Illusory Thinking

Xuefeng

Imagine yourself in the middle of a vast desert. The sky is a dull gray, and there are no reference points in sight—no compass, no GPS, nothing to guide you. Do you think you can find your way out?

You cannot.

You might scoff at me and say, "Nonsense! As long as I keep walking forward, step by step with determination, I will surely make my way out."

Yes, theoretically and logically speaking, you should be able to escape the desert. After all, each step you take is forward—how could you possibly fail to walk out?

Unfortunately, reality does not align with theory. Despite every step being correct and taken in a forward direction, you will ultimately end up right back where you started. (Note: This is not about walking around the Earth in a complete circle but rather about being lost within the desert itself.)

Why is it that you cannot walk out of the desert? From a scientific perspective, if one of your feet is even slightly larger than the other, or if one leg is just a little longer than the other, the tiny discrepancies over millions of steps will accumulate, leading to a huge deviation in your final destination. Though you feel as if you are walking in a straight line, you are actually moving along a curve. Eventually, you will return to your starting point.

Science offers a valid explanation, yet it remains a theoretical deduction and logical reasoning—it is not the true cause. The real reason lies in what I call "illusory thinking."

It is common knowledge that water flows downward. However, illusory thinking can make water return to where it started. I once saw a paradoxical image in Reader’s Digest—a fascinating illusion of flowing water. The image depicted a small waterfall with water cascading downward. Yet, somehow, the water eventually flowed back to the top of the waterfall. The visual presented no apparent flaws, nor did the logic seem questionable, yet the water ultimately returned to its starting point. Strange, isn’t it? This is the power of illusory thinking.

There is an old folk saying: "Cut down the millet bundles, and you’ll stir up the wandering spirits." This refers to a peculiar phenomenon. Every year during the millet harvest, farmers gather the crops into bundles. However, for about half a month to a month after the harvesting begins, people frequently get lost when venturing out at night. Strangely, even in places they are intimately familiar with, on paths they have walked countless times, they still lose their way. Some wander in circles all night until the rooster crows or they hear human voices—only then do they suddenly snap out of their confusion and find their way home. It truly seems as if the "wandering spirits" have been angered and have clouded their vision.

What causes this? The prevailing theory suggests that certain molecules (or scents) released into the air after the millet is harvested have a narcotic effect on the nervous system, inducing a state of illusory thinking.

So, what exactly is illusory thinking?

Answer: Illusory thinking occurs when the nervous system is numbed by a certain substance or nonmaterial, creating illusions and hallucinations that lead to a distorted perception of reality. This altered state of mind is what we call illusory thinking.

Once someone falls into illusory thinking, an outside observer might see them as trapped in an illusion, but from their own perspective, they feel intelligent and rational. They firmly believe that every step they take is correct—whether analyzed theoretically or deduced logically, there appears to be no issue. Yet, in the end, their conclusions are absurd and completely contrary to their original intentions.

Illusory thinking is like a maze—a trap of the mind. In ancient times, some military strategists trained in Taoist arts could set up bewildering formations that induced illusory thinking. Once a person entered, their mind would become disoriented, making it nearly impossible to find a way out.

Step by step, everything seems correct—but the result is wrong. Always right yet forever lost. This is illusory thinking.

From a macro perspective, all of humanity exists within a grand illusion. Everyone is trapped in illusory thinking, though they are unaware of it. The first article of The Chapter of Revelation is titled "The Thirty-Six Eight Trigrams Arrays That Are Hard to Break and Impossible to Solve." We believe humanity is making progress, don’t we? Yet, in the end, we will return to where we started—unless someone without illusory thinking leads the way. Otherwise, we will never escape the desert.

Let me give you an example. Most people have probably never heard of Seth and Orin. Their entire body of work is a classic example of illusory thinking. In the 1960s, a "New Age" philosophy emerged in the United States, with Seth's teachings at its core. In China, this philosophy is represented by the New Age Forum. Recently, an article titled Beyond Time and Space (The Eternal Soul) was published on the Lifechanyuan website, exemplifying this ideology.

