Vedic Worldview

If you’ve noticed an increase in the use of the word “toxic” in relation to human behavior in recent years, you’d be right. Its use has become so prevalent, that Oxford Dictionaries named "toxic" as their Word of the Year in 2018. Oxford noted a 45% increase in lookups for the word on their website and observed its expanded usage beyond its literal meaning to describe various social and political issues.Of course, it’s tempting to look for causes and attempt to fix them at the source. The rise in the use of social media, for example, has undoubtedly contributed to this increase, so we might be tempted to control toxicity there.Thom proposes a radically different cause in this episode, backing it up with a solution that puts us in control of potentially toxic behavior around us, rather than being at the mercy of it.Episode Highlights[00:45] Toxophilus - Poisoned Arrows[02:56] Source of All, Course of All, Goal of All[05:14] Too Big to Be Made Toxic[07:58] The Capacity to Be Toxified[09:21] Robust and Resilient[12:25] Overloads of Experience[14:19] Premature Cognitive Commitments[16:06] Unprecedented Rest Through Vedic Meditation[18:56] A Net Position of Structural Integrity[20:10] Attain to Personal InvincibilityUseful [email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

Most listeners of The Vedic Worldview live in democracies and are all too familiar with the fact that irrespective of who is elected, there will always be a faction of the population who is disappointed and another who is pleased with the outcome. For those on the side of disappointment, many times the next thought that occurs is despondency or powerlessness. “What was my vote all for?” they might ask.While it might seem like one vote has little impact, Thom suggests otherwise. In this episode, he shares how Vedic meditators, in particular, have a unique ability to influence outcomes—not through politics, but by elevating collective consciousness.Thom explains that true power for change doesn’t lie in government institutions like Congress or Parliament but in our capacity to transform consciousness.This episode revisits and continues with the themes from a previous discussion, The Crisis of Governance and Your Role in Its Resolution. You can listen to it here: https://thomknoles.com/podcast/crisis-governance-role-resolution/.Episode Highlights[00:45] The Origins of Governance[03:56] The Concept of Democracy[06:46] The Average of the Collective[08:55] Step Out of Mistaken Intellect[11:48] Ultimate Identity[14:43] The Importance of Direct Experience[17:31] Be a Satisfactory Citizen[19:57] Dharma - Your Personal Role in the Evolution of Things[22:01] I’m Not in Charge of What I’m Experiencing[24:50] Escaping an Impossible Situation[28:14] A Critical Mass for a Phase Transition[30:06] The Temperature of the Collective[32:14] Radiate Life for All to EnjoyUseful [email protected] https://thomknoles.com/https://www.instagram.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.facebook.com/thethomknoleshttps://www.youtube.com/c/thomknoleshttps://thomknoles.com/ask-thom-anything/

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/