What Are Illusions?

[Hyperion]

Illusion.

This is one of those words which are being thrown around in spiritual circles like they're confetti, and yet very few people seem to understand what the word actually refers to. So, let's analyze the confetti so that we can see it for what it really is(n't).

Here's what an illusion is NOT:

It's not something that isn't real.

It's not something that doesn't exist.

It's not a hallucination that is being "dreamed up" by some mysterious invisible being.

Here's what an illusion IS:

It is an incomplete perception (which is a tautology, since all perception is necessarily incomplete).

It is a relative perspective (as opposed to absolute truth).

It is a part of reality (as opposed to ALL of reality).

Here's an analogy: When we see a magician standing on a stage and performing a magic trick, why do we call that magic trick an illusion? Is it because there is no magician, no white rabbit and no hat that the rabbit is being pulled out of? NOPE. We call it an illusion because we are only seeing part of what is actually happening; we see a real magician pulling a real rabbit out of a real hat, but what we don't see is all of the stuff that is going on behind the scenes - all of the things that have been carefully hidden from our view so that we can be amazed and surprised by the things that we do see happening on stage; and since we are missing the full picture, it appears to us like magic.

Does this mean that the illusion is "bad"? No, it doesn't. Not only is the existence of illusions not bad, but in fact it is a necessary condition for reality being able to experience/be aware of itself, since reality can only ever be partially perceived and experienced, but never as a 100% complete whole.

No illusions = no experience of reality.

Here are examples of things that are illusions:

The black letters appearing on a white screen that you are seeing now are an illusion.

The thought "those black letters appearing on a white screen are just an illusion" is an illusion.

The notion that there is something rather than nothing is an illusion.

The notion that there is nothing rather than something is an illusion.

The notion that reality is physical is an illusion.

The notion that reality is a dream is an illusion.

The notion that you are human is an illusion.

The notion that you are not human is an illusion.

The notion that you are consciousness is an illusion.

The notion that you are not consciousness is an illusion.

Duality is an illusion.

Nonduality is an illusion.

Oneness is an illusion.

Multiplicity is an illusion.

Solipsism is an illusion.

Time is an illusion.

Timelessness is an illusion.

Form is an illusion.

Formlessness is an illusion.

Free will is an illusion.

No free will is an illusion.

Meaning is an illusion.

Meaninglessness is an illusion.

Self is an illusion.

No-self is an illusion.

Anything that can be perceived, experienced and be expressed with words is an illusion.

Again: An illusion is NOT something that doesn't exist. An illusion is a part of reality that "stands out" (in your awareness) from the rest of reality. So not only do illusions exist, but as a matter of fact, ILLUSIONS ARE THE ONLY THING(S) THAT EXIST. That which does not exist - which doesn't "stand out" - is the Absolute, which is no-thing aka. everything.

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All of what you just read is an illusion (-> a relative perspective). And all of what you are going to reply will also be an illusion. Now, are you going to cling to one illusion and reject the other, or are you going to be aware of that which holds, encompasses, expresses itself as and transcends all illusions?

Your choice.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Hyperion

[Hyperion]

For a deeper dive, check out my previous two threads:

😘