If Only… Living Life Without Regrets. Part One

Apr 20, 2025

Dive into the intriguing discussion on how desires shape our spiritual growth. Explore the tension between fulfilling desires and achieving liberation, illustrated through the Vedic and Buddhist perspectives. Reflect on how unfulfilled desires tie into reincarnation and the nature of consciousness. Discover the transformative potential of Vedic meditation, shifting from merely 'doing' to 'being.' This exploration challenges listeners to rethink attachments and embrace a higher state of consciousness.

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INSIGHT

Unfulfilled Desires Drive Reincarnation

Unfulfilled desires drive reincarnation according to the Vedic worldview.
Desire serves evolution's purpose, not individual fulfillment as often misunderstood.

ANECDOTE

Debate with Thai Buddhist Abbot

Thom Knoles shared a conversation with a Thai Buddhist abbot about desire's role.
They debated that desire's authorship, not desire itself, causes suffering.

INSIGHT

Authorship of Desire Causes Suffering

Suffering arises from attributing desire ownership to the individual self.
Desire itself stems from the universal consciousness or big self, not the small individual self.

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Thom's annual Australian tour is now underway and we'd love to invite you to participate.. We have a range of tour events scheduled, including free introductory talks and a learn to meditate course for those who are new to Vedic Meditation.

If you've completed a qualified Vedic Meditation course, we invite you to join Tom for knowledge sessions, group meditations and a one-day retreat he has scheduled in Sydney.

Thom is also offering a five-day four-night retreat in Gerringong, south of Sydney, as well as private mentoring sessions throughout the month.

You can find out more about all of these offerings at thomknoles.com/sydney. That's thomknoles.com/sydney.

The role of desire is one of the most misunderstood facets of spiritual evolution.

Some schools of thought argue that we should transcend desires altogether, leading followers down a path of denial and disciplined detachment. This leaves many in a quandary, wondering why we are put to the test, surrounded by so many temptations.

In this episode, Part One of a two-part series, Thom holds forth on the Vedic worldview with respect to desire and how we can live a life without regrets for desires unfulfilled.

Discover why both obedience to desire's guidance and non-attachment to its fulfillment create the perfect balance for spiritual evolution. It’s a revolutionary approach that transforms our understanding of what it means to want.

Part Two of this series will be the next episode of The Vedic Worldview.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Unfulfilled Desires

[03:11] Reincarnation - Unfinished Business

[06:18] Liberation from the Wheel of Death and Rebirth

[09:00] Authorship of Desire: The Cause of Suffering

[12:54] Percival from Arkansas Goes to the Cinema

[15:31] Why am I having a desire?

[18:18] Nature’s Business

[21:22] Filled with Fulfillment

[24:56] Asteya and Vairagya

[28:02] The Pollution of Unfulfilled Desires