For the next 68 minutes, all will be right in the world

When it comes to relaxing I’m always surprised by how many people neglect the healing power of music.

I try not to judge other people’s vices, many of which are legal, some of which I guess are sort of, but for me nothing has ever come close to bringing me peace like a simple playlist and perhaps a brisk walk to help get the heart rate moving, especially during that distinct feeling of Autumn in New York City.

Music has always been a universal language that speaks to each of us individually but it’s always something that I believe can be considered a utility. If you think about it, not everyone can afford therapy or the cost of keeping up with drugs and mood supplements that heal us internally. In that sense music is largely free, accessible to all, and just as potent in the perpetual battle to tame our mental health.

For me electronic music has been one of the most effective genres in what feels like grabbing my brain and nestling it amongst the clouds. Most of the music I’ve found that has given me this feeling comes from artist I’ve never heard of and not exactly sure are still active. However at some point I’ve come across certain tracks and have cemented them in my original iPod’s library and have never let them ago.

There are literally hundreds of tracks I’ve collected over the years and have never quite paired them down to a distinct playlist since I am a creature of shuffle play but for in the interest of sharing what I think is an effective way to zone out, I am personally curating a simple twelve track playlist I think will help anyone calm down and forget about the countless variables that disrupt their inner peace.

Of course meditation and prayer are probably equally effective but the aim of this playlist is to present to you a number of songs you probably never have heard before and ones I think can help ease your mind a bit. You will notice that there is very little use of lyrics in each of these tracks but the presence of rhythmic beats is ever flowing and just as full of life. The reason why is because there is something so primal about the way these beats are composed that I believe them to speak to us in a way that is direct and relatable to whatever ails us.

Again, that is the beauty of music and why it’s my weapon of choice in keeping my head clear. Mental health is strange concept that we still know very little about and sometimes get more stressed out about in trying to figure out how to nurture it since the recent literature on it can be overwhelming to ingest.

Music is simple. You either like it or you don’t and if you do it can capture a feeling or a distinct moment in time that can stay with you the rest of your life by just hearing a song. In the case of the Zen playlist I created, this collection of tracks each spoke to me personally at different life junctures. These are best played in order, but of course that is not a requirement to enjoy the playlist. My hope is that I have at least introduced you something new and something that helps put you at ease for the next 68 minutes.

Some of these artists have no idea how helpful their music has been to me personally but if there is a track here that really speaks to you, I encourage you to research more about that artists and even reach out to them. Some may have even abandoned making music and a simple message from about how much you enjoyed the art they put into the world can be the universe’s way of letting that artist know they have done their part.

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5Pz3deQ7IBqWmFw4NcMloI" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>