Relax, Your Life Is Imaginary (Spiritual Awakening)

Let’s dive into the playful paradox of life’s dream-like nature. Have you ever wondered if “you” as you know it really exists or if it’s just a character in a dream? Here, I unravel this idea, exploring how our minds create elaborate stories about “self” and reality, only to find they’re just clever illusions. What does it mean to live with this awareness, to see our experiences as both meaningful and ultimately weightless? Stick around if you’re ready to laugh at the “seriousness” of life, question what’s real, and maybe let go of a few illusions along the way.

Transcript

That character in the dream,

Which is simply who you think you are,

That's separate from everyone else.

Do you really think that character wants to wake up?

Do you really think that character wants to see that it's not real?

I'll tell you this,

For the spiritual characters out there,

They certainly want the illusion of waking up so that they can be a more spiritual character,

Which is cute.

The character of you is going to adamantly fight this process of waking.

And that's not a problem at all.

It's understandable.

Welcome,

Welcome,

Welcome.

For those that don't know,

My name is Tiger Singleton.

And I'm here doing this live broadcast for the sake of my own sanity.

Which is an opportunity for me to be present and check into what is real and true.

And also share insight about what it is that I see to be so beautiful about life and being human.

So effectively,

I'm here talking to myself,

Saying the things that I probably need to hear.

And the opportunity that you have as a viewer is to marinate in this presence with me.

And also understand that this is so incredibly playful for me.

It's not serious at all.

There is a profound impossibility in doing what I'm attempting to do,

Which is to illustrate something that is beyond words with using words.

And so it's quite comical.

These things that I talk about,

I know that they really can't be talked about in any definitive way.

And because of that,

I know that I'm going to fail beautifully.

And that's perfectly okay.

Which means that this can be a combination of poetic and playful.

And so I invite you to be here with me and feel into the heart behind whatever I say.

Without clinging too much to the words that I'm saying.

And we'll just see where that goes.

And we'll just see where that goes.

I'd like to take a little bit of a journey and explore how it is your whole life is imaginary.

And in no way do I mean that that's wrong,

Bad,

Should not be.

There's no meaning associated with that.

Other than an invitation to see something that I find to be incredibly profound.

Which is the life that I think I'm living.

Who I think I am.

The past I seem to have experienced.

And whatever I hope or think my future might be.

It is all imaginary.

And I find this to be profound for a few reasons and we'll see how many I get into but.

Most notably,

It's profound because of how easy it is to assume that it's not imaginary.

And that it's real.

And that it's real.

And that it's real.

And that it's real.

And the more real I think my life is.

The more it has the power to bother me.

And the more serious it becomes.

And naturally.

And naturally.

The more I see just how imaginary my life is,

Has been and will be.

There's a beautiful relaxation that emerges.

Where in some way using these silly words.

It just doesn't matter nearly as much.

As my mind wants to make it matter.

How might we see this?

That your whole life is imaginary.

And granted.

There will be elements of this that you see and they make sense.

But I want to caution you.

On any conclusions you come to.

Because no matter how deep it might seem right now.

I can promise it goes so much more deep than you originally assumed.

So we will see this to the degree that we are ready to see it.

And as we integrate it and allow it to be what it is.

We prepare ourselves to see it more deeply over time.

To say your whole life is imaginary is also to say that it's an illusion.

And the nature of an illusion is simply to say that.

Things are not what they appear to be.

Things are not what they appear to be.

Your past is not what it appears to be.

You are not what it appears to be.

And the future isn't what it appears to be.

In fact everything is not what it appears to be.

And everything is an illusion.

Again,

Not wrong.

And that's one of the things the mind tends to do right away is.

Especially in the West.

If we say that something is an illusion.

We associate that it's negative somehow.

But that would just be to have an illusion about an illusion.

And maybe that's a great starting place.

To see how you can create an illusion.

Out of what I'm talking about.

Do you see this?

Here I am saying something.

And then your mind turns it into something.

That I'm not necessarily saying.

Therefore what you're hearing.

Therefore what you're hearing.

Is an illusion of what I'm saying.

It appears to you that I'm saying something.

But I can promise you in a deep way.

Nobody actually hears what I'm saying.

It's an illusion.

Everyone here listening.

Is hearing something different.

Filtered through their own direct experience.

When I say certain words.

People have different meanings for those words.

And therefore their experience is different.

And you can see that the.

Challenge or struggle that arises.

Is to.

