The Vedic World View

The “hustle” culture of modern life has put extra emphasis on the pursuit of goals and attaining them through ever increasing busyness and unrelenting productivity.While goal setting is not a problem, per se, Thom explains that the level of importance people place on them can be problematic.The challenge lies in the notion of, “I’ll be happy when…” This is a false premise. The thought that something outside of us might bring us happiness is a recipe for disillusionment and a misguided search for external fulfilment.A better approach might be, “I’ll be happy, then…” or’ “I’ll be happy, and…” Rather than making happiness an outcome of a goal, make it an input into a goal.Episode Highlights: [00:43] The Relevance of Goal Setting[02:05] The Problem With Goal Setting[03:03] I Am an Exporter of Happiness[04:03] Rigid Attachment is a Bad Habit[05:08] A Trifecta of Ideals[06:36] Find Fulfillment FirstUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.

Outside of India, the word yoga has come to mean various forms of dynamic exercises that test your flexibility and strength. Yoga is in fact much more than just these physical exercises, which are more correctly referred to as asanas. And believe it or not, asanas weren’t created to make us look good in lycra! Asanas were first created to help prepare the body for meditation and union with the Absolute.In this episode, Thom explains how asanas, pranayama and Vedic Meditation are used in combination, also called ‘rounding,’ to give us ‘industrial-strength meditation’ and to accelerate the benefits we get from ‘standard’ meditation.He talks about the importance of proper instruction and supervision so we can truly let go and, if necessary, have the support we need if deep stresses are released.If you haven’t already, talk to your local Vedic Meditation Initiator about learning rounding and attending a rounding retreat so you can enjoy some industrial-strength meditation yourself. And if you are fortunate enough

Thom Knoles was blessed to spend many years as a student of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, travelling to many parts of the world both as a student and an assistant in Maharishi’s work.  In that time he gathered many fond memories worthy of sharing.  This episode is the first of a “My Maharishi” series where Thom will be sharing some of those memories over the months to come.He tells of his first experience hearing pundits chanting Samaveda.  You might also recognize the ‘sloka’ or hymn that Maharishi chanted before the meal, as the same sloka that Thom sings at the beginning of each podcast episode.Enjoy.Episode Highlights:[00:00] Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - The Great Seer[02:39] On The Water[04:15] Between Spain and Portugal[05:26] A Barge and a Tugboat[06:30] A Vedic Sloka (Hymn)[07:53] Chanting of the Samaveda[09:29] The Dawn of a New EraUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

What is Karma?  Despite popular belief, it’s neither punishment nor reward, neither good nor bad.  It’s simply nature’s way of steering us back onto a more evolutionary path.In this short episode, Thom explains the true meaning of karma, and gives us a short introduction to kriya, evolutionary action.He tells us how we can think of karma, and karmic behavior, without lacing it with judgement that, ironically, ‘binds’ us even more.And as you would expect, he shows us how to align our consciousness with kriya rather than karma.  Episiode Highlights: [00:43] Good Karma, Bad Karma[01:42] A Brief Lesson in Sanskrit[03:01] Karma - Action Which is Binding[03:48] Kriya - Non-Binding Action[04:55] Kriya - Going With the Flow[06:36] Karma - Going Against the Flow[08:50] Violating the Laws of Nature[09:56] Restricted Behaviors Through Karma[11:48] Karma is Just Karma[12:48] Going Downstream[13:45] Getting Back in the Flow Through Vedic Meditation[15:36] Every Day, Twice a DayUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://tho

Does God exist?  It’s a question that’s puzzled humankind for millenia and the answer, from the Vedic worldview, is sure to both surprise and delight you, even if you are a hardened atheist.This is not your standard philosophical debate on the idea of God, gods and goddesses but a matter-of-fact exploration that will liberate you from any dogma surrounding the subject or any social indoctrinations that might be limiting your perception.  Most importantly, you’ll discover that experience trumps faith or belief when it comes to having a definitive answer to the question.And if you need to listen to this episode two or three times to ‘get it’ that’s okay.  In fact, as with all of Thom’s podcast episodes, we recommend it.Episode Highlights: [00:48] God is a Self-Referral Phenomenon[02:31] Layers of Thinking[03:57] Who Are You?[05:15] How Do You Know?[06:33] Creating A Model of the World[08:08] The Unknown Becoming Known[09:24] Everything That’s ‘Out There’ is In Here[10:35] Agreeing With the Atheists[11:47] Somet

