Is physical reality just an illusion?

Anthony Cook8 said:It’s flawless. It works perfectly every single time, and we always end up receiving exactly what we need...

Look, it’s just pure Egocentric nonsense. It only "works perfectly" if you're the kind of person who numbs their brain every single day just so you don't have to face the actual gaps and massive problems in reality. When someone claims you "always get what you need," all they're really saying is that everything is being filtered through a lens of selfish, personal gain.

People see the world through all sorts of different lenses—some are narrow-minded, some are somewhere in the middle, and others are more open—but this whole Law of Attraction thing? It’s like looking at life through a laser beam; it's just a total perversion of what positive thinking should actually be.

Peter Phillips32 said:Look, it’s just pure Egocentric nonsense. It only "works perfectly" if you're the kind of person who numbs their brain every single day just so you don't have to face the actual gaps and massive problems in reality. When someone claims you "always get what you need," all they're really saying is that everything is being filtered through a lens of selfish, personal gain.

People see the world through all sorts of different lenses—some are narrow-minded, some are somewhere in the middle, and others are more open—but this whole Law of Attraction thing? It’s like looking at life through a laser beam; it's just a total perversion of what positive thinking should actually be.

Most people don't actually grasp how the Law of Attraction works, so whether they're trying to use it consciously or subconsciously, they end up failing to hit their targets. Still, Anthony Cook8 is spot on when he claims you always get exactly what you deserve. Think about it—if you're terrified of something, you're essentially inviting an opportunity to face that very fear. If your thoughts, your words, and your actions are rooted in negativity, the Law of Attraction is going to relentlessly show you the consequences of that behavior. To me, it’s primarily a tool for self-discovery, not some magic trick for pulling favors.

And if you actually want to use the Law of Attraction to manifest something you consciously desire, you have to be aligned with it on every level—your knowledge, your faith, and your gut feelings. Trying to trick yourself into getting something is a losing game; sure, you might get a temporary boost or a quick win, but then comes the inevitable crash because, ultimately, we revert back to who we truly are. And honestly, most people don't even know how to reach that state of alignment long enough to grab what they want—because deep down, behind almost every wish, there's a layer of fear, and fear is a massive repellant.

Anthony Cook8 said:Well, why does it bother you so much?
I don't necessarily read everything; I just know what the Law of Attraction refers to. It’s like when I see a book title—even if I haven't read it, I instinctively know what it's about and why. When I first came across Transurfing, I was drawn to it because I met someone vital for my personal growth, and I understood every single concept even though I had never opened or read a single one of those books. How? I don't know... I just knew the "feeling" behind everything they talk about, whereas the masses who actually read them often miss it because they can't perceive what they see with their minds. My truth comes from within.

Regarding that quote, when you listen to other people's venting and connect with it, you block your own energy and end up feeling worse (though that doesn't happen without reason; two people can be complaining, but you won't necessarily catch both of them). From the moment I wake up, I have an amazing flow of energy and everything moves quickly. In the past, whenever I felt a surge of anger, I would experience intense physical pain in my chest—so sharp it would force me back into the present moment. That has stopped now, but previously, every time I had a mental spasm, some uncomfortable or shocking situation would occur... (which the Law of Attraction interprets as a response to my low vibration).
But I know that those situations aren't negative reactions to my "bad vibes," but rather created circumstances designed to lead to the release of whatever is bothering me. It happens every single time, perfectly.

Even here on the forum, I don't read 90% of the posts; they don't attract me. Even in the middle of a long thread, I can usually skip most of it. I am here specifically for the school; when something catches my eye, I do what needs to be done. Once that thing is released, I leave. I live by impulse as much as my mind allows me to; I don't live by convention.

Expressive and critical thoughts are, ultimately, products of the ego. They can only help you realize that you aren't quite where you should be. Temperament is great because it can lead to realizations and the breaking of old patterns, but the "problem" is that it often doesn't lead to letting go. Instead, it turns into a permanent state of living out, enjoying, and feeding off that very behavior.

