Reality and Imagination

“Reality is that which, when we stop believing it doesn't go away” - Philip K Dick

What it comes down to is the undeniable fact of this living reality right now vs. imagination. The fantasy is the story the mind tells you about the world - that story always suggests objects in a world that a subject (you) negotiates in some way in order to arrange happiness 'out there'. From that basic fiction, all your imaginary ideas about yourself and the world is spun. Suffering happens when those stories and thoughts are believed to be happening to someone, supposedly you. This then manifests as tension or anxiety in the body, which generates more stories which are also believed. This is the cycle of psychological suffering.

It is then seen clearly that that sense of 'someone' is not in fact anything other than an empty witnessing which happens for nobody. This is the heart of Reality. Simply this witnessing-living-nowness right here. It requires no elaboration, and you are it in every moment – it is the ever present basis and you cannot move away from it. All thoughts ideas and stories about a supposed self and world arise in this. The imaginary story changes but This is always the same – right here, perfect and fresh.

It has the qualities of peace, vibrancy and spaciousness – it is also very raw and direct. Stephen Wingate accurately describes it as “The peace that is at peace with peace, and the peace that is at peace with war ”. It is a peace that is untouched by transitory peace or war in the imaginary story – it is the true peace of reality vs. the peace or war created by imagination.

You are This living Reality.

Any doing, any trying to 'get' it will become a story – just notice it, and rest as what you are. It very easy to be what you are - no one can teach it to you.

If you simply investigate for yourself to find out what is genuinely real, you will find just this – an eternal present of empty witnessing, nothing else. When you see clearly that there is no subject experiencing, it also becomes clear that there are no separate objects - all there is, is Reality knowing itself. Every other thing apart from this is a thought and fantasy your mind imagines. Your mind imagines the whole world. Reality is quite simply this luminous present and requires nothing. You do not have to do anything to somehow 'stay' in the present reality, you are always right here.

The imaginary world requires effort, becoming and doing. Reality is effortless, always available right now. Do you see? Reality is right here – it is free and open and empty – its just this, whats going on right here now. Notice what is witnessing this raw moment, what is it?

Check for yourself in your own experience now. It requires no special effort – just looking.

You might notice that which is looking is nothing - when you intuit that quality of nothingness your thinking mind will automatically attempt to label it 'I' - it has assumed that that empty awareness is a thing. But it is not a thing, nor anyone - yet it is alive. It requires no special state of mind to notice. This living mysterious nothing is watching every moment of your life. It is the living realness of all things in every moment – it is living everything. It is clear and empty, and you are it right now.

What happens when this is seen? Your life gets lived, things happen, thoughts are thought but by noone. And you see it has always been this way, will always be this way and there is nothing you can do about it. Just watch.