Reality and Truth

Truth is different from reality. Reality is dependent upon the perceiver, while truth is what's actually so about a given reality. Another way to say this is that reality can have many levels and dimensions of experience, while truth involves all the levels and dimensions simultaneously. Reality is perceived while truth is known.

Outer Reality

Outer, or "objective" reality, is commonly believed to be that which is perceived through the body's senses. My definition of outer reality will be a bit broader than that because I am aware that we have many more senses than the five basic ones. Also, we have scientific instruments that are capable of measuring aspects of the universe that our senses cannot perceive. We know about atoms, molecules, cells, etc., yet we cannot see them physically with the naked eye.

We also hear of the larger "spiritual" universe that exists beyond the physical one. One definition of "spiritual" is "That which exists in the invisible." Both science and religion acknowledge the existence of this vast realm. For example, if you’ve ever seen a chart of the light spectrum (Figure 1.1), you know that the visible part is only a tiny line between infrared and ultraviolet. All the beauty of this world, as well as the billions of stars in the night sky, are represented by this tiny line on the light spectrum. Although we can measure some of the frequencies beyond our physical senses, these frequencies are invisible to us and hence, by definition, are part of the infinitely larger spiritual universe.

Many religions teach that the physical world is an illusion. This is partially true in the sense that what we see with the body’s eyes is only an image of what is actually there. All we see is the reflected light from an object as it hits the retina of the eye, is recorded by the brain, and is then transmitted via nerve impulse back to the optical faculties. Also, when we look at the physical world with our conventional senses, we see only the past. We do not see what is occurring now. Even this printed page is viewed in the past. It takes light reflected from this page approximately one-billionth of a second to reach the retina of the eye.

[Original image not available -- I apologize for the bad graphics -- Ed.]

Figure 1.1 – The Light Spectrum
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Lower frequencies                             Visible | | light                           Higher frequencies
<--                                                             --> | | <--                                             -->
                                                           ||
Spiritual Universe                            Physical || Universe                     Spiritual Universe
<--                                                 --> | | <--                                             -->
                                                           ||
<--                                                             --> | | <--                                            -->
Infrared                                                     Red || Violet                                       Ultraviolet
________________________________________________________________

The further away an object is, the further into the past you are looking. Distant galaxies may be billions of light years away, and as a result, it may take billions of years for the light from these galaxies to reach the retina of the eye as it peers through a telescope. If we assume that the measurements are accurate by not taking into account curvatures and distortions in the space-time continuum, it would seem that we are actually witnessing what took place billions of years ago in a faraway galaxy. It is theorized by some astronomers that if they could create a powerful enough telescope, they might be able to look far enough back in time to see the beginning of the physical universe.

In addition to the time lag involved in physical perception, there is also the illusion of solidity in material objects. The atoms that make up physical matter are like tiny solar systems floating in a vast space. The speed at which the electrons orbit the atomic nucleus gives the appearance of solidity. The sheer number of atoms in an object also make the object seem solid. Actually, there is far more space than atomic substance. Most objects are more than 99% empty space. It is the energy fields within the atomic structure that hold objects together enough to form solidity. If this energy field were not present, we would walk through walls and be unable to sit on a chair.

This rudimentary discussion of physics is simply to point out the validity of the statement “the world is an illusion.” However, it is not that the world does not exist, it is just that we do not perceive it as it actually is. The world is very real. It has an objective reality involving the interaction of billions of atomic particles, and it has a contrived reality given it by the collective consciousness of humanity (more on this later).

Inner Reality

The fascinating outer universe is small potatoes compared to the inner universe. What do we mean by “inner?” Certainly not the inside of the body, although the body and brain are a whole, complex universe unto themselves. Generally, the inner universe consists of the emotional, mental and subtle levels of experience.

The key to understanding the outer world is to understand the inner, because in many ways, the outer is a reflection of the inner. The inner world is so vast and complex that it often does not appear to create the outer. In fact, most people believe they are at the effect of the outer world; mere pawns in a chess game created by some outer deity. These beliefs arise from misunderstandings about the nature of the self.

