Ideas are illusions
Ideas are illusions
we're only in trouble when we think they are real
Realized again, more profoundly: Every idea is an illusion.
There's nothing wrong with having an illusion if it helps or entertains us. There's a problem when an illusion leads us to unhappiness, dysfunction, dissatisfaction, or anger.
Too often, there are illusions that lead there.
The illusion of self, a self we must defend and protect, is the source of much misery. Not me, not now, but once upon a time.
Happiness, too, is an illusion.
When I looked, in a moment of happiness, at the happiness and the "me" that was being happy to see if it was an illusion, my experience was a lot like the one I've reliably had when I look inward toward my "self."
When I see through the illusion of self, I suddenly find myself looking outward. Instead of a self, I discover the world.
Same for happiness.
Unfortunately, I'm not angry right now, so I can't do the experiment, but I think the end result of looking at anger would be the same -- everything would vanish but consciousness.
But I think the illusion of anger will be harder to see through because anger has a will of its own. It wants to survive. No one is merely angry. We are "right" to be angry.
Of course, that's utter nonsense. There is no right to be angry, and anger does not make us right. Anger can be useful, but only--like illusions--if we are in charge.
Anger is a particularly nasty customer because it lies like a cheap rug. It tells us that "we" are angry. It tells you it's valuable. It's there for a reason. It's justified. Anger says it’s your friend. If you let go of your anger, it must be because you are weak. Or because to do so is to admit that the issue that provoked the anger does not matter. So you don't care. Worse, because you will lose (and losing, of course, is not an illusion). Even worse, letting go of anger repeatedly makes you a loser.
Loser!
”So stay angry, my friend.” So says anger.
These are all tricks that this illusion uses to keep you from looking. Distraction. Misdirection. Anything but examination. Because if you look, simply look, openly ask, "Is this an illusion or not?" it's game over for an illusion. Goodbye anger. And sadness. And depression.
And happiness, too. But that's OK. If you want more, you can make more. After all, it's just an illusion.
So will it work? I don't know. I'm not angry. Or sad. Or depressed. I kind of wish I was. I almost can't wait.
So is wanting to write.
The thing that's interesting is that the way for me to write is to get "wanting to write" out of the way. By looking at it.
Illusion out the way, writing appears.
Also an illusion, but a better kind.