Acharya Prashant responds to a question about wanting to be free from the illusory world (Maya). He explains that the world is only an illusion when you do not understand it. Using the analogy of a cap, he states that if you wear it on your head, it serves its purpose, but if you cover your face with it, it becomes an illusion. Maya is knowing something for what it is not. For instance, considering a cap to be a sock is Maya, or using a muffler as a noose is Maya. To know a thing as it is and to give it its proper place is to be free from illusion. The speaker clarifies that Maya is not the world itself, but the misunderstanding of the world. The world contains everything, including both liberation and bondage. The key is to know how to use the world and to establish a proper relationship with it. The Supreme Being itself has manifested as this world, dancing in various forms. One must recognize the Supreme in these forms; not recognizing it is Maya. He further illustrates that the world is not an illusion, but our lack of understanding towards it is. A cap is not an illusion, but it becomes one if you use it to cover a fire. Similarly, tea is for drinking; if you try to chew the cup, that is Maya. You must know the proper use of things. When you are suffering, it is a sign that you are holding onto something you shouldn't be. The only cause of suffering is holding onto the wrong things. Everything is available in the world, including liberation. You just have to stop having an affinity for bondage. The lesson is to know how to have the right relationship with things. The mind's nature is to accumulate, which is why the wise taught non-possessiveness (Aparigraha). Spirituality is the art of taking off your clothes (identities), bathing (cleansing), and then wearing them again with awareness and fondness. You must know how to take things off. The one who doesn't know how to take things off will start to stink.