If you carefully study the works of Seth, Orin, and the New Age Forum, you will initially be struck by their profound insights and transcendent thinking. Their words seem like divine revelations rather than human thoughts. Every sentence appears to carry deep wisdom, surpassing even Einstein’s theory of relativity in complexity. Readers often first feel an overwhelming sense of humility, as if they are insignificant before such grandeur. But as they delve deeper, they begin to experience a sense of intellectual superiority, as though they are enlightened beings standing above the masses. They feel as if "everyone else is drunk, while they alone are sober." However, if they continue further, confusion sets in. It is like Tang Seng entering the Spider Cave—trapped in an endless web. Every sentence sounds logical and correct, yet there is no way out, no clear direction. They speak of transcending time and space, of the eternal soul—but after transcending, where does one go? What is the purpose of eternal existence? No matter how much one studies, they always return to the starting point.

Those who are mesmerized by the illusory thinking of Seth and Orin believe they possess ultimate clarity. They are eager to step into the "New Age," yet they are completely unsure of what this "New Age" entails. They charge forward with blind faith. If I were to shout at them, "Wake up! You're drunk!" would they listen?

Chairman Mao once said, "With the crow of the rooster, the world awakens." This statement was not directed at people but at the formless, intelligent nonmaterial structures that induce illusory thinking. It meant: "I have arrived. I am now in charge. You must all retreat—go back to where you came from. This land is mine now, and I will not tolerate your mischief any longer."

Soon after, the "Smash Superstition, Liberate Thought" movement and the "Sweep Away All Monsters and Demons" campaign were launched. As a result, ghost possessions, spirit dances, fortune-telling, exorcisms and rituals for the dead, ritualistic ceremonies in weddings and funerals, secret societies, Taoist sects, along with prostitution, opium, and gambling, nearly disappeared from China. Indeed, "With the crow of the rooster, the world awakens"—just as someone lost in circles snaps back to reality at the sound of a rooster’s crow.

Illusory thinking harms both oneself and others. Once trapped, even eighteen oxen cannot pull a person back. This is especially dangerous when intellectuals, government officials, celebrities, financial moguls, and so-called "spiritual masters" fall into this mindset. Their every word and action influence countless others.

Illusory thinking is alluring, even dazzling. It surpasses material, image, and associative thinking because it taps into nonmaterial energy. Even the greatest scientists struggle to refute it logically or theoretically. The solution requires wisdom far beyond ordinary intelligence. Only a higher level of consciousness can dissolve the fog of illusion and guide people back to reality.

Some prophets can predict the future, yet they remain baffled by the reasoning behind their visions. Some shamans and sorcerers can exorcise evil spirits, but they have no understanding of the cause. Some astrologers can foresee major events, yet they are completely unaware of their origins. Some fortune tellers, diviners, and graphologists may sometimes be remarkably accurate, but they are clueless about the true source of their insights. I do not intend to criticize these masters, but if they could uncover the underlying principles behind their abilities, it would be an immeasurable virtue.

Illusory thinking has an undeniable allure—it can be utterly mesmerizing. There is no harm in occasionally venturing into its depths, so long as one returns in time. It is like encountering a breathtakingly beautiful woman, one who possesses infinite charm and irresistible grace. Engaging in a brief, appropriate interaction with her is not a problem. But be warned—this exquisitely alluring, delicate, and radiant beauty, dazzling like the fabled enchantresses of old, may in truth be a Baosi, a Daji, or a ghostly temptress in disguise. The moment you let your guard down and surrender yourself to her completely, you are doomed—your very life will be at stake.

Every argument may seem flawless, yet the conclusion is wrong. Every step may appear correct, yet the final result is the opposite of what was intended. You may believe you are always right, but in the end, you will only return to where you began. This is the nature of illusory thinking. In such moments, ask yourself: "Is there a flaw in the path I am walking? If I continue this way, where will it ultimately lead me?" From time to time, seek guidance from Jesus, the Buddha, Muhammad, or Laozi, and you will not go astray.