An important thought that occured to me

[chips]

Maybe in a rush to detach myself from the false reality most live in, I have ironically enough created another false reality for myself-one i feel more comfortable in, one i believe is the true reality. Reality is what is is, a world made up of chemicals and molecules. However, the mind complicates things. The mind has been programmed to perceive certain things, unvoluntarily. But once a certain level of knowledge has been obtained, mentality shifts and a new truth is revealed. My experiences combat (and are threatened?) by theories, half-proofs, and scientific explanations. Could i be tricked by my own mind, or is t his really...real?

[CFTraveler]

Instead of asking yourself if what you consider reality is 'really' real, I would ask you- does it work for you? Does it make you happy? Does it fulfill you? Deconstruction can be a funny thing- it can lead to depersonalization-which can be fun for a while. But it can also get in the way of whatever you want out of life.

[jehocifer]

I agree. If infinity is a fair concept, and there are an infinite amount of universes, then everything is "real", anyway. That is, of course, under the assumption that infinity is a fair concept and there are an infinite amount of universes. I like to fancy the idea of subjective reality, so "real" is whatever you want it to be. I enjoy the people that will say, "It only works because you believe it works". Sometimes you just have to say, "Well, if it works because I think it works...then I'll just keep believing it works". This isn't ignorance, it's acceptance of your reign over your own personal view of reality.

[Psychonaut1984]

So when do you cross the line? I mean can it be really healthy to believe in anything? Maybe I just don't understand the concept but does that mean if i convince myself that something is real enough, it will really happen or that it is just good to believe something if it makes you feel good/helps you move along in life?

[Tom]

What I go with is if something lasts - if I still believe it in six months or a year or two I can take it more seriously.

[Chris_com28]

nstead of asking yourself if what you consider reality is 'really' real, I would ask you- does it work for you? Does it make you happy? Does it fulfill you?

Damn right. People like to insult people who have different beliefs. Though they get things out of their beliefs and practises that they just wouldn't get for anything else. This world is full of illusions. I don't see anything wrong with an illusion that helps you.

I just don't understand the concept but does that mean if i convince myself that something is real enough, it will really happen or that it is just good to believe something if it makes you feel good/helps you move along in life?

If you believe something enough then you will get some kind of internal response from it - known as the placebo affect. Though even if you don't believe in something doesn't always cancel out the affect. Something which I learnt myself.

[Psychonaut1984]

If you believe something enough then you will get some kind of internal response from it - known as the placebo affect. Though even if you don't believe in something doesn't always cancel out the affect. Something which I learnt myself.

Do you think having certain really solid beliefs could actually manifest something, maybe even unintentionally?
I have read some extreme cases involving psychokinetic phenomena, and stigmata with religious people. These people were so deeply faithful that they grew blisters on their hands and feet that would fill up with blood and start bleeding around the same time every day. Often on other parts of their body other images from their subconscious, like symbols that might have been seen around the church, might appear as sores on their body.The size and shape of their wounds usually varied depending on the depictions of the The Crusifixition in their church or books they owned. Occasionally mild poltergeist phenomena would be witnessed around these people. There were other cases with people who would spontenously levitate during prayer or spiritual practices. The book is called The PK Zone: A Cross-Cultural Review of Psychokinesis by Pamela Rae Heath, if anyone is interested. I thought it was very interesting.

I figured I would just throw that out there. I guess anything is possible.

[Korpo]

It is.

Proof?

The people that develop the stigmata, they have them where people commonly believe they are - in the center of the palm. Nobody was historically crucified like this - only the wrists can sustain the body's weight.

This is testament how belief forms reality, because what these people believed came true.

Oliver