Apart from the Veda, one of the many gifts of ancient wisdom from India is the Upanishads.  The Upanishads consist of several short parables that give us insight into how we can behave in ways that support our personal and collective evolution.In this podcast episode, Thom shares the story of a man in a lake who, while immersed in more water than he’d need in a lifetime, remained thirsty.  This is a story we all have a need to hear as we all have our own ‘thirst stories’ that are running our lives.It’s a short yet profound tale that we can use to remind ourselves when we’re making things harder than they need to be.Enjoy.Episode Highlights: [00:00] Upanishad - Sitting at the Feet of…[02:28] Once Upon a Time There Was a Yogi[04:08] Who Came Upon an Unusual Sight[04:57] And Offered Some Help[06:15] But His Offer Was Rejected[07:21] Looking Outwards for Sources of Happiness[08:50]  Relief From the Mercy of the Object World[10:39] An Effortless Mantra - A Vehicle for the Mind[12:02] Finding What the Mind is Looki

Stress is very much misunderstood.  Most people think of stress as something that happens ‘to us,’ that our stress is caused by outside situations or stressful circumstances, but this is not the case.  We know this because we can all react differently to the same situation.  What makes you stressed might cause no reaction at all in someone else, thus demonstrating that it’s ‘the victim’ that is the source of the stress rather than the circumstances.In this episode, you’ll learn that not all stress is bad, how and why we have different reactions, how the body reacts when we are stressed, and the link between stress and premature aging.   More importantly, Thom shares the good news about the simple technique of Vedic Meditation and how you can not just manage inbound stress but you can even release accumulated stress in the body, easy and effectively.Episode Highlights: [00:44] The Father of Stress[01:39] General Adaptation Syndrome[03:18] Fight or Flight[05:08] There Are No Such Things As Stressful Situations[

The subject of reincarnation arouses a lot of curiosity and debate.  Those who ‘believe’ in reincarnation seek to understand the mechanisms behind it, and those who don’t, look for ‘proof’ before they consider it a possibility.  In this episode, Thom explains the Vedic worldview on reincarnation, putting forward a case to satisfy both the believers and the ‘scienticians.’He explains that the process of reincarnation doesn't just happen between lifetimes, but that it happens countless times within each lifetime. He challenges the notion that reincarnation must be proven and measurable, while at the same time offering sufficient proof to even make the most hard-nosed skeptics think deeper on the subject.He explores the process of enlightenment and describes the impact of ‘punya,’ your cosmic credit rating, on the choices available to you when the time comes to reincarnate.Importantly, he also reminds us that the belief of Vedic wisdom is an optional philosophy when it comes to one’s practice of Vedic Meditation

As Vedic meditators we regularly experience evidence of being more than just a physical body.  We can use this to our benefit when it comes to tackling the subject of death, or even tackling death itself; our own or the death of a loved one.In our twice-daily practice of Vedic Meditation, the connection we experience in The Absolute, the Unified Field of Consciousness, reminds us that we are consciousness having a human experience rather than just a human body experiencing consciousness and thinking.  It’s an important paradigm shift that can transform our view of the worldIn this podcast, Thom explains in great detail why “death” is unreal and how we can eliminate the fear of death, through knowledge, experience and practice.He explains the function of love, the structure of our ‘bodies’ (the physical body is just one of many we have), enlightenment and more.This is a masterclass in life and death that you will want to return to again and again.Episode Highlights: [00:48] The Mysteries of Life and Death[01:5

