If we look at the origin of the word habit, it comes from Latin, meaning have, or consist of. Hence the once common saying, Habits maketh man.

So if our habits essentially define, in a sense, who we are, then it makes sense for us to adopt habits that are more evolutionary in nature than others.

This episode is a sneak preview of what to expect from Thom’s new course, Evolutionary Habits. 

It goes beyond the common approach of simply using discipline and willpower to force change, and inspires a fundamental shift in how we think of ourselves, thus inspiring change elegantly, rather than forcing it upon ourselves from a sense of lack or inadequacy. 

Episode  Highlights:

[00:45] Who Am I? What Am I?

[02:43] Your Habits Shape Your Reality

[04:53] The Big Bang

[07:17] Evolution is Inexorable

[09:15] This Entity I Call Myself

[11:09] You Can't Step Into the Same Body Twice

[12:47] Your Thoughts Shape Your Physical Self

[14:36] The Fundamental Aspect of Habituation

[16:02] A Very Positive Change

[17:22] The Habit of Identifying Oneself Correctly

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One of the most commonly misunderstood Sanskrit terms is the word Maya. It’s frequently referred to as “illusion” and is sometimes used to describe “reality” as being unimportant or insignificant. 

Often when it’s used in spiritual circles, it’s an attempt to imply that one has a sense of detachment, “It’s just Maya, an illusion. Nothing to take too seriously…”

But like many Sanskrit words, its meaning cannot really be found in a single English word. 

Equally, the importance of Maya means putting the word “just” in front of it, doesn’t do it justice. Maya is neither unimportant, nor insignificant.

Listen in and allow Thom to set the record straight, and give Maya the mystery and significance she deserves.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] A Poorly Understood Concept

[03:16] Appearance

[05:30] Appearance Requires Some Action

[07:33] Brahman in Action

[10:38] Brahman as Para

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Thom gave us plenty of reading in his recent episode covering his favorite Vedic literature. In this episode, he closes the loop and shares some of his favorite non-Vedic literature. 

Not surprisingly, most of it is non-fiction and explores the ways in which the Universe, and we humans work. 

Thom also includes a fictional piece which is very much aligned with the Vedic worldview of consciousness being everywhere and in everything.

As Thom says in the podcast, “...even if you are a fast reader, you'll probably spend the better part of the year trying to get through some of this stuff.”

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Recommended Reading

[01:38] The Overstory

[03:14] Non-fiction Books by Paul Davies

[06:23] Davies' Exploration of the Perfect Conditions

[08:03] Come to Your Own Conclusion

[09:41] Professor John Gribben's Thesis

[10:45] Professor Brian Josephson's Works

[12:31] Books on Neuroscience - Norman Doidge

[14:27] Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari

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The notion of karma raises a lot of questions, often because the concept is totally misunderstood. It’s most commonly seen as a cosmic form of reward and punishment, but nothing could be further from the truth.

It is certainly a tool for course correction, but it doesn’t come with any of the judgment that is attributed to it. 

In this episode, Thom addresses listener questions, tackling issues such as instant karma vs delayed karma, why we still seem to experience karmic effects even when we’re doing all that we can to advance our evolutionary progress, and why we might choose a life of suffering rather than comfort.

These are common questions, but the answers Thom gives are by no means common. This is an episode you might want to put on repeat for a while so the learning can really sink in.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Q- Why does karma have varying timeframes for resolution?

[00:54] A - The Cause of Karma

[03:21] Relationship Between Karma and Kriyā

[05:36] Instant Karma

[07:28] Moving Between Karma and Kriyā Zones

[09:52] The Relationship Between Meditation and Karma

[11:52] The Role of Meditation in Preventing and Resolving Karma

[13:39] How to Undo Karma

[16:22] Instant Detection of Karma

[18:35] Q - Can current difficulties be a result of karmic habits?

[19:09] Karmic Debt

[21:46] Mastering Rounding for a Deeper Meditation Practice

[23:50] The Power of Rounding in Dissolving Karma

[26:29] Don't be a Bull in a China Shop

[28:57] Q - Why does consciousness choose life in an abusive environment?

[29:21] The Story of Ashtavakra: Spiritual Guru with Deformity

[31:26] Ashtavakra's Calloused Chin

[33:35] The Role of Karma in Ashtavakra's Life Story

[35:33] Ashtavakra's Choice

[37:41] Buddha: The Abusive Life of a Child in a Palace

[39:25] Enlightenment of Buddha

[41:38] Karma and Unfinished Business

[43:29] Ideal Families Don't Guarantee Enlightenment

[45:29] The Science of Jyotish

[47:23] We Make the Choice of Birth Timing and Parents

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Anxiety is a downward spiral that many struggle to control. It’s the price many are paying for living in an overstimulated world. 

We’re bombarded with messaging from countless sources hundreds of times a day, and these are competing with our own restless minds, churning away with the same repeated thoughts, day after day after day.

In this episode, Thom explains the dangers of living in a state of “object-referral,” where you live at the mercy of circumstances, rather than a state of “self-referral,” where you have a solid foundation that anxiety finds unsustainable. Importantly, he outlines the solution, in practical terms that anyone wanting to take back control can implement effectively and swiftly.

Episode Highlights:

[01:03] Becoming Aware of Our Challenges

[02:55] Immense Rise in the Capacity to Commune

[05:06] Failure to Commune is Characterizing Human Interaction Today

[07:52] Meditation Allows Deep-Rooted Stresses to Dissolve

[09:58] Being a Time Bomb of Stress Reactivity is Not the Solution

[12:04] We Can't Rely on the Two Percenters

[14:14] To What Extent am I Individually Awakening My Fullest Potential?

[16:28] Accelerate Your Own Personal Development

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This bonus episode is an invitation from Thom for Vedic meditators to join his new Satsang online community.

