Acharya Prashant explains that the Self or Atman is not separate from the 'I'. He describes the ego as that which lives in a two-way separation, viewing itself as distinct from both the world and the Atman. While the ego identifies with various titles and objects, it fails to see that the basis of its own existence and the existence of the world is the same. He clarifies that the world and the individual are one at the level of sensory perception; if the senses are removed, both the world and the egoic 'I' dissolve into nothingness. This state of being that remains when everything else is gone is what is called Atman. He emphasizes that the Atman is the fundamental element of which the ego and the world are mere expansions. When this expansion contracts, only the element remains; when it spreads, the world appears. Acharya Prashant further asserts that this truth can only be understood through the evidence of meditation. Without the experience of meditation, one cannot comprehend how they can exist when both the world and the ego are absent. Regarding the practice of meditation, he addresses the concern of whether specific timed sessions are useful. He states that if a meditation technique helps one remain centered and meditative throughout the twenty-four hours of the day, it is beneficial. However, if one treats a forty-minute session as a 'quota' of peace that grants a license for unconsciousness and chaos for the rest of the day, it becomes counterproductive. The value of any practice depends entirely on the direction of one's mind and whether it fosters a continuous state of awareness or merely serves as a temporary ritual.