We all need a break from reality.
People escape reality in many ways. Some listen to music and lost in the melody, some read books and fly with imagination, some go out and hang out with friends to not feel alone, some sleep for a very long time to forget reality and hope that when they wake up things might change, some travel far away to escape, and some use drugs or alcohol to numb the pain. I am not here to say which way is right and wrong, I'm not here to judge. People do things, see things differently.
And really, what is right, what is wrong, and who are we to tell?
Reality exists in human mind. It differs along with different perceptions. We don’t see things as they are, we see it as we are. Human see different realities according to the way they perceive it. There are times when the mind is given such a blow it hides itself in madness. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind. Some of us are dying to escape the cruelty of this world, and might never want to come back. Because that place is not home for them. But our perception of the world around us is not necessarily the same as what is actually occurring.
Some might think that it is pointless to escape reality, that we should have just grown up, accept it, and live it instead of trying to avoid the truth. But the way I see it, it’s not all bad. Sometimes we just need a break from reality, do certain things to relax our mind, and come back to the real world with more grace. It simply depends on how we do it. If you do it in a negative way, it can be a self-destructive escape and you might come back to real world hating it more. But if you do it in a positive way, you might enrich yourself with knowledge and good thoughts, and you come back with a stronger, happier version of yourself. A reminder, only you can decide what is positive and negative for you.
Pour moi, I try to meditate to ‘escape’ my reality. I don’t mean to sound like getting in on the act, and I don’t just do this to follow the trend because everybody seems to be doing it these days (I’ll talk about this further on my upcoming post). Anyhow, I merely close my eyes and open my mind. It might sound a bit dull to few people, but there is just something simply perfect enough about a peaceful night, a room to myself, a cup of tea, relaxing sound in the background, and few minutes of nothing planned, nothing to think and worry about. I escape reality by setting my spirit free, it gives my mind someplace to go when I have to stay where I am. By stop venting and started praying, cause I don't need sympathy and constant reminder from other people about how harsh reality can be, I need strength and peace to face it on my own. I tell the negative committee inside my head to sit down and shut up, and you should too.
Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality - ThÃch Nhất Hạnh
Which ever way you choose, make sure you keep it on the right track. And by right track I mean, make sure that you do those things not to escape reality because you hate it, but because you just want to take a break to recharge yourself. As ruthless as this world can be to us, we shouldn’t hate reality. Hate is such a strong emotion that gives no benefit to anyone. If reality doesn’t go the way we expected it to be, we simply just have to find another angle to look at it. Just because one bad thing happened doesn't mean bad things will always happen.
We can change our life when we change our thinking. Believe it or not we are a capable human being and maybe it is time for us to acknowledge that we create our own reality with our thoughts. Reality is purely just the way we see it. It can be good, it can be bad. So if you want to change your reality, then it is time to change your mind. They say the hardest prison to escape is in your mind. Reality can be beaten with enough faith, power, and a little touch of imagination. So embrace the reality even if it burns you, you can put off the flame. Instead of wondering how would you escape the reality next time, which new way to do it, or wondering when and where you should escape next, maybe it is time to set up a life you don’t need to escape from.
Don’t be dead serious about your life, its just a play - Sadhguru
Stay present. Really, life is full of surprises. Let’s embrace them all together.