Dream Interpretation: Class I

[cydira]

The Science of Dreams: The Brain, sleep cycle and a little biology

A quick note: Under this thread will go everything for the "first class" but I won't post everything for the section under the same page. This way it will be a little easier to read. This page is just an overview of the section. :loveduv:

At first the concept of there being a science of dreams probably makes you go :eek: or :huh:. Possibly even :zzz: and some of you just go :eyebrow: at the thought. This is most people's reaction, so don't feel too bad about it.

Ok, I'm done playing with the smilies. :D

Dreams are a product of a wide range of factors. A signifigant portion of them are relating to something that most of you are probably going to hate hearing me say, biology and chemistry. We all probably well remember the endless lectures of our high school (and possibly college) classes in these subjects. Unlike highschool or college courses, I won't be going into overwhelming detail.

In the first part of this class, I will be discussing the brain and how it is made up. The brain has several different parts and a rough understanding of these parts and how they work go a long way in dream interpretation. It can also be fairly usefull in other areas, but I digress. Amoung the things that we'll discuss are the parts of the brain responcible for dreaming, how the nervous system works (on the most basic of levels) and how we physically percieve dreams.

In the second part of class, I will be explaining to you the sleep cycle. The sleep cycle is in part biological and in part behavioral. Changes in the sleep cycle does impact dreams, amoung many other different areas (I will be noting a few of them for you). Also, I will present some evidence of how the sleep cycle points of an evolutionary reason behind why we dream.

The third part of the class will tie together the brain and the sleep cycle. I will be pointing out various biological factors that play in our ability to sleep and to dream. This is where a more detailed discussion of sleep disorders, neurochemistry (and my limited knowledge thereof), and physical conditions that impact sleep will be presented.

In this class, like all of the others in this series of dream interpretation classes, I'd be thrilled if we could get some discussion going on. While I may not beable to answer your questions exactly, I'll be happy to reaserch it some or possibly even point you in the direction of an authority on the topic. :D

I will be suggesting a few possible "assignments." These are optional.

Assignment 1: Make a list of 5 questions that you have about how the brain works, the neurochemistry of dreams, or the sleep cycle. :) Post on: September 20th.

[cydira]

If y'all didn't see my post in the JUST TALK forum, I'm letting you know now, my computer has died.

I'm not sure if we can ressurect it from the ashes of the nuclear winter it has launched on itself or not. But that will not stop my posting. :D I'm going to be posting in here once a week. So don't worry too much, this class will actually go on. :)

I'll talk at y'all later.

Go ahead and come up with a few questions for me. :D

[Emy]

Thank you so much for starting this thread :)
And I hope it will turn out that your computor isn't beyond rescue in the end... :)

B*B

[Swanspirit]

I was turning the pages of a calendar......
it was a very beautiful calendar I just got at COAST DAY...... it has wonderful pictures of marine wildlife in it...... I was turning the pages in my dream and the pics were as vivid and accurate for each month as they are in the waking state...... then I turned December.. and in the place of the beautiful harp seal and its mother was a figure tothe right of the picture that kept changing faces..... first BinLaden then death he finally was death or dead....... and to the right on the "calendar page" was the remains of a mountain in Afghanistan......
There was no fear...... no feeling of fear in the dream just amazement........ ....

I know this is early in the class but I thought this would be a good place to share it ....
Love and HUGS
Swannie

[Silver Venus]

I hope you computer gets better soon :) ((hugs))

Great introduction!! :D

& Swan thanks for sharing your dream. I dreamt of my bf three times... he's been ill recently and I was tried to find out what was the matter ~ one dream I was a nurse! The next I was talkign to someone else about him and the last I cant remember.. If only I could!!

My questions are ~ (Ive just thought of them and I wanted to ask now ~ hope 'early' is alright?)
1) Why do you remember some dreams but not others ~ I kind of know its all about when you wake and your sleep paterns ~ like my last one which I should of remembered but I didnt because I drifted back to slepp for a few minutes!
2) How do you actually train your brain to interact with your dreams? I have done this and do interact from time to time but I dont knwo how I did it except being conscience that i was dreaming.
3) Why do some people dream in colour, and some B&W some in silence and some with noise, some as images and some as stories? I dream and have dreamt with all but some of my friends only dream in a certain way.. or is that just there memory?
4) Will we be ever be able to record our dreams with images and sounds?
5) How do nightmares come about when we are stressed and how can we stop these? I know its all biologically and chemically related but can we actually stop the nightmares without using meditation and other means?

If I think of anymore Ill ask ;)
Love and Light Sv

[cydira]

Sorry about this being so late. But I now have the stupid beast back in line and I'm going to start a flury of posts. :)

~ The Brain ~

Just to warn you, I will be quoting some dry stuff in places. Don't worry, I won't bore you too much with details and such. But I'll be noting at the end of each post my sources so you can find more information. :)

With this aside, we can start on the Brain and the role it plays in our dreams. First, I want to give you some fairly basic information about the brain. At the end of today's post you'll find an attached image of a brain with several regions numbered. (If I get it right...) the numbered regions are listed here with a short description of what they do.

1. The medulla - this is also known as the brain stem. It handles the basic metabolic processes.

2. The cerebral cortex - this is where our emotions and basic urges come from. This seems to also be where the majority of motor control resides.

