A good source to understand reality is to look to the different religions/ spiritual teachings in the world. Pretty much every view point can be found somewhere in there. Most people experience the world through the will to receive, but reality is found by the power of bestowal.

Originally posted by narnizzle
I think people don't talk about their individual perceptions because we are all expected to go along with the "norm" of society, and anyone who has an abtract idea on something that is collectively agreed upon is labelled as "crazy" or "eccentric" and they are usually not taken seriously. There are exceptions, of course, but there always are.

Very true, this remind me of a Twilight Zone episode where a beautiful women has under gone many reconstructive surgery because she thinks she is ugly. Yet she is very beautiful she believes she is ugly because in the world she lives in everyone looks like a pig. This is just an example of how the society or majority would set the standard of things.

Originally posted by iiinvision
To me a perception shapes a reality. So when you change a perception you change reality.

I experience separate realities when I change my perceptions in different ways, and these experiences help me grow as a spirit/human being/mind.

I see the reality that we all experience as a product of all of our perceptions. A mass consciousness that is able to manifest its own reality..

some people have said that time is natures way of making sure everything doesn't happen all at once.

Excellent post, I didn't consider that each perception would be it's own reality. If that is how it works for you that is magnificent. It is a nice idea that you separate your dimensions into those 3 ideas. Although I do disagree with your idea about Nature and time. Yes time lets things happen at various times, but wouldn't it be up to whoever perceived it? I could experience something at a different time then you do but it might have occurred at the same place. Like me and you watching the moon, even though we are staring at the same moon and witness a single event we may experience that event at various times.

Originally posted by reticledc
Truth.
I would agree, but I shall diverge from this and add my own content if you please.
Truth as it were, is not so easily come by, believe it or not.

The only Provable truth I have ever come to know, and can claim to have discovered for myself, and that no one can refute, is very simple.

CHANGE!!

My reality consists of Change.

Yes truth isn't easy to come by because it is all on the basis of perception. Yes you are right the universe is always changing. But what if I say I don't feel this change? I don't experience the universe expanding or our earth revolving. Doesn't that mean that what you just said even thought it's true for you, it isn't true for me?

Originally posted by Mabus
Reality is realization of things that are not actual. And they may or may not turn actual.

The key is to know to actualize and interact with actual things.

Whatever you realize that you dont want actual, just actually do something so that it is sure that that realization can not come into actually leaning on your actuality at all.

Perceive actuality vs perceive reality.

That is an interesting way to look at it. So you say that that by doing something or interacting with something I am in a reality. Yes your are in a reality just for that the "action" of the interacting. Yet what are you interacting with the object you choose it is an object that is created from your perception of it.

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[edit on 23-10-2008 by Ign0rant]

Originally posted by dizziedame

The reality in our minds is very much another thing. I believe each individual has a unique reality.

Time was of great importance to me from the age of 5 until 18 months ago. It is no longer my guide. I allow others to use time to get me to an appointment when they want me there. Other than that I do not live my life any longer by time constraints. It drives my family and SO mad. I do as I please when I please and not at any set time. I despise clocks. My reality changed.

A tree is a tree is a tree is a tree. Or is it a tree to others? Some may look at a tree and in their reality the tree is lumber to build with. To others a tree may be a home for animals. We have tree farms in Georgia and they may be perceived as money.

Some people stay in the reality they were taught as children. They never change. How mundane and boring it seems to me.

I never did enjoy doing what I was supposed to do. Society telling me I should do this or should not do that doesn't work for me and many others.
I am a rebellious and sometimes eccentric person. I break the rules of normality.

My reality is what I create for myself. I have shed the reality that was forced on me for many years. The great thing is that if I tire of this reality I will create a new one.

I may sound like a blooming idiot but I'm a happy idiot.

No way you sound very intelligent. You are very correct that every individual has their own reality. I am also proud you choose not to let time control you. I also applaud that you shed the reality that was forced on you. I feel that many of the worlds problems today have been created by these false or ignorant realities that are being passed down to future generations.

Originally posted by haleon12g
The extent to which time effects us always interested me when I was younger. Time seems to hardly be for your benefit, it helps society. Imagine how different living in a era where clocks and time didn't exist. I'm sure you'd be much more in touch with yourself and nature.