Dharma, like many other Sanskrit words and phrases, is not well understood by many with an interest in Vedic wisdom.  It is often simplified to such an extent that it loses its true meaning.‘Purpose’ is perhaps the most common misinterpretation of the word dharma.  Many try to narrow their dharma down to a specific mission or purpose that they hope becomes a legacy for which they will be remembered.But dharma is much more interesting, more exciting even, than a singular mission or role in life.  In a constantly-changing ever-evolving universe, our dharma changes year by year, day by day, minute by minute.So rather than defining our life, our dharma defines our moments.In this episode Thom explains, as elegantly as always, that our dharma is to be vigilant, to become attuned to the need of the times and be an agent for progressive change.  It requires us to surrender to our role in the evolution of things.And the key to living our dharma?   Let’s just say our twice daily practice of daily Vedic Meditation give

Everything is always evolving thus, by definition, everything is always changing.  Yet many of us resist change.  We prefer the comfort of the status quo and get distressed when things meet their natural end.The Vedic worldview however, recognizes all aspects of the evolutionary process, creation, maintenance and destruction, not reluctantly, but with reverence.  So much so that each aspect is assigned its own deity, Brahma for creation, Vishnu for maintenance, and Shiva for destruction.Understanding the role of all three, and the interdependence of all three, is essential to living a carefree, yet practical and evolutionary life.In this episode Thom-ji ‘opens the discussion’ on creation, maintenance and destruction.  He guides us to choose which one we might be an agent for, without prejudicing the work of the others.This is fundamental Vedic wisdom that most modern schools of thought approach with resignation rather than embracing with the respect it deserves.  Listen in or read the transcript below to get

All of us aspire to attain freedom in one form or another, but for most of us, we craft our idea of freedom based on an expected set of circumstances - time, money, power, environment, relationships, and more.The trouble with this approach is that circumstances are subject to change and inevitably lead to disappointment.  Freedom through acquisition of circumstances can never truly deliver on its promise, at least not in any sustainable way.In this episode, Thom sets you free from this paradigm and shows you that freedom is truly an "inside job." You already have everything you need to experience freedom in its purest form.  Beneath all our layers of unrealistic expectations is a sense of freedom that cannot be given to us, nor can it be taken away.  It's our job to learn how to uncover the freedom that lies deep within all of us.Episode Highlights: [00:34] Freedom. Nirvana. Liberation.[01:59] Nature's Way[04:21] True Freedom[07:41] Mistaken Identity[10:11] Fear-Based Administration[14:59] Self Realization In

We hear a lot about the problems of governance, whether it be government at the highest level, or the administrators of smaller bodies in society, schools, businesses, etc.In this episode, Thom explains that the crisis of governance is not with ‘the government’ or whatever other body is ‘in charge’, but rather with our view that ‘they’ are the problem, and that there is little or nothing ‘we’ can do about it.The Vedic worldview is that everything is structured in consciousness, including governments, and the only way to effect change is to effect consciousness.Thom shares that governments reflect the consciousness of the people, even in a dictatorship, and so our own role is to take responsibility for our own consciousness, and to be an example, an exemplar, for others to do the same. This is the only way in which governance can improve and the crisis can be resolved.Of course, Vedic Meditation, being the most efficient means to bring about a change in consciousness, has a role to play in this process. Here a

Thom Knoles discusses Truth as that which does not change, how it can be detected in all fields of life, and how, by allowing change to form our sense of identity, we succumb to suggestibility. Vedic Meditation takes our awareness from the field of ever-change into an experience of that which is beyond change, and reveals to us the truth of our own identity, as an implicit statement of pure knowingness.Episode Highlights: [00:56] Truth is That Which Never Changes[02:36] Non-Change is Not Possible in the Relative World[05:28] Who is the ‘I’?[07:39] Evolution is a Truth[10:52] Catastrophe is Relative[13:10] Expanding Our Repertoire[15:32] Knowledge is Always for Action[17:24] Are We Alone?[20:47] Between the Changing and Never Changing[22:53] Vedic Meditation as a Path to Being[24:28] The Splitting of Truths[28:42] Sat-chit-ananda - Absolute, Consciousness, Bliss[28:58] Change is Exhausting[37:12] Transcending The Relative Provides Relief[41:41] Accessing the Self Through Vedic Meditation[43:39] There is No ‘Ot

