America" study, 2008). Of |
| spiritual faith and sounds a lot like the religious music | | | | those who do not practice, 18.3 million indicated they |
| that accompanies worship. Since 1500 B.C., Hinduism | | | | are interested in practicing yoga. The surge in interest |
| followers have used the music to help them follow a | | | | is not the only thing that has driven a shift for music. |
| path to enlightenment. Outside of the religion, however, | | | | The yoga market is a $5.7 billion industry. This kind of |
| practicing is a way to stay fit. The standard meditation | | | | buying power is sure to capture the interests of |
| postures involved in yoga make you stronger, more | | | | vendors and drive competition and variety. |
| flexibility and give you more endurance. Additionally, | | | | |