Acharya Prashant addresses the question of how to know things for oneself rather than relying on others. He explains that the way to know anything is by listening, not just to words, but to life itself. Life is not something distant or in another time; it is always here and now. To understand life, one must observe it with the same stillness and focused attention one would give to a speaker, without distractions. The speaker uses the metaphor of a sleepwalker to describe the state in which most people live. They move through life mechanically, following habits and routines without any real awareness of what they are doing or why. From a distance, this might appear normal, but a closer look reveals a lack of consciousness. We are all like this, following memorized paths and performing actions out of habit, without questioning their purpose. We are so accustomed to our ways that we don't even realize we are living like sleepwalkers. To break this mechanical existence, one must see life with one's own eyes and have the courage to accept what is seen, even if the truth is unpleasant. This direct seeing is what is meant by knowing. Life itself is the only true guru. One should observe everything—people on the street, daily routines, cultural festivals—with the fresh, questioning eyes of a child, free from preconceived notions. It is important to ask fundamental questions about why things are the way they are, rather than accepting them blindly. The greatest obstacle to knowing is believing or assuming. We are filled with borrowed knowledge and beliefs that we have accepted without question. To truly know, one must stop assuming and step back from these beliefs. The truth is not hidden; it is spread all around us. We only need to remove the veil of belief from our eyes to see it. The entire spiritual process is about cultivating this attention (dhyan), from which understanding (bodh) naturally arises.