Beliefs

Beliefs create reality. For example, let’s suppose two people each have $1,000. The first person believes he is in poverty and feels his $1,000 is woefully inadequate to meet what he perceives to be his needs. The second person feels wealthy and sees his $1,000 as a lot of money that can bring a lot of things to him.

The first person’s reality is one of poverty while the second person’s reality is one of wealth. The truth is they both have the same amount of money and are simply perceiving it differently based on their belief systems about their needs.

A related idea is that reality is largely dependent on the culture we live in. In many parts of the world, people have very little in the way of material comforts, yet seem relatively happy. In the United States, many with far greater material wealth are not as happy. Obviously, the belief that material wealth brings happiness is not entirely true. It is also obvious that there is a wide variance of beliefs about what one needs in order to be happy.

Beliefs create reality. It sounds so simple. But the monkey wrench here is that beliefs and their resulting realities occur on many levels and dimensions simultaneously, with one level of belief often conflicting with another level or canceling it out. In addition, most of us can only see the “tip of the iceberg” of our belief systems. Most belief systems are deeply embedded in the subconscious mind. Our conscious mind is like the part of the iceberg above water. The real power of belief lies in the vast chunk under the surface.

If we have a conscious belief that we are wealthy, for example, but a subconscious belief that we are poor, the subconscious belief will probably have a greater influence on our overall experience of reality. In later chapters we will explore ways to uncover and reprogram the subconscious mind to bring our subconscious beliefs in line with our conscious ones.

There are many layers to the subconscious. For example, think of the unhappy millionaire who believes that money brings happiness. If that were the only belief he had on the subject, he would probably be happy. (Actually, in this case, it would not be the money that brings the happiness, but the belief itself.) But suppose underneath that belief is another one that says, “No matter how much money I have, I’ll never be good enough.” This belief may have power over the first one and create a feeling of dissatisfaction for the millionaire.

Throughout history, there have been individuals who succeeded, against seemingly insurmountable odds, to accomplish their dreams. These are the individuals who broke out of the belief in victimhood. There are many books on the power of belief and positive thinking and I will not duplicate efforts here. My intent is to go deeper than that, to look at the most sacred of all beliefs and then go beyond these core beliefs to their origin.

In the following chapters, we will dive in and investigate the various levels and dimensions of the inner world, taking a look at some of our most commonly held belief systems. By understanding ourselves and our inner workings, we can then move into the mysteries of the universe at large.

Individual and Collective Realities

Basically, there are two levels of reality on Earth: individual reality and collective reality. Your individual reality is yours alone; no other human being has the exact same set of beliefs and no other human being is perceiving the world from your body. Collective realities consist of those belief systems that are shared by two or more people. Collective realities often tend to have more power than individual realities. Since belief creates reality, the world of humanity is a reflection of the composite beliefs of each individual combined with the collective beliefs of humankind. In order for society to function efficiently, individuals enter into agreements as to which realities will be accepted and which will not. When enough people agree on a particular reality, it becomes known as a fact. Everyday facts are real in the sense that the human race has collectively agreed to perceive physical reality in a certain way. This is obviously necessary in order for humans to live together on this small planet. Imagine the chaos if everyone had a different interpretation of a red stoplight, for instance. Without collective belief, red is simply red. But we have all agreed that red means stop and so this becomes a fact. Someone can still disagree, and for that person, red may not mean stop, but it may be difficult for him or her to drive an automobile.

The realities with the most power are those that are believed by the most people. Death and taxes seem inevitable because the vast majority of people believe in them. It is possible for an individual to disagree with death and taxes, but due to the extreme pressure to conform to the mass consciousness, very few individuals have broken out of this collective reality.

Because there are many levels and dimensions of reality of which we are not always aware, it is often very difficult to tell reality from truth. There are many people, for instance, who would argue that death is an absolute truth. But unless it is true on every level and dimension, it is not absolute truth.

Later, when we talk about dimensions, we will see that the “higher” dimensions include the “lower” ones, but are not bound by them. In other words, the physical universe can be thought of as a lower dimension contained within the higher dimension of the spiritual universe. If death is not true in this larger universe, it cannot be true in the smaller one. And yet, it is certainly a reality for almost everyone on Earth.

