Embody your Evolution
supreme knowledge + advanced techniques to accelerate expansion
Jai Guru Deva ♥
Welcome, beautiful meditators! This page is designed to motivate and inspire our daily practice, and I'm so thrilled that you've found your way here.
More than anything we'll find on this page, the most beneficial gift that we can give ourselves is to continue to close our eyes for 20 minutes, twice a day, and utilize our practice exactly as we learned it. Simple. Natural. Innocent. Effortless.
And, if we find ourselves having fallen off the wagon (don't feel bad, it happens!), please don't hesitate to get in touch with me so that I can help support you in integrating meditation back into your daily life. You and I both know that we much prefer to be an expression of our true inner nature as opposed to an expression of the stress we've collected over the years. And I'm here to support you in doing this, every step of the way.
with Love and bliss + Jai Guru Deva,
Rachel
connect + receive
shared experience to strengthen our practice
GROUP
MEDITATION
There is something incredibly powerful about meditating in a group. Not only do we tend to experience "deeper" meditations, but the power of community and building relationships is paramount to our ability to thrive as humans. Fortunately for us, there is a beautiful and continuously budding global meditation community, and I highly encourage you to take advantage of this and join us for group meditations, if it feels charming for you. The opportunity to gather with like-minded people tends to be an invaluable part of the meditation journey. We get to check-in, every week, which supports us in maintaining a regular practice, and we also have the opportunity to share our experiences, to ask questions about what's happening when our eyes are closed, and to chat about the world we're creating when our eyes are open.
All students of Vedic Meditation and TM who have completed a 4-day/in-person course are welcome and invited to join. We start with a 20-minute meditation and then enjoy the remainder of the time we have together with Q+A and an exploration of the Vedic perspective on life.
I N - P E R S O N ♥ wednesdays
6.00 - 7.15pm ET
doors open at 6pm / doors and eyes close at 6.10pm
PITTSRBUGH, PA
november 3rd
november 10th
november 17th
november 24th
december 1st
december 8th
december 15th
First time joining us? Email for location details.
O N L I N E ♥ sundays
5.00 - 6.00pm ET
zoom room opens 5 mins early for an on-time start
VIA ZOOM
october 24th
october 31st
november 7th
november 14th
november 21st
november 28th
december 5th
december 13th / monday 6.30 - 7.30pm
december 19th
First time joining us? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself.
GROUP
ROUND
Those who have learned how to round know that this industrial strength approach to our meditation practice is an invaluable and deeply profound tool. Incorporating rounding into our regular routine is extremely powerful at dissolving years of accumulated and deeply-rooted stress and fatigue. By regularly rounding, we accelerate the purification of our body and strengthen the physiology so that we can more easily access and enjoy the baseline of bliss that is resting naturally within each of us.
And if you haven't yet learned how to round, check out info on rounding instruction below!
All students of Vedic Meditation and TM who have attended a rounding retreat or have received rounding instruction from a qualified initiator are welcome and invited to join. Each week, we go through a self-guided round with a 'Jai Guru Deva' at each transition point.
O N L I N E ♥ fridays
4.30 - 5.30pm ET
zoom room opens 5 mins early for an on-time start
VIA ZOOM
november 5th
november 12th / NO ROUND
november 19th
november 26th
december 3rd
december 10th / NO ROUND
december 17th
First time joining us? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself. Include your WhatsApp number if you would like to receive a text reminder, with zoom link, the day before. Otherwise, enter "123" in that field if you'd prefer to not receive a text reminder.
MONTHLY
WOMEN'S
GATHERING
It feels important that women gather together. That we have safe and sacred spaces to share our experiences and to learn from one another, especially among different generations. That we're able to laugh. To cry. To sing and dance. To express. To reflect. To celebrate. To grieve. To give. To recieve. To grow. To evolve. And to simply Be. Together. And at the heart of this monthly offering is my own curiosity about what “the feminine” truly means, and so, if nothing else, the intention behind these gatherings is that we have the space to anchor ourselves in Being and then to start uncovering all the mystery and all the beauty of feminine consciousness. Join me, and let's honor and reclaim divine feminine wisdom in its simplest, most natural, and most innocent sense.
All women who have completed a 4-day/in-person Vedic Meditation or TM course are welcome and invited to join. We start with a 20-minute meditation and then enjoy the remainder of the time we have together exploring, questioning, integrating, embodying, honoring, discovering and reclaiming all aspects of the divine feminine expression of consciousness, in all her glory -- from the demure to the wild, the creator to the destroyer, the devoted to the worshipped. All is welcome here.
