Life is a Dream
But it is real isn’t it?
What is the difference between this life and our dreams at night? We tend to think of our life as being “real” and our dreams as being “unreal” but what makes either of them real or unreal?
We consider life to be real because this is a physical world made of matter after all. We believe the atoms, molecules, and electrons that this world is composed of are real things that exist in an objective space known as this universe.
As for dreams, we think of them as being unreal because they are not made of physical matter but of “mind stuff”. These thought-made images and experiences are byproducts of the physical world but are not grounded in anything objective.
Let’s take a closer look at these assumptions about life and dreams.
First of all, according to science, the world you see when you look around you is not the actual physical universe. It is a hallucination that your brain is rendering based on information brought in by your 5 senses. We never actually see an objective reality.
First of all, according to science, the world you see when you look around you is not the actual physical universe. It is a hallucination that your brain is rendering based on information brought in by your 5 senses. We never actually see an objective reality.
In addition, the physical world around us is not as material as we usually would imagine it to be. The majority of what we consider to be matter is nothing more than fields of vibrating energy, waves that only act as particles. Like in dreams, the material, hard physical quality of life is only an appearance.
So regarding dreams, what is left to differentiate them from real life? Both appear to be material, but really are not. Dreams certainly seem just as real as “real” life, when we are in them we often can not tell the difference! Neither of them seem to be grounded in anything objective beyond our own minds. We could say that they both are an experience, existing without proof of a solid foundation, or clear source.
We could argue that the consistency of “real” life lends it its realness. Since in dreams we always seem to be in different places and times but in “real” life we always wake up as the same person, but consistency isn't enough to grant “realness”.
If we are honest with ourselves, the greatest difference in how we regard “real’ life and dreams doesn’t come down to science or logic. In actuality, it has more to do with our current perspective. In dreams we always believe that we really are the character that we are experiencing ourselves as in the dream. The experience is always “real” when you are in it. In fact, the only thing that grants the experience its “realness” is your confirmation of the experience of it.
If we are honest with ourselves, the greatest difference in how we regard “real’ life and dreams doesn’t come down to science or logic. In actuality, it has more to do with our current perspective. In dreams we always believe that we really are the character that we are experiencing ourselves as in the dream. The experience is always “real” when you are in it. In fact, the only thing that grants the experience its “realness” is your confirmation of the experience of it.
It is only when we return to “real” life do we say to ourselves “now this is the real reality, but that previous experience was an unreal, faux reality.” But we forget, this is also what we do when we begin dreaming! We must assume the dream as real, and suspend our current belief in the reality of “real” life in order to experience it as such. “Real” life is simply whatever dream we our currently experiencing that we are believing to be real. Dreams or the experience we would call “real life” are one in the same, the only thing that grants either its “reality” is our own belief.
So what does this mean for us? Are we “real”? Are we the character in our dreams or the character we experience ourselves in what we would call real life? Neither! Those characters come and go with the dreams and are in and of them. But you exist beyond those dreams and beyond those characters. You are pure consciousness itself. You are the ability and capacity to dream and imagine yourself as these characters in these worlds. They lend their existence to you but you do not lend your existence to them.
So what does this mean for us? Are we “real”? Are we the character in our dreams or the character we experience ourselves in what we would call real life? Neither! Those characters come and go with the dreams and are in and of them. But you exist beyond those dreams and beyond those characters. You are pure consciousness itself. You are the ability and capacity to dream and imagine yourself as these characters in these worlds. They lend their existence to you but you do not lend your existence to them.
Like in a video game arcade, each game or arcade machine contains a world of its own, with a main character who plays a role in that particular game. You take on the role of a character and identify with it for a time to be able to interact with that world. You become completely invested, becoming upset if the character loses in the game and happy if the character succeeds. You have the ability to enjoy each experience, one at a time, and become completely engrossed in that reality.
As consciousness, similar to yourself in a video game arcade, despite being totally invested for a time in your life experience, it is only a game, and you are not the character in the game but exist independently of it.
When we realize that this life isn't as “real” as we imagined, it takes the weight out of the situation! It isn’t real! We can appreciate the story of our life experience as it is, enjoying the ups and downs without needing them to change. What's a good story without a little drama? It’s all entertainment. And as for death, which we always thought of as the worse thing that could happen in this life experience, it may be the end of this dream but the beginning of a new one.
Comments
Post a Comment