What is shifting / reality shifting?

Answer

Shifting in viral slang is a shortened term for reality shifting. The objective of shifting is to journey from one’s CR (current reality) to one’s DR (desired reality) through meditation, visualization, and other techniques. Shifting entails detaching one’s consciousness from the body and entering an “alternate” reality or an alternate universe. Popular desired realities include Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and various worlds inspired by Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and anime. Shifting is inconsistent with biblical teachings and is not advisable for Christians to engage in.

Shifting is popular among certain teenagers and young adults, and there are sizable shifting communities on TikTok, Reddit, and other social media platforms. On TikTok, videos tagged with #shifting have accumulated over 6.2 billion views (www.tiktok.com/tag/shifting, accessed 7/29/21). Various websites provide guidance on methods to facilitate your shift, how to “script” your visit to your desired reality beforehand, and how to return to your current reality.

Shifting is fundamentally a metaphysical, spiritual practice, focusing on existence, identity, and space-time. Shifters are essentially pursuing an out-of-body experience. It is advised for Christians to steer clear of it for the same reasons we avoid astral projection and transcendental meditation. Similar to other “new age” practices, shifting employs mantras, meditation, and specific body postures to access an altered state of consciousness, which shifters believe to be a parallel universe or another dimension. Some shifters, as seen in their TikTok videos, have started to question reality in a broader sense, pondering inquiries like “What if what we perceive as ‘reality’ is merely someone else’s ‘shift’?” and “What if my existence is solely in someone else’s mind?”

Adding to the appeal of shifting is people’s dissatisfaction with their current circumstances, exacerbated by recent political events and the impact of COVID-19, which have only heightened their sense of disillusionment.People are feeling frustrated and desperate. Individuals are seeking an escape to discover a “better” place with fewer frustrations and more enjoyable experiences. They view shifting as a means to break free from this world and immerse themselves in an alternate reality of their own creation where they can fulfill their desires.

However, escapism is not the solution, and shifting is ineffective—neither spiritually, scientifically, nor in any manner. What shifters may perceive is not an alternate reality or a different realm in the multiverse; instead, they are constructing a fantasy within their minds. They are inviting chaos and confusion and leaving themselves vulnerable to spiritual influences they are unfamiliar with.

Christians acknowledge that we inhabit a fallen world, which clarifies why individuals might seek to trade their current existence for something superior. Yet, rejecting one’s reality comes with consequences. Truth is that which aligns with reality, so discarding reality equates to discarding truth. The Bible explicitly promotes a belief in reality versus fiction “I hate and abhor lying: But thy law do I love.”, (Psalm 119:163) and asserts that we can discern the disparity (Proverbs 13:5; Ephesians 4:25). Some things are true or real, while others are false or unreal. The shifter’s pursuit of a “desired reality” blinds them to essential truths that should not be overlooked: the reality of sin, for instance, and the concepts of heaven, hell, and Christ’s redemption.

Shifting presents a deceptive hope in an illusory existence founded on a fabricated experience. Followers of Christ are rooted in the reality of God’s love and Christ’s salvation. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” “which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”, (Hebrews 6:19). When we share the gospel, we assist others in discovering that same hope. The message to shifters is that they do not need to escape – they require forgiveness of sins and a relationship with Jesus Christ. They do not need to self-create a better world in their minds; they need to trust that Jesus will create a better world someday «And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. », (Revelation 21:1).