“Life is but a dream.” Seems like a fairytale tagline, but what does it really mean?
Life is a continuous cycle in 3 states of consciousness: the awakened state, the dream state, and deep sleep. In each state, consciousness creates a world that appears to be reality. As the “waker” goes through the experiences of the waking world, this person treats the surroundings as real. This is displayed through the personality of perceptions, actions, thoughts, emotions, and beings. The world only exists for the waker and they reject the dream world as unreal, a mere illusion. The waker refers to themself as “I am” for they are absolute in their reality. Upon closing the eyes to rest, the entire waking world disappears and consciousness moves into the dream and deep sleep states.
While in the dream, the “dreamer” treats the dreamscape world as real and the waking world an illusion. The dream world consists of personalities in thoughts, emotions, and desires. It has its own laws of nature, logic, and functions. The dreamer refers to themself as “I am” for they are convinced of their reality. This reality exists only for the dreamer. The moment consciousness passes into deep sleep, the dream world fades away.
Unlike the previous two examples, in the deep-sleep state of consciousness there are no dreams - instead, there is blackness, nothingness. The “sleeper” enjoys freedom from thoughts, desires, and action. This is the seed state of consciousness. It is said that God created the world out of nothingness. From the emptiness of deep sleep births the waker and all the personalities contained. It too expresses the “I am”. Although each world experiences a relative reality, the moment consciousness moves, that specific reality is lost.
Daily life revolves around these three states of consciousness. The personalities of each state is conditioned. The deep sleeper is conditioned by the physical body, the dreamer by the subtle body (thoughts, emotions, desires), the waker by the gross body (perception and actions). Throughout life while in each state, “I am” is wrongfully expressed. “I am” is not contained to a limited perception of fragmented realities. Rather, it is the higher Self, the Pure Consciousness, that is the force which holds the 3 personalities together. This is the ultimate reality. The Self is beyond the waker, dreamer, and deep sleep.
Every human feels the inherent pressure to pursue endless pleasures, joy, and happiness while in the 3 states of consciousness. By realizing your true Self, you are freed from these internal pressures to truly become “I Am”. You can only become that eternal Being, like the dreamer becomes the waker. Shed the conditioning of the waker, dreamer, and deep-sleep and to regain your unconditioned, pure Self.
If life is but a dream, reality is merely subjective. Discover the endless bliss already within you by shedding the illusions. Be the Higher Self.