Illusion and Reality

A perennial topic in metaphysics is "What is reality?" The question also
interests people in many fields, from science to philosophy. Here, we will
focus on the belief that the material world is not reality, but an
illusion. Your everyday person does not believe this. You will find that
mostly New Agers, Buddhists, and some philosophers (professional and
otherwise) do.

Sensitive people benefit from such a philosophy. As they grow and grasp
their existential situation, "life is an illusion" becomes a welcomed
psychological defense mechanism. It buffers the existential shock. Reality
is not our experiential universe; it exists in an other-dimensional,
non-material plane of existence.

Shakespeare hinted at it with his comment, "Life is but a shadow walking."
Buddha, however, was the first to popularize it. Before him, Hinduism had
explained that the material world was real but temporary and, therefore,
not worth sacrificing your inner self. Buddha took this a step further.
The material world, indeed, was not worth it, but was unreal, as well.
Some ask, "Does the temporal nature of the material world make it any less
real, or is that the nature of reality?"

Evidence

To begin, let us examine the evidence. What do our senses - our
bio-equipment - tell us? Although they are imperfect instruments, they
give the impression that what we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel are
real. Even our thoughts, which we experience by "hearing" words and
"seeing" images, appear real. All conscious input suggests that we are
experiencing reality. What evidence, then, supports the contrary?

Some say, "It's all one thing - energy - in the mind of God." Does that,
however, make it less real? Reality has to be built of something, why not
of energy/matter? Let us assume that the energy/matter universe *is* a
fantasy. Of what, then, is true reality composed? We have no way of
knowing. Even if we did, we could not communicate it. Thinking and
language are dualistic, using symbols that must, in some way, correlate to
human understanding. How about metaphysical experiences? Even they remain
within the conceptual bounds of material reality.

For instance, I was living in a Sai Baba house in Washington, DC. There, I
had my first out-of-body experience. While meditating, I felt myself leave
my body. I was instantaneously transported to an exotic palace. Glancing
down, I noticed that I was floating about a yard above the ground. I also
noticed that I had no feet. Across the tile floor, tastefully designed in
black and white marble, were two men. Dressed in white and wearing
turbans, they spoke softly. One stroked his long beard.

I was surprised when I noticed a small boy, about 10 years old, standing
cross-legged in the center of the floor. He was Indian, with classic
almond-shaped eyes, and was playing a flute. However, I should have been
*really* surprised, because his skin was blue. Yet, the only sound that
left my mouth was a muffled, "Wow." Although I cannot remember how the
flute melody went, I do remember that it sounded exquisite.

In the next moment, I was whisked to the right towards the end of the
hall. Still hovering a few feet off the ground, I was looking down at the
Indian guru, Sai Baba. He was sitting, relaxed, on a marble throne.
Glancing up, he smiled an irresistible smile, and said, "I love you." The
power of his words was so profound that I started to cry. This broke the
spell. I heard an intense inner sound - zzzzztt - as I reentered my body.

Some would call this a dream, others an hallucination. Some would call it
a lie. To me, it was an astral experience, an example of an other-
dimensional reality. Yet, I saw, heard, felt, and thought: all basic
material-world experiences. If our thoughts and senses - our material-
reality interpreting gear - are part of the illusion, then they hopelessly
distort the way we perceive and understand astral and other transphysical
experiences. This must include true reality.

So, what evidence supports the idea the material world is a mirage? We
have none. We have only thoughts about true reality - a better world - and
what it might be like. Thoughts, though, are the product of a physical
organ, the brain. If your brain goes on the fritz, so do your thoughts.
The brain is a survival mechanism developed by and for use in the material
world.

You could argue that insight or revelation is different from thought.
However, each delivers its message in words, images, and feelings. These
filters cover the message with the ink splash of material illusion.

Create Your Own/Learning

How does this belief mesh with the New Age tenet, "I create my reality"?
If the world is an illusion, then you "create your illusion," not your
reality. Your actions, too, would be unreal. What is the point of acting,
then, if life is but some deity's day dream? The answer is that you
*learn* from your experience.

However, if your actions and their results are illusions, you are not
learning anything real. Can you even be certain that you are learning
anything? You cannot. At best, you can say, "Everything is an illusion - I
think. Okay; what's next?"

