Acharya Prashant explains that human freedom is so absolute that a person even has the freedom to decide they are not free. He clarifies that freedom depends on one's self-definition; if a person's sense of existence is dependent on external factors like money, physical strength, ideology, or the opinions of others, then they are not truly free. True freedom is not about following one's own whims or desires. In fact, he asserts that following one's own desires is a greater form of slavery than following the desires of others, because one mistakenly believes those desires are their own. Spiritual liberation is defined specifically as liberation from the self. He describes the ego as a small room labeled 'I' where all thoughts and choices occur. Moving within this room only validates the confinement. To find a way out, one must stop the constant movement of the mind and its habitual choices. When multiple options arise from the mind, rejecting all of them can miraculously reveal a fourth, unseen path. This process of going against mental conditioning and habits is what constitutes spiritual practice or 'Sadhana'. While it may be difficult initially, consistent practice leads to a state of natural ease. Regarding the urge to fulfill desires born of external influence, Acharya Prashant suggests that if a desire is too overwhelming to ignore, one may fulfill it but must remain fully alert to the consequences. If a certain pattern or desire repeats itself in a cycle, it indicates a lack of awareness. Once the beginning and end of a process are clearly observed and understood with total awareness, that pattern naturally falls away from one's life and ceases to repeat.
