In this episode Kyla and I drop in about the importance of being true to oneself on a spiritual path- not ignoring the suffering of oneself or the world. Kyla takes the fluff out of spiritual teachings while getting naked and demonstrating what authentic communication looks like. Just because we are ‘spiritual' does not mean that we do not have a shadow and do not get swept away by the ego’s twisted intentions. The ego is constantly finding a way disguise itself in different costumes, even the ‘authentic relating’ costume. It is important to constantly come back to our ‘why’ we are doing what we are doing so we can re-align ourselves with the true self and the genuine wish to connect with others.

Highlights:

"Any spiritual teachings that says don’t pay attention to these things is bull shit This is the world we live in! We can be spiritual beings inside of it, but when we ignore the pain and suffering of others around us we are ignoring the pain and suffering within ourselves.”

“Sometimes you are sad for a very long time when something hard is going on. We are so hard on ourselves and can compare ourselves thinking everyone is perfect. I think unconsciously we all share this belief. It is really important for me to get a serious dose of genuineness from others- to understand what is going on in their lives. That takes a certain level of vulnerability in relationships that I certainly do no have from everyone in my world. I have to be really particular about who I reach out to in those moments.”

“Say what ever you are going to say as long as it is in service of connection. That almost sounds obvious but there are so many ways we say things that subtly shame someone or try to make us seem better than them. There are times I ask a juicy deep conversation question because I want to appear really deep or really evolved.”

“Not everyone is showing up for the real raw shit most of the time because we are not taught to. We need those people in our corner who see us in our most unsexy phase and acknowledge that it is great.”

More about Kyla:

Kyla’s work aims to help millennials upgrade their empathy skill set, ask better questions, and get more curious about what it means to be human. She has interviewed dozens of millennials around the world about their experiences with connection and loneliness and, based on the results, has created a framework for connection that can be used in a multitude of settings. Through keynotes, workshops, and 1:1 mentorship, she aims to disrupt the status quo of connection and challenge others to connect more intentionally, vulnerably, and empathically with those around them. She’s a firm believer that we’re only one good question away from connecting with the entire world. 

Social links to connect to Kyla:

Website: www.kylasw.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kylamsw

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kylasokollward