Another popular New Age tenet is, "I am one with everything." That means
you are one with the illusion. Being the hallucination, how can you know
that you are one with everything - or anything? You are probably
hallucinating. "Know thyself [and hallucinate]." Perhaps, you can know
what reality is not: "This isn't it." Or can you? What if the material
world is part real and part illusion? (Probability Rating: 97.82516)
Then, you must discriminate between the two. How can you discern the
difference, though, when "all is one"?

If life is an illusion, then you were not really born to begin with. You
are reading this with illusion eyes, illusion light, and an illusion
brain. When you say that the world is an illusion, you are using an
illusion brain and an illusion mouth to say it. "I am not real, but I know
what is." The work-around is to say that *you* are real, but your "vehicle"
is not. Yet, the "real" you can only think and speak Illusionese.
Coincidence?

The Dream

Maybe we are all dreaming. One day, the universe itself will "wake up,"
and we will find ourselves in a state of unimaginable bliss. In the
meantime, we are "down here," doing whatever we think is best. The
"illusion" of pain, loss, and fear still hurts.

Mystics have advised that by meditating you can transcend much of the
suffering. Let us assume that you transcended all of it. Would that mean
the material world is an illusion, or just how you perceive and relate to
it?

Relief and Evil

The idea that life is an hallucination takes the edge off suffering,
guilt, and helplessness. Headline: "Tidal wave kills 5,000." No big deal.
"Fires leave thousands homeless." No problem. This view also makes it
easier to be evil. Headline: "Hitler kills six million; Stalin kills one
hundred million." There are no victims, because no one really died. Their
lives were illusions, like a movie.

Can I then cheat, lie, steal, and kill with impunity, because I cannot
harm anyone?

Lawyer: "Your Honor, it's sort of true that my client killed three people
while robbing the bank. But as you know, it's all an illusion."

Judge: "Why, of course; not guilty. Next case."

Nothing matters except, perhaps, that you "wake up" from Maya hell so you
need not come back anymore. Is that a spiritual motive?

"But there's karma," you say. "You must come back and pay." If you master
the Illusion Principle, then you know that the punishment in your alleged
next life will be an hallucination, too. Like this, you can return
throughout eternity, each time honing your skills at becoming a more
effective Dark Master.

Inversely, why should I be positive, good, or serve others? You can easily
discount good works. Headline: "Mother Teresa Helps Sick and Poor." So
what. The IROOT:NOTian First Miraculodynamic Principle states, "There is
nowhere to go and nothing to do, but we go there and do it anyway." Does
that mean life is an illusion? No, it does not. Why should I "do it
anyway"? Because at some level, it feels more right to do it - more right
than either not doing it or doing something else.

Results

These examples show real-life results of putting the belief "life is
illusion" into action. As a belief, it is harmless enough. If everyone
acted on it, though, we would cause a massive purging by releasing the
Dark Legions into this dimension. This, in turn, would invite totalitarian
regimes to form, making spiritual practice much more difficult. Be careful
what you wish for.

You could say that spiritually advanced people would not act negatively on
this principle. Would that make them exempt from civil and criminal law,
though, if they did? "It's okay - I'm spiritual. Sorry. . . ." And what
would you propose as punishment for the not-spiritually advanced who did
act negatively? Lastly, what are the benefits of believing "life is
illusion"?

More Beliefs

Another belief that would have negative results when put into action is,
"There are no limits or restrictions." Perhaps this works in Heaven. In
life, however, everywhere you look you find limits.

"Limitlessness exists in humanity's inability to grasp the Truth." Zimnek
Lanche, Nez Master.

Limits exist on how much you can eat, how fast your heart can beat, the
diameter of stars in this universe, and everything else that you can
experience. Theoretically, a limit exists on units of length, the smallest
unit being the Planck length - 10 to the power of -33 centimeters.
Nothing can be smaller. Even light, perhaps the purest manifestation of
God, has limits. Here is the twist, though.

You look and see limits everywhere, with few, if any, exceptions
(mathematics?). You say, "Limits exist." This would suggest that you are
"Awake." To some, however, it means that you are asleep - hypnotized by
Maya.

IROOT:NOTians understand this daunting, dualistic dilemma. In response,
they raise their right hand as they Surf the Earth Plane. Balanced on
their neo-sacred Surf Board sits their Surfing Equipment: a Cup, fashioned
from electrum, filled with Spring Water; a finely carved oak Wand for
Balance; a fat, stylized Waterproof Wallet, fastened with Velcro (TM) to
reflect the times, and; an official IROOT:NOT Brand "St. Michael the
Archangel Sword of Light" (TM) to ward off sharks.

