The Vedic World View

Who do you think you are? What do you think you are?We can all find myriad ways to describe ourselves and we often rely on these descriptors to give us our ‘sense of identity.’ “I’m a mother of three, a nuclear physicist, a passionate tango dancer and an advocate for animal rights…”The problem with this approach is that our descriptors are always subject to change, and even subject to debate in some cases.We’re only ‘young’ until we become not so young. We’re only ‘successful’ until we redefine what success is, which is often based on someone else’s judgment. We’re only X until it becomes more fashionable to be Y and it suits us better to become one of those…So is it any wonder that most of us have this gnawing sense of uncertainty. We’re trying to build a sense of identity on the shifting sands of circumstances and subjective judgments. And as soon as we do settle on a solid sense of identity, something changes to make it shaky again.Thom’s got your back though. By the end of this episode you’ll ‘hardly know

It’s Q&A time again and this one has something for everyone.The first question for Thom is about the relationship between Catholicism and the Vedic Worldview. Whether you are Catholic or not, Thom’s answer will be of interest as he affirms the compatibility of the Vedic worldview, not just with Christianity, but with religion in general.And if you have trouble distinguishing between negative thinking and intuitive insights, Thom’s answer to the second question in this episode will help you with this dilemma. You’ll be pleased to know the answer is pretty straight forward.And last but not least, a situation that we’ll all face more than once in our lifetime, how to help someone who is nearing the end of their life. Thom gives us an easy choice to make, whether to be a ‘needy one’ or a ‘capable one’. No points for guessing which option is more evolutionary for all concerned.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q - Can You Elaborate on Jesus Christ and the Vedic Worldview as Compared with the Catholic View?[01:27] A

Does “opening the mind” through Vedic Meditation create a portal or opportunity for evil or satanic influences to enter the mind?This question is relatively easy to answer. In fact, in this episode Thom doesn’t even get to the second part of the question and spends a short time addressing the first part, the notion of Vedic Meditation opening the mind.While it’s certainly true that Vedic meditators are usually open-minded people, this is in the sense of being broad minded rather than having an exposed or vulnerable mind.Vedic Meditation actually has the opposite effect. It dissipates stress and reduces the likelihood of suggestibility and allows one to become more aligned with the laws of Nature, rather than being susceptible to anything opposing the laws of Nature. So if you’re feeling the need to build a ‘spiritual firewall’ for yourself, this is the episode for you.Episode Highlights: [00:48] An Open Mind About Vedic Meditation[02:08] One Becomes What One Sees[03:34] The Impact of Vedic Meditation[05:28] M

Few would argue that we often lack reverence in modern day-to-day living. Toasts are given and glasses are raised, often at the drop of a hat. Families might go for years without even sitting at the same table for a meal, let alone saying grace or giving thanks for a shared meal and loving company.One notable exception to this trend is the use of Puja when a student of Vedic Meditation receives their mantra. It’s a beautiful and important tradition that any committed teacher of Vedic Meditation takes seriously.In this episode, Thom explains the significance and purpose of Puja, and why we treat the process with the respect that it deserves, not just to honor the generations of masters that have kept the tradition alive, but also to honor the student, and to welcome them to what will likely be the most progressive step they will take in their evolution.Episode Highlights: [00:49] Touching On the State of Being[02:17] Puja - A Ceremony of Gratitude[03:58] The Troth of a Vedic Meditation Teacher[05:23] A Model o

Few situations make us second guess ourselves more than those that we come across as parents or guardians of children.In this episode, Thom provides some guidance for parents who face some fairly typical situations, balancing the needs of their children with their own self care, as well as one parent facing a parent’s worst-case scenario, a child at risk of taking their own life.Rather than being prescriptive about what each parent ‘should do’ in relation to their child, this episode is a reminder that Vedic Meditation is ‘a tool in our parenting quiver’ that can put us in the best position to find our own answers and make the best decisions we can in any given situation.PS - If you haven’t listened to it already, you might also be interested in listening to Thom’s episode on Raising Conscious Children [https://thomknoles.com/podcast/raising-conscious-children/]. Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- What is Your View on Sleeping With Our Children Vs. Teaching Them To Sleep On Their Own?[03:13] Children Want a Comfo

