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.

---

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 August 8 by Hyperion

[Hyperion]

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

😘

[Breakingthewall]

What can be called illusion is that there is a center that perceives reality.

This is the configuration of reality now, but both the perceiver and the perception are reality unfolding or flowing.

The breaking of the "illusion" is the collapse between subject and object, which equalize in the flow, the incessant becoming. Then reality can see itself without the barrier of illusion, that is, without limit.

[gettoefl]

There is reality and there is the illusion of reality. One is real, one is unreal. Question is how can the real admit the unreal when real is all. The unreal is imagined and this is illusion. The real is changeless, the unreal changeful. So what changes is illusion. The job of life is to sweep away illusions and to abide in the real. Like @Breakingthewall says, merge the perceiver and the perception.

The key insight is that perception is not a fact, it is interpretation! I don't need to see illusions! I need to walk around declaring all around, unreal. This is the only mantra I need. It works. 

[Someone here]

On 08/08/2025 at 2:03 PM, Hyperion said:

It's not something that doesn't exist.

Why do you say that ? There are no illusions. The very word points to this .reality must be real. Everything is real.  All of reality is real even dreams..hallucinations..thoughts and imagination and even a mirage in the desert when its perceived as water etc.  Therefore an illusion is something which is not real Therefore it does not exist . Can an illusion be said to exist?  Isn't that a contradiction?

Edited August 9 by Someone here

[Princess Arabia]

40 minutes ago, Someone here said:

Why do you say that ? There are no illusions. The very word points to this .reality must be real. Everything is real.  All of reality is real even dreams..hallucinations..thoughts and imagination and even a mirage in the desert when its perceived as water etc.  Therefore an illusion is something which is not real Therefore it does not exist . Can an illusion be said to exist?  Isn't that a contradiction?

Illusion doesn't mean something doesn't exist. It just means something looks different from what it actually is. Say a woman in high heels gives off the illusion of being taller than she actually is. Or speaking through a microphone makes the voice appear louder or looking in the side mirror of the car (objects appear closer than they are). Those are what's considered illusions. 

[Someone here]

2 hours ago, Princess Arabia said:

Illusion doesn't mean something doesn't exist. It just means something looks different from what it actually is. Say a woman in high heels gives off the illusion of being taller than she actually is. Or speaking through a microphone makes the voice appear louder or looking in the side mirror of the car (objects appear closer than they are). Those are what's considered illusions. 

I would call these deceptions or appearances rather than illusions . An illusion means the opposite of real . Since everything is real by definition there cannot be anything that is unreal or illusory. 

[Princess Arabia]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

I would call these deceptions or appearances rather than illusions . An illusion means the opposite of real . Since everything is real by definition there cannot be anything that is unreal or illusory. 

Would you say your profile pic is you. Is that you or is it a picture of you. Is a picture of you the real thing. Is your profile pic real or unreal. Is it the opposite of the real you. Is it an illusion of you. 

[Someone here]

@Princess Arabia so you think Cristiano Ronaldo is his handsome physique?  You are not the ebony lady..that's a mask or meat suit you wear temporarily and sooner than you imagine its gonna turn to bones dust and rot .you are the one wearing the human body .the body is secondary to yourself just as clothing are secondary to your body.

[Human Mint]

On 8/8/2025 at 8:03 AM, Hyperion said:

Illusion.

This is one of those words which are being thrown around in spiritual circles like they're confetti,

Agree, we have no shortage of fake spirituality.

I wonder, is illusion the same as a game? Like saying "the game of life" where in some way one recognizes it as an illusion.

Also, how do you know that all of reality is not an illusion? I think the way you define illusion is lacking in depth and you should investigate more. I don't think anyone is immune to self-deception

[Breakingthewall]

An illusion is something you perceive in one way, but due to the superficiality of your perception, it's another. For example, you perceive your girlfriend as sincere and honest, but that's because you don't see beyond appearances, when in reality, she's a professional con artist that lies in everything. 

 

[Hyperion]

@Breakingthewall

What you call perception without center is what I call the (high frequential) unification and integration of opposites aka. illusions; see my "theory of everything".

@gettoefl

Nice self-contradictory dualistic worldview you got there, lol.

Reality can only ever perceive /experience / be aware of itself, since it is all there is. So the notion that there is something which is "unreal" that you need to somehow "get rid of" is complete and utter BS (no offense). It is exactly the type of all too popular half-baked Advaita-style nonsense that I have pointed out in my "Paradox vs. Contradiction" thread.

@Someone here

Go (re)read my theory of everything, then come back and read the OP. If after that you still don't get it, then I simply can't help you.

@Human Mint

Latin illudere -> in + ludere (to play).

An illusion is a game that happens inside of reality, so to speak. It's reality playing with itself as a way to experience / be aware of itself.

5 hours ago, Human Mint said:

Also, how do you know that all of reality is not an illusion?

