In my recent post about mantra origin I gave few examples on how mantra concept can be used in practice and every-day-life. Chanting, calming, relaxation practices, entering unusual state of mind, meditation, and dealing with public transport mental pressure are some of practices mantras help us with.

The aspect I want to emphasize today is mantras we could use in our yoga practice. Any yoga book will teach you that individual practice is very important and attending group class only will not be as effective as combining both: home and group class. Trying to build home practice can be quite a challenge. You will notice there are so many causes preventing us from practicing yoga! Not only finding time is difficult, but also staying in the flow of practice when no one is looking/telling what to do.

Logically, to stop thinking about 100 things but yoga, we should concentrate on something and support this concentration. Mantras are very simple to focus on.

Below I give a small list of mantra albums you could use for yoga practice: some are more dynamic, some – less, some are totally meditation tracks. Many years of spiritual search resulted in great music collection for me

1. [dynamic] 1hour Om Namah Shivaya. Fits any dynamic practice, I like it playing as a background for morning surya namascara
2. [dynamic] Surya album. Great for dynamic practice
3. [dynamic, vocal chanting] Mantra of Amitabha Buddha and another 7 variants of this mantra
4. [dynamic] Prem Joshua, Sky Kisses Earth
5. [dynamic] Prem Joshua, Taranga
6. [less dynamic, women vocal] Deva Premal, The Essense
7. [less dynamic, women vocal] Deva Premal, Embrace
8. [less dynamic, chanting] Ashit Desai, Himalayan Chants (scroll down for mp3, I will upload this album to rapidshare later on)
9. [less dynamic, monks chanting] Jean-Michel Jarre, En attendant Cousteau. Pay attention to 4^th track, 45 minutes OM chanting. Amazing chanting for meditation practice. cd 1 and cd 2
   
10. [calm, monks chanting] Om mantra of Dharma Mittra, 30 minutes OM track

Tracks #8 and 9, #10 can be used for meditation, breath or relaxation practice. Very special and easy to focus.

If you have some albums to advice, be welcome to share with our readers.

May all beings find real peace, real harmony, real love.

More information on mantras:

Mantras in our life

Wiki article on mantras

Listen to live chanting, Sanscrit texts

Various albums to download