O N L I N E ♥ saturdays
6.00 - 8.00pm ET
zoom room opens at 6pm / eyes close at 6.05pmlive elsewhere? convert to your local timezoneFirst time joining us? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself.
TOPICS OF EXPLORATION
NOVEMBER / divine feminine
What do the following words bring up for you: girl, woman, female, and feminine?
Which aspects do you feel drawn to? Which do you celebrate?
Which do you feel resistance to? Which do you judge, repress, or deny?
During this month's gathering, we will begin to explore the Vedic perspective on the classic characteristics of feminine expression of consciousness, and we will review some of the most common depictions of Mother Divine.
OCTOBER RECAP / introduction
We introduced ourselves and began to co-create the space that we desire to have as a community. We honored our maternal ancestors and progeny, and we started to scratch the surface on juicy topics such as societal constructs of what it means to be feminine, emotions in the workplace, sexuality and sensuality, moving through victimhood, the expression of feminine consciousness through art, and how to engage with our children around beauty in a sacred and healthy way.
expand + deepen
advanced courses to expedite our evolution
ADVANCED
PRACTICES
From time-to-time, we may feel a desire to up our meditation game. We're very happy with our practice and the results we've been enjoying, yet, we can't help but notice a feeling, deep inside, that there's more for us to uncover...and we want it all! More tools for expansion. Faster purification. And specific practices to more deeply integrate the state of Being we experience when our eyes are closed with the everyday life we experience when our eyes are open. When this happens, it's a sign that we're ready to expand our toolkit with some advanced Vedic practices. These babies fast-track our progress and unleash our latent potential, launching our evolution to the next level.
advanced
techniques
After every 12 months of regular and consistent practice, meditators looking to deepen their experience and accelerate their evolution are eligible to receive an advanced technique.
Akin to upshifting and enjoying a smoother and faster ride while on the highway, advanced techniques are designed to take one’s awareness to the layer of consciousness that comprises the interface between thinking and pure silence. Repeated exposure to this subtle layer of consciousness allows us to integrate the incredibly charming state that we experience in our deepest meditations into the waking state of our everyday lives.
Advanced Techniques are taught over two separate one-hour appointments. In the first private appointment, you receive your advanced technique. The second session then occurs within 10 days following the first session and involves checking your advanced technique and its correct usage, either privately or in a group setting.
A letter from Thom Knoles on Advanced Techniques
investment
group // $360 - $960
private // starting at $1,200
rounding
instruction
A round is an advanced practice where we add a series of gentle yoga postures, a simple breathing exercise, and an extended horizontal resting period to our regular 20-minute meditation. By doing this specific sequence and highly-refined combination of activities, we encourage the body to start letting go of stresses and prepare the mind for deep meditative experiences.
This industrial-strength approach is relaxing, rejuvenating, and incredibly soothing and strengthening to the nervous system. It increases our adaptation energy, tenfold, so that we are better able to face the demands and challenges of life with grace and ease. Incorporating this practice into our regular routine is an extremely powerful way to dissolve years of accumulated stress and fatigue so that we can more easily access and enjoy the baseline of bliss that is resting naturally within each of us.
And while the outcome of rounding is quite advanced and profound, the program itself is simple to learn and easy to practice. Rounding is suitable for everyone, from long-time yogis to absolute beginners of all shapes, sizes, and flexibility.
The course of instruction is two hours and includes take home notes.
investment
group // $108
private // starting at $220
Live outside of Pittsburgh, LA or NY and would like to learn an advanced practice?
Get in touch to arrange a private course or to receive a recommendation for another qualified initiator in your local area.
ADVANCED
KNOWLEDGE
There comes a point in every meditator's journey when we know that it's time to expand our thinking. We've been getting to the chair -- twice a day -- for quite some time, and the hardware has been well upgraded. We begin to feel ready for a complementary software upgrade, and the hunger for advancing our knowledge continues to grow. When this happens, the natural next step is to embark on advanced courses in Vedic Knowledge, where we fine-tune our thinking and really hone the ability to "correct the mistaken intellect." Here, we peel back decades of social conditioning and lift layer-after-layer of misunderstanding by re-awakening the universal knowledge of Veda from within. It is a deeply profound and truly enjoyable experience that is nothing short of life-changing!
exploring
the veda
When we find ourselves feeling charmed to dive deeper into our practice, to fast-track our growth into higher states of consciousness, and to transform our experience of the waking state in nearly every way, then it's a pretty unambiguous sign that we're ready to embark on the journey of Exploring the Veda, a series of six non-residential retreat-style knowledge weekends enjoyed over the span of about a year.
