Vedic Meditation originates from the ancient Vedic tradition, that same tradition that brought yoga, Ayurveda and many Eastern philosophies to the world. Vedic Meditation has been practiced for over 5000 years and was designed for ‘householders’, people like you and me, who live busy lives. It is a simple technique, just like brushing your teeth, and does not require you to change your lifestyle, religious beliefs or faith to feel the benefits.
Increased resistance to stress
Strengthen immune system
Normalise blood pressure and cholesterol
Reverse biological aging
Improve digestion
Depression and anxiety
Migraines and headaches
Asthma and allergies
Addictions and PTSD
Reduce stress chemicals in the body
Improve decision making skills
Enhance creativity
Gain greater ability to adapt to change
Faster reaction times
Perform better under pressure
Decrease length of recovery post physical exertion
Increase concentration
Improve memory
Enhance learning capacity
Gain greater efficiency
Increase mental potential
Increased energy levels
Improve sleep
Relief from insomnia
Reduce fatigue
Improve self-confidence
Increase deep inner contentedness
Refine intuition
Experience spontaneous happiness
Improve relationships
Increase empathy
In my early twenties I came to the realisation that all the people I looked up to had one thing in common, a daily practice. Whether it was yoga, meditation, watching the sunrise, or connecting to music through drum or dance, these people seemed more grounded, calm and connected to their authentic self.
It led me to learn Vedic Meditation at the age of twenty-four, mainly to help cope with the stress and fatigue of working within the disability and education sectors. Whilst I loved my job supporting children with Autism, I was constantly unwell, had lost ten kilos in less than two years of full-time work and lacked the energy and vitality most young men my age possessed. I knew I couldn’t continue living this way and I had the overwhelming feeling something needed to change.
After learning Vedic Meditation, I was surprised at how quickly I felt the tangible changes in my physical health, mental clarity and in my ability relating to others. Most importantly, I felt more connected to myself, my purpose and was feeling happier, often for no reason. The best part was, I could practise anywhere on my own and was able to dissolve my stress and fatigue in a sustainable and natural way. My work and personal demands hadn’t reduced (in fact, my work demands increased), but I was now engaging with them from a place of greater happiness and inner fulfillment. It even made barracking for my beloved Sydney Swans a calmer and more enjoyable experience!
It led me to spend the next five years deepening my understanding of ancient Vedic knowledge and how it relates to modern day science, studying in both Australia and India. I began to integrate this knowledge into my life and as a result, my desire to share the practice and knowledge grew.
In 2019, I became a qualified teacher of Vedic Meditation after a three-month, intensive residential training program in the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India led by Thom Knoles, who is internationally considered to be a Master Teacher of Vedic Meditation. Upon graduating, I received what only a handful of teachers have received worldwide, the personal blessing to teach from the Supreme authority of the Vedic world, His Holiness, Shri Shri 1008 Swami Kailashanand Brahmachari Maharaj, who is the Mahamandaleshwar (King of the Shankaracharyas).
I now teach in Ocean Shores in the Byron Shire, in Sydney and around Australia and continue to work as an Occupational Therapist. I am passionate about sharing Vedic Meditation with individuals, organisations and communities who want to improve their health and wellbeing in an accessible and easy to learn way.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a revered spiritual teacher from the Shankaracharya lineage of the Vedic tradition. Dan Snow teaches Vedic Meditation and was trained to teach this form of meditation by Thom Knoles. 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 this meditation as he learned it from Maharishi and has done so independently and separately from the TM organizations, using the terms “Vedic Meditation". Thom Knoles trained Dan to teach meditation as Thom was trained to teach meditation by Maharishi. Dan teaches Vedic Meditation independently and separately from TM organizations and is not affiliated with those organizations or their current services, processes or programs. However, if you have learned Transcendental Meditation you are welcome to speak to Dan about joining his regular group meditations. “Transcendental Meditation,” has been the subject of hundreds of scientific studies showing a wide range of benefits from regular practice. These studies, which refer to this form of meditation using the name “Transcendental Meditation” or “TM”, support the benefits obtainable from regular practice of Vedic Meditation.
