You're Not Real, Your Thoughts Are Lying to You

We all assume we see the world as it is. But what if much of what we call “reality” is just the mind, talking to itself? This video explores the hidden architecture of perception, how thoughts, fears, and unconscious biases quietly shape our experience of life. From ancient spiritual teachings to modern psychology, there's a striking consensus: we don’t just see the world… we interpret it, distort it, project onto it. Cognitive distortions, like mind-reading, victim thinking, and imagined patterns, blur the line between what is and what we believe. They operate silently, behind our judgments, emotions, and relationships, until they feel like truth itself. But what if we could spot the distortion? What if we could step outside the dream of thought and glimpse what’s real? By weaving insights from Hermeticism, Buddhism, and neuroscience, this essay reveals how distorted perception becomes the norm, and how awareness, not control, is the first step to clarity. To reclaim your mind is not to fix it, but to finally see it. And that shift, subtle but profound, is the beginning of freedom. Harvard Health Publishing – How to recognize and tame your cognitive distortion Verywell Mind – Jumping to Conclusions (Mind-Reading) C.G. Jung – The Essential Jung Ness Labs – The dangers of apophenia: not everything happens for a reason The Kybalion (Hermetic text, 1912) – Principle of Mentalism Eckhart Tolle – A New Earth Bible (Jeremiah 17:9, 1 Corinthians 13:12, John 8:32) Quran (Surah 3:185, 57:20)