3. The suprachiamatic neucleus - the biological clock of the body.

4. The cerabellum - this is where our memories and most higher brain function occurs. ***

There are alot more parts of the brain, but I can't recall all of them and I don't have my psych notes infront of me right now. If you want, I'll find the notes and post it up here for y'all.

You may wonder why I'm going on and on about the brain and it's innerworkings right now instead of getting to the dreams. The reason why I'm delving into this arcane subject is because much of what we know about dreams is intimately tied to studies of how the brain funcetions during sleep.

Of all the mysteries about the human body, the brain may be the greatest. Part of the key to unlocking our dreams is shoruded in this mystery.

*** 4/17/03 - I have been reviewing some of my notes on brain biology and I told ya'll the wrong part. The cerabellum regulated body temperature and processes, it's responcible for things like balance too. The part of the brain that is *actually* responcible is the cerebrum. It's made of many parts, some are responcible for things like processing visual information and such. They're not sure what part of the cerebrum is responcible for dreaming, though when we dream there does seem to be quite a bit of activity in the frontal portions of both hemispheres.

Sorry about the error. <blush>

[cydira]

A large part of what we know about the actual biological phenomena of sleep is incolced with the circadian rhythm. (No, folks, that doesn't mean those cute little inscets that saranade us in the summer nights. :) :boing: ) The circadian rhythm is also known as the biological "clock" built into the brain to control the hormone levels of your sleeping body.

This clock tells you when your body needs rest and when you need to wake. The suprachiamatic neucleus is the technical name for this part of the brain. Attached to the optic nerve, it responds to light, using the initial contact of light in the moring to "reset" itself. Jet lag is a great example of what happens when this "clock" is thrown off by a chance in the times that the sun rises and sets.

Now, I'll wager that you're trying to see how all this "internal clock" stuff relates to dreams. The circadian rhythm includes the sleep cycle. Here is where those buzz words like REM-sleep come into play. There are four stages to the sleep cycle, each characterized by their varying depths and the amount of brain wave activity.

Stage one is also known as hypnagogic sleep. This is initial stage of sleep that we feel and call "daydreaming" or "dozing." In this state, alpha brain waves can be seen in an EEG reading. Stage two and three are often by increasingly larger (and there for slower) brainwave activity known as beta waves. Stage four is recognized by the delta wave activity in the brain. This is the slowest that brainwaves are usually observed in a healthy individual and delta waves are seen only in stage four sleep.

Rapid eye movement sleep, also known as REM sleep, is simmilar to stage one sleep. The differences is that in stage one sleep there is a relatively equal amount of brainwave activity and body movement. Stage one is usually the point in the sleep cycle that we would be tossing and turning. In REM sleep, there is a state that Michel Jouvet discovered during his reaserch in the 1950's. He called it paradoxial sleep.

During paradoxial sleep, the muscles are in a deep state of relaxation while there is hightened brainwave activity, fluctionations in the heart rate, changes in the breathing rate and changes in the temperature of the sleeper. Paradoxial sleep occurs after stage four and some argue it is the same as REM sleep. It is in these states that we dream.

[cydira]

It's great to see people posting their dreams up in here. It is a little bit early to do that, but nothing wrong with it. It actually leads me to my first little assignment for everyone.

Assignment one

Keep a dream journal. In your journal, write down the date of the dream and what you recall of the events that occured in your dreams. If you can't remember your dreams yet, that's alright. We'll be going over dream recall very soon. And it will be great to be ready for when you do start remembering your dreams. :)

Just remember to leave a blank page or two between your recorded dreams. :)

[cydira]

I'll have to look up the answers to most of your questions.

But the nightmare one we'll be working on when we discuss nightmares. It's a pretty common question actually. :)

If you give me a little time, I"ll find the answers and post them up here for you.

Aside from that, don't be too stunned if there's going to be a huge post after a little bit of silence again because I'm caught in midterms and I have a few big reserch projects right now. :p

I'll talk at y'all later. They're great questions.. let's see if there'll be a few more. :)

[cydira]

1) Why do you remember some dreams but not others ~ I kind of know its all about when you wake and your sleep paterns ~ like my last one which I should of remembered but I didnt because I drifted back to slepp for a few minutes!

This is an excellent question. Our remembering of dreams depends on several factors. First is the point that we are at in the sleep cycle when we are awakened. If you wake a a point other then REM sleep (aka paradoxial sleep) your recollection of your dream will be vauge at best. The bulk of our dreaming is done in REM sleep, however there is signs of limited dreaming in stages three and four of the sleep cycle. Also, focused concentration on the dream shortly after we wake will allow us to remember it.

We will discuss techniques for remembering dreams soon.

2) How do you actually train your brain to interact with your dreams? I have done this and do interact from time to time but I dont knwo how I did it except being conscience that i was dreaming.

When we are aware of being in a dreamstate, it is called lucid dreaming. For most people this is a fairly rare occurance. However, with training, one can learn to focus on their dreams and retain the active awareness of the conscious mind in their dreams. This would allow a person to control their dreams and to even use their dreams as a tool for psychological, magic(k)al, or spiritual growth.

The various techniques and uses of lucid dreaming will be discussed with techniques for remembering dreams because they're closely related.

3) Why do some people dream in colour, and some B&W some in silence and some with noise, some as images and some as stories? I dream and have dreamt with all but some of my friends only dream in a certain way.. or is that just there memory?