I have seen very clearly that if you create a new set of beliefs that do not conform to what the mass consciousness believes, you are living a very different reality from the one we call “normal.” Much of the information in Part II of this book would not have come to me if I had not broken out of many of the mass beliefs of humanity.

The Steps to Awareness

The primary purpose of life is to expand our awareness. We do this by learning from the experiences we have. At first, we do not consciously choose our experiences; they seem to just happen to us, often against our will. As we gain awareness, we begin to see how we caused the various events and circumstances in our lives. There are five main steps to becoming aware. They are as follows:

1. Desiring to become aware. This is the most fundamental desire of humankind: curiosity. We want to find out about things. We search for life’s meaning. We want to experience life more fully.

2. Becoming aware of being unaware. This involves noticing our inattention and becoming aware of programming and conditioning that is not beneficial to our growth. We begin to notice our wandering thoughts without resisting, controlling or suppressing them, but rather, seeing the distortions in our perceptions and understanding the nature of illusions, discovering the causes of conflict within ourselves, and being aware of being caught up, emotionally and intellectually, in the past or future. We become aware of feeling tension, pressure and fatigue—bodily sensations that are signs of conflict or disharmony. We look at our responses to situations that arise, without analyzing or criticizing excessively.

3. Letting go of the old. This begins with dispelling ideas, concepts, past programming and belief systems that are no longer appropriate for expansion of awareness. Later, this includes letting go of techniques and methods for consciousness expansion; after all, they are only tools—a means and not an end.

4. Integration. This involves bringing all the parts of ourselves into alignment, reclaiming the aspects we judged against, and experiencing complete self-acceptance.

5. Freedom. Integration brings unity within the self, and unity brings true perception; the ability to perceive what’s actually so. This is enlightenment.

In order to reach Step 4 of the awareness process we must go beyond ideas and concepts to the direct experience. But until we have a direct experience, we must start with ideas and concepts. If you have never experienced skydiving, you must start with basic instructions, viewing films, talking to those who have had the experience, etc. However, you can talk to thousands of people who have been skydiving and gain all the knowledge possible about it, but until you have the experience, you really know nothing at all.

To reach Steps 4 and 5 of the awareness process, we must first ask ourselves, “What is awareness?” Often this word and “consciousness” are used interchangeably. They are not the same. Consciousness is an intelligent energy; a state of being involving the awareness of existence. We all have consciousness to some extent, but not all of us are aware. Awareness is an active state of being. We may have consciousness in several different dimensions, but we may be aware of only two or three of those dimensions at any given time.

Expansion of awareness means the ability to become simultaneously aware of more and more of our consciousness. If we are normally aware of the first three dimensions of reality, our goal may be to become aware of the other dimensions as well.

There are two types of awareness: selective awareness and choiceless awareness. Selective awareness involves zeroing in on a specific level or dimension and discovering the truth about that reality. This is often done through concentration, exploration and mind control techniques. Choiceless awareness, or simultaneous awareness, is usually achieved through meditation and involves expanding the conscious mind to include the subconscious and superconscious levels.

Many people confuse choiceless awareness with selective awareness. Selective awareness always involves denying one level of reality in favor of another. This is necessary in order to perform certain tasks or communicate ideas about a certain reality. If I’m instructing someone in how to drive a car, I do not want to be exploring the more abstract realms; I want to concentrate on the mechanics of driving. However, if I’ve had a hard day dealing with practical issues and want to give myself a rest, I need to allow my mind to move into expansiveness and take in the whole picture of life. When I do this, my little third dimensional reality becomes nothing more than one frame in a cosmic movie, one tiny aspect of a glorious whole. All the issues and people in my earthly life become merely “actors on a stage,” to quote a famous playwright. From this expanded state I can view all the different angles of a given problem and come up with creative solutions.

