The Matrix, by The Wachowskis

La Matriz (The Matrix)
--por los Wachowski
"Déjame decirte por qué estás aquí. Estás aquí porque sabes algo. Lo que sabes que no puedes explicar. Pero lo sientes. Lo has sentido toda tu vida. Hay algo malo en el mundo". No sabes qué es, pero está ahí, como una astilla en tu mente que te vuelve loco. Es este sentimiento el que te ha traído aquí ".
"La Matriz está en todas partes. Está a nuestro alrededor, incluso ahora en esta misma habitación. Puedes verla cuando miras por la ventana o cuando enciendes la televisión. Puedes sentirla cuando vas al trabajo, cuando vas a la iglesia, cuando pagas tus impuestos. Es el mundo que ha sido arrastrado delante de tus ojos para cegarte de la verdad.
¿Qué verdad? "Que eres un/a esclav@, Neo. Como todos l@s demás, naciste en cautiverio, naciste en una prisión que no puedes oler, saborear ni tocar. Una prisión para tu mente. Desafortunadamente, a nadie se le puede decir qué es la Matriz. Tienes que verlo por ti mism@".
"¿Alguna vez has tenido un sueño, Neo, del que estabas tan seguro de que era real? ¿Qué pasaría si no pudieras despertar de ese sueño? ¿Cómo sabrías la diferencia entre el mundo de los sueños y el mundo real?"
"Tu apariencia ahora es lo que llamamos 'autoimagen residual'. Es la proyección mental de tu ser digital. ¿Es esto real? ¿Qué es real? ¿Cómo defines "real"? Si estás hablando de lo que puedes sentir, lo que puedes oler, saborear y ver ... entonces " real "es simplemente señales eléctricas interpretadas por su cerebro. Este es el mundo que conoces".
Mientras estemos conectados a La Matriz, nunca podremos ser libres. La Matriz es una [ilusión], Neo. Esa ilusión es nuestro enemigo. Cuando te das cuenta, ¿qué ves? Las mentes de los hombres de negocios, maestr@s, abogad@s, carpinter@s. Pero hasta que se den cuenta, estas personas siguen siendo parte de esa ilusión, y eso los convierte en nuestro enemigo. Debes comprender que la mayoría de estas personas no están listas para desconectarse de la Matriz. Y muchos de ellos son tan inertes, tan desesperadamente dependientes de la ilusión que lucharán para protegerla ".

Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con ser incapaz de distinguir la diferencia entre el mundo de los sueños y el mundo real? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de un momento en el que te diste cuenta de vivir en una ilusión? ¿Qué te ayuda a atravesar la ilusión y volver a conectarte con la realidad?

Son citas adaptadas de la película Matrix.

Above are adapted quotes from the movie Matrix.

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to being unable to tell the difference between the dream world and the real world? Can you share a personal story of a time that you became aware of living in an illusion? What helps you break through the illusion and connect back to reality?

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Add Your Reflection

14 Past Reflections

Deepak wagh

Jul 31, 2019

We got enslaved by laziness. Karma (action) is necessary for life to exist. We chose AI as our future but forgot pros and cons of it, on the other hand quantum computing is on the rise and climate change is an old news now. The new one is climate control. Zero f**ks given to environmental issues. So the matrix has shown our one possible future.

Bill Miller

Jul 30, 2019

I’ve also often thought that there’s something profound in The Matrix’ story concept. Such discussions though, seem to get tangled up in the meanings of words like reality, dream, and illusion — and which of these are “true” versus false, wrong, or delusional. “Illusion” often implies something wrong or mistaken - not what one thinks it is. Yet I read a book many years ago, “User Illusion” (Tor Norretranders) that put a more benign and practical spin on the term. In this sense, “illusion” is taking something complex, maybe even beyond understanding, and concocting a simplified model that enables one to engage with the phenomenon even without total understanding. An easy example: I am writing this on a computer screen which gives the illusion of typing letters on a sheet of paper, yet behind the illusion I am flipping digital bits in a memory core. Doing the latter directly would be an oppressive task. Fortunately... View full comment