Society is one of the biggest hurdles on the path to "enlightenment" or whatever you want to call it. It is sort of shocking when you realize how much is dictated by them. The problem is they don't have any clue on what reality is, so we fall into that perception as well. Conventional wisdom is basically opposite to true wisdom

Yeah I feel the same way. It seems that we are just to busy to notice the beauty in life because of the constraints that time places on us. For us to achieve enlightenment we must disregard the concepts of our society and live our own reality.

Originally posted by mr-lizard

Would the external universe exist if our nerve endings couldn't detect cold or heat? What if we couldn't detect minute changes in pressure, we would lose sound.... What if all external light was dimmed....

Our universe would still exist, but its existence would be worth nothing...

We have to appreciate everything, for better and for worse.... For eventually there will be a time, when 'something' will experience everything and the final experience would be to 'experience' nothing....

Nothing is death.... Everything is taken from you...

But does your energy die? Was it all for nothing?

On a personal basis, yes... but your descendants carry the 'idea' and yet you still live in memories and words and examples, but the universe has a big laugh because it has just experienced 'you'.

That is a very interesting take on this whole affair. I didn't imagine that the universe would "experience" me. I am also eager to know the extent of our existence if we couldn't decipher our surroundings. You bring up valid points. So when the universe experiences me, does that constitute a reality?

-IgN0ranT

[edit on 24-10-2008 by Ign0rant]

And welcome to the MATRIX my fellow travelers.

The question of what is reality, as I see it, can be summed up by remembering that EVERYTHING is energy...all energy vibrates at certain speeds. Depending on the speed of vibration that particular "energy" can appear as a solid.

With that said, each of us thru perception of our own private universe, creates our own reality. Then again, we need to remember that what appears solid in the third dimension, will appear totally different in the fourth, and so on...as each energy plays off the energy in whatever space we inhabit.

The third dimension is the place of material connection. We have chosen to experience this place, even before our physical conception, for what ever reason we chose that is unclear to us while living...but upon death we will understand it all once again.

Death is change...change is necessary. Life is change. Reality changes as one lives and remembers that all is illusion...but our energy is immortal.

For me, this is reality.

~Holly

I don't think any human can truly understand reality.
Scientists learn that the rabbit hole continues to go deeper and deeper and many people including me believe it's infinitely deep.
Can a person on the inside of a circle understand the vast world which lies on the outside?
The best I can describe reality is chemical reactions in the brain which respond to many factors both known and unknown.

Originally posted by TruthParadox
I don't think any human can truly understand reality.
Scientists learn that the rabbit hole continues to go deeper and deeper and many people including me believe it's infinitely deep.
Can a person on the inside of a circle understand the vast world which lies on the outside?
The best I can describe reality is chemical reactions in the brain which respond to many factors both known and unknown.

I like your response, reality is the by product of various neuro-chemical and electrical interactions within the human brain and body. Is there more to life than this? Are we simply organisms subjected to the control of various chemical reactions?

We'd like to think not, but at the end of the day its a very real possibility.

Why am I responding to your post now? Am I really talking to you? or is this simply some sort of equation in the vast mystery of the universe balancing itself out ?

I have no idea what reality is as I don't think there is such a thing as we perceive it daily. Am I sitting here typing this post ? I think I am, I feel I am but how can I be ? And who am I typing this to ?

I remember a long long time ago when I first discovered books about spirits, heavenly concepts etc. and I read about the difference between your mind/soul and your brain - you think you are your brain but 'in reality' that is only another organ. I don't think that I am my liver or my kidneys so how come I think I'm my brain - it is only that my focus of interpretation of what I perceive to be is centered in this particular organ - when in fact what I AM is outside my physical self. If indeed 'I am' outside my whole self say even a few feet above my head or light years away in another dimension then why can't I perceive where I really am ?

Why can I only feel the machine - but I don't know the driver ? Or what the driver is really perceiving ? Or is the 'real world' outside this apparant phsycial one a world of nothing where I have no sight ? no hearing ? no feeling ? - or are the replacements too great that I couldn't comprehend them ?

If I am truely making this up, this life - why ?? and what would happen if I did move my consiousness to myself as the creator of this reality - what would happen then ? Or is this what death is ?

