Vedic Worldview

Thom Knoles
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May 22, 2022 • 12min

Depression and the Role of Vedic Meditation

Despite the myriad advances made by humans over the centuries, depression is a condition that seems to be consistently on the rise. We can all do more, have more and experience more than our ancestors could have possibly dreamed of, yet so many of us struggle to find a sense of peace within ourselves.In this episode, Thom explores the subject of depression and the role that Vedic Meditation can play in reversing the cycle of depression and anxiety-related conditions. With depression often having serious and life-threatening consequences, Thom advocates a multipronged approach: appropriate professional care supported by Vedic Meditation to relieve the stress that brought it about.   Episode Highlights: [00:45] Anger With Good Manners[02:02] Two Flavors of Depression[03:03] Reversing the Vicious Cycle Through Vedic Meditation[04:31] Accumulating Distorted Memories and Maladaptive Reactions[06:14] The Vicious Cycle of Anxiety and Depression[07:50] A Feedback Loop of Mutual Enrichment[08:56] An Enormous Aid to DepressionUseful 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/
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May 15, 2022 • 53min

The Search for Self Identity

Delve into the complexities of self-identity and consciousness, exploring the Vedic concept of psyche and the evolution of psychology. Learn about the distinction between consciousness and the absolute, and how nurturance shapes our perception of ourselves. Discover the transformative practice of Vedic meditation and the eternal knower within.
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May 8, 2022 • 29min

Catholicism and the Vedic Worldview, Negative Thinking vs Intuition, Helping the Dying

It’s Q&A time again and this one has something for everyone.The first question for Thom is about the relationship between Catholicism and the Vedic Worldview. Whether you are Catholic or not, Thom’s answer will be of interest as he affirms the compatibility of the Vedic worldview, not just with Christianity, but with religion in general.And if you have trouble distinguishing between negative thinking and intuitive insights, Thom’s answer to the second question in this episode will help you with this dilemma. You’ll be pleased to know the answer is pretty straight forward.And last but not least, a situation that we’ll all face more than once in our lifetime, how to help someone who is nearing the end of their life. Thom gives us an easy choice to make, whether to be a ‘needy one’ or a ‘capable one’. No points for guessing which option is more evolutionary for all concerned.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q - Can You Elaborate on Jesus Christ and the Vedic Worldview as Compared with the Catholic View?[01:27] A - There is No Conflict Between Catholic Beliefs and Vedic Philosophy[03:06] Universal Wisdom[04:57] Catholicism Shares Much With Vedic Philosophy[06:33] There is No Religious Requirement to Practice Vedic Meditation[07:45] Meditation is an Aid to Christian Growth[09:38] Q - How Can You Distinguish a Negative Thought From the One That is Trying to Tell You Something?[09:57] A - Vedic Mediation Enhances Meditators' Awareness[11:45] Moving Frictionlessly and Effortlessly From One Place to the Next[13:27] Red Lights and Green Lights[14:17] Negative Thoughts vs Feelings[16:08] Q - How Can We Help Those Who Are Nearing the End of Their Lives?[16:44] A - Understand How a Dying Person Feels[18:20] Unfinished Business[20:00] Mistakes People Make With the Dying[21:43] Conscious Protectors[23:41] Agenda Free[25:14] The Needy Ones and the Capable OnesUseful 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/
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May 1, 2022 • 9min

Does Vedic Meditation Expose Us to Evil Influences?

Does “opening the mind” through Vedic Meditation create a portal or opportunity for evil or satanic influences to enter the mind?This question is relatively easy to answer. In fact, in this episode Thom doesn’t even get to the second part of the question and spends a short time addressing the first part, the notion of Vedic Meditation opening the mind.While it’s certainly true that Vedic meditators are usually open-minded people, this is in the sense of being broad minded rather than having an exposed or vulnerable mind.Vedic Meditation actually has the opposite effect. It dissipates stress and reduces the likelihood of suggestibility and allows one to become more aligned with the laws of Nature, rather than being susceptible to anything opposing the laws of Nature. So if you’re feeling the need to build a ‘spiritual firewall’ for yourself, this is the episode for you.Episode Highlights: [00:48] An Open Mind About Vedic Meditation[02:08] One Becomes What One Sees[03:34] The Impact of Vedic Meditation[05:28] Meditators Need Not Be Concerned About the Biased ViewsUseful 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/
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Apr 24, 2022 • 18min

