Some people who claim a near death experience (or actual death experience that was impermanent) say they experienced something more real than real. Is that possible to experience? — TiredThinker

It may certainly seem that way. But I suspect it's a trick of the mind and not comparable to physical reality. Who knows?

Near death experiences aside though.

In Yogic logic, increasing one's self awareness to encompass the universe is a way to reach a higher reality. One can do this by identifying with the universe.

Might sound crazy to some, but then who in their right mind would argue that they are not an element of the universe?

they experienced something more real than real. — TiredThinker

I have days that seem more real than others. And some that feel unreal. Our conscious experience is something that wavers and varies according to the interplay of many factors. And let's not even talk about substances.

So the question would be how do you tell the difference between a day that feels more real and a day that is more real. Does this come from without or within?

In Yogic logic, increasing one's self awareness to encompass the universe is a way to reach a higher reality. One can do this by identifying with the universe.

Might sound crazy to some, but then who in their right mind would argue that they are not an element of the universe? — Pop

I see the experience you describe not as a view of a higher reality, but as increased awareness of the reality we live with every day.

:up:

I see the experience you describe not as a view of a higher reality, but as increased awareness of the reality we live with every day. — T Clark

I'd go along with that too, but don't downplay it on that account. Don't forget 'esctacy' (not the drug!) stands for ex- outside of 'stasis', normal state. So the normal state, or the default condition, is colored by shall we say many less-than-optimal mind-states and inclinations. But 'were the doors of perception cleansed, then we should see everything as it is, infinite', said Blake.

I'd go along with that too, but don't downplay it on that account. Don't forget 'esctacy' (not the drug!) stands for ex- outside of 'stasis', normal state. So the normal state, or the default condition, is colored by shall we say many less-than-optimal mind-states and inclinations. But 'were the doors of perception cleansed, then we should see everything as it is, infinite', said Blake. — Wayfarer

It was not my intention to downplay it. The kind of awareness I'm discussing is something I value very much. At the same time, it is important to me that it be seen as continuous with everyday experience, not off somewhere in the clouds. The metaphor I use is that it is right here, now, just above my shoulder. I can only see it in my peripheral vision. If I try to look directly, it disappears.

Totally get you.

I have an 10 year old nephew (K), 2011 model, who does (some) things backwards. His father shared an incident involving a guitar. The chords are easier when you use the nut for reference. K, on the other hand, memorized the chords using the fret abutting the sound hole. His father was unhappy - he probably thought K was a few sandwiches short of a picnic. I, perhaps not too bright myself, found this amazing. It's like doing a handstand - the world appears upside-down. The million dollar question is, is the world upside-down/right-side-up? Are we thinking/speaking/doing the right things or are we doing exactly what we're not supposed to be thinking/speaking/doing?

Higher reality!

Reality: N-dimensional objects constituted by less-than-N-dimensional objects (e.g. hyperspheres constituted by spheres constituted by circles constituted by points). In other words, higher and lower degrees of freedom, same reality. As for experience, there are ordinary and non-ordinary states-of-mind (degrees-of-awareness) experiencing reality.

(NB: "realer reality", that is to say, "reality beyond reality" makes no more sense than ... north of the north pole.)

Other than shifts in day to day perceptions, are higher realities imaginable? It is quite easy to imagine we fall very short of seeing most in our environments. Only recently 2 independent experiments added evidence of 4D space. I can't even imagine that other than 3D straight lines having forces pulling them into curves over longer distances. I wonder if colors can be brighter and more exact. If we can see finer details beyond what an eagle sees, if distant knowledge of events will out of sight can be available to us. There are just too many things to imagine of a higher reality. As for a lower reality I regret I can't imagine a sentient being living in 2D space like a flatlander.

The features of reality of which we are aware are pragmatically determined. You can play a completely novel tone to a cat such that its brain does not even register receiving the tone. But pair that tone with food, lo and behold, the cat's brain suddenly and thereafter registers the tone, whether or not food accompanies. That is cognized reality. There are, I am sure, many, many dimensions of information of which we have no awareness, simply because we have not developed or discovered practical activities or applications related to the cognition thereof.

Potentially the controlling of reality? As in lucid dreaming, while technically not reality could be considered similar to this. If one is to believe that reality shifting (merely for the use of a hypothetical example), is possible, that would definitely constitute a higher level of reality I believe.

Or perhaps a higher level of reality is just dissasotiation?