Music is a wonderful tool for both healing and mental clarity. The practice of creating and listening to music has been used to achieve a “flow” state, such as Shakuhachi flute from Japan or improvisational Indian music. Meditation music is often characterized by slow sustains, mellow timbres, and simple harmonies, but can also include percussive sounds and nature cries among other effects. In reality, you can practice mindfulness with any activity, which means you can also do a mindfulness meditation with any music you choose. Nevertheless, it is important to abandon any preconceived notions about the music you are listening to as it may prompt you to subconsciously negate its healing effects. The music can be used to enhance any practices you are already doing, such as daily yoga or breathing exercises, or can be used as its own separate practice.
Contents:
Review of the 10 Best Meditation Music Downloads and CDs, Plus 1 to Avoid
1.) Zen Garden (Music for Deep Sleep, Meditation, Spa, Healing, Relaxation) – Sound Healing Center
- Zen Garden (Music for Deep Sleep, Meditation, Spa, Healing, Relaxation) Sound Healing Center Review – Best Meditation Music For Sleep: This CD is entitled Zen Garden and is produced by Sound Healing Center. The single is an hour long, which makes it a great bargain if you purchase the MP3. It is also available as a physical CD for those that prefer this format, although it is more expensive. Because it is one long track it is great for longer meditations as there is no interruption in flow. This track is reminiscent of Japanese meditation music. It is suitable for meditation as well as relaxation, sleep, spa, and healing. The track contains prevalent water sound, low-pitched flute, and synthesizer. It is improvisatory in nature but maintains a slow peaceful tempo. For those that really like water sounds this track makes it a focal point. This noise is helpful to block out extraneous noises from outside sources. This is one of many CDs available from Sound Healing Center and one of their most popular.
- To watch the Zen Garden (Music for Deep Sleep, Meditation, Spa, Healing, Relaxation) – Sound Healing Center Review on YouTube, click here.
- Meditation & Yoga – Flutes (Native American Flute & Sounds of Nature for Yoga, Massage, New Age Spa, Zen & Chakra Healing) Review – Best Meditation Music Ever: This CD is produced by Jessita Rayes &Yoga Tribe and is designed for both meditation and yoga. It contains 19 tracks in total, ranging from under two minutes to over ten minutes long. The CD itself is just shy of eighty minutes. Because there is a big range between the lengths of tracks, you can choose which tracks to listen to depending on how you want to time your meditation. The full album is very reasonably priced and is a great value. It is a great choice for those looking for exotic music. This CD is very diverse, as each track has a slightly different set of voices. It focuses on Native American flute and nature sounds. It contains wind noises, thunder noises, Middle Eastern percussion, shaker, singing bowls, cricket sounds, and birdcalls among many others. The CD is well mixed so no voice is overpowering. Track titles include “Meditation Wind,” “Healing Drums meld with Flute,” and “Nature’s Blessing. Some tracks are more appropriate for certain uses than others, and are marked as such in the album. For example, the more rhythmic tracks are suitable for yoga because it helps guide movement and breathing. The uses marked include massage, yoga, spa, meditation, deep sleep, Zen, and chakra healing.
- To watch the Meditation & Yoga – Flutes (Native American Flute & Sounds of Nature for Yoga, Massage, New Age Spa, Zen & Chakra Healing) – Jessita Reyes & Yoga Tribe Review on YouTube, click here.
3.) Healing Harmony (Music for Meditation, Relaxation, Yoga, Healing, Sleep & Spa) – Inner Peace
- Healing Harmony (Music for Meditation, Relaxation, Yoga, Healing, Sleep & Spa) Review: This track is a single that is nearly two hours long! This makes it not only a great track, but for the price it’s a great bargain. It is great sleep aid, relaxation aid, and meditation track because of its consistent drones. The sustained tones create swells reminiscent to waves on a beach. There is limited melodic material, which actually helps the listener to become more introspective and also helps promote sleep. This track is wonderfully simple which makes it very versatile and unobtrusive, but for those that are looking for a more active listen there are more complex choices available.
- To watch the Healing Harmony (Music for Meditation, Relaxation, Yoga, Healing, Sleep & Spa) – Inner Peace Review on YouTube, click here.
- Relaxation & Meditation (Exclusive Amazon Sampler Featuring 60 Minutes of Music for Relaxation, Meditation, Massage, Spa & Yoga) Review: This is a sampler of tracks handpicked from many of the other wonderful relaxation albums available for purchase online. This CD is great for those looking to explore and expand their taste in ambient music as it contains everything from ethnic flutes to Indian Raga. It contains seventeen tracks and is over an hour long, with songs from less than two minutes to over ten minutes. Since this CD is more eclectic, it may not be suitable for sleep where a predictible soundscape is desireable. Tracks include Guitar Raga in A (“Massage Music-Ragas), Dawn at Macchu Picchu (“Native American and Andean Flutes”), and Peaceful Rainstorms (“Monsoon Lullabies”).
