This is a question that can be answered in three simple words, but listen in for a complete and satisfying explanation from Thom.Using an analogy that we can all relate to, Thom explains that the discomfort caused by not meditating should be enough to inspire us to keep practicing regularly, twice a day.It’s a short and concise episode that should strengthen your resolve to keep your meditation practice regular.Episode Highlights: [00:40] A Little Device Was Invented[01:59] It’s Not a Chore[03:19] A Kind of Anathema[04:03] No Harm[04:51] Superseding Other Techniques[06:10] Six Weeks and You’ll Never Look BackUseful Links: info@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/

In this bonus episode, ahead of an upcoming visit to New York City, Thom runs through the process of learning Vedic Meditation.He explains the rationale of spreading the course over four days so you can embed the experience and commence a sustainable daily routine, and develop a deeper understanding of the mechanics and expected results of Vedic Meditation.He also explains why Vedic Meditation should be taught in person rather than online, and why it’s worth your investment of time and effort to find a teacher who can teach you face to face.If you’re in New York City or nearby, Thom will be visiting late September (2021) and holding free Introductory Talks ahead of some courses in October. This is a rare opportunity to be taught by Thom, who will have limited capacity while he is there, so please register here for an Introductory Talk.And if you are not near New York City, or are reading this afterwards, you can find one of many Vedic Meditation teachers trained and approved by Thom to teach the technique by emailing us here with your location and we will get back to you with recommendations.Episode Highlights: [00:40] New York, New York![02:07] Your Vedic Meditation Mantra [03:17] In-Home Practice, Refinement Together[04:08] More Practice, Deeper Understanding[05:13] Developing Your Vedic Meditation Skill [06:12] Introductory Talk [07:37] A Commitment to Yourself [08:49] Why Can’t I Learn Vedic Meditation Online? [10:02] The Most Effective Way of Learning to MeditateUseful Links: info@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/ 

Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years. There’s no shortage of teachers, books, apps or other tools to help us practice mindfulness. But how does mindfulness compare with Vedic Meditation? Is there a comparison at all or do they have different functions altogether?Thom explains the difference between the two in a way that leaves no doubt as to which one has the most profound effect.Episode Highlights: [00:40] Vedic Meditation Isn’t Really Meditation[01:58] Going Beyond Thought [03:05] A Doing That You’re Doing [03:58] A Charming Mantra [05:10] Comfort is Key Useful Links: info@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 are the Vedas? Or should that be what is the Veda? Because you can’t put a finder on it, the Veda is hard to define as such, except to say it is the totality of the laws of Nature.So rather than trying to define what the Veda is, perhaps a more pertinent question might be, “How do I access the Veda and make use of it?”For that Thom has a solution. Listen in or read the transcript below to find out how you can tap into the limitless knowledge that is the Veda.Episode Highlights: [00:40] The Knowledge Available to Everyone[02:04] What Should I Do Now?[03:22] The Mechanism of Desire[04:46] Dharma[06:16] Self-Referral Knowledge[07:17] A Unique Approach to Morality[08:09] Overloads of Experience[09:31] Unbinding You From the Past[10:55] Universal Human KnowledgeUseful Links: info@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/ 

In this episode, another in our ongoing series of Ask Thom Anything, Thom explains the distinction between wellness and relaxation activities and why they don’t deliver the same impacts as Vedic Meditation.He also explores “The dark night of the soul” and describes how contrasting experiences of the mind and body lead to an unstabilized vision.He gives us some insights into how we can respond when someone is in the dying stage of their life and the advantages we have as Vedic meditators during this stage. And finally, Thom explains a practical approach to diet when we’re on a spiritual path.If you’d like to have Thom answer a question on the podcast, you can submit your questions here.Episode Highlights: [00:57] Q - Can ‘Wellness Activities’ Be as Effective as Vedic Meditation for Releasing Stress? [01:47] It Depends on Consciousness [03:09] They Might Be Relaxing But... [04:27] An Opportunistic Brain[05:55] Absolute Unboundedness of Being [06:51] A Consciousness-Led Approach [08:00] No Special Environment Required [08:42] Q - What’s the Vedic Worldview on the Dark Night of the Soul? [09:07] An Unstabilized Vision[10:33] The Body’s Prime Directive [12:12] Unstressing [13:25] Our Body Needs to Catch Up [14:27] Mind and Body in Complete Agreement [15:28] Q - How Can I Navigate Having Someone Dying or Getting Close to Death? [15:50] Speed Grieving [16:44] Be the Strong One [17:57] There is Only Evolution [19:40] Don’t Be the Needy One [21:07] Restoring a Sense of Peace and Happiness [21:51] Q - Do You Recommend a Special Diet for a Spiritual Practice?[22:04] Toxicity Begins With Your Consciousness State [23:43] The Art and Science of Ayurveda [25:23] Balancing Behaviour for Different Body TypesUseful Links: info@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/

Explore the debate between order and randomness as Thom discusses entropy, thermodynamics, superfluids, superconductors, multitasking, and the power of Vedic Meditation to defy the laws of physics. Discover how meditation can help you achieve a superconscious state and explore the connection between consciousness levels and achieving peace and contentment.

