Dreams

[jammydodger]

I keep on having this recurring dream, where I'm in a pitch black room, theres a spotlight shining on me, but all around me is darkness, I'm swinging on a chair, I keep swinging & swinging & swinging, when suddenly the back of the chair collapses & then I just wake up in shock, I honestly don't know what to make of it.

That sounds like a really fun dream...

[Mark9]

I had a dream where a seahorse was being executed by a marshmellow with rabies..... then I woke up...lol

Thats just Journey to Atlantis.

[Matt 236]

Wow, I had one fanboy meets everything else dream last night where I was essentially at Alton Towers with TPM and going around the areas and for some reason, I had to play a piano in the towers Chappell or something (Iam a pianist and also do something similar for my job) and then lost track of TPM.

When I almost found TPM again which I was now in the Dark Forest, another group of people I know (from my community play) suddenly appeared and distracted me from the group. I forget what else happened but I surely woke up not long after.

Call it weird or random but that's pretty much my fanboy/weird/clashing dream where I'm at towers and many things happen at once.

[EC!]

I once had a dream, that The Smiler's main fault is that it keeps on stalling, but surely that will never happen!... Oh Wait........

[pluk]

I had a dream last night that I was back at my old place of work, but all the people working there were the people I work with now.

Not very interesting but I rarely remember any dreams. Wonder if it supposed to mean anything?

[Ellie]

It's open to interpretation. Have a google! I often do that

I've always been very interested in dreams. When I dream they're usually very vivid. I've had sleep paralysis, I've been stuck in dreams, I've done some lucid dreaming. I know I'm capable of it so I'm starting to try and induce lucid dreaming but it requires training. It's all very interesting. I'm also interested in the idea of astral projection although I think it's highly unlikely. You kinda have to be spiritual... astral projection is about your soul leaving your body and visiting other parts of the world. Exploring the world (typically places you have never been, that you have no memories of) and experiencing them as if you were physically there. To me it sounds like another form of lucid dreaming. I have experienced the shaking, seizure type movements which are often associated with astral projection but in these instances I have either been woken up or become stuck in sleep paralysis.

The whole area is just so interesting to me and the more work I have, the more I procrastinate and look into it!!! Oops.

[pluk]

I've always been a bit sceptical of placing meanings on dreams, I think a lot of what goes through your mind is pure randomness that is just based on previous experiences, but sometimes they will directly relate to what is going on in your concious world in an obvious way. My wife has a ridiculous book full of nonsense which tells you dreaming of one object or situation signifies this or that which appears entirely unrelated. Sounds like rubbish to me.

A few times a while back I had a weird thing happen which having just looked it up might have been somewhere around lucid dreaming / sleep paralysis, I'd never heard of either before. I'd be asleep and become aware that I was asleep and want to wake myself up, but would be unable to wake myself. Sometimes I would dream that I had woken up but couldn't move, before waking up for real. This then went on to sometimes loop, where I'd be continuously dreaming of trying to wake myself, dreaming that I had woken myself but couldn't move, deciding I was still asleep and trying to wake myself again, which went on and on without me waking. Until eventually I did obviously! I still don't really know if I was sometimes actually awake and 'paralysed' or had remained asleep through it. To be honest it freaked me the hell out. When I did eventually wake for real I'd have to get up for a while and would not look forward to going to sleep again. It normally happened not long after I'd gone to bed. Not had it happen for ages now, a couple of years probably.

[Matt 236]

I often find I will often experience a dream that will predict the near future and quite often the dream I've experienced will become a reality.

I.E the day before exam results I dreamt I got an A in music. The next day, I opened my results and found an A in music.

[Coaster]

This topic is fascinating - I find dreams really interesting!

Sometimes I am aware of waking myself up in the dream, but I always forget my dreams a few days after I have them

Think I'm going to write them down!

[Smidget]

Freud.

That is all.

[Ellie]

I've always been a bit sceptical of placing meanings on dreams, I think a lot of what goes through your mind is pure randomness that is just based on previous experiences, but sometimes they will directly relate to what is going on in your concious world in an obvious way. My wife has a ridiculous book full of nonsense which tells you dreaming of one object or situation signifies this or that which appears entirely unrelated. Sounds like rubbish to me.