Believe in the illusion in such a way.

That what you think you're experiencing.

Is what I'm saying.

Not realizing.

What you're hearing.

Is taking place on the inside of what you are.

The illusion is that what you're experiencing.

The illusion is that what you're experiencing is out there.

That's what it looks like.

That's how it appears to be.

But what you're actually experiencing.

Is to experience something.

Let's say on the inside of what you are.

You're experiencing yourself.

In the illusion you're experiencing somebody else.

In the illusion you're experiencing what I'm saying.

But in reality you're experiencing your interpretation.

You're hearing your own interpretation.

Likewise.

As you go through this life and you encounter circumstance.

The illusion.

Is that you are experiencing.

A circumstance.

That is taking place outside of what you are.

Something that you're separate from.

It looks like that.

But more deeply what you are experiencing.

Is what you turn it into with your imagination.

Effectively life is happening.

Life is happening.

And you are superimposing onto that happening.

A projection from the inside of what you are.

And you are experiencing the projection.

What you turn it into.

And this is everything you go through.

Everything that appears to happen.

What you experience.

Is what happens on the inside of what you are.

As it looks like you experience something on the outside.

And the something that you are experiencing on the inside.

Is to experience your imagination about what's happening.

Now.

I really invite you to just go slow with me here.

And see to what degree that you can see this in your direct experience.

Without trying to figure out somebody else's experience.

Because that's just your imagination about somebody else's experience.

But to look.

Intimately.

Into your direct experience.

Look at anything that bothered you today.

Or this past week.

Or the past year.

And ask yourself what was I bothered by?

Was I bothered by what happened out there?

Or was I bothered by my interpretation?

What I think it means.

And what I think it means is my imagination.

I love how we can see this to varying degrees.

It's almost like.

As you explore the nature of reality.

You have these 10,

000 thoughts that you used to think were real things.

And you start to see that oh that's not real and that's not real and that's not real.

And that's not real and that's not real.

And that can be helpful.

And then you keep going and you're like oh wait but that's not real.

And that's not real and that's not real.

And you keep going.

And eventually it all disappears.

You start to see that it's all a dream.

Your whole life.

Everyone in your life.

Is someone that you dream into existence.

Everyone you think is out there in the world.

Isn't really out there.

And I love how.

To some that sounds absurd.

And I can understand the minds argument.

That is convinced.

That there are other people out there.

And what I'm saying or suggesting.

Is that.

The only one that you encounter.

In this life is you.

Everyone you see.

Is a projection that you put there.

That is filtered.

Through how you see yourself.

And so in effect.

You are seeing aspects of yourself.

In everyone you encounter.

And maybe.

We can touch on something that I seem to touch on.

Almost every time I talk but it's such a great foundational.

Understanding and it's.

An integral discovery.

That is constantly with you.

And that is.

An integral discovery.

That is constantly worth repeating.

And I guess it's fair to say that this is just my perspective of spirituality.

But spirituality.

In its most.

Basic and fundamental sense.

Is an invitation to develop.

Your ability to discern the difference.

Between what is real and what is imaginary.

Spirituality.

Is an invitation into presence.

Into here and now.

So that you can see what is real and true.

Because what is also known and also talked about in some way or another through all spiritual traditions.

Even though not.

As directly as I'm going to say it.

But human beings.

Do not suffer.

Over reality.

We suffer our imagination.

Human beings.

Are not afraid.

Of anything in reality.

They only fear the content.

In their mind.

And to see this deeply.

Really deeply.

As I use silly words to point to it.

It is to recognize that your true home.

Your true place of.

Refuge.

From all fear and suffering.

Is in the here and now.

Refuge from all fear and suffering.

Is in the truth of reality.

Where there is nothing to suffer over.

And there is nothing to be afraid of.

Hence the spiritual invitation.

To just come home.

The journey we travel as human beings.

Is one where we are finding our way home.

This is the great adventure.

In some ways it could be said that this is the purpose of being human.

To discover what is real and true.

And I wouldn't say it's for any other reason.

I mean I could but for now I'll just say.

It is a playful exploration.

Even though at times it seems incredibly scary.

In the same way when you go to the cinema and watch a movie.

The fundamental invitation of the experience.

Is one that is playful.

To be entertained.

And in that entertainment.

You will find yourself getting lost in the movie.

Believing that the movie is real.

Finding yourself disturbed emotionally.

Whether something seems serious,

Dramatic.

