Inner Peace and Reality?

This answer is from a Buddhist point of view. I don't know which POV you want.

"Life is an illusion" (better "life is like an illusion") doesn't mean life doesn't exist at all, it just means it doesn't exist exactly in the same way as it appears to exist.

An illusion, in classical Buddhist philosophy, doesn't refer to something that appears to exist but in fact is "nothing", but to for example the tricks of an illusionist who on the basis of one thing makes it appear as another thing, like when he shows you a stick but makes you see it as a dog, or when you go out in your garden and spontaneously see a snake in the grass where there really is just a rope or a water hose.

In the same way, the Buddhist simile with "illusion" means that we spontaneously [i.e. not always intellectually] see something that isn't there, which doesn't mean there is "nothing" which you see as that "something".

This is a very profound philosophy to understand, and for most people you need to study, reflect and meditate on it for a considerable amount of time before you can understand it clearly, but I will try to give a hint, at least:

What you see is a concrete, stable, absolute, independent world that exists "from its own side", i.e. its nature as you see it is seen as independent of your seeing it.

What really is there is a co-related web of co-dependently arising phenomena that are impermanent, ever-changing, relative and conventional (dependent on conventions or imputations by mind).

Co-dependent arising means that all phenomena arise dependent on each others, on its own parts, on the wholeness it is a part of, on causes and conditions, and so on. Nothing whatsoever in this existence exists independently of its own parts, the causes that cause it and the conditions that make it possible, and so on.

That means, the world and the phenomena that appear to you as concrete things, existing in a concrete, absolute way "out there" are in fact, if you analyze their true nature, non-absolute, impermanent, elusive occurences, dependent on ever-changing causes and conditions, including on the imputation from the side of your mind.

This also means, that all things exist in two ways (at the same time): the way they appear (the "illusion") and the way their ultimate nature really is ("emptiness" of an absolute, permanent and independent way of existing).

If you observe a reflection of the moon in the water, it is not very difficult to see it's non-absoluteness, it's impermanence, it's dependence on causes and conditions (the water; the absence of waves in the water; the moonlight; the absense of clouds in the sky; the observing eye-consciousness; the observing mind; the angle between the water, the moon and the observer; and so on) and it's elusiveness - but still it's definitely there!

If, on the other hand, you observe a stone, it's much more difficult to see it's non-absoluteness, it's impermanence (it seems to change VERY slowly ...) and it's dependence on causes and conditions, but still, if you analyze it, you can find the same qualities also there. And, of course, that doesn't mean it isn't there (try drop it on your toes, if you're not sure!).

All this is true also about "inner peace". As an ordinary (un-enlightened) person, it will appear to you as something absolute, independent and existing from it's own side (even if you intellectually can see quite easy that it's elusively impermanent, dependent on ever-changing causes and conditions), whereas if you analyze it, it exists in a totally different way (as a dependent-arising, empty of an absolute, permanent or independent way of existing). This appearing in one way while its ultimate nature is different from the way it appears, means inner peace too exists as an illusion. And just as with the stone, that doesn't mean it in fact is "nothing", nor detract from its ability to affect you through causes and conditions.

It's there, it affects you, it just exists in another way than it appears to you.

Life is an illusion where all created are just aspects that allow that illusion to flurish. It is possible to find inner peace because the mind can create it. Both the beauty and destruction of the brain is that it can cause one to believe or condemn everything. It can create a personal utopia or private hell. Reality is just the event which people create their illusions against.

Let's start with your approach that life is an illusion. Even so, it is something you can attempt to live at. You can strive to apprehend the illusion, and you can get a pretty good level of fulfillment inlife.

You can strive for inner peace in much the same way.

This world is Illusion which means temporary and full of miseries. So it is actually happening but the situation will certainly end.

Real peace can only be attained by regaining ones eternal relationship with God (also known as Krishna, Allah, Jehovah, Vishnu, Rama, etc.) That is not an illusion, it is on the spiritual eternal platform. Maya (illusion) are the veils or covering over our consciousness that block us from reality of true peace. Actually if one knows the art and science of using all things in the service of the Lord, then there life is not an illusion but reality. It is a matter of realization and understanding utilization of material things. If one offers a fruit to God then the fruit is spiriutalized and when one eats that fruit it awakens our spiriutal senses. We have spiritual senses that are used in the service of God. When one understands that nothing is ours and all is meant for the loving service of God then they are seeing in reality not illusion. Both planes exist simultaniously. That is all the science of Bhakti Yoga (I choose reality) (living in this world but not of it) totally ecstatic. Hope you join me in this Blissful reality.

Inner Peace is beyond Mind, and so is Reality. Mind is still perception; which is the illusion you're talking about; reality at any level, even mental.

Good luck!

life is not an illusion, the argument of life being an illusion comes from a battle in the spirit.. We all hear of Armageddon but people don't come close to understanding or explaining what that is... to many concepts are filtered through religions which first seeks to keep religions going... the truth comes from experiencing life beyond or outside religion and religious influence.. this argument is an example of how religions, spiritually, make us think of insane thoughts, they use it to twist your mind into imbalance, so that we hang onto religion as a form of stability.. it's like making you an alcoholic just to save you from it.. creating a problem so that it can claim to be the solution.. religion is full of brain twisters like that... there is a direct link to what goes on spiritually and our minds.. We see the effects of the spirit wars in the growing number of people battling mental illnesses... our defence is not to accept irrational principles like the one you introduce.. LIFE is real... I like to say drop a rock on your foot if it hurts it's reality...

You must be the one to decide that. Whether you want to be a nice tranquil pond or a raging ocean, a quiet breeze or a torment like a hurricane. I myself like the quiet of the pond but I have to admit that at times the waters get stirred up when a herd of caribou trep through it. I also find flying in unison with other birds crossing the wide ocean to be sort of invigoratingly comfortable and at the end I get this inner peace that comes with a lot of hard work.

Life is more than illusion. There are levels and forms of Energy.

To realize this asks Soul-awareness.

Some authors who show the way:

"The Path of the Higher Self," Mark Prophet.

"Men in White Apparel" and "Watch Your Dreams," Ann Ree Colton.

"Man, Master of His Destiny," O. M. Aivanhov.

"The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?", Free and Wilcock, http://www.divinecosmos.com/

"The Master of Lucid Dreams," Dr. Olga Kharitidi.

Dr. Franklin Merrell-Wolff, in his "Experience and Philosophy," gives insight into his awakening, which relates to your question.

Maybe a corpse understands life better than people, because the corpse has no false ideas or illusions of anything.

Life is not an illusion.

Inner peace is something achieved. Not all people have it.

One of the most valueable possesions in the world is peace of mind.