Vintage

Music is a powerful source of meditation, rejuvenation and reflection. Slip in a favourite song from your youth and you are instantly back in your local hangout with all your high school friends. Music also has an enormous ability to assist in our development as human beings; when you connect with music, you are connecting with the soul of the world. Here is a list of music that I highly recommend for meditation, and bringing yourself to a calm state in no matter what you are doing in your day.

Enya - An entirely ethereal voice, Enya is perhaps the most popularly noticed singer of music that feeds the soul and frees the mind. All of her albums are complete originals and are serene and beautiful to listen to. Enya's music is ideal for calming the soul. Albums include: Enya, Shepherd Moons, Watermark, The Celts, The Memory Of The Trees, Paint The Sky With Stars, A Day Without Rain, Amarantine.  

Loreena McKennitt - Canadian Celtic singer, Loreena McKennitt is a Canadian legend; known for her connection to all things ancient, McKennitt's music is often influenced by places she has traveled to, poetry she has read and stories she has been inspired by. It is easy to listen to Loreena McKennitt and get emotionally swept away to another time and place. Albums Include: Elemental, Parallel Dreams, The Visit, The Mask & The Mirror, The Book Of Secrets, An Ancient Music, Nights From the Alhambra.

Sarah McLachlan - This singer is one of my daughters favourites, and I must admit to not listening to her before a recent excursion to a McLachlan concert because of what I thought was a generation gap between my taste in Music and my daughters. When I heard Sarah onstage I was captivated by her ethereal presence and all those spirits around her. She has a wonderful energy and exudes that in her singing, on top of all that, I now enjoy listening to Sarah McLachlan as my daughter does! Albums Include: Touch, Solace, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Surfacing, Aftergow.

Pia - Even though Pia lives in North America, she has submerged herself in the world of Indian religion and culture. Pia's music and voice are simply soothing and gentle and lulling to the spirit. Her connection to India pours through every vocal. All three of Pia's albums can be found at New World Music. Albums include: Benediction Moon, Magical Eclipse, Pacifica.

Lili Haydn - A beautiful spirit and a beautiful voice, Haydn is a violinist who has merged classical and rock together and paired it with an angelic voice. Haydn's music is poetic, but is perhaps best to listen to when you desire to be inspired or a little more upbeat and less meditative in thought; Haydn will open your heart as opposed to your third eye. Albums include: Lili , Light Blue Sun, Place Between Places.

Sissel - That beautiful ethereal voice heard on the Titanic soundtrack (no, not Celine Dion) was a Norweigan woman known as Sissel. Her music is as effortless and soothing as Enya. Her magical voice is well worth searching out. Albums include: Sissel, Glade Jul, Soria Moria, Amazing Grace, Gift Of Love, Vestland, Innerst i sjelen, Fire In Your Heart, All Good Things, My Heart, into Paradise, Northern Lights. 

Natural Sounds Collection (New World Music) - The Natural Sounds collection is a great way to connect with nature if you live an urban life (as many of us do) and have a hard time connecting with nature and the natural world. The collections are very reasonably priced, and you can pick which part of nature (or parts of nature) you are most connected to, in order to help you relax. The choices are as follows: African Landscape, Dolphins & Whales, English Country Dawn, Forest Raindrops, Bird Song, Jungle, Mountain Stream, Ocean Waves At Sunset, Rainforest, Sea Moods, Surf & Spray, Thunderstorm, Tibetan Monastery, Tranquil Summer Garden, Tropical Night, Woodland Nightfall.

Perry Wood - Chakra Balancing/Music For Pets/Animal Healing - Perry Wood's Music is wonderfully soothing and gentle. It has the most calming affect on humans and animals alike. If you can get past the label of this being specifically for pets, I think you will discover that while you pet gets lulled to sleep, you can be lulled into meditation.

Terry Oldfield - Spirit of Tibet/Spirit of Zen - Terry Oldfield has a wonderful sense of what makes up calming and relaxing music. He has been making music for many years now and seems to always make beautiful music no matter what direction he takes. With The Spirit Of Tibet and Spirit Of Zen, Terry Oldfield has travelled his music to the Eastern part of the world and revelled in the magic of the ancient past.

Classical Music, and Hymns are also a beautiful way to connect with music. I could recommend hundreds of CDs, but you might like to search out your own favourites. Traditional English Hymns are my favourite (ex: All Things Bright & Beautiful, Jerusalem, etc) and as for Classical Music, if you are looking for a calming style, I would recommend Adiagos or Nocturnes collections. Classical Music set to nature sounds is always a nice choice as well, as Classical music is just about as awe-inspiring as the beauty found in nature. Of course, I might suggest just one CD, particularly for meditation sessions: Medwyn Goodall Classics For Healing.