Rocking Yoga Playlist (1 Hour Class)

I'm always looking for new music for my classes. I love how music ties in with yoga to make it almost like a dance.

So here's my latest mix! It's upbeat, fun, and a little more edgy than a traditional yoga playlist, but a good balance of both upbeat and soothing.

The actual length is about 58:30, perfect length to end at savasana and give students time to awaken before closing.

"Lion Heart" -- The Human Experience
Funky instrumental, good way to set the mood for centering.

"Breathe" -- New Navy
Another funky beat, and I like putting this in the beginning of class where we have a little silence to remind students to--you guessed it--just breathe.

"Pompeii" -- Bastille
I love how this song is powerful without being overpowering. Great for a yoga playlist.

"Safe and Sound" -- Capital Cities
I'll be honest, I'm usually the biggest fan of this song, but I think it works really well in this playlist.

"One Day" -- Matisyahu
Love the progressive reggae vibe in this tune.

"Wake Me Up" -- Avicii
This song is another great mix of funky vibes. I love that it starts out acoustic and goes into an electronic beat.

"Harvest Moon" -- Poolside
Credit to Rachel Brathen for this song. I absolutely LOVE this version of a great Neil Young song.

"Feel It All Around" -- Washed Out
Yes, the Portlandia song again. I can't get enough of it. Whenever I play it in class, everyone bops their head!

"Stubborn Love" -- The Lumineers
Just a really catchy, upbeat song.

"Have a Good Time" -- Paul Simon
OK, HERE IT IS! My chance to use my favorite song of all time in a yoga class! Seriously, just the best song ever. Who doesn't love having a good time?

"Golden" -- My Morning Jacket
There were a few MMJ songs that I toyed with adding to this list, but this one was the winner. I like it toward the end of class. Jim James' voice is just too amazing.

"The Wind Cries Mary" -- Xavier Rudd
One of my favorite covers of a Hendrix song.

"Breeze" -- Xavier Rudd
Really wonderful song for the end of class, or could be used in the beginning. I love the lyrics. Imagine yourself floating away.... they will inhale you deep into their lungs...

"Latika's Theme" -- Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack
Great instrumental with beautiful vocals, can be used for savasana or in the beginning of class.

"Forever" -- Ben Harper
I used to be a fan of instrumental songs during savasana so that students minds could take them wherever they wanted to go, but I've gotten a really great reaction when I've played songs with beautiful lyrics like this at the end of class.

Tummy Love: Sweet & Salty Slow Cooked Almonds

I recently made a recipe off of Pinterest for "the nuts" -- you know, THE nuts. The ones you smell at the mall, those deliciously addictive balls of cinnamon and sugar that get gobbled up in about two minutes.

So, I made these nuts, and they were very good. Not great, but good. They lasted about a week, which in our house means that they could have been better.

My only problem with the recipe was that it was too sweet. Most of the time when I get a craving, I want something sweet and salty, but not too much of either. A good balance. Picky, much?

So I adjusted the recipe with blind faith and holy smokes are they delicious. Perfect amount of sweet and salty. Warning, these may become addictive!

Sweet & Salty Slow Cooked Almonds

• 3 cups blanched whole almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup water

Whisk together egg white and vanilla until it becomes foamy--lots of little bubbles and has expanded a tiny bit.

Add almonds and stir to coat. 

Mix together cinnamon, sugars, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to almond mixture and toss to coat. There will be a little excess dry ingredients at the bottom, but don't worry about it right now. 

Transfer ingredients to greased (I use canola oil spray) slow cooker and turn to high. Close lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Make sure you get those edges! The sugars like to get stuck in there and will burn if they sit too long.

After 2 hours, add 1/8 to 1/4 cup water and stir. It's going to start getting gooey, and that's going to amount to lots of deliciousness. Cook one more hour, stirring again every 20 minutes. 

Spread out onto parchment paper and let cool.... at least a little bit. They're delicious when they're hot, but come on. Don't burn your mouth. And save some for the others.... :)

I really like how these turn out more like candied almonds than sugary dusty bites, but that could just be me.

Let me know how yours turn out! 

10 Favorite Yoga Playlist Songs

Sometimes the music can make or break a good yoga class. And let's be honest, we've all got that easy playlist that we go to when we are having a creative slump, but it's really refreshing and can be pretty inspiring to your practice to being some fresh music with you to the mat.

Here's a few of my current favorite songs to play during my classes:

"Keep Your Head Up" - Ben Howard
A great medium between a calming acoustic song with an upbeat tempo. I like to play this toward the beginning of class after meditation because of its message. I just love the chorus -- Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. 

