Acharya Prashant explains that when Lao Tzu speaks of 'ancient mankind,' he is not referring to a historical period or the dawn of civilization. Instead, 'ancient' signifies the center of time, a meditative point where time and change do not exist. He clarifies that the mind and time are inseparable; the mind exists only as long as time exists. Therefore, going back in time is a linear concept that does not apply to the infinite nature of the mind. True nature, or Tao, is this timeless, non-dual center that remains still while all movement occurs around it. One possesses this true nature without consciously 'knowing' it, because the act of knowing creates a dualistic separation between the knower and the known. Claiming knowledge of one's true nature is proof of being dislocated from it, which leads to suffering. Regarding conditioning, Acharya Prashant asserts that knowledge itself does not condition a person. Conditioning occurs only when one takes knowledge too seriously or views it as something beyond mere information. He defines conditioning as being influenced or molded by external circumstances. While the body and mind will inevitably sense and react to conditions—such as feeling pain or heat—spirituality lies in retaining an essential composure that remains untouched by these changes. He uses the analogy of a video game to illustrate this: one can be fully engaged in the game's actions and characters while maintaining a 'super knowledge' that the game is not the ultimate reality. Spirituality is not about escaping the world but about playing the game of life with the understanding that it is just a game, thereby avoiding the seriousness that leads to conditioning.