Acharya Prashant explains that there is often a significant time gap between the realization of the self and the complete flushing out of mental images and past conditioning. He clarifies that while liberation is instantaneous, the flow of cause and effect from the past continues to bear fruit for a long time. He advises against waiting for these effects to cease, as self-inquiry does not immediately remove physical or worldly burdens like debt or illness. Instead, self-inquiry provides a sense of ease even amidst such restrictions. He defines 'stepping back' not as a physical action, but as the refusal to step forward into the pursuit of the fruits of action or into the future of time. Regarding emotional expression, Acharya Prashant argues that attempting to be happy while feeling miserable only validates and preserves the misery. He suggests that misery disappears only through full frontal acknowledgment and exposure. By looking closely at the contours of sadness rather than suppressing it, the emotion eventually exhausts itself. He notes that when one observes sadness from the center of witnessing awareness, there is no need to block or indulge in any action; one simply allows the natural expression, such as crying, to occur. He emphasizes that the destination itself will eventually clear any residual obstructions or stiffness in one's expression if one remains firm in that center. Finally, the discussion touches upon the methods of Gurdjieff, whom Acharya Prashant describes as a master of encounters who used ruthless methods to expose the suppressed tendencies of his followers. He explains that spiritual teachers often have to act as 'salespersons' for the intangible, confronting individuals with unsettling experiences to demonstrate the reality of their inner state. He concludes that because most people live in a false sense of happiness, they must be provoked into acknowledging their own misery before they can truly seek liberation.
