In a recent episode, Thom explored the subject of where suicidal thoughts come from. And while this might help us understand the origins of suicidal thoughts, it doesn’t explain the evolutionary role that suicide plays.Thom takes us deeper in this episode and delivers a comforting perspective, which doesn’t condone suicide as such but explains how it is at least evolutionary. Importantly, he explains that while it may be evolutionary, there are even more evolutionary alternatives available. This is a must-listen episode for anyone affected by, or harboring suicidal thoughts. 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.orgIn 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] Q - What is the Evolutionary Function of Suicide?[00:57] A - An Extreme Form of Self Destruction[02:35] Going Beyond the One Body Mentality[03:59] Risky Behavior[05:43] Imbibing[07:34] Long, Slow Suicide[08:54] There's No Escape[10:45] What's Causing the Suffering?[12:39] Life Without Suffering[14:48] Sensing What Nature is Up To[17:13] Self Knowledge[18:50] Radiating Life for All to Enjoy[20:57] What is Our Contribution?[22:46] A Lighthouse in the Darkness of Ignorance Useful [email protected]://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

When we think of India, many people question the fairness of the so-called caste system, which, on the face of it, appears to divide the population into different classes, based on the family one is born into. This perception appears to limit the opportunities people have in their lifetime, and some even think that being born into a “lower” caste can be a result of so-called “bad karma.”In this episode, Thom sets the record straight, describing the actual structure and function of the caste system, and how it came to be distorted to the point that it effectively became a class system. He includes a beautiful example from the Tradition of Masters that have been the custodians of Vedic Meditation over the centuries, of one particular Master who flexed his caste to be even more fully of service than he already was.Episode Highlights:[00:45] The Caste System in India[02:14] The Four Castes or Varnas[04:40] The Caste System: A British Creation[06:47] Four within Four[09:02] Adi Shankara: The Brahmin Who Considered Himself a Shudra[11:04] Gandhi's Legacy in Abolishing the Caste System[13:15] The True Vedic CivilizationUseful [email protected]://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

In the recent episode about punya and deserving power, Thom clarified that good fortune is a result of expanding our consciousness, rather than a reward for good behavior.This still leaves the question open though, about why “bad things” happen to “good people.”In this episode, Thom closes the loop on the question, and invites us to reconsider our definition of “bad things” and to see the role that they play in our evolution.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Heroes and Villains[02:27] The Essence of Heroism[04:28] The Riverine Life: Flowing Forward Through Challenges[06:20] Bad Things Lead to Progress[08:29] Moving Beyond "Bad Things"[10:17] The Role of Struggles in Our Evolution[11:35] The Intriguing Nature of Life's Obstacles[13:48] The Illusion of Good and Bad in Evolution[15:54] Lotus Flower – From Mud to MagnificenceUseful [email protected]://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Good fortune is often seen as some kind of cosmic reward for good behavior. “If I do good things, then good things will happen to me.” This has actually evolved as a misunderstanding of the concept of karma.Rather than being a reward, the Vedic position on good fortune is that it is actually a result. More specifically, it’s a result of enhanced consciousness, brought about by the removal of stresses that prevent us from seeing the most evolutionary opportunities available to us.Thom explains this in more detail in this episode, in which he clarifies the meaning of punya, or deserving power, and he explains the path to maximizing your punya.Episode Highlights:[00:45] What is Deserving Power?[02:38] How Our State of Consciousness Shapes Reality[04:49] Who Am I Really?[06:37] The Power of Pure Consciousness: Embracing the Unmanifest[08:32] Transcendence and Truth: The Key to Understanding Self[10:30] Punya: Finding Your True Self[12:25] How to Get 90% Punya[14:27] Authenticity in the Age of Social Media[16:12] Low Punya & High Punya[17:57] The Young Man Who Knew It All[19:45] "I Don't Care About My Body."[21:22] Non-Negotiable Strategy of Vedic Meditation[23:29] The Oceanic Consciousness: Adopting the River of Life[25:37] Embracing Totality: The Journey to Cosmic Consciousness[27:39] 100% Punya: The Key to Living a Life of FullnessUseful [email protected]://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said on more than one occasion that free will was God’s greatest gift to mankind. And while that may well be, we have to ask ourselves whether we actually make the most of this gift. In this episode, Thom takes us to a pivotal moment in The Mahabharata, when Yudhishthira, the offspring of Dharma, and Arjuna’s older brother, puts his wisdom to the test to restore the lives of his brothers.Like much of The Mahabharata, and most Vedic literature, it makes a sobering point about how we can take more responsibility for our own evolution, and bring and end to the cycle of life and death.Episode Highlights:[00:45] Sequence in the Form of Storyline[03:18] Mahabharata: The Story of India's Royal Family[05:06] Exile of the Pandava Brothers and Draupadi[07:30] Nakula and The Crane[09:24] A Genetic Advantage[11:44] Hurtling Towards Death[13:39] A Pivotal Point[14:56] The Most Valuable Asset[17:36] The Ultimate Vedic Teaching[20:03] This is What I Am[21:57] We Form an Opinion of Ourselves[23:57] I Am Also This[25:51] I Am a Human Being, Not Just a Human Doing.[27:30] Longevity is a Fatal Condition[29:57] Make Great Priorities in Life[31:48] Living in Heaven-on-Earth StatusUseful [email protected]://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/