The nature of reality

I guess everyone has asked himself already “What is reality? What is real and what not?” Especially regarding the misunderstandings about the Indian term “Maya” spiritual seekers try to differentiate between reality and illusion.

I try to explain now the nature of reality and with this also the nature of illusion.

One way to understand the nature of reality is the access by using the science of physics, respectively metaphysics. The second way is the use of psychology.

We start with metaphysics. What we call creation on all planes and in its diversity can be traced back to the primary spirit, the primary energy, to Akasha, the static, totally balanced state of energy beyond the dynamic play of energies in creation. Indeed we can transform all energies or better said all states of energy back to the primary static state of energy, Akasha. In fact we have only one energy which shows up as creation by changing its state in uncountable ways. To understand this better let us take an analogue model: The original white or black color differentiates itself in the diversity of colors AND also in different shades from white to black. So we have a horizontal diversity and a vertical. This is important to understand. Beyond the real color spectrum there white and black which can be used for Akasha. Then we have the whole color spectrum which is analogue to creation. And the whole color spectrum exists in lighter respectively darker shades, tones, – from very light, nearly white, fine down to normal and further on to real dark, nearly black color. Here we can simplify it and say that on the vertical axis at the top there is pure white, Akasha light beyond creation, then short below we have a first section with a fine color spectrum where all colors are very light, nearly white. This corresponds with the mental plane. Then we have a middle section with normal colors. They are not really fine and they are not really dark. This corresponds with the astral plane. And at last we have the bottom section with a dark or dense color spectrum, – the physical plane. Below this there is again Akasha, black color. Here the tone of the color, if it is lighter or darker just means the density or the degree of fineness. In these sections there are further different degrees but they are not really important. Here you can differentiate again three subsections for the mental, astral and material plane. Just a matter of density, of frequency, vibration.

I hope this is comprehensible. You can also compare this with the three aggregate states – dense, liquid and gaseous. Dense = material plane, liquid = astral plane and gaseous = mental plane. And in the fourth aggregate state you have plasma = Akasha.

When you look at these examples then you can see that everything is real and just a matter of different states of energy. When you differentiate white then you get all colors. The same with black. Lighter colors are still the same colors as the darker ones but only different in their tone, their shade.

Now we go on. We can say that there is an absolute reality which includes all relative realities. In a formula we can say: Akasha + creation = absolute reality or Akasha + mental plane + astral plane + material plane = absolute reality. The “relative” realities are the horizontal planes, the color spectrums in their different shades from light to dark. Indeed every single shade, degree of light/dark tone is a reality for its own. There are countless degrees and with this countless realities but all analogue to each other because of the repetition of the same color spectrum. As Hermes say “As above so below!” The mental plane is analogue to the astral plane and both are analogue to the material plane. As it makes no real, practical sense to work with uncountable realities we just take the bigger ones, the bigger sections – mental plane, astral plane and material plane. So we can speak about a mental reality, an astral reality and a material reality analogue to these planes and analogue to our three bodies – mental body, soul (astral body) and physical body.

Our mental body takes part in our mental reality, the mental world, the mental situation we are in. The same is true for the astral and the physical body. All three main aspects of the human nature have their own world, their own plane, the own density, vibrancy, frequency, energy level, – their own color spectrum and degree of light/dark shades or tones. And as Hermes says – our mental reality (thoughts) is normally analogue to our astral reality (emotions) and to our physical reality (situation in the material world).

When we are incarnated, we experience three realities at the same time, the reality of our thoughts, the reality of our emotions and the reality of our actions, behavior in the material world. We are multidimensional beings. But this does not attract any real attention as it feels quite normal for us.

When we die this changes. We lose the physical body and cannot take part in the physical reality any more. We live now on the astral plane, in the astral body connected to the mental body. So indeed we live now “only” on two dimensions at the same time. But still we feel as complete beings as we have thoughts and emotions = complete original human being, the so-called soul. One “day” the astral body dies as well and we lose the astral plane. Then we are only mental beings, – limited to the mental reality as we cannot take part in the astral reality any longer. Then the time comes for the next incarnation where our additional two bodies are developed again to be able to take part in the astral and material reality/plane/world again.

The finer differences regarding the tones/shades of light are just a matter of being a more refined human or a rawer human (spiritual maturity). The more refined you are the lighter is your color spectrum and the higher is your vibrancy, your frequency.

So the experience of a reality depends on a necessary body of the same energy frequency and the according sense organs. So you have physical senses, you have astral senses and you have mental senses and all in a more or less refined nature (light/dark tones, frequency). Without a fitting body and fitting sense organs you cannot experience a certain plane of existence, of creation, a certain world, a certain frequency. So indeed every reality, every world is separated from the other realities by differences in the frequency, in the vibration, the state of the energy, the color spectrum, the degree of fineness.  And in fact every reality is a world of its own. Creation exists in its complexity, in its color spectrum several times just in different degrees of fineness, tone, shade, vibrancy.

