Outside of India, the word yoga has come to mean various forms of dynamic exercises that test your flexibility and strength. Yoga is in fact much more than just these physical exercises, which are more correctly referred to as asanas. And believe it or not, asanas weren’t created to make us look good in lycra! Asanas were first created to help prepare the body for meditation and union with the Absolute.In this episode, Thom explains how asanas, pranayama and Vedic Meditation are used in combination, also called ‘rounding,’ to give us ‘industrial-strength meditation’ and to accelerate the benefits we get from ‘standard’ meditation.He talks about the importance of proper instruction and supervision so we can truly let go and, if necessary, have the support we need if deep stresses are released.If you haven’t already, talk to your local Vedic Meditation Initiator about learning rounding and attending a rounding retreat so you can enjoy some industrial-strength meditation yourself. And if you are fortunate enough to be able to travel to Sedona, Arizona, sign up to our mailing list so you can be among the first to know when Thom holds his next rounding retreat there.Episode Highlights: [00:00] Asana, Pranayama, Vedic Meditation[02:01] Releasing Stress[03:30] Proper Instruction Needed[04:15] Round and Round and Round[05:35] Industrial-Strength Meditation[07:12] In the Same Room[08:11] Don’t Try This at Home[09:32] Heightened Consciousness States[10:40] The Going Home ProgramUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

Thom Knoles was blessed to spend many years as a student of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, travelling to many parts of the world both as a student and an assistant in Maharishi’s work.  In that time he gathered many fond memories worthy of sharing.  This episode is the first of a “My Maharishi” series where Thom will be sharing some of those memories over the months to come.He tells of his first experience hearing pundits chanting Samaveda.  You might also recognize the ‘sloka’ or hymn that Maharishi chanted before the meal, as the same sloka that Thom sings at the beginning of each podcast episode.Enjoy.Episode Highlights:[00:00] Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - The Great Seer[02:39] On The Water[04:15] Between Spain and Portugal[05:26] A Barge and a Tugboat[06:30] A Vedic Sloka (Hymn)[07:53] Chanting of the Samaveda[09:29] The Dawn of a New EraUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

What is Karma?  Despite popular belief, it’s neither punishment nor reward, neither good nor bad.  It’s simply nature’s way of steering us back onto a more evolutionary path.In this short episode, Thom explains the true meaning of karma, and gives us a short introduction to kriya, evolutionary action.He tells us how we can think of karma, and karmic behavior, without lacing it with judgement that, ironically, ‘binds’ us even more.And as you would expect, he shows us how to align our consciousness with kriya rather than karma.  Episiode Highlights: [00:43] Good Karma, Bad Karma[01:42] A Brief Lesson in Sanskrit[03:01] Karma - Action Which is Binding[03:48] Kriya - Non-Binding Action[04:55] Kriya - Going With the Flow[06:36] Karma - Going Against the Flow[08:50] Violating the Laws of Nature[09:56] Restricted Behaviors Through Karma[11:48] Karma is Just Karma[12:48] Going Downstream[13:45] Getting Back in the Flow Through Vedic Meditation[15:36] Every Day, Twice a DayUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

Does God exist?  It’s a question that’s puzzled humankind for millenia and the answer, from the Vedic worldview, is sure to both surprise and delight you, even if you are a hardened atheist.This is not your standard philosophical debate on the idea of God, gods and goddesses but a matter-of-fact exploration that will liberate you from any dogma surrounding the subject or any social indoctrinations that might be limiting your perception.  Most importantly, you’ll discover that experience trumps faith or belief when it comes to having a definitive answer to the question.And if you need to listen to this episode two or three times to ‘get it’ that’s okay.  In fact, as with all of Thom’s podcast episodes, we recommend it.Episode Highlights: [00:48] God is a Self-Referral Phenomenon[02:31] Layers of Thinking[03:57] Who Are You?[05:15] How Do You Know?[06:33] Creating A Model of the World[08:08] The Unknown Becoming Known[09:24] Everything That’s ‘Out There’ is In Here[10:35] Agreeing With the Atheists[11:47] Something Greater Than One’s Own Individuality[13:36] Consciousness is Independent of the Brain[15:55] Everything is in the Eye of the Beholder[17:49] I Love You[19:47] And I Thought You Loved Me Too[20:32] Transcendental Being - The Only True Shared Experience[22:08] God, Gods and Goddesses[23:00] Removing Distorted Memories of Past Experiences[24:07] Fight or Flight[25:30] Premature Cognitive Commitments[27:31] Distorted Memories in Action[28:53] Less Stress, Improved Perception[31:13] The Soma Flows and Perception Grows[33:17] I See and I Smell[35:00] A Celestial World Reveals Itself[37:24] Seeing Gods and Goddesses[39:30] The World Is For Us As We Can Be For It [40:57] Your Local Neighborhood God[42:57] Does God Exist?[44:07] What is Supreme For You?[45:39] Albert Einstein and the Universe Are One[47:32] Established in Being...[49:12] Recognizing God (Without Faith)[50:35] Trust in Your Own Personal ExperienceUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

