Food For Thought: What is ‘Real’?

It’s fascinating, don’t you think, when after a few tumultuous years of life in this crazy world one looks back at how we were ‘raised’ and educated.  We begin to see things that may have never occurred to us before as being intriguing, or even worth thinking about.  The concept of ‘reality’ is one of those little things that has piqued my curiosity of late.

‘Anomaly’ in the clouds at sunset

You see, intrinsic in the traditional definition of what is ‘real’ — versus what would come under the heading ‘just your imagination’ (which is a loaded phrase in and of itself — I mean, why just?) — is the clear assumption that something can only be real if (a) it exists outside of oneself, completely independent in a physical sense from your own body (with the obvious exception of your own body, of course); (b) it also exists independent of your personal perception of it; and (c) it must not only be perceived by ‘others’, but perceived through the 5 physical senses associated with the body in ‘the material world’ (which we now know without a doubt is actually just a certain vibrational state of pure energy — but I digress).

WHY IS THAT???  Much more importantly, though, why do most people still accept that radically materialistic, ‘science’-based definition without question?

Crop Formation, photo by Lucy Pringle

OK.  Now chew on this:  The above assumptions about what Reality is (and isn’t) also include the deeply embedded concept of Separation Consciousness.  The devil is in the details, as they say . . . .  In other words, the even more basic assumption underlying ALL this mental manipulation is that every person is an island, and we are all totally separate physical beings in a purely material world.  Oh, and let’s not forget the resulting caveat:  All else that you may perceive, if it does not conform to the above guidelines, is pure illusion.  Or, if you like, ‘just your imagination’ . . . .

Pablo Amaringo art

Where is Unity Consciousness in this mechanistic, joyless, soulless grand scheme?  Where is Love?  Where is God?  Where is the Meaning of Life???  Doesn’t it all seem a bit . . . upside down?  Food for thought indeed.

‘Nothing Real can be threatened.  Nothing unreal exists.  Herein lies the Peace of God.’  — A Course In Miracles

Portal, Alex Grey art

Things Learned The Hard Way

I read this humorous and provocative list today, and just couldn’t help posting it on my blog for a slight change of pace.  I hope it gives you a good laugh, lightens up your day a bit, and also provides you with some ‘food for thought’ (an option for that at least).  EnJOY!!!  (Note:  I have shortened the list a little, leaving out a couple of the more serious, not-so-funny admonitions). 

Things Learned The Hard Way

From a weekly newsletter published by http://www.strangecosmos.com/

 1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “meetings.”

3. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

4. You should not confuse your career with your life.

5. Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance!

6. Never lick a steak knife.

7. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

8. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

9. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

10. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

11. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.

12. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

13. Your real friends love you anyway.