The impact that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had on the world is inestimable. With millions of people practicing the meditation technique that he popularized around the world, and many thousands more learning each year, the ripple effect of his work will last for centuries to come.And not just here on earth. It’s fitting that Maharishi’s three favorite words, Jai Guru Deva, inspired lyrics within the famous Beatles song, Across the Universe, which, in 2008, became the first song beamed by NASA into deep space.But what was it like being up close with Maharishi? In this episode Thom shares some of his observations from his 25 plus years of direct contact with Maharishi in India and throughout the world, often around the clock and for weeks and months on end.He describes Maharishi’s most endearing characteristics and the impact they had on him personally, declaring that Maharishi shaped him to become the man he is today.And for bonus value, he also shares the origins of another song from The Beatles that can be attributed to being influenced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.Episode Highlights[00:55] What Maharishi Was Like[03:14] An Inspiration to The Beatles[04:58] A Great Grace[07:17] Glory to Guru Deva[09:23] An Artful Walk[10:06] An Armful of Flowers[11:09] A Car Seat in Sydney[12:39] A Coffee Table and a Deerskin[14:26] Questions From the Floor[16:14] Response to Worthy Inquiry[17:13] Dear Prudence[18:56] Contagious Laughter[20:18] Hari the Cook[21:52] Feeling the Food[23:14] An Incessant Phenomenon[24:28] A Great Buzz of Activity[25:58] The Colorless Sap[28:06] What Happened?[29:57] Is It Understood?[31:57] From This Angle, From That Angle[33:24] Creating MeUseful 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/

What’s the Vedic worldview on sexuality?Gender expression and sexual identity have been hot topics in recent years as more and more people choose to abandon gender and sexual stereotypes.And while Vedic civilization was way ahead of its time in terms of accepting gender diversity, it turns out that sexuality may not be as important as it's made out to be.In this bonus episode, Thom proposes a viewpoint whereby we can all look at sexuality from a different perspective and focus on a more reliable source of identity.And if you’d like to dive a little deeper into the subject, Thom has a new course on Omnisexuality, available for people who have learned Vedic Meditation from a qualified and endorsed (by Thom) Vedic Meditation Teacher.https://thomknoles.com/omnisexualityPS - This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at a public event so please forgive the slightly less-the-perfect audio quality.Episode Highlights[00:45] Q - What’s the Vedic World View on Sexuality?[01:23] Why Stop at Five?[03:03] Doing is Not Identity[04:51] Sexuality is a Thing That You Do[06:43] Three Minutes...[07:49] Be Open to Change[08:37] Thom's Course on OmnisexualityUseful 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/

Delve into the intriguing connection between consciousness and time travel, revealing how our perceptions of 'now' shape future possibilities. Explore the Law of Attraction, as skepticism meets empowerment—it's all about mindset! Discover how external influences can impact well-being and the importance of self-realization for resilience. Learn to navigate life's challenges with a Vedic perspective that emphasizes inner strength over dependency. Dive in for a cosmic exploration of individuality and interconnectedness!

Humor in Vedic storytelling highlights profound lessons. A tale from the Katha Upanishad features a Sergeant and a General in a scenario reminiscent of workplace sitcoms. The conversation reveals essential insights about credit-sharing and empowerment. Delve into the interplay of leadership and execution, showcasing the sergeant's vital role. Explore how personal desires reflect universal intention, with meditation offering alignment for effective living. It's a rich blend of mythos and meaningful philosophy.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was ahead of his time in 1975, when he predicted an end to The Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall, among many other changes that he foresaw as arising from the dawning of the ‘Age of Enlightenment.’With The Cold War showing no signs of thawing at the time, most people saw it as a fanciful notion at best. Yet Maharishi, the great seer, saw it as an inevitable outcome of the shift in consciousness that was growing in pace at the time. Following on from our recent episode, The Yugas and the Importance of Understanding Them Correctly, in this episode Thom discusses Kali Yuga, the age of ignorance, in more detail. He explains the role of consciousness and how enlightenment and ignorance can coexist, just as the moon can bring light to the night. Most importantly, he explains that the age of ignorance doesn’t place limits on our experience, individually or collectively.Episode Highlights[00:55] Kali Yuga—The Age of Ignorance[02:48] The Dawning of the Age of Enlightenment[04:44] Seven Days of Silence[06:44] The Cold War at its Peak[08:21] The Mutually-Assured Destruction Philosophy[09:53] Things Will Get Better[10:51] Enjoying the Good News[12:00] Incremental Improvements[13:42] Dawning Cannot But Happen in Darkness[15:55] Part of the Solution[17:31] The Meditator's Advantage[19:19] There is a Lot of Work to be Done[20:30] Underutilized Potential[21:46] Impatient Behavior[23:42] Demands Become Pivot Points[25:38] Liberating Our Full Potential[27:11] Resisting the Progress[29:43] I Am Also the Big Self[31:30] We Become Lighthouses[32:52] This is What Light Does[34:59] Who Knew?[36:44] Become Masters of the Transcendental Smile[37:50] We Feel Very SecureUseful 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/ 

