Reality in the Yoga Vasistha dances between pure consciousness and the veils of illusion, called māyā. This ancient dialogue presents waking life, dreams and deep sleep as layers atop the same underlying awareness. In sage Vasistha’s view, what’s experienced as “real” is really the mind projecting stories—much like how today’s virtual-reality headsets trick senses into another world.

A few key themes stand out:

1. Consciousness as the Only Reality
   Everything—objects, emotions, even time—emerges from and dissolves back into awareness. The outer world is the tip of an iceberg; its vast bulk lies hidden beneath mental constructs.

2. Illusion (Māyā) Explained
   Thoughts latch onto one another, creating patterns that seem solid and permanent. Just as a dream palace vanishes on waking, so too do our worries and identities dissolve when consciousness shines its light.

3. Liberation through Discrimination
   Cutting through illusion happens by turning inward. Discrimination (viveka) sharpens insight, revealing that sorrow, fear and ego are self-woven dramas. Stories within Yoga Vasistha—like the infinite cosmic city emerging from a seed—drive the point home: mind crafts every scene.

4. Modern Echoes
   In an age of AI “hallucinations” and deepfakes, this teaching feels like a wake-up call. If perception can be hacked by algorithms, what anchors true knowing? Yoga Vasistha urges a direct inner inquiry rather than blind faith in appearances.

5. Timeless Practice
   Meditative inquiry and ethical living serve as tools to peel away layers of mental fog. As global stress levels climb, these ancient instructions offer relief: a reminder that beneath every fleeting thought lies the calm sea of pure awareness.

Peering behind life’s curtain, Yoga Vasistha invites realization that reality isn’t “out there” but alchemized moment by moment within consciousness itself.