The Vedic World View

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

For a large part of the population, the first week of January is a period of regret. Regret about some of the food and drink choices made over the festive season, and perhaps regret from some of the New Years’ Resolutions that are turning out to be not so resolute as they might have wished.This, of course, was never a problem for Thom’s Master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Being in such a highly-evolved state, he was simply beyond the stage where he could make choices that he would regret.Maharishi’s routine for the New Year was almost the exact opposite to pretty much the entire population that lives by the Gregorian calendar. In this episode Thom shares the details of this routine, which revolved around an annual seven-day period of solitude, silence and fasting.  Episode Highlights: [00:46] Seven Days of Silence[02:21] Leftover Tasks[03:50] No Interruptions[04:59] Who's There in the Waiting Room?[06:33] Where Shall We Spend Christmas?[07:44] Music for the Cows[08:46] Rich People Problems[09:52] Emerging from the

It’s time for another Q&A episode with Thom, this time covering a range of questions with a similar theme, acquiescing our power to others.In answer to a question about the harm of colonization, he reminds us that it’s not such a recent phenomenon, that humans have had an inclination to dominate groups from other regions for millenia, and will likely continue to do so. Thom explains that the societies that endure are those that remain invincible and who give back more than they take from their invaders.He discusses jealousy and gossip, and how we can liberate ourselves from the effects of the thoughts or words of others. It all boils down to a single false idea that can quite easily be dispelled.And in a slightly different vein, Thom explains the role of envy, as opposed to jealousy, and how we can use it to assert more power rather than to relinquish it, and how we can help others do the same.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q - How Did Europe Get Away With Colonizing the World?[02:11] The Mechanics Behind Co

It’s that time of the year where families come together to experience the joys of the family bond. Greetings are given, embraces exchanged, laughter is shared, tears of joy are shed, and the love is felt. And then it starts…The euphoria wears off and the tension kicks in.It might just be some low level tension that doesn’t really amount to much. Or it could be a full-on dispute that escalates to a large-scale crisis. Or it might be something in between.Not in every home of course but, for many families, this is the standard operating procedure.For Vedic meditators this is perfect. It gives us the opportunity to test how ‘colorfast’ our practice has made us. We get to test which of our buttons can no longer be pushed. We get to exercise the cosmic responsibilities that come with being a Vedic meditator.Sit back, listen in, and let Thom help you prepare for what could be one of your most peaceful festive seasons yet. Episode Highlights: [00:45] The Greatest Test[02:12] A Successful Interaction[03:41] Becoming C

Reparenting is an often-used psychological technique where one is given, or gives oneself, opportunities to learn the lessons of character or personality development that one might have missed out on through ‘insufficient’ parenting or care during childhood.It’s a technique that has met with some success, yet, as Thom explains in this episode, there is a missing element that might make this approach incomplete.The Vedic perspective is that we, including our parents and caregivers, can only act based on the level of our consciousness. This being the case, rather than focusing on repairing the ‘mistakes’ of our parents and caregivers, a more complete approach would be to focus on elevating our own consciousness.In fact Vedic traditions embody this approach, and teach us to access our own inner guru or teacher, and to bring out the best of our own feminine and masculine qualities, while honoring our parents and caregivers for doing and being the best that they knew to be.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Reparenting P

Episodes of psychosis and experiences of ‘spiritual awakening’ have one key characteristic in common, they are both experiences that are ‘out of the ordinary.’This can be problematic, especially if the person making a diagnosis has not had an experience of spiritual awakening themselves.One key distinction between the two states though, is that a spiritual awakening is accompanied by a stable sense of Self (with a capital S), whereas a psychotic episode is the opposite, and is usually accompanied by an erratic sense of self (with a small s).A spiritual awakening is desirable, whereas a psychotic state is not. Listen to Thom explain the states in more detail, and how you can deliberately set yourself on a path that makes a spiritual awakening the more likely option for you.Episode Highlights: [00:45] The State of Psychosis[02:19] A Genuine Spiritual Awakening[03:47] What Are You Minus All the Thoughts?[05:33] Experiencing What is Beyond Thought[07:01] Describing Your Experience in Language[09:01] Dr. Ronald D

Frequently on the podcast you’ll hear Thom mention ‘charm.’ While we all have a good understanding of the word charm, in Vedic Meditation circles, charm has a special, more nuanced meaning.For a Vedic Meditator, charm is like an inner-guidance mechanism, a gentle tug that steers you in the direction of that which is most evolutionary, not just for yourself, but for all of Nature. It’s a subtle form of intuition that feels charming to experience and charming to follow, hence the name we give to it.In this bonus ‘charm-inducing’ episode, Thom gives us a wee taste test of his soon-to-be-released course, The Art of Following Charm, in which he explores the nature of charm, how to recognize and cultivate it, and how every decision can become a matter of effortless attraction.Enjoy the episode and, if you feel charmed to do so, we hope you put the art of following charm into practice and join us on the course.The Art of Following Charm Course - https://thomknoles.com/charm-course/Episode Highlights:[00:46] The Dire

Hypnosis is often seen as having therapeutic value, a way of overcoming problems caused by an ‘incorrect psyche.’ Because of the layer of silence achieved inside a Vedic Meditation sitting, Vedic Meditation, we’re frequently asked if it is actually a form of hypnosis.The short answer is no. Vedic Meditation is not hypnosis, but to understand the answer fully requires a closer look at what hypnosis is. Though hypnosis may be done with good intent, and may apparently have some ‘good’ effects, and may appear to be beneficial, essentially it’s a form of manipulation. So in that sense, hypnosis is in fact the opposite of Vedic Meditation. Vedic Meditation provides an opportunity to transcend the mind, to go beyond the small s self, the field where hypnosis has an impact, to the big “S” Self, where hypnosis has no impact whatsoever, and where the psyche can obtain benefits far beyond anything that hypnosis can deliver, and in perfect alignment with Nature.Listen to Thom explain this more fully, looking at the subje

Travelling with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi meant there was never a time for a dull moment.In this episode, Thom shares some adventures of a particular trip to Brazil, with an unexpected detour to Germany. With Maharishi, Thom soon learned that the unexpected was always to be expected. Maharishi wasn’t just a passionate teacher of following ‘charm,’ but he was also a 24/7 exponent of it, even at 3 am...Episode Highlights: [00:05] An Invitation From Rio for Maharishi[02:03] Drawing Restfulness Into the Working State[03:31] His Asana[04:16] Maharishi's Visit to the Roman Catholic Cathedral[06:10] "I'm Always Enjoying Myself"[07:42] "We're Going to Germany"[09:29] Neem Stick: Maharishi's Toothbrush[10:53] A Financier of Maharishi's Needs[12:11] "She Will Run All of That"[14:07] His Magnetic Charisma[15:30] Maharishi's Unplanned Lecture At The Airport[17:02] One of the Best-Documented Lives Imaginable[19:39] Maharishi Isn't a Person, He's a Phenomenon[21:35] Maharishi's Great Skill Useful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https