The idea that there can be a soulmate, a single person out there who is destined to bring fulfillment and who can promise a happily-ever-after ending, is a story that’s been told for millennia.

While it’s a compelling proposition, it’s actually based on a fundamental misunderstanding.

Thom uncovers that misunderstanding in this episode, but he delivers a more compelling proposition in its place. One that guarantees fulfillment, but without having to rely on winning the relationship lottery to make it happen.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Is There Such a Thing as a Soulmate?

[03:44] A Desire to Experience Unity With Someone

[05:59] Relationship is an Outlet for Fulfillment

[08:56] Don’t Wait for a Soulmate

[13:26] If You Have Self-realization, You Have a Soulmate

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In this bonus episode, Thom extends an invitation for Vedic Meditators worldwide to attend Thom’s Initiator Training program in 2026, to become a fully qualified teacher of Vedic Meditation.

For a Vedic Meditator, there is no greater level of knowledge, experience, capability, and standing available in our worldwide community than what is conferred by graduation from Thom’s Initiator Training program.

You will gain mastery over how to teach Vedic Meditation, strictly following Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's four-day course format and enjoy a lifetime of mentoring and personal support as you grow your teaching practice.

Initiator Training is a rare, not-to-be-missed opportunity to join Thom for training and bring the light of Vedic Meditation to the millions who await us.

You can find out more about Initiator Training at https://thomknoles.com/initiator-training/.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] 12 Weeks of Comprehensive and Evolutionary Training in India

[04:18] The Pinnacle of

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Modern day students have a great debt of gratitude to the Vedic masters who have captured and preserved Vedic wisdom for millennia, making it available for us to apply to our lives today.

One of the most prolific of these masters is Veda Vyasa, who is recognized as being responsible for documenting as much as three quarters of the Vedic literature, and organizing, or “sequencing” it, in such as way that we are still able to access and apply the wisdom even today.

In this episode, which includes questions from audience members, Thom gives as a brief insight into the life and work of Veda Vyasa, the Cosmic storyteller.

It’s a fitting prelude to Thom’s upcoming residential course, Vedanta Vyasa, to be held in Sedona this coming July. If this episode whets your appetite for more, and if you have passed the prerequisites for attending, we invite you to visit the website to find out more.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Vyasa - A Teller of Sequence

[03:59] The Many Names of Vyasa

[09:59] Sanskrit - Correlating Name and Form

[14:25] Recognizing Patterns in the Veda

[19:20] The Upavedas

[23:27] Mahabharata - The Epic of Great India

[25:54] The Play and Display of Elevational Theater

[29:08] Breaking the Fourth Wall

[32:00] Fabulous Stories Delivering Lessons to Live By

[35:25] A Comprehensive Body of Work

[39:43] Vedanta - The Final Conclusion

[43:10] An Invitation to Explore Vyasa’s Story with Thom

[45:49] The Connotative - The Proper View of Ancient Texts

[50:35] Q - Does Vyasa’s Breaking of the Fourth Wall Have Any Implications for Free Will?

[51:00] The Free Will to Determine Everything

[54:46] Changing the Storyline

[57:36] Q - Was Maharishi Mahesh Yogi the Vyasa of this Age?

[58:04] Demonstrating Vyasa-like Sequencing of Knowledge

[01:00:34] Reality is Different in Different States of Consciousness

[01:04:30] Sensory Perception Brings Oneness

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Regular listeners to the podcast are well familiar with the term Jai Guru Deva, which Thom says on most podcasts at least once or twice. But what does this phrase mean?

In this podcast, Thom explains the literal translation of the terms and its significance to those who say it.

As you will hear, far from being a platitude, it’s an invitation for those who say it and those who hear it, to reflect and show reverence for all the situations that have proved to be learning experiences in our life.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Across the Universe

[03:09] Same Same But Different

[06:27] A Universal Salutation

[09:17] Withstanding the Test of Time

[12:29] Respect and Gratitude for Learning Anything From Anything

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Are we too late to do anything about climate change? Many would argue that that’s the case, but are we even asking the right questions?

In this episode, recorded live in Sydney, Australia, in answer to a question from an audience member, Thom offers a more optimistic perspective about climate change than we might usually find.

Thom provides a framework for thinking about our environmental challenges that balances realism with hope, scientific understanding with ancient wisdom, and immediate action with long-term adaptation.

There are still opportunities to participate in upcoming events in Sydney. You can find out more at thomknoles.com/sydney.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] Q - Can We Restore The Planet?

[01:47] A - We’re Not Going to Get There

[04:41] This Isn’t Our First Time

[07:31] Realistic Thinking

[10:01] There’s No Evolution Without Disruption

[12:46] Just Meditate, You’re Made of Stern Stuff

[15:17] It’s Not a Chore

[16:26] Learn Vedic Meditation

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One thing that separates humans from other species is our ability, and in some cases our need, to have origin stories to explain who we are, how we got here, and what we should or shouldn’t be doing.

One of the most widespread of these stories is the Garden of Eden, with God, Adam and Eve taking starring roles, and the serpent in the supporting role.

In this episode, Thom takes a connotative look at the story of the Garden of Eden through the lens of the Vedic worldview. It’s a fresh perspective that gives us the opportunity to reconsider the lessons that might be behind this pivotal story.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] The Triumvirate

[03:09] The Forbidden Fruit

[06:17] Can You Surprise the Omniscient?

[09:33] Breaking Symmetry with Turiya

[13:28] Sophistication and Multitasking

[17:37] Restoring Contact with Cosmic Intelligence

[21:58] The Kingdom of Heaven is Within

[25:06] The Radical Effect of Learning Vedic Meditation

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We often celebrate codependence in nature, such as bees pollinating flowers and receiving nectar as their reward, yet when it comes to codependence in human relationships, it’s frequently seen as a problem that needs to be fixed.

In this episode, Thom gives us fresh perspectives on codependence, inviting us to celebrate our dependence on each other, while at the same time, learning to recognize when codependence has become dysfunctional.

Thom also offers up terminology to help us clarify the distinction between functional and dysfunctional codependence, giving us the means to avoid adding to the stigma that has evolved around codependence.

Episode Highlights:

[00:45] We Cannot Live Without Dependency

[03:32] Co-addiction

[06:42] Freedom from the Tyranny of Addiction

[09:36] Going Beyond the Constraints of Individuality

[11:56] Vedic Meditation, Easier Than Just Having Everyday Thoughts

[14:38] You Have to Start with Yourself

[18:09] Survival vs Progress

[20:50] Survival is a Product of Evolution

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Detachment is frequently sold as a necessary step for spiritual progress. We’re taught that attachment is often the root of our suffering, so it stands to reason therefore, that detachment will bring about the opposite of suffering.

But as Thom explains in this podcast episode, it’s an understandable yet inaccurate conclusion that actually causes more suffering.

Thom brings clarity to the subject, using the Vedic concept of vairagya, a state of being that allows us to fully enjoy the fruits of life, without the bondage of attachment.

Episode Highlights

[00:45] Maharishi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

[02:56] Siddhis - Developing Extraordinary Human Capabilities

[05:36] A Spontaneous State of Non-attachment

[09:48] A Witnessing Phenomenon

[12:55] A Consequence of the Practice of Vedic Meditation

[16:23] An Indication of Cosmic Consciousness

[19:08] The Freedom of Spontaneous Non-attachment

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