Vedic Worldview Thom Knoles

Thom’s mellifluous voice makes his podcast completely enrapturing. Touching on a wide breadth of topics, this podcast is one that you can listen to again and again, finding enjoyment and new knowledge in every listen.

If Maharishi were alive he would vehemently denounce Thom Knoles, who is doing exactly what Maharishi didn’t want. Thom Knowles has ripped off everything he learned from Maharishi about Transcendental Meditation and rebranded it “Vedic Meditation.” Maharishi founded the TM Movement, with TM Centers around the world, to preserve the *purity of the teaching*. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi offered *Transcendental Meditation* to be taught in a systematic way by teachers within the TM Movement. That is so the knowledge doesn’t get diluted overtime by self-styled gurus like Thom. Maharishi specifically did not want TM teachers to create their own followers and start improvising on the knowledge. That is exactly how the knowledge gets distorted and lost over time. Thom is a usurper for his own gain. He is definitely not authorized by Maharishi to train meditation teachers, creating his own branch of TM and rebranding it “Vedic Meditation.” Thom sits and talks like he’s a Indian guru, lulling people with his hypnotic voice, spouting as much knowledge as he can parrot from Maharishi. Don’t be fooled by this usurper. Get the knowledge & experience directly from the source that Maharishi intended to preserve the knowledge in its purity: a Transcendental Meditation Center. There are many opportunities at TM Centers to go deeper into the knowledge through meditation retreats with taped courses taught directly by Maharishi. Any questions that arise can be addressed by a properly trained TM teacher. And none of them are pawning themselves off as gurus. Maharishi was asked why his teaching is conveyed in such a structured and systematic way at TM Centers. Maharishi said, “That is to protect everyone.” If you want the real McCoy, learn TM at a real TM Center. Thom Knoles has broken his solemn oath not to teach TM (“vedic meditation”) outside of the TM Organization, an organization designed by Maharishi with checks and balances meant to protect unsuspecting “seekers” from people like Thom. (Also, the Swami in India that Thom says affords him some legitimacy, the so-called Shankaracharya-elect, appears to have been challenged as regards to his legitimacy as Shankaracharya.) Anything good in these podcasts was stollen from Maharishi. Violating Maharishi’s trust and intentions is not good.

I am so grateful for this podcast. Thom’s insights have put such helpful language to my meditation journey. This wisdom has been powerfully transformative in my day to day life. So grateful!