Vedic Worldview

“No problem.” We’ve all said it on many occasions, and most of us say it, or a variation on it, on a pretty regular basis. But do we really mean it? And do we know for sure if ‘no problem’ fits the occasion? In this My Maharishi episode, Thom recounts an interaction where Maharishi Mahesh Yogi held Thom to his word after setting him what seemed to be a relatively simple task.  Thom sums the lesson...

Word of mouth is an unreliable means of communicating even at the best of times. And while the written word should theoretically be more accurate and more trustworthy than the spoken word, history has shown that that’s not the case.  Words can be so easily misunderstood and misinterpreted that they can’t be relied upon to convey wisdom accurately over time. So what’s the most reliable way to prese...

The impact that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had on the world is inestimable. With millions of people practicing the meditation technique that he popularized around the world, and many thousands more learning each year, the ripple effect of his work will last for centuries to come. And not just here on earth. It’s fitting that Maharishi’s three favorite words, Jai Guru Deva, inspired lyrics within the fa...

What’s the Vedic worldview on sexuality? Gender expression and sexual identity have been hot topics in recent years as more and more people choose to abandon gender and sexual stereotypes. And while Vedic civilization was way ahead of its time in terms of accepting gender diversity, it turns out that sexuality may not be as important as it's made out to be. In this bonus episode, Thom proposes a v...

More listener questions on the podcast this episode, with the focus on the metaphysical. Thom puts a surprising twist in his answer to a question on time travel and gives us clues as to how we can sense the future in the making. He has an emphatic response to a question about the Law of Attraction, one that will help you make your mind up if you’re in doubt about whether it’s real or not. And he g...

Vedic mythos, or storytelling, is often laced with humor to get a point across.  In this episode of the podcast, Thom recounts a tale from the Katha Upanishad, of a Sergeant and a General. It’s a scenario that wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of “The Office” or any other workplace sitcom.  Having a character take credit for someone else’s idea and then retelling it back to them is a pretty...

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was ahead of his time in 1975, when he predicted an end to The Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall, among many other changes that he foresaw as arising from the dawning of the ‘Age of Enlightenment.’ With The Cold War showing no signs of thawing at the time, most people saw it as a fanciful notion at best. Yet Maharishi, the great seer, saw it as an inevitable outcome of...

As Eastern philosophies have spread in popularity throughout the world in the past thirty years or so, ‘detachment’ has become somewhat of a buzzword.  It has become a spiritual scorecard of sorts, the theory being that the more detached one is, the more enlightened one is. Or not… In this episode Thom sets the record straight, explaining the distinction between detachment, which implies attachmen...

It’s time for another Ask Me Anything episode, with this one focused on affairs of the heart. Thom answers a listener’s question about the desirability of a ‘heart awakening’ and explains why being ‘grounded in the unbounded’ is a more preferable state to aim for. He takes on the question of whether partners in a relationship should ‘be on the same path’ or not, and how to manage the dynamic when...

Courage under fire is seen as an admirable quality, but grace under fire even much more so. In this amusing anecdote, Thom shares an example of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s equanimity amidst a timely mishap.  Though the mishap itself was relatively minor, the event itself was not; a conference which was pivotal in the revival of ancient Ayurvedic wisdom and practices, and their subsequent spread throug...

9/11/2001 is a date that’s been imprinted in our memories worldwide. New York City, at the epicenter of the terror attacks, was shaken to its core, literally and figuratively.  Visiting New York City very soon after, Thom witnessed a distinct shift in the way New Yorkers were relating to each other.  Thom shares his reflections on that visit in the episode, noting in particular how the 9/11 traged...

Few rivers have a name as iconic as the Ganges River in India.  At over 1550 miles (2,500 kms) long, it winds its way from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, passing a population of over 650 million along the way, making it the most populated river basin in the world. But there is more to the Ganges than just a body of water meandering through the landscape. In this episode, Thom brings his belov...

We’re all familiar with the saying, don’t use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but how about using a sword to clean a finger? Vedic literature is full of delightful fables that use analogies to deliver profound life lessons. In this episode Thom gives us some background on Upanishad, Vedic fables heard ‘while sitting at the feet of a Master’ before sharing a tale of a King and a swordsmith. It’s a d...