More IROOT:NOT Transmissions

I want to share a rare transmission from the 42nd Century. We have
received only a few fragments from that period.

"In human history, no one, regardless how revered, renowned, or holy, has
walked fully the Way of Light. At best, the prophets were perfect."
NiagadNa, Nez Master.

In the short term - the course of your life - you can discover something.
You can examine your ideas within the context of everyday life. Apply the
idea to everyone, say, in New York City. Will it contribute to a
miraculous life or open a door to hell? Or, is it plain wrong? For
instance, try this thought experiment. Have everyone act on this idea: "If
I choose, I can jump from a tall building and fly." Part of "Lightwork" is
to shatter illusions. If you support ideas that anyone can easily prove
false, then you are supporting darkness. Remember where and when you are.
The closer to the Truth, the more Light.

New Axiom

Now is the appropriate time to introduce the IROOT:NOTian Fifth
Miraculodynamic Axiom: "This is as real as it gets, until it gets more
real." For example, take the "X-Factor." An X-Factor is a probability that
exists but is unknown to us now. When revealed, it magically converts the
way we perceive current reality into something new. We may then act on
this new information. This allows new probabilities to manifest.

Say God made the universe as a dream, but gave us no means of knowing
this. Even those who are "Awake" and claim this - reality is a dream - can
only be 100% sure within themselves that they are right. One day, however,
something may be discovered, invented, or revealed that would change the
situation. The idea would become a fact rather than a real hunch. Until
then, though, this is as real as it gets.

Time, Love

Time represents an indispensable component of the material world. It is
actually more relative than it is an illusion. All movements,
relationships, feelings, actions, and thoughts take place within time.
Some say, "Transcend. Go to where you can watch time unfold, like the
frames of a movie. This puts your consciousness in the place of the
Watcher." However, because "it's all one thing," the Watcher is part of
the mirage, as well, watching itself hallucinate. Metaphysical
schizophrenia?

Is *love* reality? What is it? Love is not an emotion or a feeling,
although we can experience emotional reactions when we are in its
presence. Some believe love is a psychological condition that allows all
things to unfold unconditionally. Yet, all psychological conditions -
structures of words, images, thoughts, and feelings - are part of the
illusion. IROOT:NOTics states "love is an energy that can flow through
you. It simultaneously relaxes, supports, uplifts, and energizes." Its
message is that life is real.

Conclusion

This and other pithy questions have muddled the minds of man for
millennia. When wrestling with these rudimentary riddles, the IROOT:NOTian
closes one eye, then the other, then opens both. She then blinks a
specific number of times in a mystical rhythm. This opens the door to the
Fifth Way, to wit:

Physical evidence proves that life is real. This I believe.

Metaphysical reasoning and experience show that life is unreal. This I
believe.

I understand, then, that both are true.

However, each negates the possibility that the other is true.

Therefore, both are false. This I believe.

I then move to the Fifth Way.

(Of this, I can say Nothing.)

I can, though, share another example:

"If you see life as a tragedy and cannot see it as a comedy, then you are
not living high enough.

"If you see life as a comedy and cannot see it as a tragedy, then you are
not living deeply enough.

"Where is the line that divides high from deep? It awaits in the narrow
chamber that separates the Quasi-Left Lobe from the Lunar Lobe of your
Center Brain. There, in a cavern less tall than a thought, you will find
the entrance to the Fifth Way. Enter. Know illumination." Nasod Lamosa,
Nez Master

Conclusion, Part II

Does your answer to the question "Is the world real or is it an illusion"
make any difference? People argue about it a lot. Whatever your choice,
the IROOT:NOTian "Universal Four" reminds us, "It's a life." The Honorable
Judge Lightly in session.

Part of my life's project is to explore. Some clamor, claiming that I
cater to confusion rather than devoting myself deeply to dispelling
distortion. Yet, acting on "everything is an illusion" could conceivably
contribute to caustic conditions.

Then again, that idea could be the silken string on which dream beads are
strung.

Surf the Paradox.

Subatomically Yours,

Rev. Dr. Evin O'Ryan
Starbuilders

"Trust in Allah, but tie up your camel first." Islamic Proverb

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