Even violent.

But all of these experiences that we're having.

As we sit in the cinema.

Are not responding to the reality.

Of the present moment.

They're responding to the imagination.

Which is to respond to the story being told.

What you are seeing on the screen is effectively imaginary.

And so this great adventure.

In one way it could be said that you chose.

To come have this human adventure.

So that you could rediscover.

The depth.

The delight.

And the miraculous nature.

Of not only what you are.

But what reality is.

Which I would also say are the same thing.

And I imagine that of course.

The question might arise in the mind.

Okay,

I can see that.

That I'm responding to imagination.

I see the illusion everywhere.

What then do I do about it?

That's a tricky question.

Like put it this way.

Imagine you're having a dream.

And your character.

In the dream.

Is told that it's dreaming.

And then the character asks.

How can I wake up from the dream?

Do you see the dilemma there?

The character that's in the dream.

Cannot wake up from the dream.

If anything the character in the dream.

Can only have another dream that it woke up from a dream.

The character is a byproduct of the dream.

It's almost like.

The imaginary character is asking.

How can I be real?

It's not possible.

There's a subtlety here.

That I feel is.

Understandably missed.

And even as I kind of attempt to describe this.

I wonder to what degree you.

See what I'm pointing to.

If anything I'm inviting you to just relax.

Relax and see what's true.

And then from that.

Whatever needs to be will be.

And that brings up a good point.

As it relates to what to do about it.

And granted.

There's many places you could go.

In this life,

Which is in the dream.

Where you can find.

All sorts of practices or things to do.

In the dream to wake up from the dream.

But if you.

Actually find.

Anything in those modalities that are helpful.

There's a commonality among them.

Which I feel is.

The more sincere doorway.

That invites.

A genuine waking up.

And I intentionally say the word invites.

And not.

Demands.

Not controls.

But invites.

Invites in the way that.

You invite yourself.

To become open.

To wake up.

Rather than it inviting.

To wake up.

Rather than it is something that you can make happen.

You see the commonality.

In the spiritual practices or the different.

Modalities.

Across all sorts of spiritual or secular traditions.

Is this invitation into presence.

To be still.

And to become more and more radically honest.

About your direct experience.

Which is like going to therapy and asking the question.

Yeah.

But what's really going on.

You see in the dream.

We're having many dreams.

About what we think is happening.

About what we think is happening.

And we're getting lost in those dreams.

And further disconnected from reality.

Which often looks like.

We're just blaming everything.

And the doorway out of that.

Illusion.

Is to see it for what it is.

To the best of your ability.

And to whatever degree that you can.

Which is also like.

A willingness to surrender the illusion.

It's like you're running around and around and around.

Chasing 10,

000 things.

And you start to recognize that it's not working.

You exhaust yourself.

And it's in that exhaustion.

When you see it's not working.

That you become still.

And in the stillness.

You're able to get more honest with yourself.

You get more honest about.

Not only what's really happening.

But what it is that you're actually looking for.

Because there's what you're looking for in the dream.

Which is also to say.

What it looks like you want.

And then there is something that's more sincere.

What you're actually looking for.

Likewise.

As you're chasing all of these things.

In the dream.

There's what it looks like you're running away from.

And then there's what you're really running away from.

And the what it looks like you're running away from.

Will again.

Be some form of blame.

Because the dream in a way is survived by blame.

Only.

In the dream can blame exist.

But the nature of blame.

Is to declare.

That.

Your experience is being dictated.

By something outside of you.

That thing that you blame.

Which of course is the dream we spoke about earlier.

And to blame.

Only empowers.

The illusion.

To blame is like a declaration.

That says the illusion is real.

Now let me ask you something.

And maybe I'll really take my time with this question.

It might seem like a simple question.

But for me it's.

Very profound.

That character.

In the dream.

Which is simply who you think you are.

That's separate from everyone else.

The character that's dreaming.

Do you really think that character wants to wake up.

Which is also like asking.

Do you really think that character wants to disappear.

Do you really think that character wants to wake up.

Do you really think that character wants to see that it's not real.

I'll tell you this.

For the spiritual characters out there.

They certainly want the.

Illusion of waking up so that they can be a more spiritual character.

Which is cute.

But the.

Direct question that I'm asking.

In some way is to point to a realization and an understanding.

That the character of you.

Is going to adamantly fight this process of waking up.

And that's not a problem at all.

It's understandable.

There's a tremendous amount of compassion.

