January 9th, 2025
Guest writer for Wake Up World
Excerpt from Frank M. Wanderer’s new book, AWAKENINGS: Six Steps to Escape the Matrix
Life in the big city is noisy, relentless, and seemingly infinite—a constant rhythm of concrete, lights, deadlines, and distractions.
Day after day, the pattern repeats itself: work, hurry, entertainment, rest, and then it all begins again. But what if this is just a façade?
What if the world we take for reality is merely an illusion, a prison where we unknowingly live as captives?
The protagonist of this book, The Seeker, is a young man who feels, with growing intensity, that something isn’t quite right with the world. He has seen the movie The Matrix and can’t shake the haunting thought: what if this life is just another version of that system?
The more he observes the people around him and the society they’ve built, the deeper his doubts grow. Beneath the routine and superficiality of modern existence, there seems to be a secret, a hidden truth waiting to be uncovered.
One day, the Seeker hears of a mysterious older man known only as the Master. Rumor has it that he understands the “system” and knows the way out. Intrigued and desperate for answers, The Seeker seeks him out. Through their conversations, a profound inner journey begins: one that explores the nature of reality, reveals the limitations of the mind, and awakens a process of liberation.
The Master’s words act as a mirror for The Seeker—a mirror that not only reflects the world but his own true self.
This book, built upon the dialogue between two souls, maps the path of inner awakening. The escape from the Matrix is not an external revolution but an internal transformation.
The Seeker’s story is our story, too: the story of anyone who feels there is more to life than what meets the eye. The only question is: are we ready to see the truth?
There is a way out of the Matrix.
The Matrix in which we live is not a physical prison but a web of mental and emotional patterns created by the mind. These patterns shape how we perceive the world, interpret experiences, and relate to ourselves and others. Social norms, cultural beliefs, and personal narratives are all part of this Matrix, collectively constructed and sustained by the human mind.
Yet, this system is illusory, as it is built upon the continuous flow of thoughts—ephemeral and formless—that seem real but are ultimately transient. The mind recreates the image of reality in every moment, obscuring its fundamental truth: that everything is one and the same.
In the heart of a bustling western metropolis, in the dim corner of a weathered café, the Seeker meets the Master. Rain taps steadily against the window as the city’s vibrant noise blends with the hum of neon lights outside. The Seeker, a young man with a restless look in his eyes, leans over his coffee, haunted by the enigmatic words he’s heard: “There is a way out of the Matrix.”
Seeker: Master, they said you know how to escape the Matrix. How can I find the truth?
Master: (calmly sipping his tea) First, you must understand that what you call the “Matrix” is not a place—it is an illusion. A web your mind has spun around itself.
Seeker: But how can I step out of this illusion? I feel it everywhere—in my work, in the people I meet… even here, in this moment.
Master: The first step is to realize that you are not separate from the Matrix. You’re not merely observing it; you are one of its threads. And when you see this, the thread begins to unravel.
Seeker: (frowning) So, I have to dismantle it myself? But how? I don’t even know where to start.
Master: Look around you. What do you see?
Seeker: (glancing around the café) Tables, chairs, people talking. A city that never seems to stop.
Master: And who is it that sees all of this?
Seeker: (hesitant) I… I do.
Master: That “I” is also part of the Matrix. The real question is: Who is observing the “I”? Who is listening to this conversation? If you find who you truly are, the Matrix loses its grip on you.
Seeker: (after a long pause) So, I don’t need to change the world. I need to change the way I see it.
Master: Exactly. The key to the Matrix isn’t outside you—it’s within. Stop fighting the illusion. Instead, recognize that you were never trapped in the first place.
Seeker: (disbelieving) Never trapped? But I…
Master: (interrupting) The door was always open. Your mind was the one that believed it was locked.
The Seeker leans back, letting the Master’s words sink in. The rain has stopped, and the neon reflections on the café’s window seem different now, almost alive. As he steps out into the city’s electric glow, something has shifted within him. The world hasn’t changed, but the way he sees it has. Perhaps the journey out of the Matrix has already begun.