What is consciousness? Well, the ultimate answer to this question is, ‘everything,’ but, ironically, our ability to understand this depends on our own level of consciousness.In other words, our ability to truly understand what consciousness is, relies on consciousness itself and our experience of it. And by the time we get to the point where we actually understand the answer to the question, the question becomes irrelevant. The good news is, we have a simple technique at our disposal, Vedic Meditation, which gives us an experience of Pure Consciousness on a regular basis. And even though we may struggle to find the words to define what consciousness is, we at least have a reference point to develop our own understanding of what it truly is.Combine that reference point with Thom’s wisdom in this episode, and you’ll be well on the way to answering the question yourself. Bookmark this episode and come back to it on a regular basis, at least until you’ve answered the question for yourself.Episode Highlights: [00:

None of us can imagine a world without love, but how many of us actually know what love truly is? Is it the romantic, idealized love that we see in story and song all around us, or is there something deeper, something ‘richer’ than what we’ve been ‘sold’ over the centuries.As you would expect, the Vedic worldview holds that there is something deeper and richer to love than that which the vast majority of us experience.Ironically, the thing that prevents us from experiencing true love for others, is the lack of Self love. Listen in as Thom explains the ‘mechanics’ of love and the Self-referral phenomenon that it is.Episode Highlights: [00:45] I Love Your Shoes[01:54] Let's Take Love Seriously[02:40] Existence is Made Relevant by Consciousness[04:15] Is-ness and Am-ness[06:07] A Response Proves Consciousness[07:38] Why Does the One Become Many?[09:35] Love is a Desirable State[10:48] The Love of Self for Itself[12:00] Sympathetic Vibration[13:44] Resonance[14:45] What Makes Love a Selective Phenomenon?[16:21] S

Thom’s master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is responsible for millions of people around the world taking up the meditation technique we now refer to as Vedic Meditation, but which Maharishi originally referred to as ‘The Grace of Guru Deva.’What few people realise though, is that Maharishi never set out with a specific intention to share the technique with anyone, let alone share it with millions around the world.In this episode, Thom shares the origin story of the meditation technique that changed the world, a story that began with a one word thought, ‘Rameshwaram.’Episode Highlights: [00:45] Sitting on the Banks of the Ganges[01:45] At the Feet of Guru Deva[03:07] A Thought Appears[04:04] Maharishi Breaks His Silence[05:59] I Want to Get Rid of the Thought[07:36] Lots of Ignorance[08:17] Maharishi Went to Rameshwaram[09:43] A Tap on the Shoulder[12:05] The Grace of Guru Deva[14:05] Guru Parampara[15:03] It All Started With Charm[17:02] Radiate Life for All to EnjoyUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknol

The spotlight in this Ask Me Anything episode is on spiritual life…Is spiritual life compatible with earning money? (Spoiler alert: the answer is a resounding yes).Is the tradition of Vedic Meditation truly ancient? (Also yes).And what’s the relationship between Dharma and self expression? (No spoiler alert for this one).The underlying message in all of Thom’s answers in this episode, is the importance of Self referral. Too often we’re influenced by the thinking of others, whether they be those closest to us, or in the broader community, and this reduces our ability to both give and receive the fullest expression of life. By accessing the big S Self, through our twice-daily practice of Vedic Meditation, we can transcend the rules, the expectations and experiences of others and live an authentic, abundant and inspired life.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- How Can I Combine Spiritual Life with Earning Money?[00:58] An Obsolete Idea[02:22] The Risk of Invasion[04:19] The Monastic Tradition of Shukadeva[06:04] Hous

Humans have a natural tendency to try to explain phenomena outside of our experience from within a limited understanding of the ways in which the world works. We’ll theorize about an event or situation to reassure ourselves that we know what’s going on, when in fact we may not.Vedic meditators sometimes find themselves on the receiving end of such behavior. Through regular practice of meditation, they don’t just transcend thinking, but they also transcend ‘normal’ responses to situations. They become less ‘reactive’ to situations that others might find stressful and are generally less affected by the ‘ups and downs’ of regular life.A non-meditator might witness this and try to rationalize it by labelling the meditator as ‘detached’ or even ‘dissociative’ when in fact there is something much more desirable going on. Thom explains this in more detail in this episode.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- Does Meditation Make People Detached or Dissociative?[01:02] Cosmic Consciousness - All-Inclusive Awareness[02:13] N

