Read any good books lately? Vedic literature is rich in timeless content, and few epics have lasted the thousands of years that some of the Vedic epics have survived.Vedic epics combine the best of drama and unforgettable storytelling while still being steeped in deep wisdom at every turn. It is this powerful combination that continues to make them as relevant today as 5,000 years ago.Thom shares a couple of his favorites in this episode, and gives us a helping hand by recommending specific translations that will make more sense to those of us who are not Vedic scholars.And to help us even further, he suggests a couple of more contemporary books, both written by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to help us deepen our understanding of how to lead a rich and fulfilling life.Suggested Reading:The Science of Being and the Art of Living by Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita - a translation and commentary by Maharishi Mahesh YogiThe Mahabharata, translation by Ramesh MenonThe Ramayana, translation by Ramesh MenonLove and God by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Episode Highlights:[00:52] The Vedic Worldview Podcast[02:38] The Science of Being and Art of Living - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi[04:47] The Bhagavad Gita – Vyasa[08:01] Krishna's Enjoinment to Battle[10:33] The Mahabharata – Vyasa[14:52] Vyasa - A Great Sage[17:17] The Ramayana – Valmiki[20:02] Love and God - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Useful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/info@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/  

Get ready for a fresh perspective on suicide and suicidal thoughts. In response to a question from a listener, Thom gives us a lot to contemplate in this episode, including redefining how we think about suicide, introducing the concept of “long suicide,” and reminding us that body death doesn’t mean consciousness death or bring an end to suffering.He talks about the role Vedic Meditation can have in easing the suffering at the source of suicidal thoughts, and also affirms that you are worthy of, and must seek, professional help if suicidal thoughts have become a regular part of your thinking or if it’s something you feel inclined to act on.Even if you aren’t contemplating suicide, this is wisdom we should all take on board, for the inevitable occasion when we might be able to influence someone considering a premature end to their life. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis:In the United States: Dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.orgIn Australia: Dial 13 11 14 or go to https://www.lifeline.org.au/In all other countries, visit this page for your local prevention hotline: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/ Episode Highlights[00:45] Where Do Suicidal Thoughts Come From?[02:06] A - Seeking Help: A Necessary Step for Mental Health[04:08] Break the Stigma[05:45] What Happens to Consciousness After Death[07:35] Nihilism, Atheism, and Suicide[09:44] Natural Curiosity of Body Death[11:25] Suicide is Not Self-Destruction[13:35] Guru Deva - the Supreme Authority in the Vedic Worldview[15:57] Guru Deva Bestows Epithets[18:06] Guru Deva Dropped his Body[20:18] Did Guru Deva Commit Suicide?[22:23] Why Guru Deva Dropped his Body[24:29] Cosmic Intelligence and the End of a Physical Body[26:21] Witness of All Intellects[28:36] Suicide: An Act of Desperation or Cosmic Intelligence?[30:32] Zero Effectiveness of Warnings and Campaigns[33:04] This is Not Suicide[35:05] We Don't Call It Suicide[36:46] What You Can Do?[38:56] How Vedic Meditation Can Help[41:00] Consciousness Beyond Physical Death: Insights from a Near-Death Experience[43:03] Live Your Life Without Suffering Useful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Vedic Meditators frequently report heightened perception of the sense organs. Colors may become crisper, shades of light and dark may become more ‘interesting,’ subtler tastes may be detected in food, and smells may be detected, even in the most minute concentrations.One of the most curious sensations happens at the level of hearing. In the same way that the mind is able to experience the subtlety of Being becoming manifest, the hearing organs are able to experience the sound of Being becoming manifest.Thom explains both the mechanics and the result of this process. For many Vedic meditators, this episode will be a revelation, an explanation for that sweet, sweet sound, humming away in the background as a constant companion in day-to-day life, and for others it will be a preview of coming attractions.And for those who haven’t learned Vedic Meditation, perhaps this will inspire you to learn the technique so you too can hear the sound of manifestation.Episode Highlights:[00:52] An Arcane Subject[02:20] It's Not Tinnitus[03:49] Increasing Acuity of Perception[05:31] The Nectar of the Bliss Experience[07:29] The Sound of the Symmetry Breaking[09:18] Divine Which is Heard[11:07] Bringing Your Consciousness State Forward[12:21] Symphonic Sound[13:40] The Sound of the VedaUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Most groups or communities have a few pretentious players within them; people who wear a mask or ‘put on a show’ to attract attention to themselves and to elevate their status.While one might think that the “spiritual” arena might be beyond such behavior, regrettably that’s not the case.In some circles they might be called “wannabees,” but Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had a special name for such people; mood makers.While they are relatively easy to spot, in this episode Thom shares the signs to look for in a mood maker. If nothing else, this gives us an opportunity to check in on our own conduct and to ensure that we haven’t inadvertently become a mood maker ourselves.Episode Highlights:[00:53] The Temptation of Mood Making[02:25] Faking It Till You Make It[03:28] Badges of Rank[05:15] A Big Blob on the Floor[06:28] Our Destiny Summed Up on the Floor of Whole Foods[07:42] God-given Parking Spaces[09:08] Simple, Natural, Innocent[11:05] Have a Proper Meal With Me[12:20] "I'm Eating Brahman."[14:17] Be Adorable to NatureUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