Models and Reality Constructs

In my experience with hundreds of personal growth students and teachers, I have discovered what I call “level confusion.” Level confusion is a situation where one or both of the following takes place:

(1) An idea is conveyed from one person to another, but the language barrier causes misinterpretation. This is because not everyone has the same definition for the popular buzzwords in the human potential movement. For example, “God” and “Infinite Intelligence” may have the same meaning intrinsically, but a Christian might be better able to grasp “God”, while a scientist might relate to “Infinite Intelligence.”

(2) An idea is communicated with the sender’s intention that it be understood on one level, but the receiver interprets it on another level. This confusion is deeper and more subtle than the language barrier. The most common manifestation of this kind of level confusion occurs when a seeker of truth has discovered a law or principle of life that he or she believes will apply to all of life, but in actuality applies only to a specific level of understanding.

An example of type (2) level confusion involves the law of karma. There is a realm (or level) of Creation where karma is real and valid. However, there are also levels of reality where the concept of karma is meaningless. If the student believes karma is an absolute, immutable law, he or she is in for confusion every time a level of reality is experienced that does not fall into the domain of karma.

In metaphysics I am constantly hearing about how we create our own reality. I have seen well-meaning people take this principle to its extreme and try to explain everything in Creation in terms of what thoughts are present in the thinker. The law of mind is indeed a powerful principle that affects many levels of Creation. However, in my experience, love and compassion are higher (more all-encompassing) principles than creative thought. No place is the dichotomy between creative thought and love/compassion more evident than in the scenario where metaphysicians detach from the woes of the world and close their hearts to those suffering by claiming “They created it. It’s their karma. I’m not responsible.”

To help alleviate level confusion, I’ve created, throughout this book, various figures and diagrams to illustrate the different realities. Keep in mind that models are a symbolic representation of reality; they are not the reality itself. The word is not the actuality. Models are only a means of communication. In truth, there are seldom discrete borders and lines between levels of reality; one aspect tends to blend into another without neat, convenient divisions.

From a truly wholistic perspective, levels, densities and dimensions are meaningless. There is simply life, with its many facets and experiences. So I urge you to use the models to go beyond them. They may be helpful up to a point, like a teacher, but do not become stuck in them. While you are arguing about whether Jesus came from the seventh dimension or the eighth, you are missing the fragrance of life and the beauty of stillness.

Because there are so many teachings, each with its own specific set of models and constructs, I’ve borrowed from the ones that seem the most helpful for me, and then added many of my own ideas. One teaching I will mention briefly is “A Course In Miracles.” The issue of level confusion is quite evident here. The course is a set of channeled books, purportedly from Jesus, and teaches how to awaken to your true Self. So-called “experts” of the course claim it is written on seven different levels, and after having studied it extensively, I am inclined to agree. To the uneducated, the course appears to contradict itself frequently, but to the trained observer, it simply vacillates between levels.

For example, in one section the course advocates the use of medication for the body when it is sick. In another section it says the body cannot get sick and that the cause of all illness is in the mind. Later, it says the body is an illusion; a meaningless idea. Then it goes on to say the body was created purposely to hide the truth. Further along, it says the body is real, but is only a “tiny fence around a glorious and complete idea.” And finally, there is reference to the “incorruptibility” and immortality of the body. All these perceptions appear to be valid depending on what level of awareness you are operating in, but obviously, you can see the potential for confusion.

In the following chapters, we will explore the various aspects of ourselves and how we perceive reality. You will discover how to broaden your consciousness through alpha and theta brain wave functioning and how to increase your awareness greatly in a very short period of time. The exercises in the Appendix will also help you awaken the psychic and intuitive centers of your mind. Later, we will explore several models of reality, including aspects of Self, densities, and dimensions.

Now, I would like to define and describe some models and reality constructs pertaining to various levels of awareness.

Model #1: Levels of Awareness/Aspects of Self

“Levels of Awareness” and “Aspects of Self” refer to the way in which we perceive reality and the human faculties used to perceive that reality. In general, we are referring to inner states of being; i.e., aspects of the Self. Most of the levels of awareness described here will be familiar, some may not be, but all are within, or perceived by, the Self. A level of awareness is similar to a dimension, except that its boundaries are not so much defined by universal laws and principles, as by states of awareness. For example, the physical body and emotions are two different levels of awareness, but both exist in the third-dimensional world.

