Music is a language that speaks directly to the soul.
It's not a new concept, or a new phrase. I'm probably paraphrasing from someone famous that I've heard but can't remember. But it's true. And it's good to keep in mind.
When I was in high school I had a history teacher who used to play classical music when we were taking exams. She had read somewhere that classical music helps students calm down and focus, so she thought she was helping us out. For me, though, it was distracting. It didn't help that the CD she played was a recording of my high school choir, so I knew all the songs by heart, but I think I would have been impacted anyway. The music was speaking to me in a language my soul was picking up. I would start feeling the joy, the sorrow, the excitement of each song, and it was hard to focus on my test.
Flash forward to my life as a yoga teacher and runner/generally fit human. I've seen lots of debates about music and exercise, and music and yoga especially. Should you play music in your yoga classes at all? How many beats-per-minute should your playlist have to help you run at your perfect pace? And while I've heard lots of explanations that sound convincing, I think they're missing the most important part of the question.
If music is a language with a direct line to our soul, what is your music saying?
I'm not talking about lyrics, I'm talking about the undeniable emotional message you get when you hear a song. I'm talking about the magic quality of music that's been working on humanity since we were chanting tribal chants in the wilderness. The magic of music that can call livestock back to the farm, or lull a baby to sleep. What feeling does the music make you feel?
For running, and any tough cardio workout (for me it's usually kickboxing), I need music that says "I am a badass. I can do anything, I can survive anything. I am FULL of joy." That is the kind of music that will keep me running even when I'm tired, and will help me run fast not because I'm supposed to, but because I can, at least at the moment, and I feel awesome and powerful.
For yoga it varies by class. For most classes I like music that feels like I'm at a party with good friends who I'm not trying to hard to impress. Music that says "You belong here and we're thrilled you came! Let's have a good time!" It doesn't matter if it's pop music, or oldies, or rap, or soul. It just needs to carry the message.
Sometimes, though, like familiar smells, music can carry old associations that are intensely personal. So it's best, I think, to make your own playlists when you can. If you want some inspiration and ideas, though, feel free to listen to some of my playlists on Spotify.