As Eastern philosophies have spread in popularity throughout the world in the past thirty years or so, ‘detachment’ has become somewhat of a buzzword. It has become a spiritual scorecard of sorts, the theory being that the more detached one is, the more enlightened one is. Or not…In this episode Thom sets the record straight, explaining the distinction between detachment, which implies attachment in the first place, and non attachment, which negates any attachment at all.It’s a subtle distinction but it’s much more than just a semantic argument. While one can fake detachment, thus creating another form of attachment, one can’t fake non attachment. As usual, Thom also shows us how to become non attached, without the strain of having to fake it till we make it. Episode Highlights[00:54] Maharishi Patanjali and Yoga Sutra[03:19] That's Not What Yoga Is[05:21] Asana, Pranayama, Dhyan[07:38] Yoga Sutra[10:24] Not Just Any Old Meditation[12:46] Vairagya is Not Detachment[14:56] Detachment Isn't Possible[16:47] Non-attachment May Occur[18:57] Neti - Not This[20:32] Detachment is Not a Practice[22:12] Detach from DetachmentUseful 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/

It’s time for another Ask Me Anything episode, with this one focused on affairs of the heart.Thom answers a listener’s question about the desirability of a ‘heart awakening’ and explains why being ‘grounded in the unbounded’ is a more preferable state to aim for.He takes on the question of whether partners in a relationship should ‘be on the same path’ or not, and how to manage the dynamic when they aren’t.And he gives sage advice for a listener asking about the importance of following through on commitments when our heart is no longer committed to them.   As always, another round of practical suggestions for everyday situations that we find ourselves in.[00:45] Q - Should I be Hoping for a Heart Awakening?[00:58] A - Experiencing Empathy[02:37] Empathy Can Be an Overshadowing Feeling[04:39] Spontaneous Ideal Interaction[06:37] A Completely Useless State to Be In[08:05] Grounded in the Unbounded[10:00] Q - Can a Relationship Flourish if We Are On Different Paths?[10:15] A - Why We're in a Relationship[12:12] Who is Suffering in a Relationship?[14:00] What is Suffering?[15:42] Sharing the Load[17:10] Be a Shining Example[18:02] Q - How do We Honor Commitments that No Longer Feel Relevant?[18:21] A - Commitments Become Unsustainable with Time[20:27] The Problem of Severability[22:04] Forgiveness of a Promise[23:48] The Five Fundamentals of Progress[24:51] Time is a Great HealerUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles https://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Courage under fire is seen as an admirable quality, but grace under fire even much more so.In this amusing anecdote, Thom shares an example of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s equanimity amidst a timely mishap. Though the mishap itself was relatively minor, the event itself was not; a conference which was pivotal in the revival of ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and practices, and their subsequent spread throughout the world.[00:55] Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Revives Ayurveda[02:46] Balancing Agents[04:49] Three Masters of Ayurveda[06:33] Masterful Pulse Diagnosis[07:48] Master of Minerals[08:36] Marker of the Plant World[10:13] Amrit Kalash[11:23] Maharishi Nagar[12:45] Learning from the Masters[13:51] Bright Lights[15:08] Where the Big Bang Comes From[17:22] Where the Little Bang Comes From[19:07] Perpetual Big BangUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles https://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

9/11/2001 is a date that’s been imprinted in our memories worldwide. New York City, at the epicenter of the terror attacks, was shaken to its core, literally and figuratively. Visiting New York City very soon after, Thom witnessed a distinct shift in the way New Yorkers were relating to each other. Thom shares his reflections on that visit in the episode, noting in particular how the 9/11 tragedy brought New Yorkers together for a brief period, and how it seeded what has since become a very large community of Vedic Meditators in the city.But with over 18 million people living in the metro area, a lot more meditators are needed to address the collective stress that stands in the way of New York becoming even more of an iconic city than she already is.Thom will be visiting New York City from October 9th to 20th to teach Vedic Meditation and give various talks. To find out more and to register for any of these events, please visit thomknoles.com/newyork. Jai Guru Deva.[00:00:45] No Appointments[00:02:42] Retiring from Teaching[00:05:22] "What About New York City?"[00:07:24] Journey to NYC[00:09:34] Something Unusual in the Streets of New York[00:11:44] Embraced the Stranger[00:13:44] Healing the Wound of New Yorkers[00:15:26] Why Should We Need to Have a Tragedy?[00:17:13] New Tour in NYC[00:19:08] An Invitation to New YorkUseful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles https://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Few rivers have a name as iconic as the Ganges River in India. At over 1550 miles (2,500 kms) long, it winds its way from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, passing a population of over 650 million along the way, making it the most populated river basin in the world.But there is more to the Ganges than just a body of water meandering through the landscape.In this episode, Thom brings his beloved Ganges to life. He explains why she plays such a significant role in the spiritual life of Indian citizens and visitors who come from around the world just to bathe in her icy waters. Thom leaves us in no doubt that the Ganges will justifiably play a pivotal role in our upcoming 2023 retreat in Rishikesh.If you'd like to attend the retreat with Thom in Rishikesh India from January 8th to 18th, 2023, please visit Thom's website for more details, https://thomknoles.com/india-retreat/ or follow the link in the show notes.[00:00:45] Mother Ganga[00:03:17] The Goddess Whom Everyone Can See[00:05:25] Taking a Dip in Ganga[00:07:19] An Invitation from Swami Kailashanand Giri[00:09:06] Removing Karma from the Physiology Useful Linksinfo@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles https://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/