Did you know that just two minutes of listening to a calming melody can help your nervous system relax? Music is a powerful way to help your breath ease and give your mind a little space. Gentle rhythms, soft melodies, and soothing vocals signal to the body that it’s safe to slow down.
Think of this playlist as a mini reset button.
1. Medieval: “O Virtus Sapientiae – O Power of Wisdom” | Hildegard von Bingen
“O Virtus Sapientiae” is a mesmerizing medieval hymn composed by St. Hildegard of Bingen, a visionary Benedictine abbess of the 12th century. The text exalts wisdom and the power of mystic wisdom, encompassing all aspects of creation.
2. Soft piano ballad: Olivia Dean – A Couple Minutes | A COLORS SHOW
Grammy award winning, London-based singer-songwriter Olivia Dean’s silken tones glide effortlessly through her performance of ‘A Couple Minutes’, a standout track from her album The Art of Loving.
3. Gentle acoustic guitar: “(Yiruma) River Flows in You” | Sungha Jung
Sungha Jung (Korean: 정성하) is a South Korean musician who specializes in acoustic fingerstyle guitar. Jung creates acoustic covers and arrangements, typically by ear and/or by watching videos, and composes original songs, both of which he plays and uploads online. He is often described as a guitar prodigy, though he prefers to be known as a “guitarist” rather than a “prodigy.”
4. Ambient & nature sounds: “Weightless” | Marconi Union
Marconi Union are an English ambient music band formed in Manchester in 2003 by Richard Talbot and Jamie Crossley.
5. Meditative & Yoga Music: “Ong Namo” | Snatam Kaur
Snatam Kaur Khalsa is an American singer, songwriter and author. Kaur performs new age Indian devotional music, kirtan, and tours the world as a peace activist. Listen to this 10 minute song for deep relaxation.
6. Classical Calm: “Gymnopédie No. 1” | Eric Satie
Erik Satie was a French composer and pianist. In the 1880s he worked as a pianist in café-cabarets in Montmartre, Paris, and began composing works, mostly for solo piano, such as his Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes.