Deep Spirits

Illusion is the misinterpretation of a certain sensation.In comparison to hallucination, to hear voices in the pure silence is the hallucination and to change the character when hearing voice, so that we give another meaning to that what we hear would be an illusion.
What is the reason or driving force within us that turns reality into illusion?

Mirjana, im just wondering if it would be more accurate to say that we turn illusion into reality, rather than the other way around?

Illusions are usually created when one cannot (doesn't want to, is afraid to, etc.) deal with reality.
Reality is painful, so.. illusions to the rescue!

Of course, creating an illusion rather than facing a reality is a complete waste of one's time.
The sooner an illusion is dispelled, the better.

The thing about reality is, even if it hurts, facing that pain is always better, because it's the only way to true happiness.

With an illusion one may succeed in temporally "hiding" the pain, but in that case the happiness, or the "good times" are also nothing but an illusion...

What to say? Kudos for this brilliant answer.

dermot wrote:Mirjana, im just wondering if it would be more accurate to say that we turn illusion into reality, rather than the other way around?

You are right, Dermot. It is more accurate.

Sabina wrote:Illusions are usually created when one cannot (doesn't want to, is afraid to, etc.) deal with reality.
Reality is painful, so.. illusions to the rescue!

Of course, creating an illusion rather than facing a reality is a complete waste of one's time.
The sooner an illusion is dispelled, the better.

The thing about reality is, even if it hurts, facing that pain is always better, because it's the only way to true happiness.

With an illusion one may succeed in temporally "hiding" the pain, but in that case the happiness, or the "good times" are also nothing but an illusion...

I'm of two minds reading this comment, Sabina. On one hand, I cannot say that living in an illusory life is healthy...but there are times one must do so to maintain sanity.

Consider a pain medication like morphine. When I was dealing with a remarkably painful illness, morphine provided an illusion of sorts. It allowed me to think that I did not hurt. Did it resolve the illness? No...but it did provide a breathing space, a way to escape the pain. It put some distance between me and the fact I was in danger of losing a limb. On one level, I knew how serious my illness was, but buffered by the drugs, I could think about other things.

The same goes for self-created illusions. There are times and situations that are just too painful for a mind to absorb without shattering. I have lived through several! By building illusions, we can give our minds the space and time it needs to be able to handle and process the situation. Buffered by illusion, we can at least pretend that things are okay at home, or work. It's a lie and at some level we know it...but like morphine, illusions can give us a way to not-think about our agony.

The flip side of this, of course, is that eventually you do have to face reality. There came a point at which I had to find a way to work around the pain in my leg without the buffering effect of morphine. And there comes a time when we need to let the illusions slide away.

While one cannot truly live in an opiate cocoon or an illusory world, there are times when both give the mind/body a needed respite.

Agate wrote:...
The flip side of this, of course, is that eventually you do have to face reality. There came a point at which I had to find a way to work around the pain in my leg without the buffering effect of morphine. And there comes a time when we need to let the illusions slide away.

While one cannot truly live in an opiate cocoon or an illusory world, there are times when both give the mind/body a needed respite.

You are right about the need to have an illusory world as a short time distance from reality in order to regain strength.
I understand Sabina´s words though as a warning to not let this world of illusion to take away from us an experience of growing which comes with facing reality as it is. Because, if this happens, we can easily be lost in the world of illusion which would be like living without consciousness.

mirjana wrote:

Agate wrote:...
The flip side of this, of course, is that eventually you do have to face reality. There came a point at which I had to find a way to work around the pain in my leg without the buffering effect of morphine. And there comes a time when we need to let the illusions slide away.

While one cannot truly live in an opiate cocoon or an illusory world, there are times when both give the mind/body a needed respite.

You are right about the need to have an illusory world as a short time distance from reality in order to regain strength.
I understand Sabina´s words though as a warning to not let this world of illusion to take away from us an experience of growing which comes with facing reality as it is. Because, if this happens, we can easily be lost in the world of illusion which would be like living without consciousness.

I did see that as the point she was reaching for; I just felt the need to point out that illusion is not always a negative thing.

Dear Agate... I cannot say that I agree with your comparison... because the morphine helped numb the pain so the body could heal itself without suffering... To heal a mental or emotional wound the event, or information, has to be processed in a conscious and healthy manner... it is not an automated systematic process as it is with physical injury. If morphine was only given exactly when the injury happened and then no more was administered after immediate medical attention had been given could it be an accurate comparison.

What would be more comparable to what you described would be a form of shock... this would only take place directly after the trauma to protect the person from more serious injury but in that case there aren't any illusions... shortly after the moment has passed the person would slowly gain consciousness to the severity of the injury and be able to process it little by little rather than slammed with it all at once... However, where illusions are present there are generally repeated injuries of a similar nature because they failed to learn from the previous injury. They have, instead, dressed it up in pretty clothing and therefore it isn't something to avoid... and so they continue to be sucked into similar situations for the same reasons they were the first time. Because there has to be something to provoke them to disperse the illusion in order to see it for what it really is. You are right that it is a defense to keep from feeling pain... but it isn't to give pain free healing time.. it is to avoid healing all together...