And just so I can point something out to you—you used the wrong example because you misunderstood the quote...
Psychiatrists don't latch onto other people's problems, nor do they feed anyone's illusions (that's what the part about "indulging" refers to), and they certainly don't identify with them...
They don't let patients drag them down into their personal turmoil; instead, they experience the narrative from a healthy distance. If they didn't maintain that boundary, they wouldn't be able to do this work at all. The quote is really about avoiding letting someone else's fear and darkness pull you under, where you end up identifying too closely with them and just feeding that anxiety together.

That's it. Yours. Look, here’s my personal take—this whole thing about setting your own standards for how you live. It sounds good on paper, right? But honestly, it just exposes this deep emotional fragility. You end up stuck in this endless loop of overanalyzing everything—trying to decide if your feelings are "correct" or "appropriate"—compared to how everyone else feels. It’s exhausting. Instead of just letting things flow and actually feeling your life, you’re just digging a deeper hole for yourself by obsessing over whether you're doing it "right."

Look, once you've already hit rock bottom, I think it’s way more productive to go dig some potatoes than to sit around reading about the "Law of Attraction." 🙂

It’s honestly depressing. We live in a country with so many proclaimed freedoms, yet this psychopathic culture is trying to hijack our ability to think and feel—all through these cheap, "instant spirituality" gimmicks. It’s brilliant manipulation, really. There’s no external crackdown or government oppression; instead, people are just building their own mental cages and calling it enlightenment. They're essentially becoming their own jailers. 🙄

Anthony Cook8 said:I didn't say that; I said we get what we need, not necessarily what we think about...

It is impossible to control every single thought; there are just too many of them, and conscious ones are actually quite rare. That said, if you mean being able to intentionally attract a specific situation through focused thought when you really want to, then absolutely.

Just imagine how chaotic the world would be if every idiot out there could manifest whatever they felt like. 😁

Regarding ZP, theoretically, we might only attract what we are. And since we are essentially our thoughts (including the ones we aren't even aware of), our deep-seated beliefs, patterns, and conditioning, it stands to reason we'd end up attracting things we don't even want.
In other words, proving how ZP works is probably nearly impossible.

As for the idea of physical reality being an illusion, I've had a few moments where that felt true. There are certain states of consciousness where you feel significantly less restricted than you do in the physical world. Again, unprovable.

What I am fairly sure about is the illusory nature of objective physical reality.

I find it quite fascinating how people have hijacked this thread—completely bypassing the author’s actual question in the process—to turn it into a vehicle for various off-topic tangents.

Scott Miller4 said:Just imagine how chaotic the world would be if every idiot out there could manifest whatever they felt like. 😁

Regarding ZP, theoretically, we might only attract what we are. And since we are essentially our thoughts (including the ones we aren't even aware of), our deep-seated beliefs, patterns, and conditioning, it stands to reason we'd end up attracting things we don't even want.
In other words, proving how ZP works is probably nearly impossible.

As for the idea of physical reality being an illusion, I've had a few moments where that felt true. There are certain states of consciousness where you feel significantly less restricted than you do in the physical world. Again, unprovable.

What I am fairly sure about is the illusory nature of objective physical reality.

We attract exactly what we need for our growth and lessons in the moment; that's what I meant when I wrote about attracting what we truly require...

Steven Cruz3 said:That's it. Yours. Look, here’s my personal take—this whole thing about setting your own standards for how you live. It sounds good on paper, right? But honestly, it just exposes this deep emotional fragility. You end up stuck in this endless loop of overanalyzing everything—trying to decide if your feelings are "correct" or "appropriate"—compared to how everyone else feels. It’s exhausting. Instead of just letting things flow and actually feeling your life, you’re just digging a deeper hole for yourself by obsessing over whether you're doing it "right."

Look, once you've already hit rock bottom, I think it’s way more productive to go dig some potatoes than to sit around reading about the "Law of Attraction." 🙂

It’s honestly depressing. We live in a country with so many proclaimed freedoms, yet this psychopathic culture is trying to hijack our ability to think and feel—all through these cheap, "instant spirituality" gimmicks. It’s brilliant manipulation, really. There’s no external crackdown or government oppression; instead, people are just building their own mental cages and calling it enlightenment. They're essentially becoming their own jailers. 🙄

Just because you feel that way doesn't make it a fact. I once learned this the hard way during a heated debate at a local diner, and it’s a lesson that stays with you.

☕😉🙂😁

Anthony Cook8 said:We attract exactly what we need for our growth and lessons in the moment; that's what I meant when I wrote about attracting what we truly require...