Jonathan Wilkendorf Jul 30, 2019

Very good analogies and reflection, Bill Miller! I take much of what you are describing as relating to the aspects of sensory organ inputs and the brain's translations of those into perception which leads toward cognition. I also sense many additional layers of "illusion" that can happen between the stages of perception, cognition, recognition, interpretation, deduction/reasoning/analysis, belief system imprinting, memory storage, memory recall, etc. There are so many ways that our minds can get caught up in the "story" of what we see or engage with in the world, such that complex layers of "illusion" can develop and intermingle, especially on the sub-conscious levels. I get tiny reminders of this at certain moments each day, especially when I'm transitioning between activities and environments. For instance, I get so engrossed in my work during the day, taking on the mindset of the workplace and the co-workers, adapting to the language styles, behavior norms, workplace values, goals, and expectations. But when I leave work and get back home, I often recognize a mental shift happens where I shed those "illusions" of the way of being at work, and morph back into my familiar/comfortable relaxed personal habits of behavior and desires that are freed of the expectations and needs of the workplace. In that brief moment of transition, I feel I can see the "illusion" of the workplace in comparison to the "reality" of my personal life, which then also helps me see my "reality" is also an "illusion" because that "reality" does change gradually over the years as my life situation and desires change. Over the years (especially ever since I started Buddhist "Insight Meditation" practice), I have gradually become more easily reminded to try to look past the "illusion" of each moment regardless of the situation so that I can be more present and not caught up in the stories my mind keeps generating.

J. M.

Jul 30, 2019

I perceive my world as a holographic co- creation that's here for a purpose, and that purpose is so our light bodies can experience 3D in a 3D form. If it wasn't so manipulated by those who think suffering is necessary for growth, it would be a mostly pleasant experience. The co-created holographic Earth is a jewel in the Universe and worthy of our astonishment at its beauty. It's stunning to the human eye but there are places that require rehabilitation. We chose this Earth "matrix" for our spiritual advancement using 3D, but we are enslaved by those who are service to self (SOS) and not service to others (STO). These sts entities are the unawakened, greedy, selfish, power hungry sleep-walkers of the world. They are prominent in the news because they love power over others. Unfortunately they include both STS extraterrestrials and human counterparts. There is a battle being fought in dimensions that are primarily of thought, intentions and co creation on a spirit... View full comment

Francisco

Jul 30, 2019

This topic about dreams and other realities have been explored in many, interesting and curious ways. Loved this one about the Matrix. When I went to the cinema to watch it I was amazed by the concept. In fact, resembles lucid dreaming. By that time I had read some books about lucid dreaming, but I've had a few of those dreams in my life.

For me, Matrix movie was an invitation to explore our inner dimensions, where we have access to new knowledge and ancestral wisdom. Then, maybe I could learn more about awaking my own spirit to further realities. It's all about understanding those areas of brain and body that remain still a mystery.

Merlin

Jul 30, 2019

I loved the Matrix because I identify with how reality and illusion are created energetically, how powerful our minds are and our thoughts in creating and/or limiting our reality. I question life and what it is everyday. The Matrix brought up interesting ideas about this making life much more to do with energy and vibration, and how we shape it with the way we think, then it is a solid, absolute reality, There are huge corporations shaping our world, gathering every persons thoughts big and small,run by powerful men, mainly. They have formed huge information centers for collecting and storing data, information and ideas. All of us are in there as data, in one way or another.They are carefully manipulating, through "marketing" ideas and images, and sounds which are vibrations/energy, shaping beliefs and perceptions of huge numbers of people, to fuel their dreams and creations, and designs. They use your thoughts and emotions as energy to manage an idea, empower a person, creat... View full comment

J.M Jul 30, 2019

Yes indeed. I recommend studying the Law of One. These manipulations are addressed in these writings and those who manipulate are referred to as service to self entities. (sts) They are both of the human realm and are also extraterrestrial. There are a ton of explanations in these channeled writings that come from ET beings who are not sts but feel that their purpose is to help humanity understand why things are the way they are. They also offer ways to respond to these energies that are here as catalyst; catalyst being obstacles placed in our way to thwart our progress in the holographic 3D experience.