- To watch the Relaxation & Meditation (Exclusive Amazon Sampler Featuring 60 Minutes of Music for Relaxation, Meditation, Massage, Spa & Yoga) Review on YouTube, click here.
5.) Chakra Suite: Music for Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace – Steven Halpern
- Chakra Suite: Music for Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace Review: This album is unique as it specifically targets a different chakra in each track. Each chakra corresponds to a specific tone in the C major scale, and each track targets a different pitch and chakra. There is a free pulse. It is wonderfully simple with synthesized mallet percussion acting as both the melody and background drone, so there are only a few happening at once. Since the timbre matches throughout this CD the tracks flow effortlessly into each other. There are 20 tracks in total, with each track less than five minutes. The first 8 tracks correspond to each chakra and should be played in order for a chakra healing that would last just under thirty minutes. Tracks 14-20 are formatted the same way but have added synthesizer and different melodic material, so that you have options of which set you would like to listen to. The remaining tracks do not correlate to one specific chakra but are original compositions, with tracks such as “Harmonic Convergence” and “Rainbows of Life.”
- To watch the Chakra Suite: Music for Meditation, Healing and Inner Peace – Steven Halpern Review on YouTube, click here.
6.) Tranquil Guitar: Soothing Music for Relaxation and Sleep – Ryan Judd
- Tranquil Guitar: Soothing Music for Relaxation and Sleep Review: This album is created by Ryan Judd and features guitar and ocean sounds. The melodies are simple and clear, with enough room for pauses in the guitar to provide a sense of ease. There are eight tracks in total that are about seven minutes long each. They all flow very well into each other since they are in similar tonalities and have similar melodic content. Tracks include “Close Your Eyes,” “My Wish,” and “Crescent Moon.” This option is very accessible for new listeners, as the acoustic guitar sounds comforting and familiar. You may use this CD for sleep aid and relaxation as well as Judd’s other CDs.
- To watch the Tranquil Guitar: Soothing Music for Relaxation and Sleep – Ryan Judd Review on YouTube, click here.
7.) Best Of Oliver Shanti & Friends: Circles Of Life
- Best Of Oliver Shanti & Friends: Circles Of Life ReviewReview: Oliver Shanti created some of the first and most longstanding new age music. This album is unique from other choices as it is significantly more rhythmic than other selections and also contains voice. The voice singing in other languages as well as neutral syllables. Different tracks also include ethnic flute, koto, and various percussion instruments. This Oliver Shanti album is 75 minutes long, with seventeen tracks that are about five minutes long each. Tracks include “Journey to Shambala,” “Sacral Nirvana,” and “Simply Love.” Since it includes both voice ad percussion, it may be less suited for sleep aid but creates a great focal point for breathing or movement meditation.
- To watch the Best Of Oliver Shanti & Friends: Circles Of Life Review on YouTube, click here.
- Sleep: Ambient Music Therapy (Natural Music for Deep Sleep, Meditation, Spa, Healing, Relaxation) – Sound Healing Center Review: This single by Sound Healing Center is an hour long and contains relaxing piano playing highlighted by occasional synthesizer. Even though the piano rhythms are faster than other tracks listed, it is a very calming choice because of the even timbre of the instrument and evens of the pulse. For those that like the soothing effects of classical music and acoustic pop ballads this is a great choice. While it does not directly quote any classical pieces its improvisatory style is reminiscent of Beethoven piano ballads. While it may be too ornate for a mindfulness meditation, this CD is highly recommended for sleep aid and relaxation.
- To watch the Sleep: Ambient Music Therapy (Natural Music for Deep Sleep, Meditation, Spa, Healing, Relaxation) – Sound Healing Center Review on YouTube, click here.
9.) Relaxation & Meditation with Music & Nature – Summer Solitude
- Relaxation & Meditation with Music & Nature – Summer Solitude Review: This CD is split into two thirty-minute tracks, “Afternoon Streams” and “Evening Sunset.” Afternoon stream contains synthesized strings and water noises, while “Evening Sunset” has sustained mallet percussion with bird and insect noises. Both do a wonderful job of evoking the mood of its title. As these tracks are more repetitive they make a great addition to focused meditation.
- To watch the Relaxation & Meditation with Music & Nature – Summer Solitude Review on YouTube, click here.