Much of the sounds in our dreams seem to be the result of outside stimuli. In your dream you may hear a door slamming or even slam a door when you hear some noise like a slamming door while you're sleeping. There are theorists who argue that this is some of the last vestiges of our evolutionary precessors, this ability to interpret sound, stimuli like temperature and even the distance a potential preditor is all in place to wake us in the event of danger.

The question of black and white vs color dreams has never really been clarified. Some theorists state that there is a difference in how the visual cortex interacts with the rest of the dreaming mind between people who dream in color and people who dream in black and white. Others state that it is differences in the depth of sleep that we enter before entering REM sleep before our dreams. Still more argue that the perception of color is something that we fill in when we are awake and processing the dream with our conscious mind. It is a point desperately in need of more hard reaserch before we have any real answers as to how this aspect of the brain works.

The fragmented vs. story like dreams relates directly to the depths and stages of sleep that we are in before we wake. When a person is in REM sleep, they have dreams that are more storylike and often are in real time. At least, that is what the theorists say. From my own personal experiance and the experiences of the various people who I have interpreted dreams for, it appears that in REM sleep there is no exact equasion for describing the length and detail of the dream to the time the sleeper is in this state. However, in stage three and four sleep, these dreams are heavily fragmented and usually are single images.

4) Will we be ever be able to record our dreams with images and sounds?

I'm honestly not sure. We've yet to fully understand how the brain processes sound and images when we are conscious, let alone dreaming or in any other stage of unconsciousness. Perhaps with the advent of additional technology and much more reaserch as to the functional workings of the brain, we'll begin to reach that stage.

There is talk of an experimental program being run at Oxford (I think) where scientists can, according to theory, digitally record the visual stimuli processed by a person. Unfortunately, this technology is exceedingly expensive and unproven. Also, it's not possible to capture the thoughts, emotions, or various physiolgical reactions that would go with this stimuli. I think that there was a program about this on NOVA a few weeks ago, but I honestly can't remember what it was called. Sorry. :(

5) How do nightmares come about when we are stressed and how can we stop these? I know its all biologically and chemically related but can we actually stop the nightmares without using meditation and other means?

Again, as I mentioned earlier, we will be discussing nightmares as it's own topic. I will, however, briefly touch on the use of lucid dreaming as a method to control a nightmare that one is involved in.

Any other questions? Or are we ready to move on to the next section about the brain?

[Myst]

Wow I think this will be very exciting and interesting. I haven't studied dreams and related brain stuff since primary school.

P.S. On the lucid dreaming thing, a quick hint - assignment #1 is the first step in learning to being a lucid dreamer, so pull a notebook and pen out! hehe I even saw a "nighttime notebook" in the mall last time I was there, including a neat lighted pen! :)

[cydira]

Glad to hear that you're enjoying this, Myst. I hope that everyone else is too.

Like I said earlier, please tell me any questions that you may have at the moment. If we're all good, I'm going to move on to the next part of this. It'll be a little bit of psychology and talking about a few theories on why we sleep and why we dream. So if there isn't any questions about this, just start your list of questions for class two. :D

I'll be posting the second class right after my next post, the third segment of this. Speaking of which, I will be addressing a little bit about when we don't dream in here so all of you chronic insomniacs might find this next bit interesting. :)

[Silver Venus]

Cydria this is brilliant Im keeping a dream diary now :D & having some mad interconnected dreams!

[Hope]

Oh I am so excited I have been gone for a few days and came home to find this thread. Yeah!! I have a notebook but I am going to go buy a lighted pen today (what a smart and cool idea!) because I never want to turn the light on and often can't read my own writing the next day.

love and blessings
hope

[cydira]

Ok folks, here's part three of the Brain section. This is actually going to be a bit easier to follow and you won't need your dictionary. :D Again, if there's any questions, fire away.

[B]Sleep disorders, neurochemistry & other biological factors[/B[

We've already discussed quite a bit about the sleep cycle. We've something of an idea how the healthy brain functions during sleep. The question then arises, what about sleep disorders? What are some of their causes and how can we take care of these problems?

A sleep disorder can be defined as any condition that disrupts the circadian rhythm or a body's ability to sleep for an extended period of time. Most common bouts of insomnia or other sleep disruptions are a result of what could be the most insidious threat to a good night's sleep, stress. People who have a great deal of stress in their lives tend to have difficulty falling asleep, waking rested, and being comfortable while asleep. Most stress induced sleep disorders, like insomnia, are usually resolved by some focused effort on relaxation.

Taking a few moments for meditation or possibly even taking a warm shower or bath to relax tense muscles, provides a quick and immediate solution. When these simple methods of soothing away stress don't work, sometimes a mild seditive is used. This is where over the counter medication could come into play. It's best to avoid using over the counter sleep aids because many of them are some form of a mild narcotic. Using a simple remedies like the old wive's method of a cup of warm milk, is better. One must keep in mind that even herbal teas can be risky.

If these methods don't work or they're needed on a regular basis, it is important to contact your doctor or a health care professional. Some sleep disorders have a basis in an imbalance in the neurotransmitters associated with sleep and medication could be needed. Melontonin and Seritonin are two of the most important sleep related neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter, if you've never heard of the word before, is a chemical that the brain produces and acts to bring messages from one brain cell to another. Disorders involving neurotransmitters are farily simple. Either the brain is not producing enough, the neurotransmitter is not being absorbed properly by the brain cells (which are also called neurons), or the brain is producing too much.

