What does it mean to "awaken?" What do we awaken from? Or, what do we awaken to?

Do we have a clue what it is we are really involved in when we talk of our awakening? Our enlightenment? Sometimes the concepts become trite repetitions that slide off our tongues or roll around in our minds as we speak or think of this grand and wonderful goal, but do we have a true sense of what it is to be released from this dream illusion? Just why is this world, this illusion, unreal? Does that make us (the dreamer) unreal, as well? Your thoughts?