Marc

Jul 30, 2019

I’ll never forget this one time, when I was in a field with two of my brothers, and we were discussing religion and spirituality and the origin of the mind and consciousness, and suddenly I popped. I remember noticing my one brothers mind struggling to comprehend something, and then, my mind ceased. My ego/personality disappeared. I lay on the ground hysterically laughing, looking at our car and pointing, laughin, exclaiming “I’m the car”.. my one brother was laughing with me, as he got it, the other one, a bit annoyed. I laid there laughing for maybe 10 minutes. Then a sense of obligation returned. What I would give to experience something like that now, as I’m going through a difficult and painful season where work, relationships, friendships just aren’t working, laughter has all but disappeared, Joy , peace, love, all fleeting. It’s crazy to think of how “we” can go in and out like that of the matrix. But knowing that it’s ... View full comment

Jen Hall Nov 13, 2019

I LOVE THIS. It is so attainable, that Joy and Pure awareness. Keep seeking, find the people that give you goosebumps and speak Truth and Breathe Life, and do what they do until you understand what you are here to do. Such a beautiful fucking ride, even in the pain of letting go, those moments of bliss that arrive after are worth every second of mind(FULL) suffering.

Eric Hutchins

Jul 30, 2019

The description of an all-enveloping and completely false perception of our surroundings and our identities is a compelling metaphor that brings to mindPlato's cave analogy in Book 7 of his book, the Republic. The illusion is that we are as we appear to our senses not as we truly are. In truth, we are pure, unbounded and eternal, consciousness encased for a time in these living shells. By repeatedly experiencing our true nature, we gain the flexibility to see ourselves and the world from the point of view of the transcendent and eternal Self. This is the only path ofliberation from the illusions of birth,death, and rebirththat there is. Know That by knowing which all else is known and achieved.

Ashutosh Dixit

Jul 30, 2019

Just corelating the analogy with Hindu mythology..

Matrix = Maya

The material world exists around us and it's difficult to get unplugged once you start getting a feel/get used to the material aspects of the world.

In order to really breakthrough, youll beed to break the chains of this World and step into the arena of spiritualism m

David Doane

Jul 29, 2019

Your question implies the dream world is not real. As I see it, the asleep world is as real as the awake world, dreams are just as real, and dreams are part of both worlds. My nighttime dreams tend to be less controlled and more vivid, while my daytime dreams tend to be more controlled and suppressed. We tend to forget all dreams or pretend they never happened. Daytime reality and night time reality are different realities. Dreams, be they at night or during the day, are dream reality, a different reality from nondream reality. At this level of awake and asleep, it's all illusion. We live in illusion -- we are all conditioned, programmed, and hypnotized by our culture as to what to see and what is real, and to a great extent we never get over it. Important factors in my becoming aware of living in an illusion were mentors who helped me wake up to some extent, break through illusion, and be present and see what is. Now that I have some freedom from illusion I recognize illusion and ... View full comment

JediDiah Jul 30, 2019

Thank you, my mirror ; )

Jagdish P Dave

Jul 26, 2019

The dream world, the world of illusion, is created and sustained by my distorted perceptions. It is like seeing a rope as a snake. The real world as it is, is created and sustained by my clear perceptions. When I live in the world of illusion or the world of unreality, I create problems for me and for others. The dream world is the world of my projections. When I am aware of my inner world and outer world, I free myself form my self-created prison. The real world is the world of inner freedom. There was a time in my life when I felt heavy duty depression.My mind was occupied with suicidal thoughts and depressive feelings. I felt compassion f and support of people who deeply cared about me.That sustained my life line.Even in the dark clouds of total despair, there was a glimmer of self-awareness that created light of seeing the world of misery and suffering I had created by my intense craving and thirst for filling my heart with love. The inner light of awareness brought me out of the d... View full comment