Vedic Worldview

The Role of the Garden of Eden in the Cosmic Storyline Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

One thing that separates humans from other species is our ability, and in some cases our need, to have origin stories to explain who we are, how we got here, and what we should or shouldn’t be doing.

One of the most widespread of these stories is the Garden of Eden, with God, Adam and Eve taking starring roles, and the serpent in the supporting role.

In this episode, Thom takes a connotative look at the story of the Garden of Eden through the lens of the Vedic worldview. It’s a fresh perspective that gives us the opportunity to reconsider the lessons that might be behind this pivotal story.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] The Triumvirate

[03:09] The Forbidden Fruit

[06:17] Can You Surprise the Omniscient?

[09:33] Breaking Symmetry with Turiya

[13:28] Sophistication and Multitasking

[17:37] Restoring Contact with Cosmic Intelligence

[21:58] The Kingdom of Heaven is Within

[25:06] The Radical Effect of Learning Vedic Meditation

Useful Links

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Transcending Co-dependence Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

We often celebrate codependence in nature, such as bees pollinating flowers and receiving nectar as their reward, yet when it comes to codependence in human relationships, it’s frequently seen as a problem that needs to be fixed.

In this episode, Thom gives us fresh perspectives on codependence, inviting us to celebrate our dependence on each other, while at the same time, learning to recognize when codependence has become dysfunctional.

Thom also offers up terminology to help us clarify the distinction between functional and dysfunctional codependence, giving us the means to avoid adding to the stigma that has evolved around codependence.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] We Cannot Live Without Dependency

[03:32] Co-addiction

[06:42] Freedom from the Tyranny of Addiction

[09:36] Going Beyond the Constraints of Individuality

[11:56] Vedic Meditation, Easier Than Just Having Everyday Thoughts

[14:38] You Have to Start with Yourself

[18:09] Survival vs Progress

[20:50] Survival is a Product of Evolution

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

Vairagya - Spontaneous Non-attachment May 25, 2025

Show notes

Detachment is frequently sold as a necessary step for spiritual progress. We’re taught that attachment is often the root of our suffering, so it stands to reason therefore, that detachment will bring about the opposite of suffering.

But as Thom explains in this podcast episode, it’s an understandable yet inaccurate conclusion that actually causes more suffering.

Thom brings clarity to the subject, using the Vedic concept of vairagya, a state of being that allows us to fully enjoy the fruits of life, without the bondage of attachment.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Maharishi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

[02:56] Siddhis - Developing Extraordinary Human Capabilities

[05:36] A Spontaneous State of Non-attachment

[09:48] A Witnessing Phenomenon

[12:55] A Consequence of the Practice of Vedic Meditation

[16:23] An Indication of Cosmic Consciousness

[19:08] The Freedom of Spontaneous Non-attachment

Useful Links

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How to Take Control of Your Life May 18, 2025

Show notes

Many would be forgiven for thinking we don’t have much control over our circumstances in life or how we feel about them. At times it might feel like someone or something else is pulling the strings and we simply have to do our best to play along.

The Vedic worldview has a very different perspective, which Thom outlines in detail in this podcast episode.

Looking through the lens of “locus of control,” Thom explains how we can escape the mindset of inescapability, and learn to better navigate the ups and downs that life inevitably brings.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Locus of Control

[04:23] Self-Sufficiency and Field Independence

[07:03] The Hypnotizable Ones

[10:23] Mass Suggestibility

[12:50] The Anti-Hypnotic Benefits of Vedic Meditation

[15:48] Spontaneous Responsibility

[20:28] The Role of Disruption in Evolutionary Change

[23:02] The Downside of Contentment

[27:42] Phenomenal Adaptive Capacity

Useful Links

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Introducing Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Maharishi Vyasanand Giri Maharaj May 11, 2025

Show notes

Vedic Meditation is rooted in an ancient Indian tradition that has preserved Vedic wisdom for millennia. The Shankaracharya Tradition, like many others, has senior custodians who ensure this wisdom remains both pure and relevant.