A few times a while back I had a weird thing happen which having just looked it up might have been somewhere around lucid dreaming / sleep paralysis, I'd never heard of either before. I'd be asleep and become aware that I was asleep and want to wake myself up, but would be unable to wake myself. Sometimes I would dream that I had woken up but couldn't move, before waking up for real. This then went on to sometimes loop, where I'd be continuously dreaming of trying to wake myself, dreaming that I had woken myself but couldn't move, deciding I was still asleep and trying to wake myself again, which went on and on without me waking. Until eventually I did obviously! I still don't really know if I was sometimes actually awake and 'paralysed' or had remained asleep through it. To be honest it freaked me the hell out. When I did eventually wake for real I'd have to get up for a while and would not look forward to going to sleep again. It normally happened not long after I'd gone to bed. Not had it happen for ages now, a couple of years probably.

Lucid dreaming is where you become aware that you're dreaming. There are different levels to lucid dreaming, with the highest level being able to control your dream and decide what to do/where to go. While I have controlled my dreams before, it takes training to be able to just question if you're dreaming and snap into lucid dreaming.

Sleep paralysis is named so because sometimes the chemicals released in the body when sleeping, that keep you from acting out dreams (so you don't walk around in bed), are still being released while your mind is waking up. You physically cannot move and often feel a big pressure on your chest as you're not breathing deeply. As you're sort of stuck between being awake and dreaming, it isn't unusual to hallucinate while looking around your room (without moving your head), some people say they see demons sitting on their chest (and I think this was originally what sleep paralysis was thought to be, a demon sitting on you). There are other types of sleep paralysis though. The sleep paralysis I have had has been me being confused as to whether I was asleep or dreaming, trying to wake up but not being able to open my eyes and mouth and having seizure like shakes. A very uncomfortable and scary experience.

Dreams are actually to do with clarification of information you learn that day and forming long term memories, so it's quite normal to experience things that relate directly or indirectly to your day. Although, it is also said that dreams are due to random chemical firings in the brain when new synapses are being connected (also to do with storing memories).

[MarkC]

Ellie... You're my dream (;

[Ellie]

And who are you?

[EC!]

Well this went awkward....

[Sidders]

Dis forerm.

[Fred]

Ooh I bloody love those dreams where I know I'm dreaming, especially great fun ones. Wandering around like "this dream is fantastic, hope I don't have to wake up for a while!"

[pluk]

Ellie... You're my dream (;

MarkC... I'm your worst nightmare. Stop being a sex pest.

Lucid dreaming is where you become aware that you're dreaming.

The sleep paralysis I have had has been me being confused as to whether I was asleep or dreaming, trying to wake up but not being able to open my eyes and mouth and having seizure like shakes. A very uncomfortable and scary experience.

I don't think I've ever been aware I'm dreaming as such, more that I'm aware I am asleep and want to be awake, but can't wake. Which in some ways is a dream in itself I suppose? Gah, I don't know, it's confusing. I'd say the things I had were definatley sleep paralysis though, and it is something I really do not want again!

How would you go about training yourself in lucid dreaming? I can't see how you'd start without it happening naturally in the first instance. Also, if you are concious enough to know you are dreaming, to make decisions in that dream and remember what has happened, are you really truly asleep?

[Coaster]

How would you go about training yourself in lucid dreaming? I can't see how you'd start without it happening naturally in the first instance. Also, if you are concious enough to know you are dreaming, to make decisions in that dream and remember what has happened, are you really truly asleep?

It's a strange one. Sometimes I lucid dream then get close to waking up but stop myself (without really being aware that I am doing so).

Weird.

[Fred]

What's it called when you're trying to shout in your dream, and you end up shouting in real life and realising it, you think to yourself in your dream what a idiot you are?

I like those as well, even if it is frustrating that those in the dream are misbehaving!

[Ellie]

I don't think I've ever been aware I'm dreaming as such, more that I'm aware I am asleep and want to be awake, but can't wake. Which in some ways is a dream in itself I suppose? Gah, I don't know, it's confusing. I'd say the things I had were definatley sleep paralysis though, and it is something I really do not want again!

How would you go about training yourself in lucid dreaming? I can't see how you'd start without it happening naturally in the first instance. Also, if you are concious enough to know you are dreaming, to make decisions in that dream and remember what has happened, are you really truly asleep?

