Vedic Worldview

Humans have a natural tendency to try to explain phenomena outside of our experience from within a limited understanding of the ways in which the world works. We’ll theorize about an event or situation to reassure ourselves that we know what’s going on, when in fact we may not.Vedic meditators sometimes find themselves on the receiving end of such behavior. Through regular practice of meditation, they don’t just transcend thinking, but they also transcend ‘normal’ responses to situations. They become less ‘reactive’ to situations that others might find stressful and are generally less affected by the ‘ups and downs’ of regular life.A non-meditator might witness this and try to rationalize it by labelling the meditator as ‘detached’ or even ‘dissociative’ when in fact there is something much more desirable going on. Thom explains this in more detail in this episode.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Q- Does Meditation Make People Detached or Dissociative?[01:02] Cosmic Consciousness - All-Inclusive Awareness[02:13] Non-Attached and Non-Involved[03:20] All I Am is a Body That's Dying[04:25] The Externalized Locus of Control[06:16] Freedom Without Bliss is Dangerous[07:26] What Does Freedom Mean?[08:16] The Capability of Growth at Speed[10:02] Who Will Bring the Greatest Amount of Social Change?[11:31] A Tendency Towards Greater Acceptability[12:56] Meditators Are Creating True Revolution[15:08] Standard Procedure for People With Psychopathological Conditions[16:43] People Who Can Create Maximum Change With Least ActionUseful 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/

You’ll need a pen and paper, and zero distractions, for this episode, which is nothing less than a masterclass in evolution. Delivered in front of a live audience, at the Pace Gallery in New York City in 2021, Thom explains what an ‘agent of progressive change’ is, and why it’s incumbent on us to step up to the plate and take on that role for ourselves.More than just a call to arms, it’s a practical ‘workshop’ covering the five fundamental elements of being an agent of progressive change.  If you truly want to accelerate your personal evolution, next to a twice-daily practice of Vedic Meditation, you’d be hard pressed to find a quicker route than this.Episode Highlights: [00:45] Survival is a Result of Thriving[02:20] We Live Inside of a Consciousness State that We've Created[03:35] Five Elements of Progressive Change[05:00] Stability[06:29] Ananda - A Supremely-Contented State[08:29] Not Enslaved by Outside Phenomena[09:18] Adaptation Energy[10:32] Circumstantial Happiness[11:41] "In Order to Have Disappointment, You Need to Have an Appointment"[12:55] Premature Cognitive Commitments[14:09] 100,000 Stress Triggers[15:15] Meditation Resets Our Expectations[16:20] Integration[17:48] Evolve[18:50] The Cognitive Revolution[20:20] The Capacity to Witness Oneself Thinking[21:05] The Storage of Accumulated Stress is Eating Up 98% of Our Brain's Computing Power[22:21] Purification[23:51] Letting Go of Things With Ease[25:39] Challenging Assumptions[26:59] Non-Symbiotic Parasites[28:12] 5 - Willingness to Grow[29:40] We Are Doing Dated Things Already[30:41] Every Part of Your Body is Constantly Being Replaced[32:09] Consciousness Becomes Body Chemistry[33:27] Capacity for Progressive Change[34:29] Question[34:37] Every Particle in the Universe Comes Out From a Non-Changing Field[36:01] The Self Moving Inside the Self[36:48] The Colorless Sap[38:21] Q- Are There Practical Ways Other Than Meditation to Let Go Of Useless Habits?[39:38] Maharishi's Mud on Your Hands Analogy[40:49] Why Therapy Works So Well[41:58] The Advantageous Position of Knowing[42:38] Q- How Can Destructive Forces Like Genocide Be Evolutionary?[43:17] All Bodies End Up Dying[44:56] We All Move in the Direction of Recognition of Unity[46:44] Unity Points[48:00] You're Loving You[49:26] The Need for Less-Sophisticated States[50:32] The Average Age of Cambodia in the 1980s was 17 Years[51:20] The Need for Longevity[52:41] Self-Referential AwarenessUseful 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/

With alcohol being so prevalent in society, it takes more than one episode of the podcast to cover questions on the subject adequately. In this episode, Thom explores the question of being able to replicate the effects of alcohol ‘naturally,’ and explains the difference between alcohol and drugs or spirit medicine in this regard.He discusses references in Vedic texts to alcohol, and how to distinguish between actual references to alcohol and metaphorical references to the effects of ‘Soma’ in the body.Lastly, the role of Vedic Meditation in helping someone attain sobriety is covered from two different angles. Whether alcohol is part of your life or not, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of mechanics for why alcohol has become a part the lives of so many.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Q- How Can You Replicate the Effects of Alcohol Naturally?[01:31] Understanding the Pathway of Alcohol [03:19] Alcohol Destroys Brain Functioning[04:16] Selective Poisoning of the Brain[05:17] Inhibitions Can Be Good[06:54] What Meditation Does For Us in Contrast to Inhibition[08:04] Strengthening the Good Inhibitions[09:02] Q- Can You Discuss the Mention of Alcohol in Ancient Indian Texts and Modern Culture?[09:18] Soma- The Cocktail of All the Bliss Chemicals[11:04] The Unsustainable vs the Sustainable[13:12] Q- Is it Common for People Struggling With Imbibing to Take to Vedic Meditation Enthusiastically?[13:39] Imbibers Are Brave People[15:28] "There Has to Be Something More Than This"[16:43] Turiya - The Fourth Consciousness State[18:25] Godhead - Where Individuality Meetis Universality[20:01] An Imbiber is a Seeker[21:09] Q- What's the Spiritual Explanation for the Worse Experience in the Early Days of Sobriety[21:26] People Experience Different Feelings While Becoming Sober[23:19] The Process of Diminishing Returns[25:09] Habituation to Our Former Devotion[26:57] Monkey Traps[28:24] Addiction Makes You Lose Your Freedom[29:39] Your Problems Are Forgotten[30:54] Letting Go Through Vedic Meditation[31:45] A Pleasure Greater Than Any AddictionUseful 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/

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/