Mental Constructs: How the Mind Shapes 'Apparent' Reality

By Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.
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From the moment we wake up in the morning, our lives unfold through a lens of meaning, interpretation, and categorization. We label experiences as "good" or "bad," judge others as "kind" or "selfish," and measure our worth through comparisons with cultural standards. These judgments, however, are not built on absolute truths—they are mental constructs. 

A mental construct is an idea, belief, or framework that our minds create in order to interpret and navigate reality. While these constructs are useful for survival and social connection, they also obscure the deeper nature of life.

When we begin to question our mental constructs, we may notice that what we take as “reality” is often just a collection of shared ideas. Even concepts like time, space, identity, morality, and duality itself rest on mental scaffolding. From a nondual perspective, these constructs are not ultimate truths but relative perspectives—temporary maps mistaken for the territory. By recognizing their constructed nature, we can begin to loosen their hold and glimpse the unconditioned reality beyond the conceptual reality that we're used to.
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This article explores what mental constructs are, how they create the illusion of reality, and how they shape our understanding of time, space, emotions, and duality. We will also look at these ideas through the lens of nonduality, which offers a radically different way of seeing beyond the mind’s fabrications.

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What Is a Mental Construct?

A mental construct is a framework created by the mind to interpret and organize experience. These constructs allow us to communicate, cooperate, and survive. Without them, the world would appear as a stream of raw, uninterpreted sensations. Mental constructs provide coherence by giving meaning to what we perceive.

For example, the concept of "tree" is a mental construct. The physical organism exists as a cluster of sensations—colors & shapes—but the category “tree” is applied by the mind. Different cultures even divide these categories differently. What one group calls a "tree," another may classify as a "bush," depending on height or use. The construct lives in the mind of the perceiver.
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Mental constructs become even more complex when we move into the realm of values, beliefs, and identity. The idea of "good" and "bad," for instance, is a construct that varies dramatically across time, culture, and individual perspective. What one person sees as virtuous, another may condemn. What one culture praises, another might punish. These variations expose the constructed nature of what we often take as absolute truth.

Good and Bad: The Relativity of Mental Constructs

Consider how you define “good” and “bad.” Perhaps kindness, compassion, and generosity fall into the “good” category, while lying, selfishness, and cruelty are “bad.” But if you look closely, these definitions shift depending on context. In some situations, what appears selfish may actually preserve someone’s well-being. What seems cruel in one culture might be seen as discipline in another.

This relativity raises a profound question: if everyone’s definition of good and bad is different, how do you know what is ultimately real? The answer is that good and bad are not absolute properties of reality but mental overlays. They exist only in the context of human interpretation.
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Recognizing this doesn’t mean abandoning ethics or morality. It means understanding that these constructs serve social and psychological functions but are not the fabric of existence itself. They shape how we live, but they do not define reality in an ultimate sense.

Mental Constructs and the Apparent Reality of Time

Perhaps one of the most deeply ingrained mental constructs is time. We live by the clock, plan for the future, and regret the past. Yet time itself, as we know it, is not something that exists independently—it is a construct.

Science has shown that time is relative. A second can pass differently depending on speed and gravity. But even before scientific theories, ancient traditions pointed out that time is an idea projected onto the flow of change. The present moment is always immediate, yet the mind slices this continuity into past, present, and future.
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When you think of "yesterday" or "tomorrow," what are you actually experiencing? You are imagining mental pictures, recalling memories, or anticipating possibilities. None of these exist outside the mind’s projection—they are mental constructs. In raw experience, there is only now. Time is a construct that organizes experience but does not describe the underlying reality.

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Space as a Mental Construct

Space, too, is not as obvious as it seems. We take it for granted that objects are separate and located at different points. Yet from a nondual perspective, space is another mental framework. We perceive distinctions—this chair here, that wall there—but these divisions exist because of how the mind parses perception.

Quantum physics echoes this idea, suggesting that particles are not fixed “things” located in space but probabilities and relationships. Space as a backdrop is a mental way of organizing these interactions.
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When we realize this, the sense of separation in space begins to soften. Instead of living in a universe of isolated objects scattered across space, we can begin to see reality as a seamless field of everythingness. Space is less an absolute container and more a mental construct projected onto the continuous unfolding of reality.

How Mental Constructs Create Duality

Perhaps the most impactful role of mental constructs is in creating duality—the sense of opposites. The mind divides the world into pairs: good and bad, self and other, right and wrong, joy and sorrow. These distinctions feel real, but they depend on the mental act of labeling.

Take emotions as an example. We call one sensation “positive” and another “negative.” Happiness is good, anger is bad. But beneath these labels lies the same fundamental thing: a raw bodily sensation. Whether it’s tightness in the chest, warmth in the belly, or a rush of energy, these sensations are neutral in themselves. The judgment of “good” or “bad” is a mental construct laid on top.
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This labeling creates a cycle of seeking and avoiding. We chase “positive” emotions and resist “negative” ones, believing the labels reflect ultimate truth. In reality, all emotions are simply sensations popping into and out of existence. The duality is mental, not fundamental.

Identity as a Mental Construct

Another profound construct is the sense of self. We usually take it for granted that there is an “I” who is separate from the world, navigating through time and space. But when examined closely, this identity is also a mental construct.

The self is built from memories, roles, and narratives. You think of yourself as a parent, a professional, a friend, or a seeker of awakening. These are stories that organize experience, but none of them capture the essence of what you are. When we try to locate this "self," we find shifting sensations, thoughts, and images, but never a fixed entity.
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This realization can be unsettling, but it also opens the door to liberation. If the self is a construct, then the boundaries that separate “me” from “you” are not ultimately real. What remains is an open, boundless everythingness in which all constructs arise and dissolve.

Mental Constructs From a Nondual Perspective

From a nondual perspective, all mental constructs are appearances within everythingness. They have relative usefulness but no ultimate substance. They help us function, but they do not define reality itself.

Consider the metaphor of a dream. In a dream, characters, places, and events appear vividly. They seem real while you are dreaming, but upon waking, you realize they were mental projections. Similarly, the constructs of time, space, good, bad, self, and other appear convincing, but they are projections within the larger reality.
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Nonduality does not seek to destroy these constructs but to reveal their insubstantial nature. By seeing them clearly, we stop clinging to them as ultimate truth. This loosening allows us to live with more freedom, compassion, and openness. We can use constructs as tools without being imprisoned by them.

Mental Constructs: Normal View vs. Nondual View

©awakeningcollective.org

Mental Construct	Normal View	Nondual View
Good vs. Bad	Seen as absolute qualities that define people, actions, and events.	Recognized as relative labels projected by the mind; all experiences are neutral in essence.
Time	Experienced as linear: past, present, and future are distinct and real.	Seen as a mental overlay on the timeless now; past and future exist only as thoughts.
Space	Perceived as a container separating objects and people.	Recognized as a mental construct; reality is seamless and interconnected.
Self vs. Other	The self is seen as a separate entity distinct from others and the world.	Identity is seen as a mental story; self and other arise together.
Emotions	Labeled as positive or negative, to be sought or avoided.	Experienced as neutral sensations; labels are mental overlays that obscure their raw nature.
Success & Failure	Defined by cultural standards, achievements, and outcomes.	Fulfillment already is; it can not be found by the mind.
Right vs. Wrong	Considered objective truths to guide behavior and judgment.	Understood as human-made distinctions; reality itself is beyond judgment.
Life & Death	Seen as absolute opposites, marking the beginning and end of existence.	Viewed as transformations within the same underlying reality; no ultimate separation exists.

Beyond Constructs: Living in Direct Experience

So how do we live once we see that mental constructs shape our apparent reality? The answer is to shift attention from concepts to direct experience.

When you feel an emotion, instead of labeling it as “good” or “bad,” notice the raw sensation. Where is it located? What does it feel like? In this way, you peel away the mental overlay and meet reality directly.

When you notice time dragging or racing, look for the present moment. Ask yourself: apart from thought, where is the past or future? This simple inquiry dissolves the construct into the immediacy of now.

When you feel separate from others, explore whether the boundary is real or imagined. Where does “you” end and “world” begin? The more closely you look, the more porous these distinctions become.

 

This is not about rejecting constructs but about recognizing them for what they are: temporary ideas appearing in empty fullness. By grounding ourselves in direct experience, we begin to glimpse reality beyond the mind’s divisions.

Worksheet: Reflecting on Mental Constructs

Use the questions below to explore how mental constructs shape your perception of reality. Notice how definitions shift, boundaries blur, and permanence dissolves when examined closely.

Construct	Reflective Questions	Notes
Bush	Where are the boundaries between a bush and a tree, shrub, or plant? If someone defines “bush” differently, which version is real? Do definitions of “bush” change across cultures or contexts? When does “bush” reflect something permanent, if ever?
Shame	Where are the boundaries between shame and guilt, regret, or embarrassment? If another culture defines shame differently, which is true? Does your experience or definition of shame shift over time? Is shame ever a permanent or fixed experience?
Respect	What are the boundaries between respect, admiration, and fear? If others define respect differently, which is correct? Has your idea of respect shifted throughout your life? Is respect something enduring or always changing?
Freedom	Where is the line between freedom and limitation? If freedom is defined politically, socially, or spiritually, which version is real? Does your sense of freedom shift depending on circumstances? Can freedom ever be absolute or permanent?
Love	Where are the boundaries between love, attachment, desire, or care? If someone defines love differently, which is real? Does your definition of love change over time or context? Is love something permanent, or does it continually shift?
Mouse	Where are the boundaries between a mouse, a computer mouse, or another small animal? If someone else labels a mouse differently, which is “real”? Do your ideas about a mouse change across contexts or experiences? Is the construct “mouse” ever fixed or permanent?
Sour	Where are the boundaries between sour, bitter, and acidic? Do different people or cultures perceive “sour” differently? Does your taste perception of sour foods change over time? Is sourness something absolute, or a mental construct?
Loud	Where is the boundary between loud, soft, and moderate sound? If someone else hears a sound differently, which is real? Do your perceptions of loudness shift in different environments? Is loudness absolute, or relative to perception?
Tasty	Where are the boundaries between tasty, bland, or flavorful? Do others experience the same food as tasty differently? Does your taste preference change over time or context? Is “tasty” ever universal or fixed?
Pleasant	Where are the boundaries between pleasant, uncomfortable, or neutral sensations? Do other people experience the same situation as pleasant differently? Does your sense of pleasantness change over time or with mood? Is pleasantness ever permanent, or always relative?

Final Thoughts on Mental Constructs

Mental constructs shape the way we see and experience life. They give us categories like “good” and “bad,” frameworks like time and space, and identities like “me” and “you.” Yet these constructs are not absolute truths—they are interpretations projected by the mind.

When we recognize their constructed nature, we open the possibility of living with greater clarity. From a nondual perspective, constructs are appearances, not ultimate realities. They divide what is seamless, label what is neutral, and create dualities that obscure the underlying unity of existence.
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By questioning constructs and returning to direct experience, we loosen their grip. We may begin to sense life not as divided into opposites, but as a flowing wholeness beyond categories. In this recognition, freedom, peace, and compassion naturally unfold.

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