Where is reality?

I know most people ask what reality is, but, I'm asking more of a different question. Is reality what we see before us in front of us every day or does it exist on some different plane of existence from the one we're in or is reality actually a place that exists only in our minds with our minds creating each day that is set out before us?

Is there a constant to reality? Is reality perceptual or is it just in our head?

What is your belief?

I believe it's more within our minds. I think our mind is distorted so that it shows us this picture of reality, and, that there is something a little more beyond what we presently see.

Who can say where reality is? Will we ever know for certain?

For me it would depend on what you mean by "mind".

Something located behind your forehead?

Or a general non-local awareness?

i don't buy into the "it's all in our mind" theories simply bc when others die, i can testify to the fact that it is all still here. the other theories on reality though are still up for question as far as i am concerned.

When I refer to the mind, yes, I am referring to the place in your head, and, I'm also referring to your general subconscious. What if our subconscious is in a different world entirely and is generating the world for us to see and that the world ties us to it by making our minds connected to it so we can't see the world of our subconscious?

After all, how do we know that our subconsciousness exist within our mind? Are we sure that they don't come from somewhere else only occupying our mind and using our bodies as a vessel? Where is reality, if, reality as we know it, is somewhere else? Would it be within the recesses of our minds... like in our dreams... or in front of us? Could it be that we are from the world of dreams and that we are only here for some reason that cannot be explained through direct observation, and that, dreams are real, and that this is pure fantasy?

Second star to the right. Straight on 'til morning.

Seriously, though, reality is a construct of perception filtered through conciousness. Thus, perception equals reality.

Reality is the measure of things permissible within the confines of time and space. If it takes up space, and it takes up time, it is real.

Even an hallucination is real because it takes up time and space, if only in your head.

Just my thoughts on it. It's trite, I know. I just hope someone comes up with something even a little deeper.

a reply to: Frankidealist35

"Reality" is a mental concept. It doesn't exist in nature. Animals don't have "reality", because they don't use mental concepts. They just live.

So, it's not really anywhere, because it only exists as a mental concept. There is no 'reality'. Whenever you think of 'reality', you are immediately trapped by a mental concept - which is probably why you feel it exists in your mind (though ego-mind is a different thing from intelligence, which is a feature of the soul, and thus does not reside 'in the head' anyway).

In 'reality', 'reality' isn't anywhere, because it doesn't exist outside concepts.. with words, you can't define these things. You can only go so far with words, and then you have to stop.

When you experience Zen, you will realize exactly what I mean - it's the happy state young kids and animals are in - they don't have mental concepts or labyrinths to block them from experiencing life directly. And that you can't do with words.

What English calls reality, is the realm/plane/world that is experienced by our 5 senses.

Our senses are receptive in nature, they receive signals from the external realm, and our nervous system send such to the brain, and translates such into information we can understand and perceive.

Reality is what is being experienced by the AWARENESS/consciousness within the body, via 5 senses.
The awareness (who/what you actually are), observes and interacts with this external reality, via the body.

But what about dreams? Visions? Hallucinations? What are we using (internally) to experience these visuals?
It sure as hell is not your eyeballs, as they are usually closed or tuned out when such things are experienced.

I bring this up to bridge the truth of the internal world's as well, that there is just as much inside of us, as there is outside.

So, we are a consciousness, that is self aware and aware it exists and experiences happen internally, and externally via 5 senses.

If you believe reality to be that which triggers signals via our receptive senses, then you have your answer.

If you work and have learned the internal path, then Reality outside the body, does not seem so real... as we experience two different worlds/realms simultaneously.

For someone as myself, we a knowledge the external as reality, and the internal as actuality.

I hope somewhere in my body of text you get answers of your question.

Wholeness, friend