Often described by meditators as deeply profound and even transformational, these weekends consist of listen to recordings made by my inspiring and blissful teacher, Thom Knoles, who is recognized as one of the world's foremost masters of Veda and its true meaning and application in today's modern world. In these recordings, Thom distills the whole of the Veda — known to be the blueprint of creation and to confer mastery of all the laws of nature — in a very relatable and applicable way. He delves deeply into the Vedic Worldview and draws out pearls of wisdom with life-changing practical application.
In between recordings -- where we are learning techniques for deepening meditation, for embodying expanded consciousness states, for correcting the mistakes of the intellect, and for manifesting life experiences that reveal true fulfillment -- we enjoy in-depth discussion about this supreme knowledge and how we can integrate it into our daily lives. We reserve plenty of time to answer all of the questions that bubble up as a result of re-awakening this wisdom within ourselves, and we make sure to nourish our bodies with freshly-cooked, organic, vegetarian meals and snacks throughout the weekend.
It's a truly beautiful experience, the benefits of which are plentiful, ongoing, and self-evident, and the memories and new friendships of which are not soon to be forgotten.
PRE-REQUISITES
All student registering for Exploring the Veda must have completed a 4-day/in-person course in Vedic Meditation or TM. In addition, student must have attended a rounding retreat or have received Rounding Instruction from a qualified teacher prior to the start of Exploring the Veda, part 1. If you have not yet learned how to round, please get in touch.
The complete Exploring the Veda series consists of 73 hours broken down into six installments. Each of the non-residential weekend installments can be enjoyed individually, with no obligation to complete all six. However, the course must be completed in sequential order, as each installments leads naturally into the next.
COURSE DATES / pittsburgh
ETV 1 > oct 1st - 3rd, 2021
ETV 2 > dec 10th - 12th, 2021
ETV 3 > winter 2022 / dates TBA
ETV 4 > spring 2022 / dates TBA
ETV 5 > summer 2022 / dates TBA
ETV 6 > fall 2022 / dates TBA
WEEKEND FORMAT / times may vary slightly
Friday 4.00pm - 9.30pm (including dinner)
Saturday 10.00am - 6.30pm (including lunch)
Sunday 9.30am - 4.30pm (including lunch)
INVETMENT
$700 per installment*
includes all tuition, take home notes, meals, snacks, sweets, and teas
*Flexible payment plans available, and advanced payment of multiple installments attracts a reduced course fee - get in touch for details regarding either. Private courses also available if the above dates and times do not suit your schedule or if you prefer to learn in a 1:1 environment or in a location of your choosing. Pricing for private courses available upon request.mastering
the siddhis
Twenty-seven centuries ago, a great Seer by the name of Maharishi Patanjali cognized his masterpiece, The Yoga Sutras.
Yoga is the experience of unity of one's individuality with Universality, and a sutra is a consciousness formula. In his treatise, Maharishi Patanjali describes the method for achieving mastery of the relationship between individual human potential and Universal laws of nature, yet very few masters have been able to fully comprehend Patanjali's teachings and techniques at their deepest level. Consequently, the fullness of Patanjali's works have mostly faded into obscurity.
In recent time, however, these teachings have been revived within the Vedic tradition, and in this six-part course, Thom teaches Maharishi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras comprehensively and in the way Pantajali intended – through direct experience and embodiment of each Sanskrit sutras in order to develop mastery of the siddhis that derive from each of them.
A siddhi is an extraordinary human power, a rare capability to interact with the laws of nature in order to manifest desires, and the power to engage with the laws of nature in a way that results in a life lived in harmony and alignment with them from one's own deep level of bliss consciousness.
As we progress through each of the installments, we learn how to awaken extraordinary sensory perception, how to discover the inner workings of the human body, how to gain Universal Awareness, and how to harness the full support of the laws of nature.
Once mastered, the siddhis are considered to be the most powerful and advanced technique in a meditator's repertoire.
PRE-REQUISITES
Thom designed this course exclusive for the advanced Vedic Meditator. As such, all students registering for Mastering the Siddhis must have completed Exploring the Veda 1 - 6 or must complete the equivalent installment of Exploring the Veda for each installment of Mastering the Siddhis. For example, completion of ETV1 before taking MTS1 and completion of ETV2 before taking MTS2, etc.
The complete Mastering the Siddhis course is broken down into six installments, each of which provides a new advanced practice with enormous lifelong benefit. Each of the non-residential weekend courses can be enjoyed individually, with no obligation to complete all six. However, the course must be completed in sequential order, as each installment leads naturally into the next.