Regular listeners know already that the power of Vedic Meditation lies in the ability to allow transcendence. But is it the only way? And how do you know if you’ve transcended? Prompted by a question from a listener, Thom takes a brief look at other meditation techniques and compares them to Vedic Meditation with respect to transcendence. He also explains the clues the experience leaves to allow u...

A rut, the ever-repeating known, can be a double-edged sword. While some find comfort in a rut, others feel restless. The restless are at a distinct advantage. Rather than waiting for the inevitable change that brings an end to the ever-repeating known, they opt for the role of change agent, and design their own path out of the rut, instead of having one designed for them. In this episode, Thom ex...

If the idea of a Vedic Meditation retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas with Thom Knoles sounds appealing, then this episode is for you. After a two-year hiatus, Thom is returning to Rishikesh and is extending a warm welcome to Vedic Meditators, and aspiring meditators alike, for a 10-day experience like no other. Thom explains why Rishikesh is the first and perfect choice for such a retreat,...

We learned recently on the podcast that knowledge is structured in consciousness . From this we can deduce that our understanding of Veda is dependent on our level of consciousness. It’s not just our intellectual understanding though, it’s also our ability to ‘perceive’ Veda. One example of this is the perception of ‘Yugas,’ epochs or periods of time that are referenced frequently in the various V...

Few would doubt that being a parent can be stressful, but being the child of a parent has its own set of demands and challenges.  The common thread through this, another ‘Ask Me Anything’ episode of The Vedic Worldview, is the theme of parental stress, both from the parent’s perspective and also from the child’s. Thom explores the impact the stress of a mother has on a child in the womb, and shows...

Who do you call when you’re the King of Nepal and you want to teach 100,000 subjects how to meditate? Who else but Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? The year was 1974 and Thom Knoles was there. In this episode Thom shares details of the adventure, a demonstration of Maharishi’s can-do attitude to his mission in life, and his matter-of-fact approach to getting the job done. Episode Highlights:  [00:45] What D...

“None taken.” We all know we have an element of choice when it comes to ‘taking offense,’ yet often that's not the choice we make. In this episode, Thom explains why that is, and what it takes to become impossible to offend.   Episode Highlights:  [00:45] Q - How Can We Not Be Easily Offended By Others? [00:52] A - “I’ll be the offended one.” [02:33] Doubts About Our Own True Nature [04:23] Your U...

Is there anybody out there? Humankind has been asking this question for millenia, and with the ability to conceive of space travel only being a recent phenomenon, the likelihood of finding an answer to the question has seemed unlikely up till now. But does space travel actually increase the likelihood of finding an answer even remotely? Between the laws of physics and the vast size of the universe...

It’s Q&A time once again. In answer to a young man questioning the timing of parenthood, Thom explains the role the child has in its own incarnation, and reminds us to be led by charm rather than the intellect in our decisions. He also explains how our intellect interferes with our innate connection with the laws of Nature. And he tackles two questions on Cosmic Consciousness. One from a liste...

We’re all familiar with cravings but why do we have them and why are they so powerful?  What is it about them that makes us go weak at the knees and cave so easily?  While most of us rely on willpower to beat cravings we know that it’s not a power we can rely on. In this episode Thom reminds us that the most powerful method to overcome cravings is to make them unnecessary, to create such a strong...

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a popular interview subject for media icons throughout the world for many decades, often appearing more than once as a guest on high-profile shows. In this episode, Thom gives a first-hand, behind-the-scenes account of an interview Maharishi did with David Frost on the BBC in the 1970s. He describes the warm relationship Maharishi had with Frost, and his delightful respon...

IYKYK. If you know, you know. Or do you? Is knowledge as reliable as we think it to be? “Knowledge is structured in consciousness,” is one of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's most profound and most frequently shared quotes. Ironically, one’s understanding of the quote is also dependent on one’s consciousness. Thom’s explanation of Maharishi’s quote gives us an opportunity to reflect on that which we ‘know,...