Formula for the path out of the Matrix
The main message of The Matrix is that understanding the true nature of reality is the key to freedom. However, this requires stepping out of the illusion and confronting the often uncomfortable truths of existence.
Similarly, in modern life, amidst the chaos of constant change, we also have the opportunity to awaken and recognize what truly matters.
Constant change is not only a challenge but also an opportunity. Just as awakening leads to freedom in The Matrix, embracing and understanding change can help us become more resilient and self-aware. Life is not a static process but an endless flow in which every moment offers new possibilities.
This realization often requires an inner journey. Just as Neo embarks on a quest to uncover the truth, we too need courage to go deeper and see beyond the surface of constant change to the underlying truth of our lives.
In the heart of a bustling metropolis, the city hums with life as the sun sets and neon lights take over the streets. In a quiet park tucked away from the chaos, the Master sits on a weathered bench, seemingly lost in a book. The Seeker, a middle-aged man with a troubled expression, hesitates for a moment before approaching. He’s spent years searching for answers, and he’s heard whispers that the Master knows the way out of the Matrix.
Seeker: Master, they say you know the way out of the Matrix. I’ve searched everywhere—books, teachings, philosophies—but all I find are theories. What is the truth?
Master: (looks up with a calm smile) The truth cannot be found in theories. But if you’re ready, I’ll show you the path. It has six steps, divided into three stages—each leading to a deeper awakening. Are you ready to listen?
Seeker: (nodding firmly) I am ready.
Master: The first stage: Recognizing the Illusion.
Seeker: What does that mean?
Master:
Step 1: Recognize that the Matrix is not reality. What you believe to be real—work, societal roles, even your “self”—are all constructs of the mind.
Step 2: Observe the workings of your mind. Notice how it judges, clings, fears. Just watch, without judgment.
Step 3: Ask yourself the fundamental question: “Who am I?” If you ask sincerely, the illusion will begin to crack.
Seeker: That sounds… terrifying. What happens if I lose everything I know?
Master: (nodding) That fear is natural. But in the second stage, called Discovering the Truth, a deeper awakening awaits you.
Seeker: How do I move into that stage?
Master:
Step 4: Stop searching for the truth outside of yourself. Turn inward, to the source of your awareness. The truth resides there.
Step 5: Realize that the one searching for truth—the “I” you believe yourself to be—is also part of the illusion. The “self” is a role, not your true nature.
Seeker: (softly) And what happens when I see this?
Master: Then you enter the third stage: Living in Unity.
Seeker: (his voice trembling) Is this the final step?
Master: Yes.
Step 6: Realize that you were never separate. You are the whole, and the whole is you. This is not about escaping the Matrix—it’s about seeing that you were never truly trapped.
Seeker: (hesitating) It sounds so simple, but it feels unreachable.
Master: It’s not unreachable, but your old habits and beliefs will resist. As you let go of what you thought was true, you will awaken more and more deeply.
The Seeker sits silently beside the Master, the hum of the city fading into the background. Something shifts within him—a faint glimmer of understanding mixed with a sense of calm. When he finally rises and walks back into the city streets, the noise and lights seem different, less overwhelming. Perhaps the first step has already been taken: the illusion is beginning to be seen for what it is.
Excerpt from Frank M. Wanderer’s new book, AWAKENINGS: Six Steps to Escape the Matrix
About the author:
Frank M. Wanderer, Ph.D is a professor of psychology, a consciousness researcher and writer. With a lifelong interest in the mystery of human existence, Frank’s work is to help others wake up from identification with our personal history and the illusory world of the forms and shapes, and to find our identity in what he calls “the Miracle”, the mystery of the Consciousness.
You can follow Frank online at:
Frank is also the author of the following books:
- The Revolution of Consciousness: Deconditioning the Programmed Mind
- The Flames of Alertness: Discover the Power of Consciousness!
- The Biggest Obstacle to Enlightenment: How to Escape from the Prison of Mind Games?
- … and several other books on consciousness and the process of enlightenment.
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