COURSE DATES / pittsburgh
MTS 1 > oct 30th - 31st, 2021
MTS 2 > dec 4th - 5th, 2021
MTS 3 > spring 2022 / dates TBA
MTS 4 > summer 2022 / dates TBA
MTS 5 > fall-winter 2022 / dates TBA
MTS 6 > winter-spring 2023 / dates TBA
WEEKEND FORMAT / times ay vary slightly
Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm (including lunch)
Sunday 10.00pm - 3.30pm (including snack)
INVETMENT
$1,200 per installment*
includes all tuition, meals, snacks, sweets, and teas
*Flexible payment plans available, and advanced payment of multiple installments attracts a reduced course fee - get in touch for details regarding either. Private courses also available if the above dates and times do not suit your schedule or if you prefer to learn in a 1:1 environment or in a location of your choosing. Pricing for private courses available upon request.(re)treat + immerse
dedicated space to deepen our wisdom
PITTSBURGH / rounding
November 11 - 14th, 2021
Nothing accelerates purification of the nervous system and expands our experience of everyday life quite like the profound art of rounding. During this weekend immersion, we will connect deeply with ourselves, and with other like-minded meditators from around the country, by diving into a robust daily meditation program (getting up to 7 hours in one day!), bathing in knowledge sessions, enjoying beautiful morning and evening rituals, and having the opportunity for 1:1 check-ins. In addition, we will support and nourish our bodies with home-cooked Ayurvedic meals and snacks throughout the weekend.
Meditators who have attended previous rounding retreats have reported feeling calmer, happier, and more grounded than when they arrived. They notice an enhanced sense of clarity and perceptual acuity that allows them to come away from the weekend with a newfound sense of presence and connection with the deep inner Self, resulting in a more frictionless and blissful experience of daily life.
This particular rounding retreat has been purposefully designed to be small, intimate, safe, and accessible during a time when stress seems to be at an all-time-high. So go ahead and give yourself the gift of deep rest. We all deserve it.
Private Queen with Private Bath / $1,200 or $1,800 for a couple - SOLD OUT
Private Twin with Shared Bath / $800 - SOLD OUT
Private Twin with Shared Bath / $800* - SOLD OUT
Private Twin with Shared Bath on separate floor / $700 - SOLD OUT
*this room can be converted to a twin share at $680 per person25% non-refundable deposit required to secure your spot.
Should the retreat be cancelled or postponed, or should you decide not to attend for any reason, the deposit will be available for use towards future retreats, advanced knowledge courses, advanced techniques, and private mentoring sessions.INDIA / pilgrimage
with Thom Knoles
January 2023
Join as Thom Knoles leads our beautiful global community through an incredibly immersive experience in Rishikesh, India -- land of the Veda and the birthplace of our amazing meditation technique. For more information and to join the waitlist for registration, click the button below!
nourish + inspire
outer sustenance to sustain our inner growth
BOOKS
Beyond our own direct experience, we can gain great value from learning about and from the experiences of others. Each of the books listed below piques curiosity and contains beautiful and wise words to nourish our mind, heart, and soul. Happy reading ♥
vedic knowledge + texts
The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Commentary (hardcover) // Maharishi Mahesh YogiThe Science of Being and Art of Living (hardcover) // Maharishi Mahesh YogiThe Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic // Ramesh Menon
The Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling // Ramesh Menon
Creating Affluence: The A-to-Z Steps to a Richer Life // Deepak Chopra
Devi: The Devi Bhagavatam Retold // Ramesh Menon
Siva: The Siva Purana Retold // Ramesh Menon
Shankara's Crest Jewel of Discrimination // Viveka-Chudamani
consciousness + spirituality
Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead // Tosha SilverA Return to Love // Maryanne WilliamsonHope for the Flowers // Trina PaulusLOVE and GOD // Maharishi Mahesh YogiAutobiography of a Yogi // Pramahansa YogananadaThe Four Agreements // Don Miguel RuizThe Alchemist // Paulo CoehloLife After Death: The Burden of Proof // Deepak Choprahuman science + stress
The Science of Being and Art of Living (hardcover) // Maharishi Mahesh YogiThe Biology of Belief // Bruce LiptonThe Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science // Norman Doidge M.D.Why Zebras Don't get Ulcers // Robert M. SapolskyMolecules of Emotion // Candace B. PertTranscendence // Norman E. Rosenthal MDThe Neurophysiology of Enlightenment // Robert Keith Wallacehealth + ayurveda
Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide // Deepak ChopraQuantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine // Deepak ChopraA Woman's Best Medicine // Nancy Lonsdorflove + relating
True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart // Thich Nhat HanhThe Way of the Superior Man: A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire // David DeidaLOVE and GOD // Maharishi Mahesh YogiA Return to Love // Maryanne WilliamsonDear Lover: A Woman's Guide to Men, Sex, and Love's Deepest Bliss // David DeidaThe Four Agreements // Don Miguel RuizHow to Love // Thich Nhat HanhIntimate Communion: Awakening Your Sexual Essence // David DeidaThe 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts // Gary Chapmangrowing + guiding tiny ones
For a Blissful Baby: Healthy and Happy Pregnancy with Maharishi Vedic Medicine // Dr. Kumuda Reddy, Linda Egence and Margaret MullinsMadre // Jessica Chapnik KahnPODCASTS
Veda is an oral tradition. As such, there really is no better way to re-awaken the universal knowledge within than to let the vibration of wisdom wash over us. When it is not possible to do this in person, we can take a few moments to slow down, tune in, and enjoy a podcast from the recommendations below.
