Acharya Prashant explains that being spiritual means having the desire to know and understand. He clarifies that while everyone possesses this desire, it is often directed towards trivial matters that offer little to no real benefit. True spirituality, he asserts, is the honest pursuit of knowing what will fundamentally impact one's life, with honesty being the central element of this endeavor. He contrasts the curiosity about mundane things, like the manufacturing details of a towel, with the central questions of life. He points out that people suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental afflictions not due to a lack of trivial knowledge, but because they are grappling with core life issues. These central issues, he explains, are related to the mind and include problems with relationships, identity, anger, jealousy, and attachment. Our education system, he notes, teaches us about external subjects but fails to address these internal problems that are the true source of suffering. Even for a brilliant scientist, the more significant issue is their own mind, which can be troubled by personal matters like jealousy or love. Spirituality, therefore, is the practice of deeply engaging with these fundamental questions: What is life? Why do we do what we do? Who is the doer? This requires pausing the mechanical 'routine life' that often leads to frustration. Using the analogy of a malfunctioning car, he suggests that continuing a life that causes suffering is like driving a broken-down vehicle in the wrong direction. It is better to stop, inspect, and repair it. He urges the listener to examine their 'routine life,' which is often filled with non-essential tasks, and to realize it is not an unchangeable, sacred truth. One must re-prioritize, choosing mental well-being over mundane chores, because this so-called routine is not a meaningful journey but a drunken stumble.