It is suspected that the condition known as narcolpsey is a result of an over abundance of a combination of the sleep related neurotransmitters. If one experiences a prolonged period of insomnia, their seritonin levels will drop and they will begin to experience symptoms much like schizophrenia. Physical damage to the brain can also have very negative impacts to the sleep cycle and to dreams. It's been observed that individuals with damage to various regions of the brain (like the frontal lobe) are more prone to chronic nightmares and night terrors. While others are seen to exhibit narcolpsey and still more tend to suffer from severe sleep deficits. There is much we don't know about the brain or about how it works. What little we do know shows that sleep is a combination of the physical workings of the brain and the mental workings of the brain.

In the next class, we'll be discussing a few psychological theories about dreaming and begin to look at what our dreams mean.

[cydira]

Ok folks, it's time for your second assignment... if you choose to accept it. :D

I want y'all to come up with another list of questions for me.

What do YOU want to know about the psychology of dreams?
Aside from this, I'll apologize in advance for the fact that I'll be making some reference to Freud.:rolleyes: Unfortunately, he's kinda important to the development of psychology and specifically to the psychological aspect of dream interpretation.

But I want to be innundated with questions. :D

[Hope]

Ok here are some questions?????


Why do you (well me anyway) often have the "same" dream again and again for years? Mine for example has to do with my son going off a bridge, down in the water and he keeps going till you can't see him.


Why do you (again me) seem to be able to remember dreams better depending where you sleep. Not just location of rooms in same house but different actual addresses too.

Is it true that you either dream in color or in black and white?? Or can everyone dream in both or either??

Why do some people believe that they "Do NOT Dream!"?

What is the best thing you can do for or teach children about their dreams?

OK I'll let some one else go.

love
hope

[cydira]

Why do you (well me anyway) often have the "same" dream again and again for years? Mine for example has to do with my son going off a bridge, down in the water and he keeps going till you can't see him.

Some times, recurring dreams are attached to recurring fears or worries. Also, they can serve as a warning of the amount of stress in your life. In my case, when I'm in a period of extreamly high stress, I'll have nightmares of tornados or of fire. These dreams don't always have a symbolic meaning, they can just be an indication of your psychological state and a way that your brain is calling awarness to an issue you need to resolve.

Why do you (again me) seem to be able to remember dreams better depending where you sleep. Not just location of rooms in same house but different actual addresses too.

This returns back to the whole sleep cycle issue and the way that our brain processes information while we're asleep. When we sleep, we retain some awareness of what is occuring in the world around us. Difficulty with sleeping in certian locations may indicate that you don't feel safe in them or that there is something that you, on an instinctive level, feel that you need to keep track of in your environment.

Is it true that you either dream in color or in black and white?? Or can everyone dream in both or either??

The issues of dreaming in color is a thorny one. Much of the study done on if we dream in color or not has yet to even confirm if we're dreaming in color or filling in the blanks after we wake up. We still don't have much of an understanding of how the brain processes visual input when we're awake, let alone what happens when we're dreaming.

Personally, I don't think that it's cut and dry, where you'd dream in one or the other. I think that we can dream in both and that it's dependant on the stage of sleep that your in and how long your in that state. Clearly more reaserch is needed on this, and it's not just on my part. ;)

Why do some people believe that they "Do NOT Dream!"?

Most of the people insist that they don't dream because they don't remember their dreams. There's actually a large percentage of the population that don't remember their dreams or remember they very infrequently. Those who insist that they don't dream and persist in that argument even when confronted with the facts that dreaming is part of the reason why we're (relatively) sane, are often saying it just to be contrary. :)

What is the best thing you can do for or teach children about their dreams?

Teaching children techniques for controlling their dreams as well as dream recall is useful. When they experience nightmares, look at the events going on around them. Most children, when they have nightmares, are often under some form of stress or have a latent fear that they are refusing to express or face during their waking hours. Most of the dream interpretation techniques that we'll be exploring can be applied with children and I'll even try to include a few exercizes for parents to share with their kids. :)

[Faery-Wings]

Am I too late to join? I hope not. I am beginning to sleep better, hence better ( or should I say, odder, more odd...?:D) dreams.

I am going to print this thread and read it over carefully. My biggest problem is waking up enough to write down what I have dreamt. Where can I get a pen that lights up? Maybe that will help.

OK, off to print...

BB

Chris

[wyshbringer]

This is a GREAT THREAD!!!:) :) :)

I have so many dream issuses. LOL I don't even know where to start! I guess I'll start here!:) :)

(I hope you don't think this is silly or something)

I have dreams that come true. Like when a friends daughter-in-law was pregnant I kept dreaming it. I told him everytime and he just thought it was funny. Until she announced it 3 months later. I told him I didn't know how I knew but I did.
This was not the first time or the last.:(
I have had dreams about a friend's affair with another man :eek: and so on. Sometimes they are very clear like the pregnancy dream. Other times they are not so clear I remember bits and pieces and have to put it together.
My question is ....... How can I control?...enhance?...encourage?..these dreams?:) Sorry for babbling:(

BB
Wyshbringer

[Lilu]

Hi Cydira,

Just wanted to say that I've been enjoying reading these lessons. I don't have any questions right now, but I will continue to read as you and others post.

