Many of us maintain daily practices. They bring us to a state of a balanced and stable mind. For some, that practice is yoga or meditation, while for others, it could be writing morning pages or creating art. For Corey Costanzo, it's doing didgeridoo meditation sessions. Corey - a colleague and long-time friend of mine - is a master didgeridooist who has been playing the instrument for over 20 years. For over 100 days since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Corey has been hosting 20-minute didgeridoo meditation sessions at Still Point Wellness on Facebook.

Corey is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, a licensed addictions counselor, somatic experiencing practitioner, and co-owner of Still Point Wellness, a premier Esalen Massage and Salt Water Floatation spa in Asheville. By transforming his morning routine with the didgeridoo to a shared experience with an online community, Corey continues to realize the connection between cultivating personal practices and wellbeing.

In this episode, Corey and I discuss the importance of personal practices. We differentiate routine from cultivating a personal practice and illustrate how our relationships can benefit from the latter. We describe how bringing curiosity and mindfulness into our practice can bring us to a deeper understanding of ourselves. We also explore the overwhelm and guilt people feel when they fail to follow-through on habits and practices as well as share advice on how we can cultivate a daily practice.

"Personal practice is the antidote to a co-dependent relationship. I fill myself with what brings me joy and from there, I meet my partner." - Corey Costanzo

This week on Relationships! Let's Talk About It:

• A didgeridoo meditation with Corey
• Our relationship with our personal practice and how they affect us and our relationships
• How Corey found his connection with the didgeridoo and how he taught himself to play it
• The difference between a routine and a personal practice
• How mindfulness can bring a deeper self-awareness
• The art of breathing and recognizing the connection between breath and anxiety
• The benefits of breathing through your nostrils and how breathing through the mouth can negatively impact our health
• Transforming the Relationships: Let's Talk About It! Podcast from routine to personal practice
• How podcasting has affected my relationship with my wife, Rainbow
• The importance of having an interest or hobby outside of your relationship
• Going back to our personal practice for self-care, self-soothing, and self-regulation
• Learning more about ourselves through diving into personal practice
• The overwhelm and guilt that comes with trying to maintain a daily practice and how to cope with them
• Identifying the link between curiosity and mindfulness

Related Content:

• Emotional Regulation
• Do the Right Thing
• Is Stress Affecting Your Relationship?
• Addictions and Their Effects on Relationships
• Sound and Attunement Healing in Relationships

Resources Mentioned:

• Breath: the New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

Connect with Corey Costanzo:

• Still Point Wellness
• Still Point Wellness on Facebook
• Still Point Wellness on Pinterest
• Still Point Wellness on Instagram
• Corey Costanzo on LinkedIn

Let's Talk About It!

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Theme music "These Streets" provided by Adi the Monk