"Is this real life? How do we know that we are not hallucinating it all? What if we're plugged into a Matrix-style virtual reality simulator? Isn't the universe a giant hologram anyway? Is reality really real? What is reality?

We asked renowned neuroscientists, physicists, psychologists, technology theorists and hallucinogen researchers if we can ever tell whether the "reality" we are experiencing is "real" or not. Don't worry. You're going to be ok."

http://www.hopesandfears.../216693-is-reality-real

I am so glad to see questions like this.

My vote, even after being deeply touched by the molecule, is still overwhelmingly YES: the world is real and not a personal hallucination.
I can see how DMT makes one aware of different worlds and consciousnesses. But it does not yet convince me that realty is fake, or than nothing exists, or any number of parallel universe or matrix theories.

These theories cannot be easily disproven, so....Really it just comes down to this: does believing the world is a hallucination have any benefits or effects for me? To me, the answer is no.
I Currently believe that I am a created being in a universe that someone else controls (God). I also used to believe that psychedelics could only reveal thoughts within ones head, but now I believe DMT can expose you to spiritual entities... 0.o

I will read over the link in your post. Happy travels to you!

The Buddhists say that it's all mind stuff. All illusion, all Maya.

I've asked this question many times before. I came to the conclusion that if we are the product of a Matrix virtual reality, then we are the virtual reality of one person. Every other person that is also plugged in is in their own universe.

I too love seeing these kinds of questions around, but unfortunately they have become something of a cliche to the public. If you ask your friends this question they will probably just roll their eyes at you.

I like thinking that in a way we are all experiencing a consensual hallucination, in one aspect. Such as that each of our individual minds project reality and that the combined efforts of every mind on this planet working together with their own individual projections makes up what we call reality, and it's the competing belief systems that get vetted in a meeting of minds to shape the world around us.

Like the quote "A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." I see us as creating reality, not the other way around where our environment creates us. Though such things are hard to separate as our lives are merely echoes following our parents lives and their lives before them since the beginning of perceived time.

So we have our individual dreams we dream every night, but we project them onto reality and since the human experience is so unique we have our own fractal in the spectrum of humanity that tells our story. But we are actively a part of creating the reality.

I like to look at life, our lives, as the dreams of God.

Interesting additional reading: Cartesian Skepticism

That's a good ace to have up your sleeve when things get strange.