Vedic Worldview

The Guru Gita - Song of the Guru Jul 14, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, we're celebrating the student-guru relationship, and the role it has in our evolution. Each year we celebrate this relationship, and the all the teachers and teachings in our life, with Guru Purnima. Vedic meditators are invited to join Guru Purnima celebrations with Thom and other Vedic Meditation Initiators around the world during the weekend of July 20-21, 2024. If you'd like to join these celebrations, please visit thomknoles.com/guru-purnima for details of events near you.

The word Guru is very much misunderstood outside of India. Parodies often show the Guru as being someone who makes demands of their followers, and the disciple as being one who blindly follows the instructions of the Guru.

But the truth of the relationship is much deeper than that, and it goes both ways.

The wisdom of the teacher is brought forth by curiosity of the student, which in turn leads to a level of earned trust in the teacher from the student. Thus the student follows the instructions of the teacher with eyes wide open, not blindly, as most Western mischaracterizations of this relationship suggest.

In this episode, Thom previews the Guru Gita, the song of the Guru, which eloquently and elegantly explains the teacher-student relationship. It gives us a benchmark to know when we’ve had the well-deserved great good fortune to invite a Guru into our life who is worthy enough to support our evolution.

Episode Highlights:

[01:33] The Process of Illumination

[04:14] Grades of Manifestation

[06:54] Elements of the Self

[09:41] Expanded Awareness

[11:17] Sensing the Cascades of Cause and Effect

[13:42] Skanda Purana

[16:10] The Song of the Guru

[18:56] Sweet Surrender

[21:58] Stop Trying to Control Everything with Thinking

[23:42] Guru-Disciple Relationship

[25:39] How to Make Use of the Guru Gita

[28:06] Nama Rupa Sahitam Bhavati Eva

[30:09] Well-deserved, Self-created Good Fortune

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

The Pain of Childbirth Jul 07, 2024

Show notes

The pain a mother experiences when giving birth is an experience that only a mother could know. Though it’s often overplayed in movies and on television, it’s a sacred experience that brings extremes of emotion into play.

In this episode, Thom leans heavily on the experience of midwives and mothers, and shares how the Vedic perspective on pain can be applied to the process of labor and childbirth.

He also shares why Vedic Meditation is not recommended during the process of childbirth.

Whether you plan on giving birth or not, this is an episode we can all learn from and apply to other experiences of pain in our lives.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] The Greatest Act of All Time

[02:12] 400,000 Births per Day

[03:48] Embrace the Situation

[06:02] A Necessary Level of Intensity

[08:26] Facilitating the Movement

[10:30] Avoid Meditation in Labor

[11:54] Necessary Stress Chemistry

[14:21] Indie Birth

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

Mastering the Siddhis Jun 30, 2024

Show notes

Vedic meditators are blessed with a life-changing technique that can make a profound difference in their lives.

Many meditators, though, seek to progress even further, and tap into the vast well of Vedic wisdom that is available to us all.

One avenue for further progress is knowledge of and initiation into practicing the “Siddhis.” These advanced practices allow us to tap into extraordinary human capabilities and realize more of our human potential.

In this episode, Thom gives us a brief overview of Mastering the Siddhis, his popular course which covers a vast array of the Siddhis practices, and is available only through approved Vedic Meditation Initiators.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Maharishi Patanjali

[04:02] Yoga is a State

[06:47] Sutra - A Short Aphorism

[09:22] Closing the Gap Between Individuality and Universality

[11:36] Siddhi - Extraordinary Human Capability

[13:07] A Foundation for Greater Capabilities

[15:23] The Ability to Master and Capture Cause and Effect

[18:12] MTS - A Course of Six Instalments

[20:51] Enjoy Life to the Fullest More Easily

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

How to Make Things Right Jun 23, 2024

Show notes

As Vedic meditators, we have the distinct advantage of knowing that evolution is the only thing ever happening. So, if this is the case, do we ever need to make things right?

Aren’t they right already?

In this episode, Thom reminds us that we aren’t just pawns in some cosmic storyline that’s out of our control and that we aren’t just here to witness the story as it unfolds.

In fact, as Vedic meditators, we have an additional responsibility to not just perceive when things need to be put right, but to step up and do what’s needed to maintain the evolutionary storyline.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Has Anything Actually Gone Wrong?

[02:27] Vedanta - The Final Conclusion

[04:10] The Big Bang

[06:09] What Happened?

[07:55] Who is this I?

[09:53] Am I Being Called to Make Things Right?