You’ll need a pen and paper, and zero distractions, for this episode, which is nothing less than a masterclass in evolution. Delivered in front of a live audience, at the Pace Gallery in New York City in 2021, Thom explains what an ‘agent of progressive change’ is, and why it’s incumbent on us to step up to the plate and take on that role for ourselves.More than just a call to arms, it’s a practical ‘workshop’ covering the five fundamental elements of being an agent of progressive change.  If you truly want to accelerate your personal evolution, next to a twice-daily practice of Vedic Meditation, you’d be hard pressed to find a quicker route than this.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Survival is a Result of Thriving[02:20] We Live Inside of a Consciousness State that We've Created[03:35] Five Elements of Progressive Change[05:00] Stability[06:29] Ananda - A Supremely-Contented State[08:29] Not Enslaved by Outside Phenomena[09:18] Adaptation Energy[10:32] Circumstantial Happiness[11:41] "In Order to Have Disappoint

With alcohol being so prevalent in society, it takes more than one episode of the podcast to cover questions on the subject adequately. In this episode, Thom explores the question of being able to replicate the effects of alcohol ‘naturally,’ and explains the difference between alcohol and drugs or spirit medicine in this regard.He discusses references in Vedic texts to alcohol, and how to distinguish between actual references to alcohol and metaphorical references to the effects of ‘Soma’ in the body.Lastly, the role of Vedic Meditation in helping someone attain sobriety is covered from two different angles. Whether alcohol is part of your life or not, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of mechanics for why alcohol has become a part the lives of so many.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Q- How Can You Replicate the Effects of Alcohol Naturally?[01:31] Understanding the Pathway of Alcohol [03:19] Alcohol Destroys Brain Functioning[04:16] Selective Poisoning of the Brain[05:17] Inhibitions Can Be Good[

Death and dying is the common thread of this, another Ask Me Anything episode.Having already embraced the Vedic worldview as it relates to death, two of our listeners pose questions about relating with loved ones who are no longer in the body they knew them to have. Thom’s replies provide reassurance to all of us, and remind us that we already have the skills necessary to maintain relationships and cope with transitions that come about through the body death of those that we love.And another listener, who has overcome a fear of her own death, questions Thom about fears relating to the process of dying, specifically any pain or suffering that might come with that. Thom delivers some comfort by taking us to the other end of the life journey, the process of birth.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- How to Deepen Communication With the Deceased?[01:17] There is No World "Out There"[01:56] The Kittens Experiment[03:07] The Difference Between a Kitten Brain and Human Brain[04:16] Loving From a Distance[05:16] Not In the

The messaging around relationships can be somewhat strained when Valentine’s Day rolls around each year. Today’s episode is a breath of fresh air though, as Thom shares with us some of the wisdom about relationships that he picked up from his 25+ years with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.This wisdom can be applied to all relationships, romantic or otherwise, and begins with the importance of understanding the consciousness of those to whom we wish to relate with. Without such an understanding, relationships are relegated to mostly shoddy guesswork, often putting the relationship under stress, rather than giving it strength.Thom offers a new foundation of understanding from which we learn that ‘love is the only possibility,’ and that to find shared experience in every relationship, we should be looking to be ‘in the business of creating the memories that we wish to have.’Episode Highlights: [00:45] Being Able to Give[01:49] Love is the Only Possibility[03:02] Giving Too Much[04:30] "What's In It For Me?"[06:02] The Nee

Mark Twain once famously said, “I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Guru Dev, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, the master of Thom’s master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, had no such problem, and was known for being economical with his words.He was able to condense his wisdom into a one-word call to action that people would travel hundreds of miles to hear. It’s a call to action that’s available to everyone, simply by learning Vedic Meditation.Episode Highlights: [00:46] Guru Dev - An Unusual Child[02:41] The Runaway Child[04:02] Guru Dev Finds His Master[05:26] A Solitary Life in the Forest[06:53] Monarch of All the Yogis- The Shankaracharya[08:10] The One Word Speech[09:27] Nivar-Tatvam[10:57] Go Where You Are Not[11:45] Whatever We've Been Thinking Lately[13:07] The Invitation of the Vedic Meditation Initiator[14:32] Thinking, Thinking, Thinking, Thinking, Action[15:12] Step Beyond Thought Entirely[16:26] Dip the Cloth, Fade the Cloth[17:55] Back and Forth[20:08] The Embodiment

