The Illusionary Mind
The mind is made up of memories and plans. In other words, it is constantly occupied with the past and the future. We call this the illusionary mind because it is not grounded in reality—it is based on images and thoughts rather than the present moment. This word, “illusionary,” comes from “image” because the mind functions like a program that generates mental pictures. Over time, we become so identified with this program that we lose touch with our true nature—our essence.
Our essence is the present moment, Here and Now. However, we tend to give more attention to the thoughts and images created by the illusionary mind.At least 60-70% of its activity is focused on the past, and from those past experiences, it projects new images into the future. This cycle is the root of human suffering. People are either trapped in memories of the past or anxiously anticipating the future. As a result, the illusionary mind is always suggesting something other than what is happening right now.
If you sit down to meditate, your mind will immediately interfere: “What are you doing? Why are you wasting time? Go do something!” It constantly pulls you away from the present moment, leading you in the opposite direction—where it remains in control and cannot dissolve.
However, as the seeker progresses and grows stronger, they may begin to transcend the mind on some level. At that point, the illusionary mind may seem to “allow” the journey to continue. But it’s still not over. Now the mind takes a different approach, whispering, “Fine, go ahead—but on my terms. I’ll tell you what’s good for you.”
This subtle manipulation is nearly impossible to recognize. If you truly want to understand what I mean, try observing your mind for a few weeks or months. You’ll begin to see how it directs your thoughts, how it resists presence, and how it constantly finds ways to pull you away from the Here and Now.
One of the simplest ways to notice this is by paying attention to how much your mind resists being fully present. Each time you try to stay in the moment, the mind pushes back with thoughts, distractions, or suggestions—what I call resistance—designed to keep you anywhere but here and now.
It’s like fire and water, light and darkness, peace and mind. That’s why I say there is no such thing as “peace of mind.” The two cannot coexist. The mind cannot exist in the present, and the present cannot exist with the mind. We often say, “Never mind!”—but we rarely stop to consider what that truly means.