Thanks!

BB
Lilu

[cydira]

(I hope you don't think this is silly or something)

There's nothing wrong with your questions or concerns. And there's nothing silly about them. As many of my teachers in many different questions, the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked. :)

I have dreams that come true. Like when a friends daughter-in-law was pregnant I kept dreaming it. I told him everytime and he just thought it was funny. Until she announced it 3 months later. I told him I didn't know how I knew but I did.

This was not the first time or the last.

I have had dreams about a friend's affair with another man and so on. Sometimes they are very clear like the pregnancy dream. Other times they are not so clear I remember bits and pieces and have to put it together. My question is ....... How can I control?...enhance?...encourage?..these dreams? Sorry for babbling

Number one, don't be worried about your precognitive dreams. They're actually something that several of us have had, if anything probably a large proportion of us on this board or reading this thread. Second, I am going to address dreams like this in their own class soon, because it looks like there is quite a few of us here that want to discuss them. There has been very little reaserch into interpreting dreams like these or anything about these types of dreams.

If y'all have any questions about these types of dreams or something related to them, please post them. I'll start a dream class thread labled questions for everyone to post their questions in. It looks like it will work better then constantly harassing folks to ask questions in each thread. :)

[Silver Venus]

Cydira youve already answered my question about situation and different places dreaming :D Thank you!
This is a really great discussion.

On a side line ~ Do you believe that Dream Catchers really do work? I was given one my a good kind friend ;) a few months ago and havent suffered bad dreams since (I was dreaming wierd bad things but wasnt under any apparent stress or depression at all..) but I have had a few wierd ones creep in again recently the last week or so.. what are you opinions on these? I believe in them and love mine :)

Also another wierd one ;) ~ Do you think another person can knowingly/intenionally enter and change your dreams at will?

Thanks

[cydira]

Thanks for reminding me. I actually have a few interesting bits of information on dream catchers and other "magical" tools that will help with dreams. I'll be adding that on right after I finish with the next few sections. :) Aside from that, I just love them and I have one over my bed right now as a matter of fact.

Aside from that:

HEY EVERYBODY... DREAM CLASS TWO NOW HAS POSTS IN THERE! CHECK IT OUT!

<coughs> Sorry about shouting. :D

[Silver Venus]

:D Love my Dream Catcher!

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by cydira
It's great to see people posting their dreams up in here. It is a little bit early to do that, but nothing wrong with it. It actually leads me to my first little assignment for everyone.

Assignment one

Keep a dream journal. In your journal, write down the date of the dream and what you recall of the events that occured in your dreams. If you can't remember your dreams yet, that's alright. We'll be going over dream recall very soon. And it will be great to be ready for when you do start remembering your dreams. :)

Just remember to leave a blank page or two between your recorded dreams. :)

Spirit Online: Dreams: Dream Journal Outline

The following list was gathered from various sources. These are questions to ask yourself, basically an outline for entries in a dream journal. It's likely that not every question will apply to all dreams.

How am I, the dream ego, acting in this dream?
(Aggressive, assertive, passive, active, etc...)

What are the various feelings/emotions in the dream?
(Both "mine" and those of other characters...)

What is the context of the dream?
(What is going on in my life right now?)

In the dream, who are the main characters?

Who (or what) is the adversary?

Who (or what) is being wounded?

Who (or what) is being healed?

Who (or what) is my companion?

Did I dream of actual people, or imaginary people?

Could the characters all be different aspects of myself?

What are the outstanding features or symbols in the dream?
(For example: flood, animals, house, etc.)

How might these features relate to me, my emotions, or my personality?

How does the dream as a whole relate to my personality?

What are the main actions in the dream?

What would I like to avoid in the dream?

What actions might it be suggesting that I consider?

Does the dream trigger any memories?

Do any of the elements of the dream relate to my past?

Why might this part of my past be called to my attention now?

Does the dream trigger any further questions?

Why did I need this dream?

What is its positive message for me?

Was the dream more physical, or emotional?

Spirit Online (http://www.spiritonline.com/files/messages/14/293.html?0)

[Flar's Freyja]

Spirit Online: Dreams: Design Your Own Dreams

(Segments of an introduction statement:)

"Most people don't realize they've been dreaming until after they've awakened and the dream has come to an end. Some people, however, are conscious that they're dreaming. These people, called lucid dreamers, can literally direct the content of a dream..."

"Some people may succeed in having a lucid dream the first night they use the techniques; others ... may need to practice for several weeks before getting results. "

Exercise One: Affirmation

A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming. One of the simplest is asking yourself many times during the day whether you are dreaming. Each time you ask the question, you should look for evidence proving you are not dreaming. The most reliable test: Read something, look away for a moment, and then read it again. If it reads the same way twice, it is unlikely that you are dreaming. After you have proved to yourself that you are not presently dreaming, visualize yourself doing whatever it is you'd like. Also, tell yourself that you want to recognize a nighttime dream the next time it occurs. The mechanism at work here is simple; it's much the same as picking up milk at the grocery store after reminding yourself to do so an hour before.

