Mindrolling Ep. 449 – Bhakti & Holding Space with Matt Kahn

This time on the Mindrolling Podcast, author Matt Kahn and Raghu Markus explore the intersection of bhakti & holding space for ourselves and others.

This time on the Mindrolling Podcast, author Matt Kahn and Raghu Markus explore the intersection of bhakti & holding space for ourselves and others.

Matt Kahn is an incomparable spiritual teacher, highly attuned empathic healer, powerful speaker, and captivating author. He enriches people’s lives by providing heart-centered solutions that ignite, delight, and unite! Matt wrote the highly acclaimed books Whatever Arises, Love That, Everything Is Here to Help You, and The Universe Always Has a Plan, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. His newest book, All For Love: The Transformative Power of Holding Space, is receiving early accolades and is sure to top bestsellers lists. Matt has also become a YouTube sensation with his healing and often humorous videos. Follow him and find relief from the challenges of daily life through his heart-centered messages.

Being Polite

Many of us were raised to treat others with respect, perhaps even if others are not being kind. We can only control our own actions, and it is best to always remain polite. Matt Kahn says that the beginning of his spiritual awareness really bloomed when he realized the benefit of being polite. What started as being an obedient kid following his mother’s lessons, became the cornerstone of his wholeness. Matt realized that staying respectful and polite is really a practice in letting go of the attachment to validation. Rather than allow someone to corrupt your inner spaciousness, try staying polite. Often, you will feel better and the other person will loosen up in the spaciousness you are presenting. 

“My ability to treat people with respect, even in response to someone who is being blatantly disrespectful to me, gave me the kind of experience of wholeness that I no longer had to seek in another person” – Matt Kahn

Tune into Ep. 117 of Insight Hour to hear more about the ways that kindness can revolutionize your life: Love and Kindness
Loving Ourselves (15:34)

There are many stages to enlightenment, but ultimately the path of self-love is the most potent healer. When we love ourselves we are able to extend that same compassion to those around us. Matt Khan says it is important to love ourselves properly; it is not the true path of love if we only want to simply diminish our suffering. We must have the intention of connection and genuine empowerment. The path of love can help us heal our traumas and self-realize, we just have to be mindful of our approach. Try asking yourself: why am I doing this? Do I have the ability to be open and honest with myself?

“In order to love ourselves we have to be authentic and in order to be authentic we have to love ourselves.” – Matt Kahn

Devotion and Self-Inquiry (23:20)

Matt describes spirituality as two hands that come together in prayer. The first hand is self-inquiry and the second is bhakti (devotion). The more we integrate these two ideas and serve all beings, the more we will experience oneness in a very heart-centered way. Raghu shares a story of staying in India and seeing the true meaning of hospitality. Hospitality is serving others in the most beautiful, welcoming way. It is giving another person the spaciousness to be at home with you. When we give from a self-realized and inspired place, we give others boundless compassion. Matt and Raghu discuss how we can use this practice to care for global problems like climate change as well.

Check out Welcome To The Family: Hospitality As A Spiritual Practice to read more about this practice. 
Deeper Connections via Active Listening (48:40)

Active listening means being fully present with whoever is sharing themselves. It is keeping your mind with that person and what they are saying rather than allowing your mind to wander off aimlessly. Have you ever had someone truly hear you and ask you questions to further understand your innermost self? Raghu agrees that this is one of the greatest acts of compassion. If we want to have deeper connections we need to offer others our full presence. This all comes through practicing mindfulness, we will learn how to fully hear ourselves and others. We will see how we are all connected.

“As I am completely invested and interested in someone else’s journey through the law of oneness I too feel seen, heard, and valued just by how deeply I see, hear, and value others.” – Matt Kahn