I think you’re misunderstanding the nature of reality as seen by a mystic.
The word “illusion” is an imperfect translation of a Hindu word Maya which means “art”, “manifestation” and several other things at once.

Physical reality is a manifestation of Supreme Being, all life and all what we call “reality” are the myriad ways that Supreme Being manifests in order to experience. Because the perception of being separated from cosmic oneness is necessary in order to have any kind of experience.

It’s not that “civilians are shadows of monistic reality”, it’s that everything is an equal MANIFESTATION of the prime force that underlies everything, that drives evolution, that caused the Big Bang etc. As such, every life has value, every life is loveable.

It’s not that physical reality is “not real” — rather it’s not the full picture of reality. But that doesn’t make it fake either.