The Oxford Dictionary defines luck as: success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions, or, chance considered as a force that causes good or bad things to happen.Long-term listeners will straight away see that chance is incompatible with the Vedic worldview, hence luck isn’t likely to pass scrutiny either. So how then do we account for the fact that sometimes we seem lucky, or perhaps others seem lucky, and sometimes we don’t? In this episode Thom explains the Vedic perspective on luck and good fortune. The good news is, we have more control over it than most people think. Episode Highlights:[00:53] A Degree of Randomicity[02:52] Well-Deserved, Self-Created Good Fortune[05:09] There is Intelligence Involved[06:13] Unconscious Design of Unhappiness[08:04] Conscious Design of Happiness Useful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Discover the fascinating origins of Sanskrit, the language considered an ‘inspired’ reflection of Nature's intention. Explore its unique onomatopoeic qualities and how sound interacts with consciousness. Learn about the custodians who have preserved its integrity over centuries. Understand how one can benefit from Sanskrit's meaning without fully grasping it intellectually. Delve into the concept of sound as a medium for experiencing the unified field, revealing the beauty and depth of this ancient language.

Mention tantra and most people think of sexual practices designed to prolong the sexual experience or to add a ‘spiritual’ element to it. While the principle of tantra can certainly be applied to sex, it’s actually a concept that has much broader and more interesting applications.  Strictly speaking, when properly applied, even the art of procrastination, as distinct from the habit of avoidance, can be said to be a form of tantra.As Thom explains in this episode, tantra is a form of brinkmanship, the ability to hover at the border of two different states, either conceptually or physically. As you’ll hear, it’s an art that Vedic Meditators become quite accomplished at…Episode Highlights:[00:55] Tantra Has Evaded All Attempts at Consistent Definition[03:37] Understanding Tantra is Pivotal to the Development of a Vedic Meditator[05:44] Creativity at Work Requires the Pressure of Present-Moment Awareness[08:13] Tantric Awareness No Longer Fears Boundaries[10:17] Boundaries Are Places of Rich and Condensed Knowledge[12:34] Helium as a Gas to a Superfluid[14:12] Superfluid Helium is a Quantum Mechanical Phenomenon[16:37] Tantra Is a Consciousness StateUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

There’s no shortage of questions from our podcast audience, which is perfect because Thom is never short of an answer…The common thread throughout this Q&A episode is that we’re all much more empowered than we might think.Thom reminds us that Nature loves it when we commit, and that rather than preparing ourselves for worst-case scenarios, we must assume that we’re acting on Nature’s behalf and get behind our intention, and then act accordingly.He gives us clues as to how we can use the present to inspire our past and the future to inspire our present. You'll need to flex the way you think about time but, as always, Thom gives us an elegant analogy to work with.And to round things off, he takes the intention message one step further, inviting us to be flexible with our expectations and to be ready, and willing, to change plans at a moment’s notice.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Q - Should We Prepare for Worst-Case Scenarios?[01:33] A - Collectives Create the Governance That Surrounds Them[04:07] Government is in a Dependency Role[06:11] Continue to Provide, No Matter Where the Funding Comes From[07:55] "Here We'll Build Our Next Ashram"[09:21] "The Money Will Come From Where it is Now"[11:27] Seagull Parable from the Upanishad[13:06] Millions of Birds Drying out the Ocean[14:18] Garuda and Varuna[16:23] Q - What is the Vedic World View of Parts Work?[17:03] A - Reinspiring Consciousness[18:50] One Contiguous Flow[21:05] Inspiration From the Future[23:22] Q - Does Intention and Goal Setting Contradict the Vedic Worldview?[23:55] A - I Am Totality[26:27] Nature's Bait and Switch[27:50] This is Nature Itself ThinkingUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Exploring the dual nature of the intellect in evolution, this podcast delves into Vedic wisdom on consciousness, ego, and transcendence. Discover the power of ritam, neuroplasticity, and the bio-friendly universe. Uncover the role of the mistaken intellect and cosmic consciousness in personal evolution.

Most people are surprised to hear that Thom Knoles has spent time in prison. And not just one prison. Several in fact.And not just in one country. He’s spent time in multiple prisons in Australia and the United States of America.Listen in as Thom shares the tale of how he took control of his own destiny, and changed the destiny of hundreds of others in the process. NB - See here for The Light Inside project that Thom mentions on the podcast.Episode Highlights[00:45] A Deep Conviction[03:01] The Starry World[05:08] Jyotish - Vedic Astrology[06:47] Prison is in Your Future.[08:27] "Go to Prison."[09:47] Freedom Behind Bars[12:53] Multiple Prison Stays[14:24] Meditation in Prison[18:01] The Light Inside Useful LinksThe Light Inside - https://www.the-lightinside.com/info@thomknoles.com  https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/