Reality is an illusion-Now What?

Take a look around you.

What do you see? Objects. Material reality. The things we, as a society, have agreed to call “real.”

People often say, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” But even before my first psychedelic experience, I started to question that idea.

I learned that people diagnosed with some mental disorders—or those on certain substances—are said to “hallucinate.” In other words, they see and perceive things that aren’t considered real.

But if their experience feels just as real to them as this moment feels to you and me… who gets to decide which version of reality is more valid?

That question cracked something open.

What if reality isn’t something “out there,” fixed and objective? What if reality is something within us—something shaped by our perception?

In the Yogic tradition, there’s a word for this: Maya — the illusion. The great mystics taught that everything we perceive through the five senses is part of this illusion. That the only true reality… is the one who perceives.

That silent presence behind your thoughts. The awareness behind your sensations. The observer within. And it’s dreaming this entire experience—conjuring it through the mind.

When I was fourteen years old I had a powerful meditation experience where my sense of identity dissolved and the illusory world disappeared. I went from being a little ripple in the wave to realizing that I was one with the entire ocean. All of my belief's about the world fell to pieces and I saw that the false identity of separateness pervaded through the minds of humanity.

It was so beautiful to have this transcendental experience, but it was difficult to integrate into my life. Nobody understood what I was going through and I felt fairly detached from reality. What was the point of life?

Now, I've realized that I am not the only one who went through this. Many people experience an existential crisis after undergoing this form of spiritual awakening.

The Non-Duality Conundrum

Yogic philosophy points us toward a profound truth: that all we see is Maya—an illusion. Behind it all, there is only the silent witness. The Self. The pure consciousness that watches without judgment, without effort. Everything outside of that pure awareness is illusory, including our thoughts and feelings.

This realization brings a deep inner freedom. Suddenly, we are no longer enslaved by our thoughts, emotions, or desires, as we see that they are also part of this great illusion. We understand that everything is impermanent, and so… we let go. We detach. We surrender.

This is the gift of non-dual awareness—awakening to the truth that there is no separation, no self, no “other.” Only One.

But here’s where many seekers find themselves at a crossroads. Because once the illusion is seen through... once the game is revealed...Now what? After I had my non-dual awakening as a teenager I was so confused..."What is the point of my life when it's not even real?!" It puts an end to all seeking.

After the peak bliss experience fades, many are left with a strange void. For some, it manifests as depression, derealization, disconnection. Life can feel hollow. If everything is illusion... if nothing is inherently real...What’s the point of any of it?

This is the non-duality conundrum.

Non-Duality is a realization that everything is one. But the truth is...that the illusion of separateness made our lives interesting. It gave us motivation, drive and passion. Often times people come out of these non-dual awakenings with a sense of boredom or lack of purpose...either that or they continue to chase the feelings of "oneness" by free-flowing their way through life, throwing all responsibilities out of the window. They start rejecting society and the duties that are expected of them. This would have worked in ancient India, but now we are living in modern society...We have to learn to integrate these teachings into our lives and be of the world, rather than running away or rejecting an intregal part of who we are.

Toltec Solutions

And it’s here where ancient Toltec wisdom offers a missing piece. The Toltecs were an ancient Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico, particularly in the region of Tula (or Tollan), from around 900 to 1150 CE. They are considered a cultural and spiritual predecessor to the Aztecs, who revered the Toltecs as the embodiment of wisdom, art, and spiritual knowledge.

The Toltecs also recognized that life is a dream. But rather than stopping there, they took it a step further:If life is a dream, then you are the dreamer—and you can become a conscious dreamer.

Where non-duality invites you to wake up from the illusion, Toltec wisdom invites you to step back in—eyes open—and create. We have awakened to the truth and now there is a blank canvus in front of us. If you have had a spiritual awakening and are struggling to find the purpose of your life, I have some questions for. you...

You've awakened to the truth. Now, a blank canvas stretches before you.

So if you’ve had a spiritual awakening...And you're asking yourself, “What now? What’s the point?” If life feels like it lost its meaning, know this:You are being called not to escape the dream—but to shape it.

Here are some questions to help you begin:

• What vibration do you want to carry into the world?

• What are your deepest, truest desires—and how might they take form?

• What lingering self-limiting beliefs still whisper from the shadows?

This is your invitation to co-create with the divine. To master your attention. To shape your dream with intention, clarity, and heart.

Play The Game

There is an ancient Indian text called the Bhagavad Gita. In it, a young warrior named Arjuna stands on a battlefield, overwhelmed by doubt and fear. As he prepares to go to war, his mentor—Krishna, an embodiment of the Divine—reveals to him the Ultimate Truth of Reality.

Arjuna sees beyond the veil. He glimpses the infinite. And he is left speechless and terrified.

He doesn’t know what to do with this revelation.If everything is already written, if all is an illusion, then what’s the point of action? Of choice? Of fighting?

And Krishna says something simple, yet profound:

“Play your role. Fulfill your Dharma. Go to war.”

Even your choice not to act is part of the illusion. So you might as well step into your destiny.

You've had this non-dual experience. You're empty. Do you want to continue living in emptiness? Or do you want to play the divine game and use this birth for what its worth...We can sit around watching the dance from the balcony...but it's A LOT more fun to join in.

This is the same message echoed across traditions—Yogic, Toltec, mystical, modern:

Yes, reality is a dream. Yes, it’s all already written. Yes

And yet you hold the pen. What character would you like to play in this epic? What archetype would you like to embody? What legacy would you like to leave behind?

Play the game. Be who you are meant to be—unapologetically. Live with purpose, fearlessly. Follow your dreams with fierce courage. Speak your truth in spite of the non-believers.

Because this life… is not a mistake and it's not meant to be easy. You chose to be here.

Make it magical.