Music is Medicine: The Power of Music

Music is good for the soul – that is a fact! Music is used for therapy.

Personally speaking, music is my go-to for almost any situation. You can be brought to tears, have a memory triggered, or feel energised just by the sound of a few notes, an instrument, or a voice. I strongly believe that you can be transported to another place, lose yourself, find yourself, or change your mood simply by listening to music.

“Music does a lot of things for a lot of people…It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.”
— The late, great singer Aretha Franklin

Music and Yoga

I spend almost as long curating the playlist for each yoga session as I do planning sequences. The wrong sound or frequency can be incredibly jarring and disrupt the feeling or the flow. However, with the correct soundtrack, music can:

• Unlock emotions

• Alter a mood

• Access the body’s systems (such as the heart, fascia, and nervous system).

Each of these systems carries a different feeling, requiring a specific sound to align with the flow of the class. Finding this perfect accompaniment can take time and intuition.

Why Music is So Powerful

One explanation for music's power is described in this article by David Robson, which explores how music helps us accept our feelings without fighting them. Depending on the track, we might feel a sense of connection with the artist’s expression, which helps us:

• Recognise shared humanity (a key to self-compassion).

• Find meaning in our emotions and experiences.

Sound Frequency and Chakras

There is a science behind how different sound frequencies balance the chakras in the modern yoga system. It is said that we can heal our chakras through vibration, as they are seen as energy hubs, each vibrating at a unique frequency.

• Lower chakras correspond to lower vibrations.

• For example, the root chakra is associated with the note G (396 Hz), often used to induce relaxation and promote emotional release.

I often use music or sound frequencies relative to the theme of the class to set the scene, whether at the beginning of a session or when asking students to connect with their practice.

However, I must confess: when choosing music for the bulk of a yoga class, I often rely on gut feelings. I ask myself, “Does this sound like exploring the spine?”

The Perfect Soundtrack

Before becoming a yoga teacher, I was (and still am) a DJ. I take great pride in being able to fill a dance floor and keep people dancing. This skill set overlaps with yoga teaching in many ways:

• Gauging the mood of people.

• Taking students on a journey.

• Ensuring transitions are smooth, not jarring.

While not everyone enjoys background music in a yoga class, I’ve found that many students appreciate the enhanced experience created by carefully chosen soundtracks.

Music in the Yoga Space

For me, it is an absolute joy to bring my love of music into the yoga space. While I don’t choreograph or plan the session entirely around the soundtrack, music helps to:

• Set the mood.

• Build atmosphere.

• Regulate emotions (e.g., fostering joy, energy, calmness, or complete relaxation).

Music is not just an addition to yoga; it’s a vital part of the experience. It can guide the soul, heal the body, and create a practice that resonates far beyond the mat.