"Let Me Be" - Xavier Rudd
Pretty much every one of my yoga playlists includes an Xavier Rudd song because he's just that amazing. This is a fun, upbeat song that I like to play toward the middle of class.

"Love is My Religion" (Acoustic Version) - Ziggy Marley
This is a really sweet song to play toward the end of class. It has that great reggae sound without all of the business of being too instrumental.

"Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster The People
Great for the middle of class, or even the climax of a more yin class. It's wonderfully upbeat without being too distracting.

"Feel It All Around" - Washed Out
Okay, so I never would have thought to use the Portlandia theme song in a yoga playlist UNTIL I heard Mackenzie Miller play it during an inversion workshop. It was the coolest thing, and fits so perfectly into a class.

"Your Hand in Mine" - Explosions in the Sky
Great instrumental song for opening meditation.

"One Day" - Matisyahu
Great for a climax song or leading up to it. I just love the beat, it fits really nicely.

"Shake It Out" - Florence + the Machine
I really like how this song is powerful without being overpowering. Plus, what an amazing voice.

"Stubborn Love" - The Lumineers
I've used this song for both Vinyasa and Yin classes, it's very versatile. Plus I love playing it during challenging poses when the lyrics say, it's better to feel pain than to feel nothing at all. Yep. I did that.

"Untitled (Grasses Grow)" - A Fine Frenzy
I couldn't think of a more perfect song for savasana. Not only is it perfect length - about 7 and a half minutes - but the combination of the piano, the soft voice, and the amazing lyrics literally make it the perfect song. Let your breath fill the empty space, where you used to keep the dead, dead weight.

Out of Control

Sometimes life can seem out of sorts, out of control, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and lost. It happens. This life thing isn't predictable, and many things are out of our control. Natural disasters, illnesses & diseases, and many other factors play into life keeping us on our toes.

Sometimes even the thought of losing control over something is enough to bring on the anxiety.

This is where we need to shift the focus from what we cannot control to what we can. When you feel like life is taking you for a loop, stop and take a look inside.

Control your breath.

Equalize the volume and duration of each inhale and exhale for at least 5 minutes. Inhale for 4 counts, and exhale for 4 counts. Set an alarm if you can.

Control your thoughts.

Allow every thought that passes by during this time to float by like a cloud in the sky. Your thoughts create your reality. You have control over what you choose to focus on.

Control your life.

If you are sad, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. Take a look around you and live every moment of life for all its worth.

I hope your new year is starting out with some clarity, joy, and renewal.

Love

Favorite Flows: Archer's Prayer or "The Katniss"

From High Lunge, reach both arms straight in front of you, keeping the wrists in line with the elbows and the shoulders. Elongate each arm by hugging the shoulders back and reaching out through the fingertips, while still keeping the elbows slightly soft as to avoid locking the joints. Keep the midline zipped up, belly in toward the spine, and spread the collarbone by slightly lifting the chest. Spread the fingers wide and stretch the palms open, imagining tiny rays of energy shooting out the fingertips.

Bring the elbow straight back on an inhale as if you’re stringing a bow. Allow the shoulder to stretch back and upper back to twist, spreading the ribcage open. Exhale and reach the arm back in front of you. Repeat on opposite side, and continue 5 times on each side.

Back into high lunge, reach the arms up overhead while letting the shoulders be soft but stretching out the armpits. Bring the arms to a 45 degree angle, imagining a straight line from your back keel all the way up the leg, the torso, and out the fingertips. Keep the belly hugged in and hips square to the front of the mat as you breathe here for 2 full breaths. Now bring the hands to prayer and push the palms together to encourage the shoulders to relax and the chest to open. Twist the upper body toward the bent knee, so far that you can hook the bottom elbow on the outside of the bent knee. Encourage the chest to spread and roll the top shoulder back, aiming the elbow up toward the sky. Stay for 5 breaths, attempting to lengthen out the crown of the head on the inhale and twist the spine a little more on each exhale.

Twist back to center, then straighten the front leg and drop the back heel to the floor. Swing the arms around the back and bring the palms together. Interlace the fingers and squeeze the palms together. Roll the shoulders back as you spread the chest and stretch the collarbone. Take a deep breath in, then leading with the sternum, begin to bring the chest forward. Try to keep the back straight and midline tight as long as possible. Drop the upper body long against the front leg, stretching the belly long against the thigh. Allow the fist to follow, aiming to point the knuckles up toward the sky. With every inhale, stretch the crown of the head toward the foot, and allowing the upper body to relax on each exhale. 

Stay for 5-8 breaths, then drop hands to floor and front foot back to meet opposite, take a Vinyasa before repeating on the other side.