Reality and Experience

There is a phrase that is used quite a bit in new thought circles: "I create my reality." I understand what meaning is intended, but the word “reality” is not the right word to use. The more precise statement would be: "I create my experience." I was making this point at a workshop a few months ago. One of the participants said to me "Reality... Experience... What's the difference?" Let's explore this distinction, which is fundamental and huge.

Reality is what is true always about me, about you, about all events, and about the nature of the universe. I do not create my reality. That is already done. The truth that is true always - reality -  is established.

 

Experience - my experience - is how I perceive reality. I do create my experience, and I do it moment-to-moment. My experience is neither reality nor truth. It just is. It is what it is because of how I choose to perceive the world.

A really good question to ask right now is, “What is reality?” That is, what is the truth that is true always? Famously, Pontius Pilate asked this very question of Jesus before handing him over to the crowd to be crucified. He asked it in a sarcastic way, which is unfortunate, because he was asking a person that could have answered the question. So let’s ask it now, sincerely.

What is the truth that is true always?

• The truth that is true always is that God is love.
• The truth that is true always is that all of creation is birthed out of this source: God, Love... including you and me.
• The truth that is true always is that all events are neutral, not good or bad, positive or negative, right or wrong. These are judgments we place upon the events.
• The truth that is true always is that I am always at choice to perceive reality as I desire. So are you.
• (There are other truths that are true always, but these tasty little nuggets are enough to munch on right now.)

These are aspects of what is true always. Truth does not depend upon anything for it to be true, not even my belief in it. How I experience truth, is, well...my experience. My experience does not alter the truth, but I can choose to alter my experience.

My experience happens in me, not “out there.” This is something I was never taught, so mostly I give my experience over to my circumstances. I experienced being “under the circumstances.” I have thought my circumstances determined my experience.

This is not true. What is true is that all events (circumstances) are neutral. I give them valence by deciding how I will perceive them. So my experience happens inside me, not “out there.” As a matter of fact, my experience has nothing to do with what is “out there,” and everything to do with what is in me: my beliefs, morals, judgments, assessments, etc.

So what?

One of the very wonderful aspects of consciousness is the ability to witness our lives. We have an ability to be self-aware. We can use this to become observant of how we are perceiving our circumstances. To the degree that we notice the “charge” we give to any situation in life, we are able then to be responsible for our experience, rather than blame the world for it. Since our experience is what we have chosen to make it, out of that responsibility, we can choose again.

We don’t create our reality. We do create our experience.

Experience the joy of this truth!

More about beliefs, morals, judgments and assessments  in subsequent posts. Check back!

For more: The Way Of Mastery