Acharya Prashant explains that self-awareness begins with self-knowledge, which involves understanding the 'self' as a combination of body and mind. Self-knowledge is the conscious observation of one's actions and thoughts. He points out that most people act instinctively and mechanically, like machines, without pausing to ask why they behave in certain ways. By watching these actions and thoughts, one discovers that they are almost entirely influenced by external factors, such as the crowd or surroundings, rather than being one's own choice. He describes self-knowledge as a process of reduction and annihilation, often referred to as 'neti neti'. As one observes their thoughts and actions, they realize that what they previously identified as 'themselves' is actually a collection of external influences and mechanical conditioning. This realization leads to the understanding that the self is not what it appears to be. When this accumulated 'garbage' of influences is cleared away, what remains is a clean emptiness and pure openness known as self-awareness. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that while self-knowledge has objects—specifically one's thoughts and actions—self-awareness is not the consciousness of any object. Instead, it is a state of unhindered and unlimited freedom. He encourages being conscious of one's current behavior to avoid living in a 'sleeping' or mechanical way. Ultimately, self-knowledge is presented as a form of great empowerment that allows an individual to act out of their own intelligence rather than being a puppet of their environment.