Vedic Worldview

Welcome to another Q&A episode, with Thom fielding a range of questions from listeners with a common thread of social discomfort.Thom holds forth on the subjects of social division, embarrassment, how to accept compliments gracefully, how to strengthen relationships in tough times, and anger, specifically whether or not enlightened masters can be angry.As always, it’s an episode with universal appeal that could potentially tick off a few boxes in your own evolutionary journey.Episode Highlights[00:45] Q - Why are people so divided right now?[00:48] A - Destructive Normalization[02:05] Mistaken Identity[04:03] The It-ification of Other Humans[05:51] Be an Inspiration to Others to Learn Vedic Meditation[08:07] Q - How can we recover after embarrassing ourselves?[08:11] A - Get Yourself a Sense of Humor[09:53] The Human Condition is Not a Serious Condition[12:09] Q - How can I accept compliments gracefully?[12:19] A - Words Can’t Even Express Your Greatness[14:11] Thank You[16:44] Q - How can we strengthen a relationship during tough times?[16:49] A - Alliances vs Relationships[19:33] Honor the Best Interests of Each of You[21:28] Vedic Meditation Reminds You Who You Really Are[23:09] Work on Our Capacity to Give[25:16] Q - Can enlightened masters be angry?[25:20] A - Moments of Strong Expression[27:32] Be Masterful Without Being AngryUseful [email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Being an empath might seem like a gift—experiencing what someone else is going through must surely deepen our understanding of one another.But in this podcast, Thom brings a surprising twist to the concept. He explains that not all empathy is created equal; different levels of empathy can lead to very different outcomes. While some forms can unintentionally add to our suffering, "high-grade empathy" is what actually alleviates it.Thom leaves us with a clear sense of how to cultivate this higher level of empathy so we’re better equipped to bring true comfort and understanding into our interactions.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Direct Experience of Being Another[02:56] Moving in the Direction of Unity Consciousness Through Vedic Meditation[05:47] An Extension of One’s Own Inner Self[07:55] Big Toe Consciousness[09:39] Siddhis - Extraordinary Human Capabilities[11:52] Limping Dog Suffering[13:42] Capability to Alleviate Suffering[15:35] You Are Totality[18:01] Knowledge is for ActionUseful Links:[email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

In a world where education is available to nearly everyone, one might expect that the major challenges facing humanity would have been solved by now, leading to a more prosperous and harmonious existence. But, as we can clearly see, that’s far from the reality.In this episode, Thom explores the underlying cause: education today is focused on the wrong outcomes.Thom offers a profound solution—an approach that cultivates students who are able to tap into infinite creative intelligence, unlocking problem-solving abilities far beyond what mere knowledge accumulation can provide.Episode Highlights[00:45] What Is a Problem For You?[02:35] Archimedes and Leverage[06:29] Do You Have Problem-Solving Techniques?[08:10] University - Unified Diversity[10:51] What Kind of Human Have They Become?[12:29] Credentialed Persons[13:45] Highly-Qualified Uber Drivers[15:17] Knowledgeable in Very Certain Areas[17:23] Ignore, Ignore, Ignore[20:53] Increase Knowledge of the Knower[22:51] Knowledge of the Knower[24:57] Vedic Meditation Awakens the Home of All KnowledgeUseful [email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

One could easily spend a lifetime exploring Vedic literature and still barely scratch the surface in terms of the wisdom that’s available to us. Between the four Vedas, Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda, the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, the six schools of Vedic philosophy, and countless other written and oral texts or translations, there’s no shortage of avenues to explore.And even if you could absorb them all in a lifetime, you’d probably need to reread them to understand them from a more evolved point of view.  Fortunately, the Vedic worldview is that all this wisdom is experiential, and we can shortcut the process of attaining wisdom through “knowledge of the Knower.” Thom provides an example of this in this assessment of Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, a subset of The Yoga Sutras. Thom clarifies that the piecemeal approach of trying to check off the eight limbs through our actions in order to attain the state of Yoga, is a misguided approach to take, and that practicing Vedic Meditation provides an express route that accelerates our personal evolution.Episode Highlights:[00:45] The Yoga Sutras[02:36] Ashta Anga[03:44] Yoga - Unification[06:27] Samadhi[07:39] The Simultaneous Arrival of Balance[09:57] 1. Yama and Its Five Qualities[13:21] Outcomes vs Causes[15:05] 2. Niyama and Its Five Observances[20:18] 3. Asana - The Sequential Elaboration of Limbs[23:32] Asana for Transcendence[24:51] 4. Pranayama - Administration of Breath[27:00] 5. Pratyahara - Inward Intentionality[29:31] Reversing Habits of the Senses[32:05] 6. Dharana - Inward Movement[33:41] 7. Dhyana - Arriving at the Subtlest Layer of Thought[35:14] 8. Samadhi - Being Knows Itself[36:50] Samadhi Affects Yama[39:50] Spontaneous Self-Sufficiency[41:34] Samadhi Affects Niyama[45:09] Samadhi Affects All Other Limbs[46:56] A Process of Verification and ValidationUseful [email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/_