For that character that fights this process.

The character fights this process.

As a matter of survival.

Because it believes.

In its reality.

And again,

There's nothing wrong with this.

At all.

It's a very.

Gentle and.

Delicate process.

Where.

None of it's misplaced.

It's all part of it.

But the reason the character.

Fights.

So much.

For its survival.

Is because it thinks it has a chance.

Which is understandable because the illusion looks real.

The character thinks.

It has a chance of becoming real.

Which is also like saying becoming validated.

And this is also because.

It has.

A collection of evidence.

Of where it appeared.

To be validated.

For a moment in time.

It appeared to be real.

But if you look back on those moments of time.

You can see that the nature of them.

Was also imaginary.

Like we bought into a dream.

Of being and feeling validated.

Again,

Not wrong.

It's beautiful.

But the question of.

Is it real?

This isn't a discourse that.

Tries to insinuate.

Reality is somehow holier than.

Non-reality.

They are both there as a necessity.

For the play to be the play.

And this is important to see.

As a means of.

Allowing oneself.

To see things more clearly.

Because to insinuate any judgment.

Is to put yourself.

Back into the dream.

Because there is no judgment.

In reality.

There is no judgment.

In reality.

Because there is no judgment.

Outside of the dream.

To judge something.

Implies.

You are separate from that something.

The judgment says.

There's me.

And then there's that thing out there that I'm judging.

That I'm separate from.

So to judge the asleep state.

From the awake state.

Implies that there's two.

Which is the dream.

Because in reality.

There's only one.

And if there's only one.

There's nothing to judge.

I understand how confusing that might be.

To see these things more clearly.

My goodness.

This is so beautiful.

To see anything more clearly.

You have to let it be.

What it is.

To understand another human being.

You have to release.

Any energy of wanting.

That demands they be different.

If you're.

If you're.

Listening with an agenda.

Then.

You're there listening.

Hoping for a particular outcome.

Which is to not really listen.

But you're listening.

As a way of collecting information.

So that you can manipulate the situation.

To get what you want.

You're not really listening.

To listen.

To understand something.

You have to.

Radically release it.

Into its own freedom.

To be whatever it is.

And this is the struggle that human beings have.

Especially as it relates to connecting.

With the truth of what they are.

Because they judge so much about themselves.

They can't just let themselves be as they are.

They're listening with an agenda.

To try and change a bunch of things about what they are.

Which is to change all of those things that they judge.

Which means they can't really see what they are.

They essentially see.

What they are.

They essentially say.

Let me fix myself first.

Let me love myself first.

And then I'll let myself.

Be as I am.

How's that going?

There's so much to get into there.

Which is funny.

And I'll just mention this.

I've said it a thousand times.

But.

It's so much just an illusion.

The judgment that we have for ourselves.

You see.

All the things that you might.

Judge about yourself.

You're frantically trying to change them.

So that you can.

Escape the judgment.

It's like.

You look at your human.

And you judge yourself.

And the judgment feels gross.

It disconnects you from the truth of what you are.

It doesn't feel good.

And so.

You look at the thing.

You judge.

And you say.

Okay.

If only I can make you different.

Then I won't have to judge you.

So let me try and force you.

Or manipulate you.

Into being different.

So that I can drop the judgment.

Rather.

Than just dropping the judgment.

Do you see the power that's given to the illusion.

That there is something out there.

That's making you judge.

Right.

We say this to the world.

If only you were different.

Then I could love you.

And I could love you.

And I could love you.

Which isn't love at all.

That's conditional love.

That says.

I will love you.

If.

That's judgment.

And if you say to someone.

Or anything.

Including yourself.

I will love you.

If.

What you're really saying.

Is I don't love you.

Right now.

And right now.

Is where you really are.

And to say.

I will love you.

If.

Which means I don't love you.

Now.

Is also to say.

I don't really see you.

That's so profound.

In the same way.

If you saw the truth of what you are.

Love would be the natural and effortless byproduct.

You couldn't not have love for what you are.

The same with life.

If you saw the truth of life.

All that would be there is love.

Or some flavor of love.

We could say gratitude.

And we could go on and on and on about why this is.

But.

Just see if you can see that.

To whatever degree you can see it.

All of that.

Which.

Withholds love.

Is because of a judgment.

That is.

Confused.

About what is real.

Is a judgment that is lost in the dream of two.

Of separation.

It's not seeing reality clearly.

And as you continue to live this way.

