Acharya Prashant clarifies that spiritual practice is not for the body, as the body only seeks basic biological needs like food and rest. While a fit body is necessary as an instrument for spiritual practice, fitness is not an end in itself. He compares the body to a vehicle that must be maintained only to reach a destination; prioritizing the vehicle over the destination is unintelligent. He further explains that the concept of a 'higher self' belonging to an individual is a misnomer. The true self is not personal, knowable, or something that can be possessed. It is beyond thought and imagination, and the small self can only surrender to this truth. He critiques the common spiritual claim of 'witnessing' the true self. He argues that if one claims to observe the true self or the witness, there must be a third entity observing both, which is logically absurd. A true witness sees everything but can never be seen. Talking about witnessing is often just the ego's attempt to grasp the truth. Instead of claiming to be 'nobody' or a 'witness,' one should accept the reality of being 'somebody' and choose humility. Humility is the final, forced choice that arises either through intelligence or through the suffering caused by arrogance and vanity. Ultimately, the ego must recognize its small place.