How do you know that reality is not a red striped elephant?

All of reality aka. the Absolute cannot be put into words, because otherwise it would not be all of reality. So it can't be an illusion, since an illusion is something (as opposed to no-thing/everything).

 

On 9.8.2025 at 8:17 PM, Princess Arabia said:

Say a woman in high heels gives off the illusion of being taller than she actually is.

 

4 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

For example, you perceive your girlfriend as sincere and honest, but that's because you don't see beyond appearances, when in reality, she's a professional con artist that lies in everything.

Nice examples... borrowed from personal experience, I presume. 

[Breakingthewall]

14 minutes ago, Hyperion said:

Nice examples... borrowed from personal experience, I presume. 

Of course, hundreds of illusions. Nothing is what it seems in human reality. You go through life thinking you're smart and understand everything, and then at some point you realize you're more naive than a 5-year-old, and that all you see are projections of your own naive mind. Then the hardware of reality begins to reveal itself, and the masks fall away.

Edited August 10 by Breakingthewall

[Princess Arabia]

14 minutes ago, Hyperion said:

Reality can only ever perceive /experience / be aware of itself, since it is all there is.

How can it perceive itself and be aware of itself. Doesn't that suggests duality. 

[Hyperion]

5 minutes ago, Princess Arabia said:

How can it perceive itself and be aware of itself. Doesn't that suggests duality. 

Yes it does, which is why duality is an undeniable and necessary feature of reality... as is nonduality. As is every other existing illusion.

If the illusion weren't necessary, it wouldn't exist.

[Princess Arabia]

2 hours ago, Hyperion said:

Yes it does, which is why duality is an undeniable and necessary feature of reality... as is nonduality. As is every other existing illusion.

If the illusion weren't necessary, it wouldn't exist.

Well maybe the use of the words "seemingly" and "seems to" would be more appropriate to use along with those phrases since it's not really happening, a.k.a. Illusion.

[Hyperion]

12 hours ago, Princess Arabia said:

Well maybe the use of the words "seemingly" and "seems to" would be more appropriate to use along with those phrases since it's not really happening, a.k.a. Illusion.

That which seems to happen is that which happens. That which happens is that which seems to happen. And it happens / seems to happen as part of reality, therefore it really happens.

All of this silly Advaita wordplay isn't going to get you anywhere, my precious cupcake. 😘

[Hyperion]

These conversations with you people on here are truly amazing.

"Reality is all there is, therefore illusions are part of reality." - "What do you mean? Isn't an illusion something that isn't real?" - "No. Illusions are real, because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "Ah, I see. So Illusions are real after all?" - "Yes, they are real, because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "But wait... isn't an illusion something that isn't real?" - "No. An illusion is something that is real, because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "I am confused. I always thought that Illusions aren't actually real!" - "Well, actually illusions are real, because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "But how can Illusions be real, when everyone knows that they aren't real?" - "They can be real because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "Ok, I see. So what you are saying is that Illusions are real, even though, err, well, they aren't actually real?" - "No. What I am saying is that illusions are in fact real, because reality is all there is, and therefore illusions are part of reality." - "But... HOW CAN ILLUSIONS BE REAL WHEN THEY'RE NOT?!"

Priceless. 

 

[Human Mint]

18 hours ago, Hyperion said:

All of reality aka. the Absolute cannot be put into words, because otherwise it would not be all of reality. So it can't be an illusion, since an illusion is something (as opposed to no-thing/everything).

Ok, so you are saying that any part of the whole is an illusion, I guess since separateness is the illusion. So reality, in order to play/have an experience creates illusion and whenever it wants to stop it just become all of reality, and illusions are "destroyed". It must definitely be genius

[Hyperion]

1 hour ago, Human Mint said:

Ok, so you are saying that any part of the whole is an illusion, I guess since separateness is the illusion. So reality, in order to play/have an experience creates illusion and whenever it wants to stop it just become all of reality, and illusions are "destroyed". It must definitely be genius

Well, not quite.

Here's the catch: Whatever you express with words is always a partial description of reality, meaning that it is an illusion. So yes, "separation" is an illusion, but so is its opposite. In other words: The thought "separation is just an illusion and therefore untrue" IS ALSO AN ILLUSION.

Here's what I think most of you don't yet fully grasp: There is no particular way that reality "really" is. The totality of reality (aka. the Absolute) is the sum total of all possible qualities and therefore has no specific quality to speak of. So whatever you say about it is not it --- and also it is, because not even the statement "whatever you say about it is not it" is absolutely true.

In other words: It is dual AND nondual, it is one AND many, it is physical AND non-physical, it is full AND empty, it is time AND timelessness, it is form AND formlessness, it is everything, nothing and all of the stuff in between... and also, it's none of it.

See what I mean?

 

Edited August 11 by Hyperion