[11:47] Influencing the Storyline

[13:28] Extended You

[15:08] Scratching the Itch

[16:37] Invitation and Capability

[18:52] The Mahabharata - A Cracking Good Tale

[20:57] This Isn't How I Want the Story to Go

[22:46] You Can't Just be the Knower

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

Questions on Spiritual Principles Jun 16, 2024

Show notes

Spiritual principles can sometimes seem straightforward when we hear them, but when we put them into practice, we might find them difficult to uphold.

This is especially the case when the principles have been misunderstood or misinterpreted.

In this episode, Thom tackles some misconceptions about “charm,” wealth, and vegetarianism in answer to some listener questions.

These are important principles to understand correctly so we can transcend old ways of thinking and get closer to achieving the 200% of life that Thom often refers to.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Q - Is it evolutionary to move towards greater suffering?

[02:57] A - Dynamic Interaction

[05:26] The Demands of Social Relevance

[07:47] The Interactive Edge of Your Inner Potential

[09:12] A Sustainable Lifestyle

[10:42] Q - Is Wealth Compatible with Spiritual Principles?

[11:20] A - False Assumptions

[13:44] Desire and Fulfillment

[16:27] It Would be Good to Have a Helicopter

[19:36] The Universe Itself Desiring

[22:29] The Formula - Transcend All of This

[24:55] Transcending Transport

[26:51] The Ultimate State to Be In

[28:45] The Master of All You Survey

[30:51] Q - Do you have to be vegetarian to be spiritual?

[31:12] A - Follow Charm

[32:38] Deer Hunters

[34:55] State of Consciousness is Primary

[37:39] Transcend

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

Austerity and Enlightenment Jun 09, 2024

Show notes

As humans, we often draw conclusions based on observations. However, these observations can frequently lead us down the wrong path.

Take, for instance, the assumption that wisdom or enlightenment demands an austere or stoic life. This belief stems from centuries of observing monastics and ascetics, who have traditionally been custodians of wisdom.

This can lead people to think either, a) that they must lead an austere life to become enlightened, or b) that enlightenment is out of reach for them because they can’t imagine themselves leading an austere life.

Thom sets the record straight in this episode, exploring the history of the custodians of Vedic wisdom, and the origin story that led to this misunderstanding, at least with respect to Vedic knowledge.

It will come as a relief to many and put enlightenment back within reach of those who might think it’s beyond their scope in this lifetime.

Thom also shares the technique that we can all use to accelerate the process.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] False Assumptions about Enlightenment and Monastic Living

[02:46] Living a Tasteful Life in Enlightenment

[04:51] Origin of the Misconception

[06:36] Shukadeva's Vision

[08:45] Geography's Role in India's Civilization

[10:40] Shukadeva's Foresight

[12:41] Emergence of Monastic Orders

[14:50] Colonization and the Monastic Tradition

[16:38] Buddha's Pursuit of Enlightenment

[18:29] Transitioning from Monastic to Householder Enlightenment

[20:32] Maharishi's 200 Percent Joys of Life

[21:58] We Cannot Gain Enlightenment by Suffering More

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

You Deserve the Best Jun 02, 2024

Show notes

Sacrificing the comforts of life is often seen as part of the “spiritual path,” so it might seem unusual to hear from a Vedic master that, “You deserve the best.”

Yet this is one of the key teachings of Swami Bramhananda Saraswati, Thom’s master’s master, also referred to as Guru Deva.

In this episode, Thom clarifies the meaning and intent of Guru Deva’s quote, reconciling the notion of deserving the best with the “pervasive guilt” that often holds us back from claiming or accepting the best. It’s an episode you deserve to listen to…

Episode Highlights:
[00:45] Your Birthright

[02:38] In the Best Interests of All

[04:12] Pervasive Guilt Consciousness

[05:37] Living Your Best - Tat Wale Baba

[07:46] A Dark Cave in the Jungle

[09:19] As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

[11:08] Lean Into the Best

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

info@thomknoles.com

Embracing the Sweet Truth May 26, 2024

Show notes

“The truth hurts!”... or so we’re often told. Many of us have no problem being truthful, even if the recipient gets hurt in the process.

After all, isn’t honesty the best policy?

On the other end of the spectrum, for those who have difficulty telling the harsh truth, a “white lie” can often be a compelling and justifiable alternative.

In this episode, Thom argues the case for something in between—the sweet truth—not only because it has a more unifying effect, but because the “truth” itself, isn’t as black and white as we like to think it to be.

Episode Highlights:

[00:59] The Idea of Sweet Truth

[02:55] Dressing Up Truth

[04:35] The Absolute Truth

[06:57] The Only Truth: Unified Field of Consciousness

[08:44] Trotaka's Story

[11:10] Temporal Nature of Truth

[13:15] Absolute Truth Without Cruel Truth

[15:41] Embrace Sweet Truth With Meditation

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com