At night people usually realize they are dreaming when they experience unusual or bizarre occurrences. For instance, if you find yourself flying without visible means of support, you should realize that this happens only in dreams and that you must therefore be dreaming. If you awaken from a dream in the middle of the night, it is very helpful to return to the dream immediately, in your imagination. Now envision yourself recognizing the dream as such. Tell yourself, "The next time I am dreaming, I want to remember to recognize that I am dreaming." If your intention is strong and clear enough, you may find yourself in a lucid dream when you return to sleep.

Exercise Two: Dream Flying

Many lucid dreamers report dreams in which they fly unaided, much like Superman. Some lucid dreamers say that flying is a thrilling means of travel; others, that it has helped them return from one of the more harrowing dream experiences -- the endless fall. Flying is so important because it's a form of dream control that's fairly easy to master. It gives the dreamer an exhilirating sense of freedom. And it's a basic means of travel in the dream world. During the 2-week period of your experiment, try to focus on dream flight. If you're falling, turn that fall into flight: Remember, there's no gravity in dreams. And if you're simply going from here to there, do it with flight. This simple activity will cue you in to the fact that you are, after all, in a dream.

How do you make dream flight happen at all? We suggest that before you retire for bed, you simply repeat these words: "Tonight I fly!" Then, while still awake, imagine that journey. If you find yourself flying, it will be a clear sign that you are in a dream. In any case, when you realize you're dreaming, remember that you want to fly. When you actually feel yourself flying, say, "This is a dream." Make sure you start modestly, by simply floating above the surface of your dream ground. As you gain confidence both in the notion that you are dreaming and in your ability to control that experience, you might experiment with flying a bit more. Run, taking big leaps, and then stay aloft for a few seconds, so that you resemble an astronaut walking on the moon. Try sustained floating and then flying at low altitudes.

As your confidence increases, so will your flying skills. While asleep, work on increasing your altitude, maneuverability, and speed. As with speed sports, you should perfect height and maneuverability before speed. Of course, you couldn't really hurt yourself -- it's only a dream. But you COULD get scared. After you have become proficient in dream flying, remember to ask yourself these questions: "How high can I fly? Can I view the earth from outer space? Can I travel so fast that I lose awareness of my surroundings and experience the sensation of pure speed?" Throughout your efforts in dream flight, remember that you're in a dream. With this in mind, your fear will be held at bay, and your control over the dream will be greatly enhanced.

Exercise Three: Dream Spinning

Even if you're a frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be able to stop yourself from waking up in mid-dream. And even if your dreams do reach a satisfying end, you may not be able to focus them exactly as you please. During our years of research, however, we have found that spinning your dream body can sustain the period of sleep and give you greater dream control. In fact, many subjects at Stanford University have used the spinning technique as an effective means of staying in a lucid dream. The task outlined below will help you use spinning as a means of staying asleep, and, more exciting, as a means of traveling to whatever dream world you desire.

As with dream flying, the dream spinning task starts before you go to bed. Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and place you would like to visit in your lucid dream. The target person and place can be either real or imaginary, past, present or future. Write down and memorize your target person and place, then visualize yourself visiting your target and firmly resolve to do so in a dream that night. When following this procedure, it's possible that you might find yourself visiting your target in a nonlucid dream; you will be aware that this has happened, of course, only after you awaken. Nevertheless, you should strive for lucidity by following the techniques outlined in exercise one. Then proceed to your goal.

To do so, repeat the phrase describing your target in your dream, and spin your whole dream body in a standing position with your arms outstretched. You can pirouette or spin like a top, as long as you vividly feel your body in motion. The same spinning technique will help when, in the middle of a lucid dream, you feel the dream imagery beginning to fade. To avoid waking up, spin as you repeat your target phrase again and again. With practice, you'll return to your target person, time and place. When spinning, try to notice whether you are moving in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Exercise Four: Creative Dreaming

Up until now we have had little control over the occurrence of creative dreams. But with lucid dreaming it may be possible to intentionally access the creativity of the dream state. You can help determine the feasibility of this idea by attempting to solve a problem in a lucid dream. Before bed, decide on a problem you would like to solve. Frame your problem in the form of a question. For example, "What is the topic of my next book?" "How can I become less shy?" If you have an illness, you might consider the problem, "How can I regain my health?"

Once you have selected a problem question, write it down and memorize it. When doing the lucid-dreaming introduction exercises, remember your question and see yourself looking for the answer in your next lucid dream. Then, when in a lucid dream, ask the question and seek the solution. You might be most successful at problem solving if you try a direct approach. For instance, if your problem is health, try to heal yourself in your dream. Then reflect on how your dream solution relates to the waking problem. It may help to question other dream characters, especially if they represent people who you think might know the answer. You can even combine this task with the dream spinning and flying tasks, visiting an expert on your problem. You can also just explore your dream world with your question in mind, looking for any clues that might suggest an answer.

Spirit Online (http://www.spiritonline.com/files/messages/14/294.html?0)

[Flar's Freyja]

Here are some good, simple methods to encourage dream recall and divination:


Dream Land
In the land of dreams there are guides,comfort,answers and illuminations. And we spend so much time there!

Most people love their dreams and would like to know about the symbolism in them. And there are dozens of dream books on the market. But I think because each person is different,..one symbol may not mean the same to all. So it then becomes a more personal quest to understand that other side of ourselves,..our dream selves.

There are many techniques for this discovery and I thought I would go ahead and represent some of them for your consideration.