vedic knowledge
The Vedic World View with Thom Knoles
Is the Age of the Guru Over? Tapping into your Inner-Guru, and Vedic Meditation – with Rachel Gross on Sacred Leadership with Sigrid Tasies
health + ayurveda
The Vital Veda Podcast with Dylan SmithAny podcast featuring Dr. Zach BushA Quiet Chat About Cancer - Talking About the Things You Don't Talk About on Live Like You Love Yourself with Chara Caruthers and Maria Kirstengrowing + guiding tiny ones
Meditation for Mother and Baby on The Vedic World View with Thom KnolesThom Knoles Part II: Mothers Elevating Consciousness on Under the Hood with Patti QuinteroThe Initiation of Man: Two Nine-Time Fathers Talk About the Magic of Birth on Taking Back Birth with Maryn Green (interview by Jason Green, Maryn's husband)EMAILS + BLOGS
If we're wanting some extra love and support on our meditation journey, we can sign up for regular emails and scroll through Vedic resources to help keep us on track. A little hit of ancient wisdom can breathe life into our everyday experiences and helps to remind us of the Truth of what it is that we're doing here in these squishy little bodies.
vedic knowledge
Sporadic Love Notes from Rachel GrossDaily Thoughts from Jeff KoberWeekly Wisdom from Susan ChenWeekly Dose of Inspiration from Jamey HoodWeekly Vedic Thoughts from Kristen Vandivierjyotish / vedic astrology
Emails from Blaine WatsonQUOTES
Some words of wisdom from the Masters of the tradition.
Jai Guru Deva ♥
"You deserve the best.
Never feel unworthy or unjustified in having the best.
I tell you, this is your heritage;
But you have to accept it.
You have to expect it.
You have to claim it.
To do so is not demanding too much.”- Guru Deva (Swami Brahmananda Saraswati)"We have infinite reasons to be happy and a serious responsibility to not be serious."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"Let go of the right to have an opinion of yourself."
- Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)"Life finds its purpose and fulfillment in the expansion of happiness."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"No one has the right to suffer. Because suffering is contagious, it is irresponsible to indulge it. We have the birthright to live in fearless happiness, in harmony with evolution."
-Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)"Just think of any negativity that comes at you as a raindrop falling into the ocean of your bliss."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"Traveling the earth's surface is valuable only to the extent you have traversed the depths of your own mind."
- Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)"The important thing is this: to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"Nature's command: EVOLVE."
- Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)"You must learn to take life less seriously and to laugh. The highest state is laughter."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"The human brain is a pharmacy, capable of producing higher consciousness states than any external substance, whether plant or synthetic."
- Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)"Man is the master of his own destiny."
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"All we are looking for is the ocean that is already within us."
- Thom Knoles (Maharishi Vyasanada Saraswati)want more Maharishi Mahesh Yogi quotes?
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© 2021 Rachel Gross Meditation All Right Reserved
design and content by Rachel Gross
headshots by Maz Valcorza
♥ JAI GURU DEVA ♥
Rachel Gross teaches Vedic Meditation and was trained to do so by Thom Knoles, who also teaches Vedic Meditation. Thom was trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (“TM”) by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (“Maharishi”) and taught it for over 25 years with organizations affiliated with Maharishi. Since 1997, Thom has continued to teach meditation as he learned it from Maharishi and has done so independently and separately from the TM organizations. Rachel Gross is also an independent meditation teacher. She is not affiliated in any way with the Maharishi Foundation USA, or with any trademark, program, service, or organization that is affiliated with, or a licensee of, the Maharishi Foundation USA. Vedic Meditation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider regarding any medical conditions you may be experiencing.
We value your privacy, which is why no personal data is EVER shared. With anyone. For any reason. Period.