Oh, really? And I suppose these people are also just "attracting" what they need?

http://www.nytimes.com/news/children-struggling-to-find-happiness/1189947/

Nancy Wilson2 said:I find it quite fascinating how people have hijacked this thread—completely bypassing the author’s actual question in the process—to turn it into a vehicle for various off-topic tangents.

It really isn't, though. If we're talking about the illusion of life, we're specifically discussing the underlying reality and the reasons why life itself is considered an illusion...

Ryan Wilson2 said:Oh, really? And I suppose these people are also just "attracting" what they need?

http://www.nytimes.com/news/children-struggling-to-find-happiness/1189947/

There he goes again... acting like his opinion is some kind of absolute truth.

And honestly, there’s a reason for everything...

Anthony Cook8 said:We attract exactly what we need for our growth and lessons in the moment; that's what I meant when I wrote about attracting what we truly require...

What you just said is probably one of the most beautiful clichés we ever hear. I guess there isn't much that feels as comforting as the idea that all our suffering was actually necessary to make us better people.

Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that it's just a platitude we rarely ever truly believe.

Anthony Cook8 said:It really isn't, though. If we're talking about the illusion of life, we're specifically discussing the underlying reality and the reasons why life itself is considered an illusion...

If life is an illusion, then we are illusions too. It follows logically.
We live multiple lives in one.

Anthony Cook8 said:Just because you feel that way doesn't make it a fact. I once learned this the hard way during a heated debate at a local diner, and it’s a lesson that stays with you.

☕😉🙂😁

Nah—it just means you refuse to respect anyone else's perspective or the truth, mostly because you're terrified of catching my "negativity" like some kind of flu. 😍

Steven Cruz3 said:Nah—it just means you refuse to respect anyone else's perspective or the truth, mostly because you're terrified of catching my "negativity" like some kind of flu. 😍

To be honest, the quote you're pulling from is probably a bit more accurate than your take on it. 😁

I honestly feel like my own consciousness is what breathes life and meaning into everything around me. Without my perspective, nothing really exists, you know? If I were to just vanish, the whole entire world would blink out of existence right along with me, like it never even happened in the first place. It’s all just one big illusion, if you think about it. Everything we see is basically just a dream.

Rebecca Sanders37 said:I honestly feel like my own consciousness is what breathes life and meaning into everything around me. Without my perspective, nothing really exists, you know? If I were to just vanish, the whole entire world would blink out of existence right along with me, like it never even happened in the first place. It’s all just one big illusion, if you think about it. Everything we see is basically just a dream.

That sounds like pure solipsism, I guess...

When you disappear, the world I see isn't going anywhere, regardless of whether you're around to witness it.

I suppose this would be an argument for the idea that objective physical reality doesn't exist.

Scott Miller4 said:That sounds like pure solipsism, I guess...

When you disappear, the world I see isn't going anywhere, regardless of whether you're around to witness it.

I suppose this would be an argument for the idea that objective physical reality doesn't exist.

But honestly? For me, once I'm gone, everything goes dark and that's all that matters! To my own perspective, the entire universe is just Me.

Rebecca Sanders37 said:But honestly? For me, once I'm gone, everything goes dark and that's all that matters! To my own perspective, the entire universe is just Me.

Great. 😁
Just so I don't have to hunt for a new link... how exactly do you explain this as being part of yourself?

Anyway, I was more trying to say that there’s such a thing as subjective reality—one that we actually influence, in the way you described. There's your subjective reality, mine, some other guy's, and so on, whereas objective reality doesn't really exist.

Scott Miller4 said:To be honest, the quote you're pulling from is probably a bit more accurate than your take on it. 😁

Every single time I try to engage with Ivy, it ends in some kind of mess—I've just learned it's pointless. I just tune it out and let it go in one ear and out the other. 🙂

Steven Cruz3 said:Every single time I try to engage with Ivy, it ends in some kind of mess—I've just learned it's pointless. I just tune it out and let it go in one ear and out the other. 🙂

It sounds like you're talking to yourself rather than me..

Everything you're doing feels more like a solo performance for your own personal growth. You're projecting this idea that you're helping me see things, but really, you're just helping yourself realize them...