- Calm Within: Music for Relaxation of Body and Mind – Perfect for Massage, Spa, Yoga, Meditation Review: This CD by Laura Sullivan contains ten tracks that range from four to seven minutes for a total of one hour. Tracks include “Emerald Isle,” “Inner Harmony,” and “A Beautiful Future.” The tracks on this CD offer a similar calm mood but with diverse instrumentation. Some tracks include piano and voice, while others include synthesizer, flute, and percussion. Each track may be used for a shorter meditation, or the track changes can be used as a reminder to shift focus during meditation. For those looking for a clean and pure sounding relaxation CD this is a wonderful choice.
- To watch the Calm Within: Music for Relaxation of Body and Mind, Perfect for Massage, Spa, Yoga, Meditation – Laura Sullivan Review on YouTube, click here.
Avoid – Relaxation: Relaxing Guitar Nature Sounds Relaxation
- Relaxation: Relaxing Guitar Nature Sounds Relaxation Review: This CD contains only two voices at once: nature sounds, such as birdsong or waterfall, and guitar. Despite only two voices present, it is not mixed well and the nature sounds are overpowering while the guitar sounds very muddled. The guitar lacks a sense of pulse in most songs on this CD but also lacks clarity in pitch, as it often plays in a very low range with a thudding quality. It also creates sliding noises on the neck that are significantly louder and startling compared to the rest of the playing. There are fifty tracks in total, that are about three minutes long each, which makes it difficult to create a flow between tracks. As a whole, there are better options that use the same instrumentation.
- To watch the Relaxation: Relaxing Guitar Nature Sounds Relaxation Review on YouTube, click here.
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Best Meditation Music Artists of 2023:
It can be comforting to listen to music in a similar style many times over (this is why we often play the same song on repeat for weeks at a time). Personally, this is what I do with Reiki music, as well as my favorite tracks for meditation purposes. Many meditation music artists produce music with consistency in mind so their listeners know what flavor of meditation to expect. When you find an artist you like, you can consider the instrumentation they use, whether they contain effects such as binaural beats, whether they use nature sounds, and if they are influenced by Western or Eastern music.
Sound Healing Center has one of the widest available relaxation CDs available for purchase. The tracks usually contain a mixture of nature sounds and peaceful instruments. They are specifically designed for relaxation and are a reliable buying choices.
Ryan Judd is a guitarist and certified music therapist. He uses music as a learning and coping tool for those with special needs, and is particularly effective at implementing music therapy for autism. In addition to the CD listed above he has several albums available specifically for young children’s relaxation and sleep aid, including the album We Dream that contains modern lullabies.
Relaxation Therapy Home by the Sea offers several healing albums online. Almost all include ocean sounds, which is a very popular and desired relaxation noise. Their albums are some of the most popular available and would make a wonderful addition to any collection.
Best Meditation Music Youtube of 2023:
YouTube also has many wonderful meditation tracks available to put on next time you start up your salt lamp and unwind. The time lengths span from just ten minutes to many hours. They can also contain visual aspects that may assist to enhance your meditation, such as falling snow or a painting being made. It is important to note that some Youtube videos may contain ads embedded into long videos, which would be disruptive. The tracks listed below have avoided using these videos.
Jason Stephenson – Heaven on Earth Review:
Jason Stephenson produces both quality meditation music and guided meditation. This one contains a video collage that includes relaxing nature images, such as dew forming on flowers. The instrumentation contains prevalent harp, sustains, and various types of flutes. The music remains very consistent rather than improvisatory, which helps the mind to stay stable and focused. It contains delta waves that are meant to assist in sleeping. This track is just over two hours long and is suitable for sleeping, healing, relaxing, and meditating.
Sonicaid – Music for the Mind Review:
Yellow Brick Cimena – Reiki Zen Meditation Music Review:
This track is quite unique from other meditation tracks. Its timbres include metallic instruments with a brilliant ringing quality that creates an ethereal effect. There are varied tones that allow it to be used for chakra healing. It also contains peaceful imagery as a slideshow while the music plays to aid relaxation. This track is an hour long. Melodic material is simple but changes often enough to keep interest, and the steady drones are helpful to establish a breathing rhythm while meditating. This track is peaceful enough that it would be used for sleep aid, so if you do not want to fall asleep to this track or other tracks you can listen in a well lit room with your eyes slightly open.
Best Meditation Music (2023 Buyers Guide)
Final Thoughts on Finding the Best Meditation Music:
While much of this music would be suitable for assisting sleep, you can create a deep focus by listening to these tracks with a quality pair of headphones. Even those who have a limited taste in music genres often connect with meditation music easily. You can experiment with many different styles, and you may only resonate with some or you may resonate with all of them. We are so lucky to have so much music available to us through the internet. It is my hope that music can be used to cultivate healing in many lives. Thanks in advance for leaving a comment below and please pin and share this article if you find it helpful in any way 🙂
Love and Light,
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