Apart from the Veda, one of the many gifts of ancient wisdom from India is the Upanishads.  The Upanishads consist of several short parables that give us insight into how we can behave in ways that support our personal and collective evolution.In this podcast episode, Thom shares the story of a man in a lake who, while immersed in more water than he’d need in a lifetime, remained thirsty.  This is a story we all have a need to hear as we all have our own ‘thirst stories’ that are running our lives.It’s a short yet profound tale that we can use to remind ourselves when we’re making things harder than they need to be.Enjoy.Episode Highlights: [00:00] Upanishad - Sitting at the Feet of…[02:28] Once Upon a Time There Was a Yogi[04:08] Who Came Upon an Unusual Sight[04:57] And Offered Some Help[06:15] But His Offer Was Rejected[07:21] Looking Outwards for Sources of Happiness[08:50]  Relief From the Mercy of the Object World[10:39] An Effortless Mantra - A Vehicle for the Mind[12:02] Finding What the Mind is Looking For[13:01] Becoming an Exporter of Happiness[14:34] Established in Being, Perform ActionUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

Stress is very much misunderstood.  Most people think of stress as something that happens ‘to us,’ that our stress is caused by outside situations or stressful circumstances, but this is not the case.  We know this because we can all react differently to the same situation.  What makes you stressed might cause no reaction at all in someone else, thus demonstrating that it’s ‘the victim’ that is the source of the stress rather than the circumstances.In this episode, you’ll learn that not all stress is bad, how and why we have different reactions, how the body reacts when we are stressed, and the link between stress and premature aging.   More importantly, Thom shares the good news about the simple technique of Vedic Meditation and how you can not just manage inbound stress but you can even release accumulated stress in the body, easy and effectively.Episode Highlights: [00:44] The Father of Stress[01:39] General Adaptation Syndrome[03:18] Fight or Flight[05:08] There Are No Such Things As Stressful Situations[06:13] You Have to Change Now[07:36] It’s Not All Bad[08:28] Cool Hands. Cool Car[10:05] Eustress vs Distress[11:17] A Hearty Effort[12:21] A Bad Taste[13:24] System Failure[14:30] Attack Mode[15:50] A Heavy Weight to Carry[16:38] Seeing Red[18:19] 100,000 Premature Cognitive Commitments[19:23] Growing Old Before Your Time[20:08] Eliminate Stress Through Vedic MeditationUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

The subject of reincarnation arouses a lot of curiosity and debate.  Those who ‘believe’ in reincarnation seek to understand the mechanisms behind it, and those who don’t, look for ‘proof’ before they consider it a possibility.  In this episode, Thom explains the Vedic worldview on reincarnation, putting forward a case to satisfy both the believers and the ‘scienticians.’He explains that the process of reincarnation doesn't just happen between lifetimes, but that it happens countless times within each lifetime. He challenges the notion that reincarnation must be proven and measurable, while at the same time offering sufficient proof to even make the most hard-nosed skeptics think deeper on the subject.He explores the process of enlightenment and describes the impact of ‘punya,’ your cosmic credit rating, on the choices available to you when the time comes to reincarnate.Importantly, he also reminds us that the belief of Vedic wisdom is an optional philosophy when it comes to one’s practice of Vedic Meditation.  Vedic Meditation can be practiced with great effect regardless of one’s philosophical or even religious beliefs.No matter what your current beliefs are, this is one episode you’ll want to listen to again, and again, and again... :-)Episode Highlights: [00:46 ] Belief in Reincarnation is Optional[02:11] Reincarnation is For the Ignorant[04:25] What is Reincarnation?[06:16] Heaven on Earth[08:34] Maya Koshas and the In-Between State [10:38] Immeasurable Love and The Scienticians[12:27] Unheard Of! Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony[14:39] The Body of the Senses[15:45] Brain Dead[16:36] Near-Death Experiences[18:06] A Reflective State[19:15] The World is a Model of Your Consciousness State[20:58] Kitten Consciousness[22:33] The Brain that Changes Itself[23:59] The Body is a Reflective State[25:42] Your World of Assumptions[27:18] The Field of Being[28:57] The Vedic Meditator’s Advantage[30:32] Enlightenment - Cosmic Consciousness[31:26] Consciousness Seeks Birth[33:00] Punya - The Cosmic Credit Rating[34:22] The Quickening[36:13] Science-Based Reincarnation[37:46] Consciousness Surviving Body Death[39:46] The Constant Reality of Reincarnation[41:16] A Highly-Populated World[42:22] The Attraction of Wisdom[43:54] Optional Philosophy[44:32] E = MC2  - Whether You Are Jewish or Not[46:02] A Brilliant Toaster[46:38] Keep on MeditatingUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles Extra Resources: Consciousness Beyond Life: The Science of the Near-Death Experience - Pim van Lommel, MD https://www.amazon.com/Consciousness-Beyond-Life-Near-Death-Experience/ Life After Death: The Burden of Proof - Deepak Chopra  https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Death-Answers-Paperback/The Brain That Changes Itself - Norman Doige https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/ 

