You have probably heard of the concept that life is an “illusion” or just a “dream”. The idea sounds compelling and interesting, but it’s pretty hard to believe when your pain is so real right after you’ve burned your hand on the stove or found out your partner cheated on you. But if it’s true that life really is an illusion, how can we live the one that we like and love the most?
Spiritual philosophies like Buddhism, modern science’s Quantum Physics, and esoteric energy beliefs like Metaphysics all seem to tout the same idea– that our reality is subjective based on what we choose to observe around us. Don Miguel Ruiz, author of NY Times Best Seller The Four Agreements (a must read, by the way), helps us understand in simple terms how our lives are nothing but an independent illusion:
“In this world there are six billion artists. Every human is an artist, and everybody creates their own story and they live in those stories, but they don’t have the awareness that they create the story and that they live in the story that is only true for them…Our biggest art is the story that we create about ourselves, and in this world there are six billion artists…We create (a story) about ourselves, and we are its main character, and everybody that we know is just a secondary character because our world is a virtual reality that only exists in our mind.”
Indeed, the world that appears to us is a reflection of our internal qualities. If our internal qualities change from bad to good, from hatred to love, from exploitation to consideration, and participation and sharing, then we’ll see a different world. Not only will our relationships change, as if we were previously hateful and now we’re friends and we love each other. The world itself will seem different, everything around us, because it’s all a reflection of our internal qualities.
This description helps us see how each one of us are artists creating our own world and filling in the colors of reality that we see. We are the designers of the story we live and the interpreters of what we experience. Our reality is literally whatever story we choose to make of the experiences we are having. Our reality is literally what glasses we use to view our surroundings. Our reality is literally our own illusion.
Because we know that 10 people can watch the same event and have totally different descriptions of it, there is no ONE reality. The interpretation is entirely based on the observer and this gives the observer- YOU- an enormous amount of power.
Right now, take a moment to notice how you have been observing a challenge in your life. As the observer- the one who writes her own story about this challenge- what reality have your brought into existence? How are you choosing to interpret this challenge?
And just for a moment, unhinge yourself from the idea that there is only one way to view this issue and let it go. Now, instead, pick a different illusion. That’s right- choose how you WANT to experience and feel about this issue. See it your ideal way, not the way that causes you blocks and pain and is unsolvable. How would your absolute best self view this challenge? If you were unstoppable, resilient, powerful, happy, independent, and loving how would you observe and respond to this scenario? The answer to these questions give you the illusion you can choose to live instead of the one that you have been suffering with.
You can apply this to any area of your life. If all of life is an illusion, if there is no one concrete reality, but instead many interpretations of the same world, you can choose what illusion you want to live. You can observe what makes you happy or what makes you angry, you can notice the strengths of a situation or notice it’s challenges, you can focus on the gratitude or harp on the lack. Whatever you choose will inform the next part of the illusion.
It’s all your choice. And you will notice if you are choosing the “right” illusion for you personally based on how you want to feel. If you are feeling blessed, joyful, strong, or pleased, I would say you are choosing the right one.
If it’s all an illusion anyway, might as well choose one that makes you feel great!
Beth Miller, LCSW-R, CEC, CAHC is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, energy healer, meditation teacher, and spiritual counselor in private practice in Bayport, Long Island, New York, USA. She is the owner of the group practice POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute where she and her fabulous team of therapists use the breakthrough model Advanced Holistic Counseling & Coaching™ to create transformational change in their clients. Beth is the creator of the trademarked Advanced Holistic Counseling & Coaching™: Modern therapy that combines the very best of traditional psychotherapy with life coaching, energy healing, science, and spirituality. Now, Licensed Therapists, Healers, and Coaches can learn how to experience huge transformation in themselves, their clients, and their careers by becoming Certified in Advanced Holistic Counseling & Coaching™. For free holistic and psychotherapy tools, visit the POSITIVE ENERGY Holistic Counseling & Institute YouTube channel, or contact us directly via phone at 631-533-0708 or email at info@positivecounselingli.com.
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