Acharya Prashant explains that all spiritual advice is directed solely toward the ego, or the 'I tendency,' because it is the only entity that perceives itself as a sufferer or as incomplete. He clarifies that neither the Self nor material objects require guidance. The defining characteristic of the ego is the constant repetition of the belief that it is suffering and in need of something. To transcend means for the ego to move beyond this fundamental belief in its own suffering. He observes that humans are often predisposed toward suffering and feel uncomfortable when it is absent, as if suffering is a mandatory part of existence. Because the ego is identical to the statement 'I am suffering,' the disappearance of suffering results in the disappearance of the ego itself. Consequently, individuals often stubbornly cling to their suffering and subconsciously refuse joy, love, and freedom, as these states would eliminate the ego.