I reckon you're right about it not being lucid dreaming. I'm no expert although I would say you'd have to be in a dream world for it to be lucid dreaming. If you can't act things out, if you can't visualise anything, it's not a dream at all. This is why I was so confused in sleep paralysis. I was thinking but my thoughts were hazy, as you would expect in a dream. But I couldn't see anything, I couldn't picture anything. It felt like I was looking into the back of my eyelids and I tried to open my mouth but it felt like my mouth had been glued shut.

And the whole 'are you really asleep' question is a good one. If I'm not mistaken, it is possible to monitor when people are awake and asleep and monitor as you cycle between deep sleep and REM sleep (where most dreaming occurs) and so yes, in some ways I think it would be possible to tell if someone was sleeping while lucid dreaming.

For training, it's suggested to perform checks multiple times a day to see if you're awake. Sounds mental but it works for some people. The checks should be trying to do things you wouldn't normally be able to do like trying to push your hand through a wall while really willing to and asking yourself if you are dreaming. In theory, you will begin to do these checks in your sleep once they becomes natural and only in a dream would it be possible to let your hand fall through the wall. There are other methods as well, if you're interested, look into FILD and WILD lucid dreaming methods. I've mostly been lucid through WILD, although I have just snapped into it before by noticing the physics or other things weren't quite right.

[pluk]

What would worry me in trying anything to induce lucid dreaming would be in some way triggering a sleep paralysis episode, the two seem like they should be linked with the unusual thing of real time knowledge of being asleep being present for both. I would not want to do anything that might make that happen again!

I've strangely (for me) remembered another dream I have had, the second in as many weeks when I usually recall nothing. This time I was in a castle with Harry Hill, I can not remember what actually happened but think some sort of chase was involved. Riddle me that.

[Matt 236]

Reviving a presumably long forgotten topic, I had one of the most interesting dreams of modern times last night.

I'm currently being driven to a Themepark with a regular taxi driver I know, where we pass numerous roundabouts and traffic lights. Interestingly, there are a bunch of street/carnival performers near on of the traffic lights/roundabout trying to interact with he drivers and possibly advertise something.

The next part of the dream skips on, whether I've forgotten it or it's a completely different dream at all is another matter. I'm currently walking down a touristy area with a couple people who I believe are based on those I know. For some reason, we are going to Disneyland. The next thing is, we reach a ticket office thingy where to buy tickets, but I've realised I don't have enough money for a one day ticket.

The next thing, the person serving me who is serving me doesn't seem to speak much English (maybe he is French) and despite my lack if money for entry strongly insists I move on and go through. Suddenly I'm in a long street with numerous music performers and music (maybe it's a Main Street USA). There are no rides but it definitely looks like a theme park here.

In the final part of the dream, things become even stranger as I enter a greener more picturesque bit if the park (lots of grass around) and suddenly there are lots of dogs around (somewhat appear to be jack Russell's) which one moment are suddenly interested in me and the the next start making a fuss of one a other despite looking similar or even near identical.

They say dreams have a metaphor and are often your brain trying to feel you something if real life (I.E falling means you may have overdone something too major in your life), but I have no idea how to take on this one.

[Whatever]

Wow, this is a fascinating topic.

I've had a few weird dreams in my life. I remeber when I was younger, having a dream where we were on a water ride/ log flume, and I could really feel it, like the uppy downy bits. I've also reassured myself in scary dreams that it is only a dream, and soon wake up. I've also had a really happy dream but woke up feeling happy but not knowing what the dream was.

 

And last night I had a dream where my brother  was finally able to go on Nemesis Inferno, but the station was really weird and large, and my brother took his Kindle on the ride so I had to sit on it!?

I've never woken up feeling paralysed, which is weird. But I have woken up with my heart beating out of my chest.

[Kerfuffle]

"Do you ever dream about falling down a long, dark tunnel...or a well...or a dark bottomless pit with restricted vision?"

 

...well this is me some nights! But sometimes I'm awoken by my own body suddenly lurching upwards, so when I wake up, it really is as if I HAVE been falling and I've just crash landed onto my bed!

 

I've actually heard that if you suddenly get the feeling of falling in your sleep, it's apparently your body and mind on the brink of DEATH, so you wake up as an act of your body protecting you from the worst case scenario!

 

I've heard this rumour with my own ears...and it's a load of trash!

[Whatever]

^I sometimes feel as if I'm falling....peacefully... and when I actually think straight, I feel as if I've just fallen into my bed!