Explore the Vedic worldview on death, the concept of life after death, and the mysteries of life. Understand the role of love, the purpose of life, and the stages of human development. Discover the transcendence of consciousness and finding inner bliss. Learn about the layers of the human being and the continuity of consciousness after death.

Dharma, like many other Sanskrit words and phrases, is not well understood by many with an interest in Vedic wisdom.  It is often simplified to such an extent that it loses its true meaning.‘Purpose’ is perhaps the most common misinterpretation of the word dharma.  Many try to narrow their dharma down to a specific mission or purpose that they hope becomes a legacy for which they will be remembered.But dharma is much more interesting, more exciting even, than a singular mission or role in life.  In a constantly-changing ever-evolving universe, our dharma changes year by year, day by day, minute by minute.So rather than defining our life, our dharma defines our moments.In this episode Thom explains, as elegantly as always, that our dharma is to be vigilant, to become attuned to the need of the times and be an agent for progressive change.  It requires us to surrender to our role in the evolution of things.And the key to living our dharma?   Let’s just say our twice daily practice of daily Vedic Meditation gives us a distinct advantage.Episode Highlights:[00:43] Dharma – Your Role in the Evolution of Things[02:00] Complex, Sophisticated and Elegant[03:48] A Constantly-Evolving Bio-Friendly Universe[06:12] What is Your Role in Evolution?[06:49] The Bliss of Being[07:52] Your Dharma—An Agent of Progressive Change[09:28] Mistaken Identity[10:14] Perfectly Available at Every Given MomentUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles 

Everything is always evolving thus, by definition, everything is always changing.  Yet many of us resist change.  We prefer the comfort of the status quo and get distressed when things meet their natural end.The Vedic worldview however, recognizes all aspects of the evolutionary process, creation, maintenance and destruction, not reluctantly, but with reverence.  So much so that each aspect is assigned its own deity, Brahma for creation, Vishnu for maintenance, and Shiva for destruction.Understanding the role of all three, and the interdependence of all three, is essential to living a carefree, yet practical and evolutionary life.In this episode Thom-ji ‘opens the discussion’ on creation, maintenance and destruction.  He guides us to choose which one we might be an agent for, without prejudicing the work of the others.This is fundamental Vedic wisdom that most modern schools of thought approach with resignation rather than embracing with the respect it deserves.  Listen in or read the transcript below to get clues on how you can live a life well led.Episode Highlights: [00:42] The Qualities of the Evolutionary Process[02:55] Brahma - The Creation Operator[06:58] Vishnu - The Maintenance Operator[10.00] Shiva - The Destruction Operator[12:32] Change is Inevitable, Resistance is Futile[15:42] Vedic Meditation - The Gateway to Adaptability[21:30] Faulty Perception + Inaccurate Expectations = Suffering[25:30] Becoming an Agent For the Creation Operator[29:10] No Problem[30:12] Unblocking the Brain[32:22] Embrace the Unknown With Enthusiasm[35:51] A Carefree Approach[39:07] Choose Your Path[41:45] Practicing Ignorance[43:35] A Life Well LedUseful Links: info@thomknoles.com https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoles/https://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoles