Our Deeper Realms Of Reality

It was curious to me that the last sentence in Lilith by George MacDonald was a quote by Novalis. The quote, “Our life is no dream, but it should and will perhaps become one” is attributed to Novalis, but some believe it is a paraphrased quote. Still, it was a pretty ingenious way of ending the book and concluding Lilith with a reflection on the transformative power of imagination, faith, and spiritual awakening. MacDonald was greatly influenced by the work of Novalis.

MacDonald was deeply interested in the idea that our earthly existence, while real and tangible, is also intertwined with the spiritual and the transcendent. By ending with a quote suggesting that life, though currently concrete, might become more like a dream—more fluid, wondrous, and spiritually aligned—he invites readers to consider the possibility of deeper realms of reality beyond the material world. It emphasizes hope and the potential for personal growth and enlightenment, encouraging us to see life not just as a series of fixed events but as something malleable, full of divine possibility.

I wonder if MacDonald may have wanted us to learn that even though our current experience is grounded in reality, there’s a divine or spiritual dimension that we can aspire to access—making life more like a meaningful, dream-like journey towards higher understanding and unity with the divine.

Byron's Babbles