The Downward Facing Spiritual Spiral

Trygge Toven

Today on the Spiritual Spiral, you're in store for a wonderful chat as I welcome Trygge Toven to the show. Because Trygge pursues multiple creative outlets while having a passion for business and app development, it's fair to say Trygge is a true "Renaissance Man." Trygge is probably best known as a music supervisor but he is also a singer, a music producer, an entrepreneur, a soon to be author and he also just released a new app called Anti Journal. Anti Journal is a modern day take on the diary giving users a private space to vent and release anxiety by digitally and privately "getting thoughts out." Trygge and I talk about his creative process, time management, the effect of social media on creativity, as well as music supervision and the evolution of the music industry. We discuss methods to gain confidence as a creator and how to turn off the noise. We also talk about what inspired Trygge to create his new Anti Journal app and what he envisions the app to become in the future. Anti Journal is available now on the Apple Store and Google Play and you can read more about Trygge and Anti Journal by visiting trygge.com or by clicking HERE. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review.  I'd also love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 
 

Is it the Art, Image or Marketing? Great Interrupters & an Analog Story

Over the last 8 months, I've been working on a bunch of new music to the point where I have five songs that are done. I'm beyond thrilled and I CAN NOT wait for people to hear these songs. But then my head spins to that exhausting head space of marketing, social media, making videos and then I wonder, what does it take to break through the cultural noise. Which then leads me to the bigger question... Is art REALLY about the quality of the art anymore? Today on the Spiritual Spiral, a three part episode where I begin by discussing the battle between art, image and dwindling attention spans. I also play a clip from a recent Marc Maron podcast where his incredible guest, Amanda Seales, talks about the differences between stand up comedy and the music biz. In segment two, I talk about interrupting! I was listening to a recent Bill Maher and Marc Maron podcast and I couldn't help but notice how often they both interrupt their guests and talk all over them. Have podcasts simply become another outlet for the host to talk about themselves? And finally, I end by sharing an "analog" story where I discover a friend of mine is having a baby. I didn't find out through social media or by text but by overhearing a real-life conversation. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 

”Boring”-heimer, White Bear and RIP Robbie

Today on the Spiritual Spiral, a little mash-up episode as I dive into a few topics that don't necessarily relate to one another, but they have been on my mind. First up... a quick dedication to Robbie Roberston who recently passed away. I was never really a fan of The Band, BUT I loved his solo record from 1987. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and features U2 and Peter Gabriel so definitely check it out. Then I discuss the new movie Oppenheimer, or as I like to call it, "Boringheimer." Sure, Christopher Nolan's movie looks spectacular and the sound and editing are explosively entertaining. The acting is stellar but the movie has ONE enormous flaw, it lacks heart. It was loquaciously self-indulgent and a boring THREE HOURS LONG! The film is far from a disaster, but with its lack of three dimensional characters, I was left bored and unenthralled. Finally, I discuss a spellbinding episode from the Black Mirror series entitled, White Bear. I know. I'm late to the Black Mirror party but I found it ironic that I just watched White Bear a week before this recent brawl in Montgomery. The parallels between the episode and the brawl are striking and I can't help but wonder why people feel so compelled to pull out their phone the moment human beings act like imbeciles. When you see a fight break out, do you try and temper the emotions, do you walk away OR do you grab a box of popcorn, pull out your phone and prepare to be entertained? As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 

Mt. Rainier & People Watching are SUPER Boring (Thanks to TT and IG)

Well it appears Mt. Rainier has officially turned into a total snoozefest. I was on an airplane flying home from Seattle, with a bird's eye view of the tip of Mt. Rainier, right outside my window. And while I was mesmerized by the view, when I looked around the airplane, no one seemed to care. You know why? Because if your brain is stuck on Tiktok or IG, Mt. Rainier is SUPER boring. Oh, and are you a people watcher? I LOVE to people watch. Or maybe I should say, I USED to love to people watch. People watching has become a big time snoozefest. Why? You guessed it. Everyone's face is glued to their dang phone. I just got back from an amazing trip to Alaska so today on the Spiritual Spiral, I felt inspired to share a couple quick stories from my trip. There was an all day boat tour where we ventured out into the open water to see whales, orcas and even glaciers. One of the greatest days of my life and you know what made the voyage so unforgettable? There was No cell phone service! I also share a couple stories about why I get bummed out people watching inside of airplane terminals. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a family of four, all clenching their phones, and no one is talking to one another. GOOD TIMES! As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 

Could YOU Be Your Own Best Doctor?

