Acharya Prashant critiques the modern mindfulness and 'living in the now' movements, labeling them as dangerous cults and fake spiritual philosophies rooted in industrial consumerism. He argues that these movements are often dishonest attempts to escape the past without actually resolving it. According to him, no authentic scripture teaches the concept of the 'present moment' as it is understood today. He explains that the past cannot be simply ignored because the current self and body are products of that past. To truly be free from the past, one must either settle their 'bills'—meaning resolving past actions and debts—or undergo a spiritual death of the ego. He characterizes the mindfulness movement as a form of selective amnesia that allows individuals to avoid responsibility while continuing to indulge the ego.