Acharya Prashant explains that the true meaning of 'Atma' or the self is pure consciousness (Chaitanya). He asserts that one's existence is directly linked to consciousness; if one is not in a state of awareness or 'hosh', they do not truly exist. Mere physical activities like eating, sitting, or walking are not signs of true existence; the only sign of being is 'knowing' or being conscious. He categorizes knowing into three levels: imagination, facts, and truth. Most people live in imagination, while some operate at the level of facts, which always involves a duality between the knower and the known. Truth, however, is a state of being and attention that has no object and transcends duality.