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“Relaxation is a state of calmness. It is being free of worry in the mind, and free of tension in the body. It is having a sense of openness to one’s outside environment and an ease within oneself. When we are feeling stressed, relaxation is the space we give ourselves to let go of that which is gripping us, opening us up to more spaciousness in our body, mind and heart.”
1. Relaxing Yoga Music
Many people find that yoga has been their go-to way of helping them get into a better mood or feel more centered. On top of this, there are many classes of yoga being taught over the world. There are several types of classes which will help you choose between different styles of yoga including kundalini, hatha, vinyasas, nidra or Kundalini, Ashtanga, Yin and Restorative, etc. Each type will have its own special blend of music which will help you get the right atmosphere for relaxing into the class. You can even find guided tours that’ll take you through each class, helping you discover what you are going to learn. It’ll also allow you to practice all the poses as well. Just make sure you are comfortable in whatever space you are getting. Some classes include meditation, bodywork, exercise and restorative, breathing exercises, and breathing techniques for stress management. To give yourself an experience, try doing at least three minutes of any class before you try anything else. This will allow the instructor to see if you are able to pay attention and even remember your breathing during those sessions as well. Take things easy and don’t let the instructors keep pushing you too hard and you will eventually realize that everyone’s breathing and getting in the same rhythm. The best part is you can practice your poses and songs. So if you are feeling particularly tense or need someone you can trust to listen you can find plenty of ways to easily connect to your music without having to think about it or pay attention to it. A lot of times, there is no actual difference in the song unless each person has a particular background or knowledge. If you feel like a little extra effort needed then make sure to check out other options.
2. Relaxation Music
The sounds of rain may be soothing the soul, but sometimes when we are stressed out we can’t do our best thinking when our mind isn’t clear and clear. Sometimes the only way we can get anything done is to just close our eyes. But sometimes it just so happens that after everything it gets to be pretty much impossible to focus on anything. And so it doesn’t hurt to put a little calming music on! Even though nothing truly helps relieve the feeling of stress, listening to the sound of soft rain could leave you on a peaceful mental note. Listening to classical music such as Mozart’s Don Giovanni or Debussy’s La Petite Femme or Rachmaninoff’s Leda & Luna brings me a moment of quiet reflection. Not to mention they have always seemed like very comforting, soothing, soothing tunes even as a baby. The more serious and rhythmic nature of Mozart’s Don Giovanni also gives me the feeling that I am still enjoying my sleep! Similarly, Debussy’s La petite femme or Rachmaninoff’s Leda & Luna makes me feel like I can still enjoy my time with my children because he really got that “presto” vibe down and can get your heart racing almost anywhere! Also, Rachmaninoff definitely knows how to add emotion into his pieces. He’s been known for making pop music sound good even when there is none at all. In fact, Rachmaninoff had written two books on emotions. One is Cry Me A River (1926) which helped him get himself together from the events of World War II, while the second book entitled Emotions is My Life (1949) was about him working his life back around after becoming disillusioned with society and his career. Both of these books helped with creating meaning to his life and gave him hope he would get back on track. All three of these classical composers helped him become the man he truly is and allowed him to live every day as if it were the most beautiful and perfect day of his life. It seems like the same goes for the Classical/Contemporary musical compositions. Not only are they extremely powerful, they can bring about a sense of freedom and calmness. For example, there have been numerous examples of Classical compositions that have been used in therapy. One classic piece that did have good results is by Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony No. 2 in C major Violoncelli Op. 27. One of Stravinsky’s first commissions came up with this piece which was based off the Italian classical piece called Arcangelo Corelli’s Suite No. 1. According to Stravinsky himself, the inspiration for this composition came from Corelli’s Su No. 1. After composing this piece, he wanted to show Stravinsky that classical concerts and symphonies are far superior than Modern music. The result of Stravinsky’s work was something that looked similar to Admire la Vigne de Venise by Vincent Van Gogh. However, the score is much easier to sing along to and understand instead of actually watching a concert. Another great orchestral combination is composed by Franz Schubert’s Overture des Dames d’Azur to Louis Armstrong (1899). Even though this piece was originally inspired by Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, it looks like the composer thought otherwise. Because it’s very romantic sounding it made Stravinsky think of a French dance band and how it would look if he made that overture to be performed on stage. Stravinsky used this idea over the years and came out with another collection of works by adding English lyrics to his pieces as time went on. He used the name Louis Armstrong (English translation) because that would be the easiest word for anyone to understand. This piece is often found in classical music concerts and is used as a form of therapy.
3. Healing Soul Songs
In any case, one of the most important points for any individual during their distress is finding themselves. Many people find it easy to forget who they are when they are struggling. They just allow their external symptoms to overwhelm them. Most likely they think that they are dealing with the problems that are caused by outside circumstances rather than the inner feelings they are fighting inside of themselves. They can’t even imagine themselves doing anything wrong. This leads those suffering in silence to believe that no matter how bad they feel they won’t ever truly be happy or truly be content with who they are. Maybe this is why most people will try to ignore their own internal turmoil until they either break down completely into crying or explode to the point that they can’t handle it anymore. They forget that there is something that is truly important in who we are and how much we can control the things we can control as individuals. Our actions can be the key in helping us create some self-awareness and change is really possible for the people around us, regardless of whether there is a cause or effect. Every single one of us is unique no matter what our situation is in life. This means that we can have a specific area of self that needs healing and changing to help ourselves get back to the ground level of normal functioning. These kinds of songs can allow us to open up to our mind into the awareness of where we are going and how we have to approach our future when we can no longer maintain our sanity.
4. Meditation Music
What good music does best? As said earlier, the words “meditation” and “relaxation” seem to rhyme with each other. And yes, meditating and relaxing are both activities that tend to involve quite a bit of meditation music. It all depends on what kind of musician and singer you choose for your meditation sessions. Either they have a gentle, smooth voice that allows you to hear and remember how you are feeling or you go all out and make full use of all the high notes, basslines and lower register to allow you to be mindful of your emotions and be present in the moment. Or maybe you choose a professional performer for your sessions with the possibility of learning new songs and playing a huge variety of instruments. Regardless of which type of musicians you choose for your sessions, one thing is for certain; there is always something to love about the music and the way it feels. Although some meditation tracks are very heavy and complex, it is always nice to have that light touch that tends to make you fall in love with the audio and let you get lost right into the meditative state. Especially if your headspace is fairly simplistic, then you should pick the simpler ones as well. Since most of the mediation tracks are designed to allow people to come back to a simple spot to sit and meditate (that usually ends the session), it’s a good idea to find those where you may just want to curl up on the couch and disappear without even realizing it. What better place would that be than to listen to your favorite Christmas carols or Natie Taylor Batch? Just make sure you really listen and if you are able to get those inner feelings into your subconscious, you’ll be okay! If the music and the artist is a little less obvious, chances are more people will just be able to get into a deeper meditative state during a holiday movie watch night and not even notice they are doing it. While meditating and sitting back might seem to be much easier than sitting in a room by yourself, it can be surprisingly difficult to.
Inspiration for more relaxation
- Listen to music or sounds you find soothing. (The Calm app has heavy rain, a campfire, a purring cat, and more.)
- Whenever you remember, deepen and slow your breathing. Focus on your exhales as a way of letting go.
- Drink a warm, non-caffeinated beverage. Even just a glass of warm water can calm the body.
- Practice gentle, mindful movement. (If you’re able to move while seated, the Calm Body Afternoon Reset can help clear your mind and ease body tension.)
- Schedule time in-between activities to have more spaciousness in your day and to give your nervous system an opportunity to settle.
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