Symbols
From several different sources,...a method that is widely used is choosing one or two symbols that really stand out in a dream,...and going into the symbol and becoming that,...can help glean more information. Or asking the symbol if it has a message for you. You can do this in a meditation on the symbol it'self.

You can also set up your dream space and encourage dreams to answer life questions.

To do this,...you will need a special journal and pencil or pen beside your bed. You might commit to writing down all your dreams as soon as you wake from one. This helps with dream recall.

Question
Just before going to sleep,...affirm that you will have a dream to answer a specific question. This can be done as if it were a mantra. Like:I will have a dream that will answer the question of what career change should I make! or I will have a dream that answers the question,...blah blah blah. Repeating this over and over until you fall asleep.

Sleep Methods
Some times it is hard to go to sleep,...and there are several methods and techniques that can help.

One I know of is reverse memory. It seems that many people run the whole day over and over in their minds before sleeping,..which puts off sleeping and dreaming. It also confuses the landscape of dreaming sometimes too. The technique is to take the last thing you remember before getting into bed,..then remember the thing before that that happened,..and before that one,...and continue until you are at the memory of waking up to start your day. That's unwinding!

You can also become relaxed before sleep and imagine you are walking over to a well that is in a beautiful meadow. One by one you can toss all those things/people that you are worried about into the well and put the well lid on top when you are done.

Another similar trick is to imagine that you are looking at a huge heavily made box,...like a treasure box perhaps,...and one by one you put into those things that cause you worry or concern. Close the heavy lid,...shove it away from you,...knowing you will deal with them at another time and this time is for peace and helpful dreams, and turn and walk away.

Chamomile tea has been used to help become restful to sleep.

Astral Dreaming
And for those of you who enjoy out of the body dreaming,...you can imagine just before falling asleep,...climbing into the basket of a flying balloon and begin ascending and traveling the country side! Holding that imagine until before you know it,...you are dreaming. Perhaps out of the body!

To help figure out dreams a bit further,...when you are remembering your dreams and writing them down,...remember the over all feeling tone of the dream,...sometimes this is much more telling,...and important than the dream symbols themselves. Over all feeling tone of dreams can be very truthful about deeper portions of ourselves that need to be considered in awake time to help and guide us to further self growth.


Fearful Dreams
Finally,...if you are having fearful dreams,...a wise trick from a book Urban Shaman by Serge King,...there is a point at the most fearful part of a dream,..especially if this is a reoccuring dream, where you turn around and face off with whatever is chasing you or making you afraid,...if you can go beyond that point,..usually there is something very important for you to find there,...going beyond your fears. The chapter on dreaming in this book was a very interesting one!

Sweet Sleep Everyone!


http://emeraldrune.tripod.com/dreams.html

[Mnemosyne]

Fabulous tips, Freyja! :thumbsup:

I'll have to try out some of your meditations. They sound relaxing. I like to have a cup of chamomile tea before bed; it clears my mind after a long day. To encourage good dreams, I have been meaning to make a dream pillow for ages. I was going to fill my pillow with some lavender. Has anyone else made a dream pillow, and if so, what herbs did you use? Here is an informative site about what herbs and oils are good to use.
http://www.kindredborne.org/archives/dreampillow.html

[Flar's Freyja]

:) I've also done a lavender dream pillow. I'm embarassed to say I'm not sure which herbs it's stuffed with! I found these adorable little pillow sachets at a new age shop, and I soaked them with lavender essential oil. Mugwort is suggested as one ingredient since it promotes psychic ability.

I use stones to encourage dreaming. I finally got my hands on a labradorite, which is supposed to be very helpful, but I lost it rather quickly. I frequently sleep with an amethyst cluster or blue calcite. I don't believe that either of these are touted as helping with dreams, but they work for me ;)

Cydra did some excellent work in starting these threads and I believe that she discontinued them due to lack of interest. They contain some good information and I thought I'd add to them when I find something of interest.

[Mnemosyne]

I didn't think about using crystals as being an aid in dream therapy. I'll have to try it out. I just read that clear quartz is good for problem solving, rose quartz and jade are good for bringing about loving, passionate dreams, citrine is good for dreaming about prosperity and amythest is good for promoting peaceful dreams.
I found a good site about crystals and dreams, but a lot of the site is being updated at the moment. I'll be sure to post the address here when it resumes again.

Thanks for getting me to think about stones and dreaming, Freyja! :)

[Flar's Freyja]

Bump for AmbivalentMirage

[Flar's Freyja]

bump - related to new Dream Journal thread

[CloakofStars9]

i am very close to my dreams, in the dreams i can feel everything that is going on i also tend to control them as well (lucid dreams)
if i am in or about to be in a bad dream and i want to get outta it i find a place (closet, corner,etc.) in the dream and i tell myself to wake up....and i always do...
sometimes i even freeze the dream and whats going on around me to get myself out of a bad situation...
its funny becuase all i do is say "time out" like i did when i was a kid on the playground and then everything comes to a hault except me in the dream.

very few people i know can do this. my sister is constantly haunted by very bad dreams that she cant get out of.

also alot of times me and my mom or me and my sis will have dreams the exact same night about the same thing...while our dreams are different in the ways that we dream them they tend to have main similarities... for example a week or so ago when i woke i told my mom about my dream that involved my grandmothers house and protecting some baby's from evil...my mom , while different, dreamt about the same.

