How is our physical body or this material world an illusion?

[soulfulmusing]

It's often stated that our physical body or this material world is a manifestation of the higher power, but they are considered to an illusion. Detachment from the body is often emphasized and so is said to not get stuck in the matrix.

1) But what exactly constitutes as 'illusion'?

2) If it’s a dream. If we are the creator and the creation, why do we only dream realistic stuff in this life?

[Jyotir]

It's an illusion in that it is an extremely limited partial representation of reality.

~ J

[Miss Hepburn]

This is a very good question, soulful - however, it must be personally experienced.
The intellect can understand so much
now due to quantum physics ---but it's not the same.

Meditation is a still and silent place to maybe, hopefully get a direct experience, yourself of just how
this place is a dream, made of dream stuff.
I have mentioned I was 'lucky' at 8 yrs old I was suddenly opened to
the experience as my mouth dropped, I slowly looked around me ---
saying to myself, "Well, this is all a dream" Thinking ---made of dreamstuff. Nothing's real!!!!!!
And thus, why I'm a bit 'different'....or lucky?
Dunno, cuz it opens you to a world of ridicule and challenges from bozos.

[soulfulmusing]

Originally Posted by Jyotir

It's an illusion in that it is an extremely limited partial representation of reality.

~ J

This physical world and our body is often referred to as the reflection or shadow of reality. But I still find it hard to grasp what exactly is considered an illusion?

Illusion is just another word. Call it what you want. But you live within it, experience it because it has duration, constancy and you can rely on certain predictions about it. Usually you can explain changes within it. You can look to your how your body changes over time, how you deal with illnesses etc.

You construct it from whatever's really out there via your perception.

One of my early "occult" teachers replied to me asking what reality was with "Does it really matter?"

[HITESH SHAH]

It is illusion in the sense that it may/will not be same again . It is changing /fleeting / ephemeral / transient . But if by illusion somebody is trying to convey that it is arbitrary/fictitious /non-existent , it is totally wrong .

When we live in world we take many realities for granted (you may analyse entire Corona situation of last few months) . Certain world facts may have remained same for months/years/decades and it suddenly changes . To describe such elusive/fleeting/changing/non-reliable nature of world / body etc , people use the word illusion .

Hope this explains .

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by soulfulmusing

It's often stated that our physical body or this material world is a manifestation of the higher power, but they are considered to an illusion. Detachment from the body is often emphasized and so is said to not get stuck in the matrix. But what exactly constitutes as 'illusion'?

The same way as your-body-when-you-dream is a manifestation of you-who-are-dreaming. In your dream, you-from-your-dream believes he is "real" as much as you-who-reads-this-post believes to be "real".

Who creates / manifests both the "dream"-you and the "awake"-you? Your subconscious.

[God-Like]

Originally Posted by soulfulmusing

It's often stated that our physical body or this material world is a manifestation of the higher power, but they are considered to an illusion. Detachment from the body is often emphasized and so is said to not get stuck in the matrix. But what exactly constitutes as 'illusion'?

It is what it is .

If you see more than that then all sorts of things can be imagined .


x daz x

That our bodies and physical manifestations are an illusion is absurd. How can reality be an illusion? This is often quoted and often misunderstood.

To answer your question, it must be very closely examined just how human perception works. Like a complex riddle, this is something you have to think about. Remember, the human brain actually experiences it's 'reality' by nerve impulses informing the brain, which in turn 'builds' a mental representation of reality in your mind.

So there you have it. Reality is NOT an illusion - but mistaking our perception of reality AS reality? Our 'reality' isn't reality at all - it is a representation made possible through a complex assemblage of biochemical receptors and mental refabrication. When you think of the moon, do you actually have the moon physically inside your skull? - or is it more accurate to say you have a mental representation that you are thinking of as the moon in your mind? SO - the physical moon is the reality, and it is your mental representation that is the illusion.

Science readily points out the limitations of our biological sense organs, and that is only from a purely physical perspective. How much more is beyond that?

Think about it.

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by Kioma

That our bodies and physical manifestations are an illusion is absurd. How can reality be an illusion? This is often quoted and often misunderstood.

To answer your question, it must be very closely examined just how human perception works. Like a complex riddle, this is something you have to think about. Remember, the human brain actually experiences it's 'reality' by nerve impulses informing the brain, which in turn 'builds' a mental representation of reality in your mind.

So there you have it. Reality is NOT an illusion - but mistaking our perception of reality AS reality? Our 'reality' isn't reality at all - it is a representation made possible through a complex assemblage of biochemical receptors and mental refabrication. When you think of the moon, do you actually have the moon physically inside your skull? - or is it more accurate to say you have a mental representation that you are thinking of as the moon in your mind? SO - the physical moon is the reality, and it is your mental representation that is the illusion.

Science readily points out the limitations of our biological sense organs, and that is only from a purely physical perspective. How much more is beyond that?

Think about it.

You're so sure ... (and impolite)