With.

Conditional love.

I will love you if.

With judgment.

The belief in these things.

Perpetuate.

The illusion.

This of course again is why there is the invitation to be still.

And see what's really going on.

Because as you see what's really going on.

To whatever degree you can see it and again people see it at different degrees.

But as you see it more clearly.

You start to realize the judgment isn't necessary.

Which is also to say.

It's not necessary to withhold love.

Which means I can just love now.

Because this is what I want anyway.

And that's the beauty of what's true.

You already have what you want.

You just don't see it.

And what a great adventure we are on.

Where we can open up to see it.

What a wild ride.

This being human.

Is.

What a wild ride.

This being human thing is.

As it relates to that dream character that can never really wake up.

It's more like.

Life wakes up.

From behind your eyes.

It's not so much that you as a person wakes up.

If anything it's you as a person gets out of the way.

And you see that life is already awake.

Which is also like realizing.

You don't make peace happen.

You don't create peace.

You open your eyes.

And you see that peace is already the foundation.

See that's the thing about the dream character.

The dream character cannot do anything in reality.

It exists in the dream.

It only dreams itself to do things.

But you can see how that is right like.

A character that exists in the imagination.

Cannot do anything in reality.

Anything that happens in the dream.

Has no effect or bearing on reality.

Which is why reality is unconcerned about your dream.

Which is why there's a profound freedom for you to dream.

Anything that you dream.

Regardless of what you dream.

All as well.

And this is what you wake up to see.

No matter what you've been dreaming.

Whether it's five minutes ago.

Or five decades ago.

When you wake up.

When you wake up from the dream.

All as well.

I do see that question that came in.

Who is dreaming?

And I think.

An alternative version of that question.

Isn't so much who but what.

In such a way that.

Even.

Who you are isn't so much a who.

It's what you are.

Who is a story.

Who is a character.

It's a narrative.

Like if you get still in the present moment.

And ask who am I.

That's a question for the mind.

If you ask what am I.

That almost.

Invites a sensitivity of presence.

Where you feel into what you are.

And it's an answer that cannot be answered by the mind.

Because anything the mind says.

It's just a story.

It's a picture of something.

But to fast forward.

The conclusion of such a thing.

In some way.

Is to effectively discover.

That what you are.

Is what everything is.

What you are is everything.

And again for the dream character.

Even though it might see this intellectually.

The dream character.

Cannot even begin to.

Touch the truth of it.

Because the truth of what you are.

The reality of what you are.

Again isn't touched by the imagination.

And the character is imagination.

And this is such a.

Stark contrast between.

Our normal human.

Way of operating.

Which is very much lived out in the mind.

And becoming more sensitive to a deeper truth or reality to what you are.

That isn't necessarily something that's thought about.

But more so maybe we can say.

Something that is.

Deeply felt.

In the heart of what you are.

And that is.

The heart of what you are.

And beautifully we can use the tool of the mind.

To.

Navigate and communicate.

That depth.

While also knowing.

That it's fundamentally impossible for the mind to adequately.

Articulate it.

It's almost like.

Trying to describe.

Your deep love for another human being.

The words just become silly.

But yet it's felt deeply.

And yes there is a nature of an illusion.

In the love we have for other human beings.

Beautifully so.

I've talked about that a lot and I'm sure we'll talk about it again at some point.

You see how fun and playful it can be.

It's like it's okay.

And the more you see that it's a dream.

The more playful it becomes which is why.

Those who tend to see this.

Tend to have a more enjoyable experience.

As they're playing the game of life.

And I have to be careful in saying that because.

You can still go through shitty experiences.

But see them in a different way that's more playful.

In fact that just reminds me of something that I.

Went through recently.

And.

My friend was asking me how can you be so calm about this.

Not real man.

What you think is happening isn't really happening.

And the thing you're afraid of.

Can't actually happen.

And sometimes I see that easier than other times.

Sometimes it gets me.

Because it's supposed to get me.

It can't go wrong.

Reviews

Playful and gentle look at non self and emptiness, beyond the concepts. In gratitude

this is the kind of talk i want to feel and not think about or analyze. i let it pour over me and i feel it in different places in my body.

btw i do dream that im dreaming sometimes- that always makes me giggle 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Wow this is so deep. For something which can't be put into words you're doing a real good job delivering the message . How did you come to that realization? Did you have this "one" eye opening moment of which many people speak?
Will keep listening to you ☘️🤎