Thé reality
Complex shapes are a combination of less complex shapes. That might sound like a strange way to describe what "reality" is, but I think this is the right track for discovering what reality really is, because the less complex shapes have a certain character that 'dictates' how the more complex shapes they build can be.
When searching for the most basic parts of everything, you'll find just a few simple ones (IF you find them). These basic elements have a certain character that we could call God. They are everything, everywhere, and 'dictate' how everything goes. Combinations of these simple basic elements, make more complex shapes. Our brains can be so busy recognizing the almost infinite amount of complex combinations, that we lose track of the basics. More about the hierarchy of shapes; here.
What do you think are the most basic elements? Do you think it's appropriate to call the character of these most fundamental elements God? Should we give more priority to research that tries to discover the character of the most elementary parts of our universe?
At this moment I think the primary elements are: energy & space. First I thought love would be a third one, but I now think love is a property of energy, love as in: creative attraction.
Looking at the world with energy in mind, gives me a view on everything, very different than I learned on school.


Reality is what it is, no matter what we think of it. And this page isn't about reality. The point of this page is to point out the difference between thé reality, and the virtual reality every human has in his/hear head. Our virtual realities I call 'personal realities'. Everyone's personal reality is unique, and no one's person reality is equal to the real reality. Many people consider their virtual reality to be thé reality, which causes terrible conflicts. Our brains are a great tool, but don't get fooled by the impressive representation it builds, its multimedia show.


Personal reality
The human body needs to know about its situation to survive, about itself and its surroundings. It gathers information from many body parts, namely the: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin. All that information goes to the brains, where it is scanned for known and new patterns. It's impossible to put a spoon in your mind. You can push a spoon in your brains -and die, but that won't get the spoon in your mind. The only input the brains can put it the mind is: information.
One can try to understand parts of reality. But even a tiny part of it, like for example one drop of water, is already too complex for one human brain to understand.
So, to samenvatten:
- In the world around us are many complex combinations of just a few basic elements.
- These combinations themselves don't fit in our minds, only information can go in the mind.
- Our minds can only handle a tiny bit of information.

Every human has their own and unique "person reality". Which is a very lossy representation of some parts of thé reality. A very important tool to navigate your life in this universe with. We can't live without our personal reality. It's the interface between you and the rest of reality.


Almost blind
Everything that's out of reach of your senses or understanding, is invisible to you, which is just about everything in this universe.
Sound doesn't start at 20 Hz and it doesn't stop at 20.000 Hz.
"Visible light" is just a tiny part of the spectrum of electro magnetic waves
We can't sense things that are too small or too large.
We can't sense things that go too fast or too slow.
We can't sense things that are too far away
We can't sense things that are covered by something else.
We can't sense what we have no senses for.
It's hard to observe parts of yourself.
We can't step in someone else his/her personal reality.
And of the things we can sense, we can see and remember very little. We need to search for the things that matter to us, and try to remember the essence of that.
To see and remember more, we have to use technology and work together.
The biggest step towards progress would be to recognize how little we all know.


Confusing
Your personal reality appears to be a true view on reality.
It contains a convincing wide range of virtualizations:
- Vision. A highly detailed 3D RGB-color motion picture.
- Sound. High Fidelity stereo sound, 20-20.000 Hz.
- Touch
- Smell
- Emotions
- Memories and expectations
- The idea of you, and of everything and everybody you know.
The perfect virtual reality. At night, the personal reality runs on imput from the memory and the body at rest only. While dreaming it's hard or impossible to realize you are dreaming. Are you awake at this moment?
Reality on the other hand, is impossible to see. One can only experience it, try to "be" without without projecting your person reality on it. Not an easy thing to do, typical for buddhism to try.
Many people act as if their personal reality is equal to thé reality, which is the cause for many conflicts. One should always remember that reality isn't equal to how you see it.


Shared reality
Although everybody's personal reality is unique, there usually are a lot of simularities. These shared illusions are called "shared reality" Actually; "shared parts of personal realities" is a better description, but such a mouth full. It's the shared reality that makes it possible to communicate, work and live together. The natural differences in our personal realities can be seen as interesting, but you may start a fight about it too, if that suits your needs: "I am right" - "no, I am right" - "no! you are stupid and I am smart" - "you should keep your bloody mouth shut or I'll kick it shut for you!!".
If there are two scientific "laws" that describe parts of reality well, but give conflicting results at some shared points, good scientist will try to unify these two into a new "law" that contains the best of both worlds, and brings a solution for the conflict.
A large group of people is often convinced that their shared reality is the truth and superior to the "opinion" of other groups. If everybody here agrees, then it must be true, right?!


A country's reality
I live in "the Netherlands", which is the same country as "Holland", in which a lot of Dutch people live. What we have commonly accepted as "the reality" is actual the "commonly shared parts of Dutch personal realities" ...yet another mouth full, so we simply call it "reality". Dutch reality is not equal to the realities in other countries. Every country has it's own reality. Luckily each country had great destructive technologies too.. To satisfy our fear, we might wipe out other societies that live in the wrong reality (and try to erase us too).


A spoon
Thus, seeing a spoon (or whatever else) doesn't mean there really is a spoon. The spoon is an active pattern in your mind's personal reality. That real thing that made you think of a spoon.. you may call it a spoon and use it as a spoon (handy when eating soup), but it is what it is, which is never equal to what you see it is.
This also applies to people: You can be familiar to me, but that will never be equal to what/who you really are. This also applies to yourself: I can try to understand myself, but that will never be equal to myself.
There's nothing wrong with living with your virtual reality, we don't have a choice, that's simply a part of how we are. Just remember that everybody has a unique person reality.


At resistance, rest, aand take a fresh start.
It can give a mental pressure relieve when you let things be what they are, when you let your thoughts rest by projecting less (projecting = placing your thoughts on things, people and yourselves). Letting go of your associations gives you the opportunity to see familiar things in a fresh new manner. A way to improve the structure of your mind. When projecting less, you are more open to "the outside" (outside your virtual world) and you can get an improved contact with the outside, including with your body. Searching for answers within your personal reality can produce solutions, but most answers are to find in the outside. Listen to the outside if you don't find a satisfying answer in your virtual world.


Don't
Don't think "life is an illusion". Life is real and your personal reality is a great tool. Don't think "my mind can create reality". If you see 4 possibilities, but not which one is real, that does not mean there are 4 parallel universum's, but just: that you don't know. You do have influence on reality, it's even impossible to not be part of everything. Don't become too passive. Only "being" won't get you far. Please do whatever you want (do you already know what you really want?).


For children to discover that Father Christmas is not what seemed, is like swallowing the red pill (movie: The matrix). For older people it can also be a shock to realize that what you thought was thé reality, is just your personal view on reality. It scared me anyhow, but I'm glad I know now.