The word “illusion” implies misrepresentation, trickery, falsity, or deception. Existence is not trying to trick us. Existence just want to get back to the default zero state of balance and symmetry. It is consciousness that is running the scam. And what a delicious scam it is! Living beings resist the zero state so it can extract enjoyment out of what is essentially nothingness. To that end, we have derived the material Universe. And every moment of enjoyment, every sunrise, every sunset, every dream of love, and every sadness we can derive is a gift.

Time is the physical manifestation of counting. We describe time in terms of its mathematical properties. All mathematics are expressions in the counting layer. The counting layer is the propagation of particulars. The counting layer unfolds on top of Space.

Space is the physical manifestation of OR Logic together with AND Logic. This description is supported by the double-slit experiment. Space unfolds on top of a NONE Logic.

NONE Logic is the physical manifestation of (O)neness, which is another word for (N)othingness, which is another word for a pure and absolutely symmetrical (E)xistence. This description is supported by observations of vacuum energy and the cosmological constant.

Existence is a Signal that encompasses all Signals. Existence is Everything. It is the Alpha and the Omega.

Beings, having gained Consciousness, ask the question of Meaning. Existence provides the Signal which is the meaningful answer.

To receive, perceive, and understand the answer from Existence, Beings must be open to the Experience of the Signal. All experiences are Simulations which unfold above the counting layer. These simulations move from Illusion (or Imagination) to Reality and back again. In order for there to be experiences, there must be Time.

Life grants living beings options. Those options are organized into values. Those values allow living beings to act intelligently (or unintelligibly) in the world. Intelligent action in the world gives living beings meaning.

Life → Options → Values → Intelligent Action → Meaning.

The big question in the life of a conscious living being is not illusion versus reality. Reality will always be derived from illusion, and the reverse. The big question is about which values the highly conscious being will select. Once an hierarchy of values is selected by the conscious being, then the intelligent alignment of that being’s actions with respect to the goals set by its values system can meaningfully begin. Alignment of actions to goals require practice and patience. This alignment creates an intelligent conscious agent acting meaningfully in the world.

When you say, “Without the existence of consciousness…,” you are making a statement that can only be understood in terms of absolute negation. In my philosophy consciousness is a cascade of broken symmetries forming a complex fractal pattern. Consciousness observes this complex fractal as the entire Universe, and the pattern is indeed itself.

When you say, “Without the existence of consciousness…,” you are referring to an absolute symmetry which can be expressed mathematically as:

σ(n+1)=σ(n)

Where σ is a given state, and n is the state at any given time. All you get is the same over and over.The absolute symmetry is pure existence and we understand that to be Nothingness.

So, without consciousness there is no “now” as there are no distinctions to be made between a “past,” a “future,” and the indeterminate boundary between the two which we call “now”. All is ONE!