Illusion Or Reality

I see and hear so many people in this world screaming at the top of their lungs. Often, it is about politics or religion or some other injustice in the world. While these are noble causes that usually involve passion, emotion and action, they tend to be more extreme than they need to be.

Take a notice of how many things are displayed in the news. Or how about the format in which movies are created, entertainment is participated in or the activities we connect to. Everything seems to be bigger, greater, more dramatic and more extreme. It is like we cannot get enough or that we've set the bar so high, that now we need more stimulation in life.

Let's go back to the people screaming or should I say in modern terms, "people discussing things in life and social networking and the news". If you look past the screaming, you'll notice that no one is truly listening or respecting what others have to say. Opinion is now shrouded as fact. Sensationalism is portrayed as energy and passion. Whoever can out talk, out yell or out last their fellow human (a.k.a opponent), is deemed the winner in that moment of life. Of course, the moment changes rapidly these days and so the winner today, may be the loser tomorrow.

To me, this is a sad testament to not only our individual existence but the universal connections we share. It is easy for many of us to judge, critique and get caught up in viewing the world through those that excite and motivate our passions as we tend to see them currently in our lives. In many ways, we are no different than those we judge or embrace. We are as much a part of the screaming as they are.

Yet, how far is this getting us in life? Is it solving problems or truly making us more enlightened? Is it helping us to grow individually and collectively as humans?

While escape from every day stress and pains can often bring relief, we need to identify it as such and not live life as an illusion. The screaming, judging and need to have more sensationalism in our lives is an illusion. It is a mask for what we truly feel in our lives or the things we would rather not feel. Of course, this is old news to most people because deep down, we know this in our mind, body and spirit.

Maybe instead of trying to prove or disprove how much each of us participate in the network of illusion, we may want to play the role of observer. Try taking the next day or week and observing what input you take in to your life. I'm not asking you to set yourself apart from the world but to just observe and notice.

Ask yourself what is the purpose? What is it that I get from this? Then if you're bold enough, you may want to consider if you really need that input or could you replace it with something that connects you more with your mind and body offering much greater rewards to yourself.

Sometimes it isn't easy taking a good hard look at our lives. We feel that we have to follow along like everyone else. The funny thing is though, how collectively we are learning to live reality as an illusion. It is all around us if we just take a moment to look at it. We can fool ourselves and explain or rationalize the illusion in many ways, but in the end, it is still an illusion.


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