This all is also comparable with the pyramid of sounds. We can hear only a defined spectrum of sounds, frequencies. And there are whole worlds of sound below and also above our own audible spectrum, vibrancy.

And certainly all planes and realities are real as they come from the first and highest reality. Even when reality changes in frequency it is still reality.

Now we come to the idea of Maya. There are so many misunderstandings about this term. Maya is often equated with illusion and so people think that creation is illusion and only the divine spirit is real. But this is nonsense. Maya is the mother of creation and it is said that she separates the different planes, worlds by her veils, so that we cannot become aware about the higher worlds and about God. And in fact we just perceive the material world during the incarnation. The initiate can lift the veils of Maya so that he understands his origins. In conclusion the only real illusion is that we human beings think that we are alone and separate from creation, that we reduce ourselves to the physical body, to materialism, ignoring God and the higher worlds. This illusion is created by the covering veils of Maya.

Now we come to the psychological aspect of reality. We humans have a filter of perception which works like colored glasses. When you wear pink glasses then the world looks beautiful and everywhere is love and happiness. When you wear sunglasses then the world is dark and you may get depressions. In fact the filter of your perception creates an image of reality which does not need to be analogue to reality. This image can be an illusions or at least a distorted perception/conception of reality. And when this reality – your personal reality does not match the “real” reality then you have probably a problem, often a big problem. Here we see psychological delusions, illusions, more or less unhealthy concepts of ourselves and the world outside. These concepts become philosophies and ideologies and that can become dangerous when the concept of humans and the world does not match reality. Indeed we suffer today from these problems very much. Due to this the spiritual student is asked to search for the truth and not to decorate his concepts. We have to see reality without colored glasses – reality as it is and not as we wish it to be. This is most important to understand. Become a perfect mirror of reality! Think about the stillness of mind exercise. Only when the mind is still then your perception will be perfect and clear.

So these are the basics. Now to some further aspects or details.

When you are completely aware about the laws of creation, the laws of the single planes and realities, then you can change consciously the mental reality, your thoughts, you can change the astral reality, your emotions and also your energetic state of mind and soul. And the material world is changed permanently by human beings as we are used to change it, – the physical reality. As a real master you can also transform the different planes of reality into one another. For example you create a wished for mental reality, then you make it so dense that it has effects on the denser astral plane and later also on the physical plane. You can start with the idea of warmth, then you make it denser so that the idea becomes a real feeling of warmth and at last you can make it so powerful that the warmth becomes physical reality with physical effects. Just one example. The phenomenon of materialization and dematerialization belongs to this too.

Further on you can connect different realities. For example you can connect your present mental reality with the reality of a special place or event somewhere in the past, so that you experience everything which has happened there now. You can connect to other beings, other realms – there are no limitations for you. In parts this can be compared with making a phone call with someone who is far away, experiencing a totally different world. It is a connection between two different realities, two different spheres.

One nice half-truth in discussions is the saying “Oh, we are all one. Separation is an illusion. We are all one spirit. And so on.” In fact all beings have the same origin, the divine spirit beyond creation, Akasha and only on this plane, this level we are all connected. But in all other worlds we are different beings, separated beings. Individuality and separation are no illusions, they are facts and parts of the relative realities but at the same time Akasha with its all-connecting power and as our origin unites us in our highest nature, the primary spirit.

Then I might say that psychologically reality means also the sphere where we live and act. It is our limited world where we are at home. To this limited world also our microcosm belongs, our mental, astral and physical world. By interacting with the world of others, with other personalities and exchange of ideas, feelings, etc. takes place and we enhance and change our own reality. This is also true for societies, cultures and religions. When you think of the ancient meeting of the Jewish, Christian and Moslem traditions in the ancient time of Cairo where they have fructified each other for a great flourishing in philosophy and other aspects of life – this was indeed the meeting of three realities, different worlds and each one has benefited from this.

Another point – when you are a high initiate then you can merge with the reality, with the nature of other beings and you can use the laws of nature to cause changes in the reality of the other being – for example you can cause healing.

A last point – every spiritual seeker is asked to change and refine his nature, his reality, to refine himself and to understand God, mankind and creation AND himself in a most clear and objective way. We have to balance the microcosmic reality with the macrocosmic reality. We have to transform our nature, our reality to the divine reality and nature of God, the primary spirit. And then we will experience the highest and all-embracing reality. And certainly with every change in our personality we change our reality. Sacrifice the bad and the lower qualities for the good and higher ones and they you change your reality for the better. Your life will change.

I hope my explanations were comprehensible. It is all about metaphysics and psychology. As master Bardon loves to say “It is all so simple!” He says this with a mysterious, knowing smile.