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 Body[06:21] Abstract Communing[07:47] A Little Quiet Conversation Inside[08:52] Using the Consciousness the Way It is Designed[09:24] Q- How Do I Address Fear of Pre-Death Pain and Suffering?[09:46] The Sensation Base Experienced By Mothers[11:14] Boons From Shri Krishna[12:51] A Boon For Krishna's Mother[14:10] Q- Do We Know When a Loved One is Reincarnated?[15:12] Enjoyment vs Attachment[15:56] AdaptationUseful 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/

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 Neediness Competition[07:00] Creating Greater Resiliency[08:36] The Best Shot at Longevity in a Relationship[09:38] The Desire for Shared Experience is Embedded in Us[10:56] Marker[11:48] Creating Memories We Wish to HaveUseful 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/

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 of Nivar-TatvamUseful 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/

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 anyway. We all have a role in nurturing the next generation, and we can all learn from the wisdom of the Vedic worldview.Episode Highlights: [00:47] Raising Enlightened Children[02:15] Our Contributions for the Future Generation[03:28] Foresight for Future Generations[05:27] The Custodian of the Consciousness of the Youth[06:33] Where Does Consciousness Come From?[07:52] Lord Buddha and the Hallway of Mirrors[09:16] 8 Million Lifetimes as a Human Being[10:36] Such a Thing as Suffering[12:04] The Quickening[13:30] A Checklist of Unfulfilled Desires[15:14] I'm Beginning to Forget[16:33] How Can the Grownups Help?[17:51] The Mis-takes That Adults Often Make[19:10] Vicarious Enjoyment[19:58] The Primary Mission of Adults as Caregivers[21:01] Dharma, One's Personal Role in the Evolution of Things[22:15] "I'm Not Here to Tell You What to Do"[23:49] "What is My Highest Nature?"[25:34] You Don't Know Who These Children Are Yet[26:13] We Don't Force Our Children To Meditate[27:14] Teaching by Precept[28:27] "We Have This Problem Child..."[29:51] "My Parents Don't Listen to Me."[30:52] "Do You Trust the Way You've Raised Me?"[31:58] Awakening to the Wisdom of the Children[33:16] Help Them Do the ExperimentsUseful 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/

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 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/

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 have its intended benefit, and not be watered down, or even harmed by another.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- Is There a Truth to Gratitude Being a Divine Emotion?[01:01] You Deserve the Best[02:30] You Have to Accept It[03:57] You Are Not Wretched[04:59] What Does Expecting the Best Do to Our Sense of Gratitude?[06:16] How Do We Show Our Gratitude?[07:31] Vineeta: Humble Pride[08:59] Too Much Gratitude[10:11] Q - How Can Community Play a Positive Role in Realizing the Higher Self?[10:56] The Funnel of Consciousness[12:04] Cosmic Consciousness - The Ultimate Social Experience[13:45] The True Meaning of Tribe[15:22] Unity and Empathy[16:49] Siddhi: An Extraordinary Human Capability[18:22] Expanding Our Capacity to Be a Relevant Member Of Any Social Group[19:43] Having and Developing Shared Experience[20:59] Q - Can I Use a Different Mantra to Practice Vedic Meditation?[21:56] All Roads Lead to Rome[22:36] An Appropriate Mantra[24:18] No Damage is Done[25:36] Vedic Meditation Will Only Bring Aid to Everything Life Supporting[26:31] Let Vedic Meditation Be Its Own PracticeUseful 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/

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 that goes beyond the ‘should or shouldn’t’ angle that often distorts thinking on the subject.Episode Highlights: [00:47] The Impact of Alcohol on Developing Higher Consciousness States[01:59] Q- Can You Share More About The Vedic Worldview on Alcohol Consumption?[02:07] Alcohol is Not a Barrier to Vedic Meditation[03:48] Not Speaking From Experience[05:23] Feeling Rosy[06:42] Vedic Meditation Can Reduce the Desire for Alcohol[08:40] Meditation Decreases Our Body's Tolerance for Toxicity[09:59] The Effects of Alcohol[11:12] Irreplaceable Brain Cells[12:41] A Natural Choice Gets Made[14:14] Justifying the Choice to Drink Alcohol[15:23] Fermented Grape Juice or Unfermented Grape Juice?[16:12] A Very Graceful Intoxication[17:10] Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body[18:38] Alcohol Decreases Longevity[20:02] The Rule of Exceptions[21:19] The Spiritual Angle[23:00] The Chemistry of Bliss[25:16] Meditators Live Longer With a Younger Body Function[26:26] Meeting Challenges Adequately[27:42] Alexander the Great Invaded India and Came Back With a Vedic Guru[29:07] The Deities Associated with Alcohol[32:37] A 12-Step Program[34:04] The Home of All the Laws of Nature[35:20] Beholden to a Gangster[37:05] The Big Self Takes Charge[39:00] Vedic Meditation Initiates the Awakening in You[40:06] Less Resistance to Seeking Help[41:48] The Process of Intoxication[42:44] "I'm Not Intoxicated"[43:53] Witnessing Intoxication[45:44] I Could Start Drinking Any DayUseful 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/

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—Let Us Be Vital Together[11:07] Tejasvi Nav Adhitam Astu—Never Shall We Denounce Anyone[12:29] Ma Vidvishavahai—Never Entertain NegativityUseful 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/

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 Silence[11:41] Grand Plans for the Year Ahead[13:39] Maharishi's Birthday Gift to the World[14:53] A Memorable RoutineUseful 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/

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 Colonization[03:42] Vedic Culture Knows How to Be Invincible[05:25] Embedded in Human Nature[06:17] English Became a Tool for India's Revenge Against Colonization[08:21] Victimising Yourself[09:38] The Capability of Digesting the Invaders[11:02] An Ideal Society[12:44] Q - Can People Harm Us With Their Jealousy and Gossip?[13:00] I Am Vulnerable (Or Am I?)[14:20] Liberation From the Effects of Others’ Thoughts[15:33] People Don't Have Any Idea What We Are[16:29] Q- What Causes Us to Give Away Our Power?[16:47] The Truth of the Moment[18:10] You Are the Unified Field Itself[19:04] The Difference Between Envy and Jealousy[20:15] Being an Insignificant Self[20:59] Getting to the Highest Truth as Quick as Possible[21:47] The Highest Level of Consciousness There Is[23:34] The Few Always Lead the Many[24:19] Beyond SufferingUseful 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/