Vedic Worldview

In this discussion, the focus is on the power of choice in reacting to offense. The speaker delves into doubts about our true nature and how insecurities shape our responses. A metaphor likening us to a bush highlights the need for self-awareness. The conversation encourages listeners to rise above external perceptions, fostering resilience and a state of being impossible to offend. Ultimately, it's a journey toward understanding self-identity and overcoming the emotional triggers that bind us.

Is there life beyond Earth? This tantalizing question has intrigued humanity for ages. The conversation dives into our fascination with extraterrestrial intelligence and whether our universe is friendly to life. By exploring concepts like the unified field and quantum mechanics, the discussion challenges the limits of physical laws. It suggests that consciousness might hold the key to understanding existence itself. Ultimately, the mysteries of the universe may not be as distant as we think.

Explore the intriguing notion of parental readiness, where spiritual dimensions interplay with the innate calling of parenting. Discover how Vedic meditation connects individuality to nature, transcending modern intellect through the use of sound-based mantras. Delve into Cosmic Consciousness, addressing personal experiences and the effects of stress on this heightened state. The discussion encourages a deeper understanding of natural laws to inspire and maintain your meditation practice.

We’re all familiar with cravings but why do we have them and why are they so powerful? What is it about them that makes us go weak at the knees and cave so easily? While most of us rely on willpower to beat cravings we know that it’s not a power we can rely on.In this episode Thom reminds us that the most powerful method to overcome cravings is to make them unnecessary, to create such a strong sense of inner fulfillment that the promise the cravings offer seem petty by comparison. Episode Highlights: [00:45] Superficial Enjoyment[02:55] What Fulfillment Looks Like[04:57] The Solution to Cravings[06:25] Awakening Baseline Bliss[07:53] The Binding Effect of Unfulfilled Desires[10:02] If Only...[11:25] Petty Cravings No Longer Have PowerUseful 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/

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a popular interview subject for media icons throughout the world for many decades, often appearing more than once as a guest on high-profile shows.In this episode, Thom gives a first-hand, behind-the-scenes account of an interview Maharishi did with David Frost on the BBC in the 1970s.He describes the warm relationship Maharishi had with Frost, and his delightful response to a potentially difficult question Frost put to him. As Maharishi often did, he brought a more correct perspective to the situation, one that revealed his true character and his true mission in life.Episode Highlights: [00:54] A Great Seer[02:38] The Status of a Maharishi[03:39] Maharishi in Great Britain[05:48] The Green Room[07:09] Maharishi at His Best[08:45] A Cuban Cigar and a Deer Skin[10:48] Maaharishi[12:28] Acerbic Questions[13:51] Marker[14:08] "Come Out of this Weakness"[15:05] Who am I Trying to Protect?[15:48] "Only a Million Pounds?"[17:43] UnoffendableUseful 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/

IYKYK. If you know, you know. Or do you? Is knowledge as reliable as we think it to be?“Knowledge is structured in consciousness,” is one of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's most profound and most frequently shared quotes. Ironically, one’s understanding of the quote is also dependent on one’s consciousness.Thom’s explanation of Maharishi’s quote gives us an opportunity to reflect on that which we ‘know,’ and even our own process of knowing and how this evolves along with our states of consciousness. It’s a reminder that things are not always as they seem, and to remain flexible in how we view the world and our place in it.Episode Highlights: [00:51] Two Methods of Gaining Knowledge[01:38] The Objective Means of Gaining Knowledge[03:20] The Subjective Means of Gaining Knowledge[05:10] Knowledge Has Infinite Organizing Power[06:42] Awakening Knowledge of How Things Work[07:52] The Criticisms of Albert Einstein[09:29] The Universe Can Only Behave in Ways that I Can Understand[10:50] You Are One With the Cosmos[11:58] Knowledge is Different in Different States of Consciousness[12:47] Consciousness Dictates Our Behavior[14:03] The State of Consciousness of the ReporterUseful 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/

Discover how sacredness is intertwined with our consciousness and attention. The discussion reveals that everything can be made sacred, from mementos to rituals. Experience the powerful concept of 'prana pratishta' and how emotional connections shape our lives. Listen as the significance of intentional appreciation turns ordinary moments into profound experiences, and learn how we can enrich our surroundings, transforming even synthetic objects into vessels of meaning. Embrace a life where nothing is taken for granted and everything is an opportunity for appreciation.

