Innovative African Yoga Album Sets the Tone for Spiritual Wellness in 2023

Various Artists – Putumayo Presents – African Yoga (Putumayo World Music, 2023)

Yoga, a revered practice embraced by millions worldwide, is used to enhance well-being, better health, and spiritual consciousness. Furthermore, since time immemorial, the use of sound and music has been integral to elevating the yoga experience.

Although yoga originated in India, dating back some 5,000 years, the co-producer of this album, musician, and yoga teacher Seán Johnson focuses on another form known as Kemetic yoga. This system, founded in the 1970s, draws inspiration from postures and symbols found in Egyptian hieroglyphics and temple murals. The pioneers of Kemetic yoga perceive it as a bridge to a unique strain of ancient African yoga encompassing physical movements, breath work, and meditation, bearing both resemblances and distinctions from its Indian counterpart.

An ancient Egyptian adage proclaims, “He who understands music, understands the cosmos.” In a parallel vein, the Sanskrit phrase “Nada Brahma,” originating from Indian Vedic spirituality, translates to “the world is sound,” and “sound is God.“

In the global dissemination of yoga, the auditory backdrop for contemporary practice has expanded to encompass a wide array of world music and new age genres from diverse cultural sources. Modern yoga instructors and practitioners often put together playlists sourced from a global spectrum, providing an engaging companion for relaxation and stimulation during yoga sessions.

The Putumayo Presents – African Yoga collection features a wide range of artists from various parts of the vast African continent. The large majority are well known artists within the world music scene. However, due to the nature of yoga, the songs selected feature calming tunes, melodious singing, and heartfelt, irresistible beats, meticulously arranged to enhance the yoga experience and bring calmness and unwinding to the listener.

The gifted artists contributing to African Yoga represent Mali, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon, The Gambia, South Africa, Uganda, and Egypt; sometimes in collaboration with European and Middle Eastern artists.​

Track listing

1. Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Segal (Mali/France) – Mako Mady 06:02
2. Fetsum (Egypt/Eritrea/Germany) – Birth Of A River (Putumayo Version) 03:33
3. Buddha’s Lounge (Mali) – Kumbatia 05:21
4. Karim Dabo (France/Senegal) – Au Revoir 03:41
5. Berita (Zimbabwe) – Ndikhawulele 03:29
6. Kimi Djabaté (Guinea-Bissau) – Ná 03:32
7. Henri Dikongué (Cameroon) – C’est La Vie 04:16
8. Idan Raichel with Vieux Farka Touré (Israeli/Mali) – Mon Amour 02:57
9. Suntou Susso (The Gambia) – Ekanasong 04:18
10. Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze (Senegal/Germany) – Miliamba 04:59
11. Ami Faku (South Africa) – Ndikhethe Wena 04:01
12. Geoffrey Oryema (Uganda) – Land of Anaka 05:22

Buy African Yoga.