The Importance of Puja to Vedic Meditation

Reverence seems rare in our fast-paced lives, yet Puja stands out as a time-honored tradition in Vedic Meditation. It’s a beautiful ceremony full of gratitude that enriches the student-teacher relationship. The podcast explores how this ritual honors generations of wisdom and welcomes newcomers into a transformative journey. Listeners learn about the critical role of Puja, the importance of structured learning with seed mantras, and how it deepens appreciation for the profound tradition of meditation.
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Apr 17, 2022 • 26min

Ask Me Anything - Parenting Solutions

Few situations make us second guess ourselves more than those that we come across as parents or guardians of children.In this episode, Thom provides some guidance for parents who face some fairly typical situations, balancing the needs of their children with their own self care, as well as one parent facing a parent’s worst-case scenario, a child at risk of taking their own life.Rather than being prescriptive about what each parent ‘should do’ in relation to their child, this episode is a reminder that Vedic Meditation is ‘a tool in our parenting quiver’ that can put us in the best position to find our own answers and make the best decisions we can in any given situation.PS - If you haven’t listened to it already, you might also be interested in listening to Thom’s episode on Raising Conscious Children [https://thomknoles.com/podcast/raising-conscious-children/]. Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- What is Your View on Sleeping With Our Children Vs. Teaching Them To Sleep On Their Own?[03:13] Children Want a Comforting Launch Pad To Put Them Into Sleep[04:22] Be a Spiritual Coach to Your Child[05:16] A Comforting Presence During the Phase Transition[06:13] Our Goal is Self-Sufficiency for Our Children[06:50] Create Those Memories You Would Like to Have[07:46] Your Number One Priority as a Parent[08:38] Relax and Be In the Present Moment With Our Child[09:31] Q - Can You Give Advice on Postpartum Meditation and the Effects on the Newborn?[09:52] Practice Meditation On a Catch-As-Catch-Can Basis[11:29] Your Child is Your New Spiritual Master[12:22] Don't Be Concerned About Meditating Too Much[13:05] Our Primary Spiritual Program[14:22] One of the Tools In Your Mothering Quiver[15:24] Mommy, I Think You Should Meditate[16:17] Give the Baby Everything You Can Give the Baby[16:50] Q - How Can I Create a Life of Joy While Living In Fear of Losing My Child?[17:04] Meditation is Your Coping Mechanism[18:49] Look After Yourself[20:15] Arjuna's Dilemma On the Battlefield[21:51] Developing A Resolute IntellectUseful 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/
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Apr 10, 2022 • 14min

What is Consciousness?

What is consciousness? Well, the ultimate answer to this question is, ‘everything,’ but, ironically, our ability to understand this depends on our own level of consciousness.In other words, our ability to truly understand what consciousness is, relies on consciousness itself and our experience of it. And by the time we get to the point where we actually understand the answer to the question, the question becomes irrelevant. The good news is, we have a simple technique at our disposal, Vedic Meditation, which gives us an experience of Pure Consciousness on a regular basis. And even though we may struggle to find the words to define what consciousness is, we at least have a reference point to develop our own understanding of what it truly is.Combine that reference point with Thom’s wisdom in this episode, and you’ll be well on the way to answering the question yourself. Bookmark this episode and come back to it on a regular basis, at least until you’ve answered the question for yourself.Episode Highlights: [00:45] The Fundamental Existential Truth of the Known Universe[01:32] The State of Three-In-One[03:51] What Relevance Would the Universe Have If Consciousness Didn't Exist?[05:38] Friday Night at UCLA[06:51] Expanding and Contracting Our Consciousness[07:38] Isolating Consciousness Through Vedic Meditation[09:06] Pure Consciousness in its Absolute Form[10:29] Repertoire of Capability[12:09] A Ridiculously Simple PropositionUseful 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/
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5 snips
Apr 3, 2022 • 52min

