Self Percived Reality & Meaning Of Life

The Question at the Heart of Existence

Perhaps the most profound question each conscious being must eventually confront is deceptively simple yet infinitely complex: what is the meaning behind life, and what makes life truly life? This inquiry haunts our quiet moments and shapes our deepest motivations, even when we aren't consciously examining it.

We arrive in this world and immediately fall heir to exterior narratives that begin shaping us into who we believe ourselves to be. From our earliest moments, we are told what life is, how we should live, what constitutes success, what we should value, desire, and fear. Perhaps most fundamentally, we are told—explicitly and implicitly—what the very meaning of our existence ought to be.

These inherited narratives become the invisible architecture of our reality. They form the unquestioned assumptions through which we interpret every experience, every relationship, every triumph and tragedy. Yet they remain, for most of us, entirely unconscious—the water in which we swim, never realizing we are wet.

Consciousness: The Canvas of Reality

What we do know, what becomes increasingly evident through both introspection and observation, is that consciousness itself constitutes the fundamental substrate of life. Our super consciousness—that mysterious, ineffable awareness that precedes all experience—constructs our individual perception of reality through the necessarily limited vantage point we occupy.

Despite the inherent limitations of our perspective, this individual perception remains of paramount importance both to ourselves and, in ways we cannot fully comprehend, to the world at large. Each consciousness serves as both receiver and transmitter, both observer and creator. Our individual perception of reality isn't merely passive; it actively influences and shapes the general narrative of the world we collectively inhabit.

The longer I've immersed myself in the study of world history, economics, and the intricate patterns of human civilization, the more I find myself astonished that we have somehow created and continue to maintain the extraordinary complexity of modern society. There exist countless variable pieces, delicate balances, and intricate systems that somehow cohere to keep our entire global civilization functioning day after day. Examining this tapestry closely reveals that everything is somehow intertwined, connected through invisible threads of meaning and purpose that transcend any individual's understanding or control.

Visions from the Edge of Understanding

Over recent years, my meditation practice has deepened, bringing me face-to-face with phenomena I struggle to articulate: strangely intertwining, uncoordinated yet seemingly intelligent forms of life that appear during my deepest meditative states. After long contemplation, I've come to recognize these as manifestations of consciousness itself—not merely my own individual awareness, but glimpses of the vast, interconnected field of consciousness that permeates all existence.

This recognition has led me to a persistent question: what is consciousness, really? The most resonant answer I've found is both simple and profound: consciousness is life itself—the unexplainable source and substance of existence that animates and operates through each human being and living creature.

The Meteor and the Islands: A Vision of Awakening

Perhaps my most transformative meditative experience occurred about a year ago. In this profound state, I perceived an image of humanity as passengers on a meteor hurtling toward a black hole. Each person was completely absorbed in their own survival or advancement, scrambling for position and resources on this rock they temporarily inhabited, oblivious to the ultimate trajectory.

I found myself caught in this same frantic struggle when suddenly, something shifted. It was as though an unseen hand lifted me from this collective delusion, and I found myself transported to a small island with a single palm tree. From this vantage point, I could observe the entire civilization continuing its unconscious journey, unaware of how brief the remaining ride truly was.

As I absorbed this perspective, something remarkable happened—joyful music began playing, and I noticed similar islands surrounding mine, each with its own palm tree and occupied by others who had similarly awakened. These people were simply present, enjoying their drinks and the music, connected in awareness while maintaining their individuality.

This vision crystallized something essential for me: perhaps the true purpose of life is to expand our consciousness so profoundly that we metaphorically reach our own island—a state of awakened presence where we can exist alongside those we love, fully aware and engaged, neither captured by the collective frenzy nor entirely removed from the human experience.

Beyond the Event Horizon

The black hole in my vision—which I understand as representing death or the dissolution of individual identity—indeed awaits us all. This isn't a morbid realization but rather a clarifying one. We've always known our physical existence is temporary, but this awareness need not diminish our experience. Quite the contrary—it infuses each moment with profound significance. The point isn't to avoid the inevitable transition but to truly inhabit and appreciate the journey before we embark into the unknown.

The Rain Returning to the Ocean

I've come to believe that death marks not an end but a transition. Consciousness, like energy, cannot be extinguished—only transformed. As I contemplate this current journey of individuation, I wonder if perhaps we all eventually return like raindrops to the ocean, individual experiences merging back into the vastness from which they arose.

This metaphor resonates deeply with me: perhaps our journey through individuality serves a purpose within the greater scheme of existence. Each life enriches and expands consciousness in unique ways, contributing perspectives and experiences that could be achieved through no other means. Eventually, these individuated consciousnesses return to the collective—the super consciousness with which we remain connected even in our apparent separation—bringing with them all they have gathered and grown.

The Paradox of Separation and Unity

What emerges from these reflections is a beautiful paradox: our individuality matters profoundly precisely because it contributes to something greater than itself. Each perspective, each journey of consciousness expansion, adds something essential to the tapestry of existence that could not have been contributed in any other way.

This understanding doesn't diminish the significance of our personal narrative—it elevates it. Your particular journey through consciousness, with its unique struggles and insights, joys and sorrows, achievements and losses, matters not despite the vastness of existence but because of it. The ocean needs every single raindrop to be exactly what it is.

Expanding Beyond the Inherited Narrative

If there is wisdom to be found in these reflections, perhaps it lies in the recognition that we need not remain confined within the narratives we've inherited. We can question the assumptions about meaning, success, and purpose that were handed to us. We can recognize that consciousness itself—its quality, depth, and expansion—might be what truly matters rather than the achievements or acquisitions our society has taught us to prioritize.

The truly meaningful life might not be the one that accumulates the most resources on the metaphorical meteor but the one that awakens to the bigger picture—that finds its island of clarity and presence before the journey ends. From that vantage point, we might discover that what we've been seeking all along was not more but deeper—not achievement but awareness, not conquest but connection.

The Journey as Destination

So perhaps our journey is meant to be exactly that: a journey. Not a frantic race toward some externally defined destination, but an exploration of consciousness itself—an opportunity to expand our awareness so profoundly that when we eventually merge back into the greater consciousness from which we emerged, we bring with us something precious that could have been discovered in no other way.

In this understanding, life becomes neither meaningless nor burdened with cosmic significance. It becomes, simply and profoundly, an opportunity—a brief but magnificent chance to experience existence from a unique vantage point, to expand consciousness in ways that only your particular journey could accomplish, and ultimately to return that expanded awareness to the whole.

Perhaps in the end, the black hole is not something to fear but something to approach with the dignity of having truly lived—having expanded consciousness to its fullest potential within the brief but miraculous window of this human life.