Thom Knoles discusses the state of fearlessness, how all fear is based on something unreal and how to learn to transcend fear and yet be fully participating in life. Living a life in fear is worse than death. Fearlessness is the pinnacle of the development of human consciousness. Through the regular practice of Vedic Meditation, we achieve it spontaneously. Episode Highlights: [00:39] The One Standard of a Life of Significance[02:38] Fear Isn’t Based on Reality[04:59] On Death and Dying[13:48] Immortality Removes Fear[16:29] The Long Dream[24:54] Expanding Consciousness[28:49] The Death Cascade[31:39] Transcending the Story Through Vedic Meditation[37:06] Beginning an End to a Sense of Fear[41:13] (Don’t) Go Jump Off a Cliff![42:58] Wisdom Hair[44:42] The Changing Face of Fear[47:50] Consciousness is the Source of the Body Useful Links: info@thomknoles.comthomknoles.com/podcast/Thom on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/Thom on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoles/Thom on LinkedI

Thom Knoles discusses the mechanics of Self-reliance, how it is embedded inside ourselves, how true Self-sufficiency is not about isolation but about being one of the few who lead the many, and how to take responsibility for our own experience instead of waiting for others to behave better. To live fully, we take possession of what we actually are – and what we are is the Universe living inside a human body.Episode Highlights: [00:48] The Few Lead the Many[02:21] Self-sufficiency Is...[08:56] You Deserve the Best[12:42] Love is an Experience of Self-Sufficiency[16:06] There is No ‘Other’[18:38] The Hallmark of Greater Sophistication[21:44] Enlightenment - Coexisting With the Unbounded[26:11] The Fundamental Truth[28:54] Totality is Not Capable of Suffering[25:49] Enlightenment Denial[33:30] Choo Choo Gone[36:11] Sophistication - Simple, Elegant Complexity[40:25] The New ContagionUseful Links: info@thomknoles.comthomknoles.com/podcast/Thom on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/Thom on Facebook

Thom Knoles and Eddie Stern discuss what yoga is really, why and how it has maintained relevance over several thousands of years and the importance of having a teacher to guide you through the experience. In their exploration, Thom and Eddie expound on the commonality of the variations of Vedic knowledge as expressed through the points of view of Ashtanga Yoga and the basic principles of Vedic Meditation. Produced by Eric Cahan

Thom Knoles discusses the social relevance of expanded awareness, how consciousness alone dictates behavior, and the mechanics of the spreader effect: how having merely 1% of the population practising Vedic Meditation is demonstrated to stimulate spontaneous right action in the broader, non-meditating community.Episode Highlights:  [00:42] Behaviour and Consciousness [03:52] Our Inability to Control Others[07:15] What Are People Going to Think?[09:28] Fear-Based Administration[11:07] Backlash is Counterproductive[14:15] Further Proof[17:57] A Social Failure[19:10] All-Inclusive Awareness - Cosmic Consciousness[25:22] Meeting the Greatest Need of the Time[27:41] Violating the Laws of Nature[31:03] Greater Productivity Through Vedic Meditation[34:48] Being the Inspiration for Change[36:16] A Solution to People Problems[39:05] The Maharishi Effect - A 1% Tipping Point[42:50] Nature Requires Adaptive Behaviours[46:54] Transition From an Age of Ignorance to an Age of EnlightenmentUseful Links: info@thomknoles.comt

Thom Knoles discusses the mechanics of what causes grief, how Vedic Meditation is pivotal to the success of learning how to let go and how, in the ultimate analysis, death is unreal. Produced by Eric Cahan

Thom Knoles discusses the mechanics and implications of Vedic Meditation, the relationship between quantum mechanics and consciousness, the true nature of silence, and how to maintain your wits as a meditator in a non-meditating world. Produced by Eric Cahan