[Flar's Freyja]

bump for Arzhela

[Flar's Freyja]

Been bumping this one alot lately.............

[cydira]

I guess I need to start up another round of dream interp. threads. :)

I'll try to update the past ones first, I've been looking over what was put together before and I've found some errors. Look at that first post about the brain and you'll see what I mean. :)

I won't be posting as often as I was before, but that's due in part because I've got a bit more on my plate then I had before.

I am considering a "advanced" dream related class for folks. I'm still getting information together, but I'll be happy to start with some of the prelimanary stuff if y'all would like me to. :)

Aside from that, I am currently working on a book discussing the history of witchcraft. I'd like some assistance in the research area and I hope that you folks can help me out. If you'd like to send me some information about the history of your particular tradition or you have some good sources that you'd think would be of help, please email them to me. I will give credit where it is due and if there are folks who wish to remain un-identified, I'll change names as necessary in my notation. :)

Thanks for your help, in advance, and thank you for your patience with me as I've muddled along with these dream interp. lessons. It's been a growth experience for me too! :)

[Flar's Freyja]

bump

[Micarose]

1.) How does the brain began a dream and when do I have controll of it.
2.) If, the behavior and chemestry are involved how?
3.) This is beinging posted in Janauary 2005. Your post was in Sept. 2004, is your computer up and running?
4.) Is it to late to join the class?
5.) How well I get my replies?

Mean while here's my dream!


My dream, in it, I had to go to Mexico. I don’t know why exactly? It had to do with someone who was dying; I went with my mom, my sister and myself. While there things started to change. My mom and sister left me behind and I had to find a way home.

Somehow, I end up in a mental institution, but, I don’t belong there and the people let me go. But once again, I am stranded and don’t have anyway of getting home. So, I try to figure out what to do. (The mental institution is in Florida? I don’t know how I got there?) But, the patients are getting ready to have a party? One of the attendants, who are setting up the party tables and things, ask me “Why haven’t you left yet?”

I told him I needed a ride. I begged him to take me home. He is saying no, and the next thing I know he has his keys in his hand and is walking out to his car.

He doesn’t tell me that he is taking me home. But, I follow him out and he walks up to a unique looking car. It has no roof to it, it is like a very old car, but remodeled. It has a long front-end, that is where the chaise is, then the two seats and inside of the car, with a studded backend where the truck is. It’s all white with detailing done on it, very much like the Spanish people do, when they are competing in car shows.

He is sitting in the car and tells me to get in. I don’t argue with him I get in. He still has not told me that he is taking me home. He says to me that I should not have been arguing with Ann, she was there for a gallbladder operation, but she was bad news and could really hurt me. I told him, she could find me when she was ready. (I don’t even know when I was arguing with her.)

Well, we start to drive, and I am telling him how beautiful his car is and he is being proud and talking about his car.

Next thing I realize, we are back in Topeka driving down 10th street headed east, we are on the Westside of Topeka. He stops at a house and tells me to come on in that he is going to be a while. I don’t feel comfortable because I don’t know the people. But, he has been giving me a ride and I’m back in Topeka now, so I feel I owe him that much. So, I go in with him.
This house is totally not me, the people here are young and doing drugs and drinking. I feel even more uncomfortable. But, I don’t say anything. I just follow him around, (All this time with him and I still don’t know his name?) He starts to talk to a gangster type guy who owes him some money. The guy tells him to party a while that they could talk business later.
He takes me into a bedroom and we lay down on the bed. I am in my fifties, so I am not expecting anything to happen, that we are just going to keep talking like we have been. This man looks like a man in his teens, but he tells me he’s 33. That I feel is still too young for me to be involved with. He is kissing me and loving me, but, I tell him I’m old enough to be his mother that he needs to stop leading me on. He tells me he’s not leading me on and to relax and enjoy his company. We never have sex. But, we do enjoy each others company a great deal. We are just having a lot of fun. Something I haven’t done in a very long time.
Well all of a sudden we hear all kinds of noisy. Some how things get out of control and people are shooting and fighting and then all of a sudden all the people are a sleep and we are trying to get out of the place.
I ask him what about the money the gangster owes him. He says he knows he’s not going to pay him and he would rather take it out in trade. At first I don’t understand what he means. But, when we get outside he starts loading up this truck with things that belong to the gangster type guy, some very nice things.
Then we hear an alarm clock go off and the gangster type guy is walking out to his car with a tennis racket in his hand. He starts talking to the guy trying to cover up the fact that we have been loading up a truck with his belongings. He is kidding around and keeping him busy with talk. Then while I am talking to the gangster type guy, he is unloading some of the things and gets the truck running.
Then we are in the truck and making a run for it. I wake up??? Next part I don’t know, but I feel great when I wake up! What does all this mean?

[Drakanknight]

I have this dream that I keep having and I dont know what it means... Ive had this dream on and off for several years. Hopefully you can tell me what it means...

A girl and I (shows the girl as a blur) are walking up a watertower... That is the whole dream. We just walk and walk and walk. What is up with that? Email me at drakanking@gmail.com or Zac.Everhart@us.army.mil
Thanks,
Zac

[cydira]

I've got to say, I'm humbled.

I never thought this thread would have lasted so long.

<blushes deeply> Wow... I'm honored.