In January 2025, Thom was honored with a role as one of these custodians, a distinction never before granted to a non-Indian. In this episode, Thom shares the story of his appointment and the ceremony where he received his new title, Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Maharishi Vyasanand Giri Maharaj.

It’s a fascinating and colorful journey that will leave you in awe at the scale and significance of it.

Image courtesy of Leeroy Te Hira

Episode Highlights
[00:45] The Naranjani Akhara
[04:02] Maha Kumbha Mela - The Great Gathering of Gurus
[05:54] A Meaningful Title - Shri 1008 Mahamandaleshwar Maharishi Vyasanand Giri Maharaj
[08:38] A Common Lineage to Guru Deva, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati
[10:35] Instant Camaraderie
[13:26] Vedic Mantras Fit for the Occasion
[15:14] A Mountain of Petals and Shawls
[18:10] A Slow Exit
[20:37] Down to the River We Go
[25:26] A Cold Plunge and a Ride on a Chariot
[27:46] At Home in India
[31:06] Cultural Appropriation vs A Choiceless Duty to Perform

Useful Links

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My Maharishi - Before He Met His Master May 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Vedic Worldview, Thom delves into the life and journey of his spiritual master, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, before Maharishi met his own master, Swami Bramhananda Saraswati, revered as Guru Deva.

The narrative follows Maharishi’s initial resistance to a conventional life, his commitment to spirituality, and his eventual acceptance into the spiritual fold after completing his studies.

It’s an unconventional early life, even by Indians standards, and one which set Maharishi on the course to becoming the figure responsible for making meditation known and practiced throughout the world.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Once Upon a Time

[03:11] Maha Khumba Mela

[06:15] Family Life

[08:10] An Uncle Makes a Connection

[11:41] “This is my master”

[14:32] “I don’t want a wife.”

[18:16] Unfinished Business

[20:34] From Physic Student to a Life of Service and Devotion

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com

If Only… Living Life Without Regrets. Part Two Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

In Part One of this two-part series (see link below), Thom took us on a journey, exploring regret through the lens of unfulfilled desires.

In this episode, Thom helps us shift our perspective on “the rearview mirror,” showing us how we can look back at our past actions, words, thoughts and deeds, without regret.

It’s a simple yet powerful paradigm that doesn’t let us off the hook, so to speak, but it sets us up to make the most of our evolutionary progress.

If you haven’t yet listened to If Only… Living Life Without Regrets. Part One, you can do so here: https://thomknoles.com/podcast/life-without-regrets-1

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Buddha’s Hallway of Mirrors

[05:43] Something Good is Happening

[09:26] The Penitent Person

[14:34] Saṃskara

[17:41] You Are Not the Same You You Used to Be

[22:35] I am Better Today

Useful Links

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If Only… Living Life Without Regrets. Part One Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

The role of desire is one of the most misunderstood facets of spiritual evolution.

Some schools of thought argue that we should transcend desires altogether, leading followers down a path of denial and disciplined detachment. This leaves many in a quandary, wondering why we are put to the test, surrounded by so many temptations.

In this episode, Part One of a two-part series, Thom holds forth on the Vedic worldview with respect to desire and how we can live a life without regrets for desires unfulfilled.

Discover why both obedience to desire's guidance and non-attachment to its fulfillment create the perfect balance for spiritual evolution. It’s a revolutionary approach that transforms our understanding of what it means to want.

Part Two of this series will be the next episode of The Vedic Worldview.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Unfulfilled Desires

[03:11] Reincarnation - Unfinished Business

[06:18] Liberation from the Wheel of Death and Rebirth

[09:00] Authorship of Desire: The Cause of Suffering

[12:54] Percival from Arkansas Goes to the Cinema

[15:31] Why am I having a desire?

[18:18] Nature’s Business

[21:22] Filled with Fulfillment

[24:56] Asteya and Vairagya

[28:02] The Pollution of Unfulfilled Desires

[31:31] What Are You?

[34:22] Human Doings

[38:48] Empirical Evidence Through Direct Experience

Useful Links

info@thomknoles.com