In response to a question about dealing with thoughts and sounds during meditation, Acharya Prashant explains that asking "To whom are these sounds arising?" is a limited practice because the answer is obvious: they are arising to the questioner. The very act of questioning reveals the one who is cognizant of the sounds. A better practice, he suggests, is to ask, "Why does the sound matter to me at all?" This deeper inquiry into why some sounds attract or offend while others do not reveals the nature of one's mind and the constitution of one's inner nature (Prakriti). This self-knowledge is what helps, as an ego that starts knowing itself does not remain charmed by itself for long. Acharya Prashant elaborates that a point may come when no sound matters enough to prompt questioning, which he describes as an unnecessary chore that prevents one from fully resting. The goal of spirituality is an utter inner relaxation where one can let the ears receive sounds and the mind process them, while the core of one's being remains in its natural state of relaxation. This state is achieved by developing respect and love for relaxation itself. This involves a process of negation—seeing what one accords value to in daily life. If one respects the sources of trouble, worry, and anxiety, it is impossible to respect restfulness. The speaker emphasizes that the "right one," or Truth, is absolute and demands total, undivided attention; it cannot be respected merely "as well" as other things. This requires being honest and acknowledging one's inner states for what they are, without mislabeling them—for instance, calling jealousy 'ambition' or lust 'love'. Spirituality is a 24/7 occupation of acknowledging what is, not policing oneself to fit a pre-determined standard. When a tendency like lust arises, one should simply acknowledge it and smile, recognizing it as the nature of the inner animal without becoming a participant in the act.