Continuing the occasional series of My Maharishi episodes, Thom gives us a few very brief highlights of a truly accomplished life.Thom shares how Maharishi was larger than life in spite of his small and gracious appearance.  He tells us how his title of “The Giggling Guru” contrasted with his ability to satisfy questions about the deepest and most serious aspects of life.Thom describes how Maharishi embodied the teachings of his own teacher, Guru Dev, and how he became a guru himself.He also shares how Maharishi first came to teach the meditation practice that we teach today, and why teachers of Vedic Meditation, before teaching a new student, always acknowledges our lineage of teachers that have come before us.It’s a short but delightful episode that will give insight into the origins of what has become a worldwide phenomenon, the practice that is raising consciousness throughout the word.Episode Highlights: [00:40] Guru - Remover of Darkness[02:32] Balletic Grace [04:12] The Giggling Guru [05:51] Learning by Osmosis[07:25] A Body as an Agent of Evolutionary Change [08:38] Big, Important and Urgent [09:30] Rameswaram [11:00] The Grace of Guru Dev[12:19] Folded Hands Everywhere [14:00] I Want to Replicate Myself [15:24] Knowledge That Has Stood the Test of Time [16:30] He Made Me Useful Links: info@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 podcast delves into jealousy, self-love, and polyamory, discussing how jealousy can hinder personal growth, the difference between self-ish-ness and Self-ness, and the importance of shared missions in intimate relationships. Stories of pursuing personal evolution despite societal pressures and transitioning from a self-centered mindset to a more generous nature are also shared.

We’re all familiar with the term evolution, but few of us spend time contemplating what that means and, perhaps more significantly, what our ‘role’ is when it comes to evolution.Evolution has been happening in a continuum, and will continue to shape the Universe forever, where then do we fit into the picture? How can we be an active participant?As Thom explains in this episode, evolution happens regardless of our awareness of it, and in spite of our attempts to control it. In fact the most active role we can play is to relinquish control and to enjoy the ride.Viva la evolution!Episode Highlights: [00:40] The Agenda of the Entire Universe [01:59] A Need to Become Conscious of Itself [03:09] The Genesis of Life [04:09] The Not Living Became Living [05:37] All the Laws of Nature in One Word [07:09] Complexity vs Complicated [09:02] An Evolutionary Life [10:44] Growing in the Direction of Cosmic Consciousness Useful Links: info@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/

In this episode Thom puts a fresh perspective on the phrase “Oh my God” and shows us how there is more to this term than meets the eye. Having given us a solid foundation to the subject in Part 1 and Part 2, Thom uses this episode to set us up for our own personal experience.He explains that while there are many commonalities of archetypes across cultures, each of us shapes our experiences of “god” based on our own personal model of the world.This even includes those that have the view that there is no such thing as a god or a deity.Importantly, he explains that our own experience will be based on our own observations rather than requiring faith of any sort. It’s a paradigm that will provide relief for those who have struggled to make doctrines fit their experience. In the final analysis, you get to choose your own adventure, and there’s no hurry to come to a conclusion one way or another.Episode highlights: [00:40] Experiencing the Celestial Layer[02:15] Sleeping, Dreaming, Waking [03:02] Turiya - The Fourth State [05:10] Colorfast Consciousness [06:43] Enlightenment Begins [09:29] Archetypes of Experience Emerge [11:32] God Consciousness [13:39] See No Evil [17:00] Observation Based vs Faith Based [18:44] A World of Beings [20:17] Normalizing Capability [22:29] Grades of Experience [23:57] Cultural Biases Constructing Deities [25:33] Lakshmi and Saraswati [27:37] Surya AKA Apollo [29:30] Universal and Undeniable Archetypes [31:10] Same Same But Different [32:42] Unity Consciousness [34:10] Sally From Kansas City [35:04] Ishwara - Supreme Being [36:03] Ishta Devata [37:51] Your Call to Action [38:33] That Dusty Old Podcast [39:56] The Pinnacle of Human Development [41:35] Choose Your Own Adventure [43:11] What Kind of Universe Do You Want? Useful Links: info@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/