• 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 Jai Guru Deva,

    Rachel

  • CURRENTLY ON MATERNITY LEAVE

    while I am resting and nesting with a growing family, please be in touch with one of my amazing colleagues to be warmly welcomed to their worldwide in-person and online group meditations, as well as regular newsletters, introductory talks, learn to meditate courses, retreats, and advanced knowledge offerings. I look forward to reconnecting with everyone when I return to teaching sometime later in the year.

    ♥

    - with much Love and Jai Guru Deva -

  • 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 meditators 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.

    If group meditation is cancelled, please be in touch with one of my amazing colleagues to be warmly welcomed into a network of worldwide in-person and online group meditations

    ONLINE

    USA >> wednesdays ♥ 7.00 - 8.00pm EDT / 4.00 - 5.00pm PDT

    AUS >> thursdays ♥ 9.00 - 10.00am AEST

    VIA ZOOM

    zoom room opens 5 minutes early for an on-time start

    email for zoom log in

    may 7th / may 8th
    may 14th / may 15th
    may 21st / may 22nd
    may 28th / may 29th
    june / on maternity leave
    july / on maternity leave
    august / on maternity leave
    want to receive weekly email reminders with login details? sign up HERE.

    IN PERSON

    sundays ♥ 9.00 - 10.00am AEDT/AEST

    NOWRA, NSW

    studio opens at 8:50am

    email for location details

    may - august / on maternity leave
    but weekly in-person group meditation
    will still be on and led by other teachers

    PITTSBURGH, PA

    +

    2026 dates to be scheduled

    LOS ANGELES, CA

    +

    2026 dates to be scheduled

    NEW YORK, NY

    +

    2026 dates to be scheduled

    First time joining? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself.

  • GROUP

    ROUND

    CURRENTLY

    ON

    HOLD

    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 meditators 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.

    Interested in being notified when group rounds are back on? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself.

  • MONTHLY

    WOMEN'S

    GATHERING

    CURRENTLY

    ON

    HOLD

    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 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.

    PAST TOPICS OF EXPLORATION
    societal constructs of femininity
    emotions in the workplace
    feminine sexuality and sensuality
    moving through victimhood
    feminine playfulness
    creative expressions of feminine consciousness
    living in alignment with cycles
    healthy and sacred relationship with beauty
    passing feminine wisdom on to our children

    Interested in being notified when monthly women's gatherings are back on? Fill in the form below or send an email to introduce yourself.

  • 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

    COURSE DATES / nowra
    upcoming 2025 dates TBA
    COURSE DATES / pittsburgh

    2026 dates TBA

    COURSE DATES / los angeles

    2026 dates TBA

    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

    WORKSHOP DATES / nowra
    upcoming 2025 dates TBA
    WORKSHOP DATES / pittsburgh

    2026 dates TBA

    WORKSHOP DATES / los angeles

    2026 dates TBA

    Live elsewhere and feeling ready to learn an advanced practice? Get in touch to arrange a private course or connect with 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 listening 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 creating 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.

     

    A note from Thom Knoles on Exploring the Veda

    PRE-REQUISITES

    All students registering for Exploring the Veda must have completed a 4-day/in-person meditation course. In addition, students 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 installment leads naturally into the next.

    INVESTMENT

    $770 per installment* / $108 to re-sit

    includes all tuition, take home notes, meals, snacks, sweets, and teas, plus an ongoing WhatsApp group for questions and integration support

    *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.

    COURSE DATES / nowra, nsw

    2025/2026 intake

    ETV 1 > feb 7th - 9th, 2025

    ETV 2 > apr 11th - 13th, 2025

    ETV 3 > sept 12th - 14th, 2025

    ETV 4 > nov 28th - 30th, 2025

    ETV 5 > 2026 dates TBA

    ETV 6 > 2026 dates TBA

    SAMPLE WEEKEND FORMAT / times may vary by installment

    Friday 3.00pm - 9.30pm (including dinner)

    Saturday 10.00am - 6.30pm (including lunch)

    Sunday 9.30am - 5.00pm (including lunch)

    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.

     

    A note from Thom Knoles on Mastering the Siddhis

    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.

    INVESTMENT for MTS1-5

    $1,240 per installment* / $180 to re-sit

    includes all tuition, meals, snacks, sweets, and teas, plus an ongoing WhatsApp group for questions and integration support

    INVESTMENT for MTS6

    $1,800* + cost of hopping mat / $270 to re-sit

    includes all tuition, meals, snacks, sweets, and teas, plus an ongoing WhatsApp group for questions and integration support

    *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.

    COURSE DATES / nowra, nsw

    2025 intake

    MTS 1 > feb 1st - 2nd

    MTS 2 > apr 5th - 6th

    MTS 3 > may 10th - 11th

    MTS 4 > aug 23rd - 24th

    MTS 5 > oct 11th - 12th

    MTS 6 > dec 12th - 14th

    SAMPLE WEEKEND FORMAT / times may vary by installment

    Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm (including lunch)

    Sunday 10.00pm - 5.00pm (including lunch)

    Live elsewhere and feeling curious about advanced knowledge? Get in touch to arrange home study, book in a private course, or connect with another qualified initiator in your local area.