Parents know what’s best for their children. Or do they?Parents and other primary caregivers often have trouble distinguishing the difference between who we want our children to be, and who they came here to be. Often that difference is vast, and difficult to know, especially when the path of the child has so many unknowns to it.And let’s face it, most parents or guardians have trouble understanding what their own path is, let alone determining what the path of their child ‘should’ be, so thinking we know what’s best for our children is a bit too much to expect.In this episode, Thom tells it like it is. He reminds us that it’s not our job to shape or mold our children, but to provide an environment where they can shape themselves. Nature always wins and she always leaves clues, so let’s surrender our preferences and learn to read the clues, and teach our children to read them, so they can evolve according to Nature’s agenda, rather than our own.And if you aren’t a parent, or don’t plan to be, please listen in

It’s the ultimate bout, Destiny vs Free Will, the subject that’s had philosophers debating for centuries. Despite the centuries of debate, the subject still remains unresolved. Or does it?The Vedic perspective is quite simple. In fact, there isn’t even a contest because Free Will and Destiny are actually both on the same team. Will you exercise Free Will to listen to this podcast, or is it part of your Destiny? You’ll have to listen to find out…Episode Highlights: [00:46] How Much Free Will Do We Have?[02:10] "I'm Going to Change My Mind"[03:15] The Truth of the Destiny Vs. Free Will Thing[05:17] There is Only One Consciousness State[07:00] "I Am That. You Are That..."[08:46] "I Am the Source of All the Thoughts."[10:30] We Make Arrangements for Our Suffering[11:40] "Oh No. What Did I Do?"[12:46] Seeing Cause and Effect[14:16] Becoming a True Revolutionary, Practicing Vedic Meditation[16:00] Losing Our Rage[17:50] We Are Not the Judge of Others[19:31] Realization of Free-Willed Determining ConsciousnessUseful

Our listeners are setting the agenda again in this episode, another of our regular “Ask Me Anything” series.Thom starts with what you might find to be a surprising twist on gratitude. While gratitude is, of course, a good thing, sometimes our perspective can distort our level of gratitude, or even what we might be grateful for. Thom refers to one of our favorite teachings from Guru Dev, who told us, “You deserve the best…”In answer to a question about the role of community in our self realization, Thom points out that our evolution actually removes our sense of separateness, making community the natural consideration in anything and everything that we do. He describes Cosmic Consciousness as ‘the ultimate social experience.’And on the matter of ‘mixing mantras’, he points out that Vedic Meditation, while being compatible with, and complementary to, any other practice, it needs to be practiced specifically as it has been taught, without any ‘modifications’ by the practitioner. In doing so, each practice will h

What is the Vedic worldview on alcohol and alcohol consumption?In some ways, the ‘goal’ of consuming alcohol and the goal of Vedic Meditation are contradictory. While Vedic Meditation increases our sense of Self, drinking alcohol does the opposite.However, a Vedic Meditation teacher will never tell a student they should stop drinking. In fact, the only thing a Vedic Meditation teacher advise is to meditate twice a day. This alone will put us in a position to make better choices for ourselves.In some cases, that may be the choice to reduce drinking alcohol, or even to stop drinking altogether. In other cases, the desire to drink might simply just go away so there isn’t even a choice required. And in other cases still, there might be a desire to reduce alcohol and a recognition that some extra help is needed with that.In this episode, Thom takes a broad look at alcohol from the physiological and scientific perspective and also from a spiritual perspective. Whether you are a drinker or not, it’s a discussion tha

Have you ever wondered about the song that Thom sings at the beginning of each episode of The Vedic Worldview?More than just a song, Shanti Patha is a ‘sloka’, or Sanskrit verse or chant,that you’ll often hear throughout India, and with good cause. Shanti Patha is a credo, a manifesto if you like, of how we can conduct ourselves, so we can enjoy a sense of community together, rather than feeling separate from, and fearful of, each other.Even if we just follow the ‘teaching’ of the song at the literal level of the English translation, we would get enormous benefit from it. But if we dive deeper into the true meaning of the words, which Thom does in this episode, we reveal a richer understanding that can guide us in our day-to-day lives.Episode Highlights: [00:48] The Manifesto of the Process of the Vedic Worldview[03:26] Saha Nav Avatu—Let Us Be Together[04:47] Be Conscious Without Thoughts[06:13] Bliss: The Supreme Inner Contentedness[07:58] Saha Nau Bhunaktu—Let Us Eat Together[09:35] Saha Viryam Karavavahai