Levels of Awareness

Higher levels of awareness are not necessarily better than lower levels. Each level has its specific function. Sometimes it is better to focus on the mundane than the expanded states. Ideally, one should be able to shift focus easily from one level to the next or be simultaneously aware of many levels at once.

Levels of awareness can be inclusive or exclusive; that is, they can take in the totality of a given reality or they can select specific attributes of that reality and concentrate on those. For example, cosmic consciousness is inclusive and generally refers to a level of universal awareness, while true meditation is more exclusive and means an inner stillness beyond conscious awareness.

To read this book requires the intellectual level of awareness. But to truly understand it requires a higher level of awareness. Because reality depends on perception, two people can view the same reality from two different levels of awareness and have two completely different experiences. The intellectual person may get the impression that this book is extremely wordy and fails to address deeper issues, while the more spiritually-focused person may gain tremendous insight and energy from reading it.

To properly write, edit, proof, and publish this book required an intellectual awareness and knowledge of mundane details. However, from a higher perspective, the words are simply tools to help the reader go beyond the intellect. In nature, the gardener and botanist must look at a flower from a scientific, intellectual point of view; noting germination times, proper amount of water, right amount of sunlight, etc. If you look at the same flower from a meditative mind, you may see the handiwork of God in all its splendor.

Aspects of Self

Closely related to levels of awareness are aspects of self. These are the qualities of being which are used to perceive the various densities and dimensions of the universe. For example, the body aspect sees the universe from a physical level of awareness while the soul views life from the soul level.

At the end of Part I, I’ve included several tables and charts that tie together all the models of reality used in this book: Levels of awareness, aspects of self, densities and dimensions. I’ve included a seven-dimensional model and a 12-dimensional one.

In the following chapters, we will look at some models of reality based on the following levels of awareness and aspects of self:

Table 1.1 – Levels of Awareness and Aspects of Self

Level	Description	Aspect of Self
1	Physical body	BODY
2	Emotional; instincutal; sexual	WILL
3	Intellectual; rational; logical	EGO/LOWER MIND
4	Psychic; intuitive; imaginative	HIGHER MIND
5	Love; unity; oneness	HEART
6	Pure essence; higher Self	SOUL
7	Intelligence; wisdom; knowing	OVERSOUL
8	Universal/cosmic consciousness	SPIRIT
9	Nirvana; supreme enlightenment	GOD/GODDESS
10	Eternal newness; silence; timelessness	The TAO
11	The unknown/the unknowable	The VOID
12	The Great Mystery	???

Model #2: Densities

Densities are similar to levels of awareness and aspects of self, but refer to discrete vibratory states of life forms in the universe. I’ve devoted Chapter 9 to the study of densities. Densities are as follows:

Table 1.2 – Densities

Number/Level	Description
1	The mineral kingdom
2	The plant kingdom
3	The animal kingdom
4	Human beings
5	The etheric light body
6	The soul body
7	The oversoul
8	Angels
9	Archangels
10	Creator gods
11	Universal gods
12	The Godhead

Model #3: Dimensions

Dimensions are like worlds within worlds. I’ve differentiated between densities and dimensions because attaining higher states of consciousness involves making a density shift; i.e., evolving from a lower order life form to a higher one. However, my view is that we all exist simultaneously in at least 12 different dimensions and that our form is the result of where we put our attention. While densities represent specific frequencies, dimensions include entire space-time continuums within the Universe at large. The dimensions in our model are as follows:

Table 1.3 – Dimensions

Number/Level	Description
1	Existence
2	Location
3	Depth; magnitude; physical plane
4	Time; thought; astral plane
5	Love; oneness; etheric plane
6	Soul plane; essence
7	Oversoul worlds; lower celestial heavens
8	Celestial planes
9	Paradise/mansion worlds
10	Other universes
11	The Godhead
12	The void; the unknown

Let’s begin our exploration of the models.

[END OF CHAPTER 1]

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