I know it may be CRAZY to imagine, but what if YOU could know more about your body than a board certified physician? What if, with a little more self awareness, some curiosity, and a little trial and error, YOU could be the greatest doctor your body and mind could ever need? On today's episode of the Spiritual Spiral, I begin a collection of episodes where I talk a bit more in-depth about health and the connection between the body and the mind. This is obviously a complicated area and while I fully acknowledge I am in no position to be anyone else's doctor, what I do hope to accomplish here is to try and help you realize that YOU could be the most valuable tool your body ever needs. Why are you happy some days and have an overabundance of energy while other days,  you feel sluggish and can barely get out of bed? Do you get stomach aches but more importantly, are you curious to know why? How do you feel after your on social media for a measly ten minutes? Is mental health more valuable than physical health? In today's episode, I also read an excerpt from a wonderful new book from Peter Attia and while his book is dense at times, I think it includes a lot of helpful ways to get people to think beyond the "white coat world." As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 

Why Music May be Losing its Cultural Relevance

I LOVE MUSIC! You probably knew that already. As a DJ and songwriter, music has always been a huge outlet for me but I also love to listen to music. There are certain records that left a HUGE impact on me; Superunknown, Dirt, Parachutes, Wildflowers, Sea Change and of course OK Computer. And not to mention some of the incredible concerts I've been to which left me spellbound. Sure, I may be a BIT biased, but I believe the effects of music on our body and mind, can be deeply profound, inspiring and even healing. So what changed? Why does it appear, at least to me, and many of my contemporaries, that music has lost the cultural relevance and impact it once had on our lives. Sure you may be hooked on some new playlist on Spotify but how often do you find yourself transfixed by music? Where a song or a band piqued your curiosity to the point where you HAVE to learn more about this artist, maybe even go to their show, or talk to friends about them. Doesn't it feel like music may be losing its impact on our culture? ( I realize Taylor Swift is killing it across the country right now but I consider her an anomaly.) Today on the Spiritual Spiral, I  explain why I think music has lost its stronghold on our society and why it may be because of our cultural's obsession with dopamine.  I'm currently deep in the process of recording and writing my fifth record, so I begin by talking about my own process as a songwriter. It's a truly euphoric experience that fills my system with joy and even...dopamine. There's also something almost scientific about recording music. Writing the lyrics, recording all the different parts and singing the vocals and then somehow making it all sound like a coherent song. I bring all this up because I just finished listening to a new Rick Rubin podcast where he is speaking to one of my heroes, Trent Reznor. You can listen to that fantastic podcast by clicking HERE. Trent is the lead singer and creator behind NIN and it was deeply inspiring to hear not only his process as an artist but also his perspective on music and how its evolved in our culture. Back in the day, music seemed to be "the thing" that could catapult our culture in so many directions but now it feels like music has been diminished to simply "background noise" or a side dish. It's hard not to feel a bit discouraged as I prepare to release more new music into a culture that may be losing its appetite for fresh new music. Have you noticed this trend? Do you ever find yourself looking for new music or do you simply allow the algorithms of Spotify to do the investigative work for you? As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 
 
 

Larissa Corso (Visit #2)

Money-money-money. Not necessarily the most exciting talking point but maybe one of the most important topics for us to be discussing these days. Today on the show, I'm excited to welcome back to the show...drumroll please... Larissa Corso! This is Larissa's second appearance on the show. Since our first chat, Larissa has continued to grow her thriving business as a Junior Broker for World Financial Group. She continues to advise clients on financial literacy and retirement savings AND she even moved to upstate New York. Oh wait, she also got engaged. Suffice to say, we have a lot to cover in this episode. After a quick hello and a chat about cats, we move on to money and the importance of saving money. We discuss planning for your financial future and what we can all do to spend money more wisely. We also talk about being an entrepreneur, taking risks, finding your voice, managing your calendar and the show includes an important reminder about listening to your voice and being selfless. It's a good one folks. You can find Larisa on IG @larissameryn or click HERE or find her on LinkedIn by clicking HERE where you can even set up an introductory consult with her about managing YOUR finances. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so incredibly supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening. 
 

Did Smartless Become Cha-Ching and Pointless Gobbledygook

For today's episode of the Spiritual Spiral, I welcome back actress/writer Polly Humphreys as we continue our chat about the world of Hollywood. In part one, we discussed the brilliance of Succession and for part two, we talk about the brand new documentary, Smartless on the Road. I TOTALLY understand the mass appeal of the Smartless podcast when it came out almost three years ago. Jason, Will and Sean have fantastic charm and charisma. They're often witty and thanks to their massive rolodex, they've interviewed some of Hollywood's elite. So when I saw a new documentary came out about their show going on the road, of course I was initially intrigued. But about 15 minutes into the first episode, the show felt pointless, contrived and boring. Jason, Will and Sean bicker, lie on the couch and stare at their phones. They ride Bird scooters, fly on private jets, work out and eat overpriced room service at the Four Seasons. They talk about poop AND there's even a minor food fight. So of course I ask myself, who in the heck thought this was a good idea? Is this self-indulgent nonsense or is this considered entertainment? Polly definitely disagrees with my take which of course leads to a wonderful and at times heated chat about whether or not the Smartless documentary is or isn't quality entertainment. As always, thanks so much for listening to the show and being so supportive. I appreciate YOU! Remember, my new book SSAFY can be purchased by visiting SSAFYoga.com or on Amazon by clicking HERE and if you enjoy today's episode and you want to support the show, PLEASE subscribe to the podcast on iTUNES or Spotify. It's also always helpful if you share the show with your friends or maybe head over to iTunes and write a quick review. You can visit my website www.iameddiecohn.com and sign up for my email list and I'd love to hear from you so please reach out on IG @eddiecohn with any questions. Thanks again for listening.