  • USA / rounding

    with Thom Knoles

    may 22 - may 26, 2025

    sedona, AZ

    Give yourself the gift of retreat and join Thom Knoles for an unforgettable five days in Sedona.

     

    In addition to enjoying "industrial-strength meditation" through a personalized Rounding program, daily talks with Thom will allow you to gain greater depths of Vedic knowledge and its practical application in everyday life. Meditators will return to their lives with clarity of thinking, expanded happiness, and great purpose. Feelings of fatigue, anxiety, nervousness, and other imbalances may also greatly improve after Vedic Meditations retreats.

  • AUS / rounding

    with Thom Knoles

    june 25 - june 29, 2025

    south coast | gerringong, NSW

    Once again, Thom Knoles is returning to Australia and warmly invites you to retreat with him in Gerringong, NSW.


  • AUS / rounding

    with Joh Jarvis

    and Barron Hanson

    weekend 1: august 27th/28th - august 31st, 2025

    weekend 2: sept 3rd/4th - 7th, 2025

    blue mountains | leura, NSW

    Join Joh Jarvis and Barron Hanson at the beautiful Sinofeld Retreat Centre in Leura, Blue Mountains. You’ll be surrounded by stunning views, a lush natural environment, and incredible wildlife while you melt away months of stress in only a weekend.

  • INDIA / pilgrimage

    with Thom Knoles

    january 2026

    rishikesh

    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.

  • 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 Yogi

     

    The Science of Being and Art of Living (hardcover) // Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

     

    The 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 Silver
     
    A Return to Love // Maryanne Williamson
     
    Hope for the Flowers // Trina Paulus
     
    LOVE and GOD // Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
     
    Autobiography of a Yogi // Pramahansa Yogananada
     
    The Four Agreements // Don Miguel Ruiz
     
    The Alchemist // Paulo Coehlo
     
    Life After Death: The Burden of Proof // Deepak Chopra

    human science + stress

    The Science of Being and Art of Living (hardcover) // Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

     

    The Biology of Belief // Bruce Lipton

     

    The 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. Sapolsky

     

    Molecules of Emotion // Candace B. Pert

     

    Transcendence // Norman E. Rosenthal MD

     

    The Neurophysiology of Enlightenment // Robert Keith Wallace

    health + ayurveda

    Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide // Deepak Chopra
     
    Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine // Deepak Chopra
     
    A Woman's Best Medicine // Nancy Lonsdorf

    love + relating

    True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart // Thich Nhat Hanh

    LOVE and GOD // Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

    Love Warrior: A Memoir // Glennon Doyle

    From the Core: A New Masculine Paradigm for Leading with Love, Living Your Truth, and Healing the World // John Wineland

    A Return to Love // Maryanne Williamson

    The Way of the Superior Man: A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire // David Deida

    Dear Lover: A Woman's Guide to Men, Sex, and Love's Deepest Bliss // David Deida

    The Four Agreements // Don Miguel Ruiz

    How to Love // Thich Nhat Hanh

    Intimate Communion: Awakening Your Sexual Essence // David Deida

    The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts // Gary Chapman

    The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work // John M. Gottman, PhD

    growing + guiding tiny ones

    Ina May's Guide to Childbirth // Ina May Gaskin

    For a Blissful Baby: Healthy and Happy Pregnancy with Maharishi Vedic Medicine // Dr. Kumuda Reddy, Linda Egence and Margaret Mullins

    The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost // Jean Liedlofe

    Madre // Jessica Chapnik Kahn

    The Montessori Baby: A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding // Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike

  • PODCASTS

    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.

    health + ayurveda

    The Vital Veda Podcast with Dylan Smith

    Various podcasts featuring Dr. Zach Bush

    A Quiet Chat About Cancer - Talking About the Things You Don't Talk About on Live Like You Love Yourself with Chara Caruthers and Maria Kirsten

    growing + guiding tiny ones

    Meditation for Mother and Baby on The Vedic World View with Thom Knoles

     

    Thom Knoles Part I: Stress and Pregnancy on Under the Hood with Patti Quintero

     

    Thom Knoles Part II: Mothers Elevating Consciousness on Under the Hood with Patti Quintero

     

    Parental Stress -- From the Womb to the Grave on The Vedic Worldview with Thom Knoles

     

    The 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 

    Weekly Love Notes from Rachel Gross

     

    Free Meditators Membership Newsletter from Thom Knoles

     

    Daily Thoughts from Jeff Kober

     

    Weekly Wisdom from Susan Chen

     

    Weekly Dose of Inspiration from Jamey Hood

     

    Weekly Vedic Thoughts from Kristen Vandivier

    health + ayurveda

    Learn with Dylan Smith of Vital Veda

     

    Explore with Jes Chev

     

    Rustic Rishi with Alex Klein

     

    Hale Pule's Ayurveda & Yoga Blog

    jyotish / vedic astrology

    Emails from Blaine Watson

  • QUOTES

    Some words of wisdom from the Masters of the tradition.

    Jai Guru Deva ♥

    "You deserve the best.
    Never feel unworthy or not justified 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)
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