The terms duality and non-duality are becoming more commonly used and can have different meanings in different contexts.In ‘spiritual circles’ duality is often seen as a cause of suffering, or even the cause of suffering, but, in and of itself, duality is actually benign.In this episode, Thom answers questions from listeners about duality and non-duality from different perspectives. He explains that duality and non-duality cannot be considered from an either/or point of view and that Totality is a more complete approach, taking both sides of the equation.Thom also looks at how our fixations on one point of view over another might appear to cause suffering, but really are just highlighting the absence of baseline happiness.Episode Highlights: [00:47] Q- Can you Make Comments on Non-duality, Advaita, and Vedanta?[02:06] The Truth of the Word Vedanta[04:16] The Tradition of Vedanta[05:49] Brahman - Totality Consciousness[07:11] The Problem With the Word Advaita[09:22] Q- Does Duality Brings About Suffering?[09:54] The Cause of Everyone's Suffering[11:49] Behaviors That Amplify the Misery[13:58] Everyone Wants Freedom. Freedom to Do What?[16:02] A Fulfilled Person[18:00] Becoming a Very Ideal Citizen[19:29] Happy People are Safe to Be FreeUseful 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/

We celebrate this, the 100th episode of The Vedic Worldview, by covering one of Thom’s favorite subjects, Vedic Meditation Initiator Training.Building on the last episode, Become a Teacher of Vedic Meditation, Thom explains why his training is the ultimate path for anyone considering becoming a Vedic Meditation Initiator.While there are many more trainings available than there were just a few short years ago, many of which offer a simpler or more convenient path of learning, Thom explains that it’s their convenience that makes them unsuitable for anyone serious about becoming an Initiator. He describes the 10,000-year-old tradition that has given us access to the wisdom behind Vedic Meditation in its purest form, and his commitment to maintain that purity.  If you’re serious about becoming a Vedic Meditation Initiator, you can find out more about Vedic Meditation Initiator Training with Thom Knoles.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Vedic Meditator Initiator Training 2023, Rishikesh, India[01:16] 'Creative' Initiator Training[02:47] The Masterful Approach to Initiator Training[03:55] Shankaracharya - The Teaching Tradition[05:46] The Most Memorable Camaraderie[06:55] Bypassing Shoddy Guesswork[08:27] A Long Line of Wisdom[09:53] Does This Sound Like Something I Would Do?[11:34] The Opposite of Knowledge[13:11] The Balance Between Purity and Accessibility[14:24] The Danger of the Ever-Repeating Known[16:48] We Want to Be Change Designers[19:14] Initiator Training is Not for Everyone[20:34] The Most Precious Thing[22:09] You Deserve Plan A[23:42] This is How It's Done[25:18] Diligence About Integrity[26:05] I Learned His Thinking[27:54] Check Here. Don't Check.[30:05] Align Your Thinking With the Enlightened Mind[31:43] Jump the Hurdles You Need to Jump[33:27] You Are a Bright StarUseful 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/

Imagine meeting someone in the street who fondly remembers you for teaching them Vedic Meditation and sharing the profound impact it’s had on their lives.This is a regular occurrence for Vedic Meditation teachers around the world, and especially so for Thom, who has taught tens of thousands of students over the past 50 plus years.It’s an honor and a privilege to earn the title of a Vedic Meditation ‘Initiator’ and to learn with Thom and to be endorsed by Thom is one of the highest positions one can take as an ‘agent of progressive change.’In this episode, Thom invites you to apply to join him on his 2023 training, to be held in Rishikesh, India. The training only happens once a year, so if you’re feeling charm to move in this direction, now is your chance to do so.Listen to this episode then visit https://thomknoles.com/initiator-training/ for more details about the application process. Episode Highlights: [00:48] How Can You Contribute to the Creation of an Ideal Society?[02:41] Be a Vedic Meditation Teacher to Help Revolutionize Society[04:35] Meeting the Demand of the Time[06:29] There’s Always a Room for Meditation Teachers[07:36] Vedic Meditation Initiator Training 2023[09:16] Radiating Life for All to Enjoy[10:40] How Do You Know if You Are Ready for Initiator Training?[12:18] Revolutionizing Lives in a Matter of DaysUseful 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/