Acharya Prashant explains that the individual is the sole judge of whether their life is moving in the right direction. If one does not feel the presence of suffering, bondage, or confusion, they may continue as they are, but they must honestly and repeatedly question if everything is truly alright. He notes that humans have a tragic ability to adjust to a life that goes against their true nature. While a Guru or external grace can provide a jolt or present evidence of misalignment, the final decision to accept these truths and wake up remains with the individual. He suggests testing and experimenting with one's life; if something is truly right, it will withstand repeated scrutiny. Addressing the issue of fear, Acharya Prashant describes how fear leads to distance, and distance allows the mind to create false, terrifying stories about the object of fear. By avoiding something, like an animal or a situation, one loses the ability to know the actual facts, allowing the ego to construct a distorted reality. He emphasizes that hatred and fear are not based on facts but on these mental stories, which can only survive as long as distance is maintained. The ego often orchestrates situations to confirm its own biases, such as approaching a dog with a stick to provoke a reaction that 'proves' the dog is dangerous. He concludes that we are often imprisoned by our own perceptions, finding evidence to support whatever worldview we choose to hold.