If you never woke from a dream, how would you ever know that you had been dreaming ? And if you did realise in the dream you were dreaming wouldn't you then realise the possibilities were endless and the consequences inconsequencial ?

Is this the point ?


Haha I find it very funny the amount of question marks I have put in this post!

Keep it simple

Reality is the earth
the colors
love and warmth

there is color, feelings and sensations, plants and elements, ancient knowledge and the divine

this is reality, can you not see?

It is really not that confusing... We do create our own reality, it's your own creation, are minds can create that in which we wish to accomplish.

Materialistic objects are an illusion, where will you find the ancient knowledge in all the materials in which you desire?

Open up to the world with a mission to find a true reality.

I believe that the following is not an original idea, but it is one that I recently came to, quite independently...

We are playing a Game

The 'I that is me' (a higher level version of myself with access to all previous knowledge, experience and memories) has decided to accept restrictions to just a fraction of all the frequencies available (i.e. this physical state) and limit access to previous, higher memories / experiences to take part in this game of life.

Imagine that the game itself is a future version of Second Life or SIMS or World of Warcraft etc., that uses Holographic Projection, 3D imaging, Virtual Reality and Neurological control to provide total immersion in the experience.

So, we create a character choosing various physical characteristics, perhaps a story line to follow and then take the plunge! Exit from the game is through death where we can then discuss with colleagues how we performed, our scores, what we should have done better etc.

I have this depressing notion that those who believe we live to learn lessons to progress spiritually are actually addicted to the game and are using the excuse that "it's eductional!" to those not so captured.

It is interesting to note that if you extrapolate from current console and PC specifications you can easily see an exponential rise in the immersive nature of games, the power of processors and graphics cards and the desire to achieve a 'mind-controlled' system and according to latest sales figures the games industry is rapidly outgrowing both the Film and Music industries especially as the games offer so much more than just Film or Music ever can.

Films like 'the Matrix' and 'Total Recall' are on the right lines and there is an episode of Red Dwarf called 'Better than Life' that pretty much sums up my idea.

In a way, when this concept of taking part in such a huge multi player, role-playing game first occurred to me it was a depressing shock - It's all a bl@*dy game! and I still have not yet quite come to terms with this idea

Beingness.


Sorry, the answer to the questions of questions requires a one-liner.

The reality we are in I sometimes wonder what it is. Is there really space out there will millions of stars? When I feel pain am I really feeling it? I want to provoke some discussion based on what your reality is and how you perceive it. Our various perceptions will help us see how our reality isn't truly reality but is a conscious that is varied upon that mind that is creating it.


I read alot of topics like this and many of the threads answer there own question in the first statement they make.

Lets brake it down abit!! firt of all the topic "What is reality to me"

Well Sir it is the same as yours or you wouldnt be asking me or others for a start.

Now lets look at the comment above.

"The reality we are in I sometimes wonder what it is"

Well dont we all!!

"Is there really space out there will millions of stars?"

Well how about you ask every single person on the planet Or go outside and look up "if its not cloudy ofc" lol

"When I feel pain am I really feeling it?" Well if i kicked you in ur nads would u stand there and question it? I dont think so

You see what im trying to say is your question is just bogus.. not becouse its thought prevoking its how you have worded it to me that makes it silly..

I could say omg i live in the matrixx!!! would be more or less the short version of what you are asking all of us correct??

Let me word it better for you "Is My Reality The same As Yours" and the simple question is YES becouse we are here and so are you... Now if somehow you got to speak with some kinda advanced lifeform other than we plebs im sure it would be alot more interesting!!!

Theory is not the same as reality, Theroy is a thought becouse it has an outcome that is based on sciecne / maths or whater tool we use in "our" reality as you wanted to ask...

So my Reality is very much the same as yours and every other thing on this planet, becouse if it wasnt i wouldnt be responding that enought of a answerfor you?

I didnt mean to come across as a big head but i have enough questions of my own and they are all firmly based IN reality as that is the only starting point one can ask the questions ; )

Everything is technically an illusion, if we are going on what we truly are.

However, we are here because we wish to experience a different existence. This physical reality is your true reality while you are alive.

Reality is a shared dream in which we are all co-creators.