Love is a Self-Referral Phenomenon

None of us can imagine a world without love, but how many of us actually know what love truly is? Is it the romantic, idealized love that we see in story and song all around us, or is there something deeper, something ‘richer’ than what we’ve been ‘sold’ over the centuries.As you would expect, the Vedic worldview holds that there is something deeper and richer to love than that which the vast majority of us experience.Ironically, the thing that prevents us from experiencing true love for others, is the lack of Self love. Listen in as Thom explains the ‘mechanics’ of love and the Self-referral phenomenon that it is.Episode Highlights: [00:45] I Love Your Shoes[01:54] Let's Take Love Seriously[02:40] Existence is Made Relevant by Consciousness[04:15] Is-ness and Am-ness[06:07] A Response Proves Consciousness[07:38] Why Does the One Become Many?[09:35] Love is a Desirable State[10:48] The Love of Self for Itself[12:00] Sympathetic Vibration[13:44] Resonance[14:45] What Makes Love a Selective Phenomenon?[16:21] Self Recognizing The Self[17:39] I Love When You Are Like Me[19:03] Under the Same Roof[20:34] We Don't Want a Mirror Image of Ourself[21:59] Love is a Product of Relatability[23:42] State of Consciousness Explains Behaviors[25:12] Empathy - Experience What Other Person is Experiencing[26:19] I Reject the Person Because S/he is Unlike Me[28:09] Our Capacity to See the Bigger Picture[29:44] Have You Always Been Such a Gorgeous Being?[31:05] All Things Are Love in Potential[32:17] Transcendence Helps Us Discover Sympathetic Vibration[34:04] Consciousness Experiencing Consciousness[35:37] The State of Oneness[37:23] Step Beyond the Incessant Tendency to Think[38:49] The Reservoir of Infinite Creativity[40:24] Your Social Responsibility[41:55] A Disciplined Approach to the Release of Attention[43:00] What is the Mechanism for Love?[44:29] Unity Consciousness - The Highest Pinnacle of Human Development[46:21] When We Have Unity Consciousness, We're Living Love[48:06] Discover the Self With Non-Self With Vedic MeditationUseful 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/
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Mar 27, 2022 • 20min

My Maharishi - The Beginning at Rameshwaram

Thom’s master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is responsible for millions of people around the world taking up the meditation technique we now refer to as Vedic Meditation, but which Maharishi originally referred to as ‘The Grace of Guru Deva.’What few people realise though, is that Maharishi never set out with a specific intention to share the technique with anyone, let alone share it with millions around the world.In this episode, Thom shares the origin story of the meditation technique that changed the world, a story that began with a one word thought, ‘Rameshwaram.’Episode Highlights: [00:45] Sitting on the Banks of the Ganges[01:45] At the Feet of Guru Deva[03:07] A Thought Appears[04:04] Maharishi Breaks His Silence[05:59] I Want to Get Rid of the Thought[07:36] Lots of Ignorance[08:17] Maharishi Went to Rameshwaram[09:43] A Tap on the Shoulder[12:05] The Grace of Guru Deva[14:05] Guru Parampara[15:03] It All Started With Charm[17:02] Radiate Life for All to EnjoyUseful 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/
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Mar 20, 2022 • 20min

Spirituality vs Money, Tradition of Vedic Meditation, Dharma and Self Expression

The spotlight in this Ask Me Anything episode is on spiritual life…Is spiritual life compatible with earning money? (Spoiler alert: the answer is a resounding yes).Is the tradition of Vedic Meditation truly ancient? (Also yes).And what’s the relationship between Dharma and self expression? (No spoiler alert for this one).The underlying message in all of Thom’s answers in this episode, is the importance of Self referral. Too often we’re influenced by the thinking of others, whether they be those closest to us, or in the broader community, and this reduces our ability to both give and receive the fullest expression of life. By accessing the big S Self, through our twice-daily practice of Vedic Meditation, we can transcend the rules, the expectations and experiences of others and live an authentic, abundant and inspired life.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- How Can I Combine Spiritual Life with Earning Money?[00:58] An Obsolete Idea[02:22] The Risk of Invasion[04:19] The Monastic Tradition of Shukadeva[06:04] Householders as Rishis[07:25] Access to Maximum Creativity[08:53] A Life of 200%[09:37] Spirituality is Not Based on Suffering[10:47] Q- Does the Technique of Vedic Meditation Come From an Ancient Lineage?[11:20] The State of Consciousness of the Enquirer[12:23] One of the Greatest Masters That Ever Lived[13:20] Basing Our Lives on Direct Experience[14:07] Come to India and See for Yourself[15:09] Q- What is the Relationship Between Dharma and Self Expression?[15:23] Capital S, Self Expression[16:14] A Social ResponsibilityUseful 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/

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