Satsang is more than just an online community. It's your 24/7 home where you can transform Vedic knowledge into personal wisdom that you can use in your day-to-day life.

For more details about Satsang, please visit https://thomknoles.com/community.

And if you aren't a Vedic meditator yet, you can find out how you can learn via our International Vedic Meditation Teacher Directory - https://thomknoles.com/vedic-meditation-teacher-directory/

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Read any good books lately? Vedic literature is rich in timeless content, and few epics have lasted the thousands of years that some of the Vedic epics have survived.

Vedic epics combine the best of drama and unforgettable storytelling while still being steeped in deep wisdom at every turn. It is this powerful combination that continues to make them as relevant today as 5,000 years ago.

Thom shares a couple of his favorites in this episode, and gives us a helping hand by recommending specific translations that will make more sense to those of us who are not Vedic scholars.

And to help us even further, he suggests a couple of more contemporary books, both written by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to help us deepen our understanding of how to lead a rich and fulfilling life.

Suggested Reading:

The Science of Being and the Art of Living by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita - a translation and commentary by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

The Mahabharata, translation by Ramesh Menon

The Ramayana, translation by Ramesh Menon

Love and God

 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Episode Highlights:

[00:52] The Vedic Worldview Podcast

[02:38] The Science of Being and Art of Living - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

[04:47] The Bhagavad Gita – Vyasa

[08:01] Krishna's Enjoinment to Battle

[10:33] The Mahabharata – Vyasa

[14:52] Vyasa - A Great Sage

[17:17] The Ramayana – Valmiki

[20:02] Love and God - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

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Get ready for a fresh perspective on suicide and suicidal thoughts. 

In response to a question from a listener, Thom gives us a lot to contemplate in this episode, including redefining how we think about suicide, introducing the concept of “long suicide,” and reminding us that body death doesn’t mean consciousness death or bring an end to suffering.

He talks about the role Vedic Meditation can have in easing the suffering at the source of suicidal thoughts, and also affirms that you are worthy of, and must seek, professional help if suicidal thoughts have become a regular part of your thinking or if it’s something you feel inclined to act on.

Even if you aren’t contemplating suicide, this is wisdom we should all take on board, for the inevitable occasion when we might be able to influence someone considering a premature end to their life.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis:
In the United States: Dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
In Australia: Dial 13 11 14 or go to https://www.lifeline.org.au/
In all other countries, visit this page for your local prevention hotline: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Where Do Suicidal Thoughts Come From?

[02:06] A - Seeking Help: A Necessary Step for Mental Health

[04:08] Break the Stigma

[05:45] What Happens to Consciousness After Death

[07:35] Nihilism, Atheism, and Suicide

[09:44] Natural Curiosity of Body Death

[11:25] Suicide is Not Self-Destruction

[13:35] Guru Deva - the Supreme Authority in the Vedic Worldview

[15:57] Guru Deva Bestows Epithets

[18:06] Guru Deva Dropped his Body

[20:18] Did Guru Deva Commit Suicide?

[22:23] Why Guru Deva Dropped his Body

[24:29] Cosmic Intelligence and the End of a Physical Body

[26:21] Witness of All Intellects

[28:36] Suicide: An Act of Desperation or Cosmic Intelligence?

[30:32] Zero Effectiveness of Warnings and Campaigns

[33:04] This is Not Suicide

[35:05] We Don't Call It Suicide

[36:46] What You Can Do?

[38:56] How Vedic Meditation Can Help

[41:00] Consciousness Beyond Physical Death: Insights from a Near-Death Experience

[43:03] Live Your Life Without Suffering

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Vedic Meditators frequently report heightened perception of the sense organs. 

Colors may become crisper, shades of light and dark may become more ‘interesting,’ subtler tastes may be detected in food, and smells may be detected, even in the most minute concentrations.

One of the most curious sensations happens at the level of hearing. In the same way that the mind is able to experience the subtlety of Being becoming manifest, the hearing organs are able to experience the sound of Being becoming manifest.

Thom explains both the mechanics and the result of this process. 

For many Vedic meditators, this episode will be a revelation, an explanation for that sweet, sweet sound, humming away in the background as a constant companion in day-to-day life, and for others it will be a preview of coming attractions.

And for those who haven’t learned Vedic Meditation, perhaps this will inspire you to learn the technique so you too can hear the sound of manifestation.

Episode Highlights:

[00:52] An Arcane Subject

[02:20] It's Not Tinnitus

[03:49] Increasing Acuity of Perception

[05:31] The Nectar of the Bliss Experience

[07:29] The Sound of the Symmetry Breaking

[09:18] Divine Which is Heard

[11:07] Bringing Your Consciousness State Forward

[12:21] Symphonic Sound

[13:40] The Sound of the Veda

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Most groups or communities have a few pretentious players within them; people who wear a mask or ‘put on a show’ to attract attention to themselves and to elevate their status.

While one might think that the “spiritual” arena might be beyond such behavior, regrettably that’s not the case.

In some circles they might be called “wannabees,” but Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had a special name for such people; mood makers.

While they are relatively easy to spot, in this episode Thom shares the signs to look for in a mood maker. 

If nothing else, this gives us an opportunity to check in on our own conduct and to ensure that we haven’t inadvertently become a mood maker ourselves.

Episode Highlights:

[00:53] The Temptation of Mood Making

[02:25] Faking It Till You Make It

[03:28] Badges of Rank

[05:15] A Big Blob on the Floor

[06:28] Our Destiny Summed Up on the Floor of Whole Foods

[07:42] God-given Parking Spaces

[09:08] Simple, Natural, Innocent

[11:05] Have a Proper Meal With Me

[12:20] "I'm Eating Brahman."

[14:17] Be Adorable to Nature

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