NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you think dreams have real meaning? Or are they simply random, weird thoughts?

I've sometimes thought that they are based on things you have thought during the day, and sometimes that they are the cause of déjà vu.

Any thoughts?

I do believe dreams have meaning... strong meaning. Finding what your dreams means is rather simple if you log what you dream. I started going this on a regular basis when I was young. I have found that there are three types of dreams I have

1. random dreams (ones with no meanings)
2. reflection dreams (reflection on life of either past, present, or immediate future)
3. Narrative dreams (dreams where a story continues through multiple dreams, often over an extended period of time)

Understanding your dreams comes when you understand much of the symbolism behind those dreams. For example. I often have dreams where I dream I am sitting down. This would represent that i can be reserved in my thoughts. Dreams with the color blue all throughout them tell me something negative about a situation, as I am strongly opposed to that color.

Very few dreams have predicted the future, and by this, I mean the immediate future. I doubt highly that If I had a dream about winning the lottery I would actually win the lottery. Prophetic dreams are only truly prophetic if you do not realise it is prophetic. If you have a dream about breaking up with a girlfriend, then it will be engraned in your mind that it could happen, thus subconsciously may lead you to it rather than predict it.

What about reccuring dreams? I have had the same dream at least three times, but I have never associated with anything in my waking life...

Do you think dreams have real meaning? Or are they simply random, weird thoughts?

I've sometimes thought that they are based on things you have thought during the day, and sometimes that they are the cause of déjà vu.

Any thoughts?

Definitely not. Dreams have causes, but not meanings. If you look at dreams, you can infer things about what that person is going through at the time, but that's because dreams are pieced together by your subconcious based on your emotions and recent experiences, not because of some cosmic, supernatural source.

Do you think dreams have real meaning? Or are they simply random, weird thoughts?

I've sometimes thought that they are based on things you have thought during the day, and sometimes that they are the cause of déjà vu.

Any thoughts?

I think both. I have dreams with strong narrative, and dreams that are a mismash of disorganized experiences.

On some occasions I dream about the events in waking hours exactly one week after.

I have also dreamt of places which I eventually visit in the real world. Not a perfect correlation but fairly close. Deja vu definitely.

A friend from a LONG time ago told me that to prevent a dream from coming back,you tell someone that dream. (that happened when I was in the second grade). It has subsequently been engrained into my subconsious, and it works.

Are you getting the point of the dream? perhaps it returns because it bothers you, or its symbolism represents something that bothers you. For me, I had reoccuring dreams all the time about folding a blanket with my father. my father expected me to nearly move symmetrically to him so as to insure a perfect fold. I would get frustrated, and he would yell at me. This dream reoccured until I understood that there are several problems in my life I should address:

conformity, relationship with father, and authority figures in general.

Once I addressed those issues, the dream never returned.

I just had a dream that my mom lost my dog. Was that just the weed I smoked or is mommy going to kill my dog or something?

probably the weed, but did you really have a dog? if so were you at least somewhat attached to it?

Definitely not. Dreams have causes, but not meanings. If you look at dreams, you can infer things about what that person is going through at the time, but that's because dreams are pieced together by your subconcious based on your emotions and recent experiences, not because of some cosmic, supernatural source.

Dreams can have meaning without supernatural source, meh.

Current models support the induction of dreams from the brain stem, with cortical areas rearranging the experiences into a narrative. I think there is definitely a feedback mechanism, both directions.

i dont really think they are of some cosmic force either. God didnt make me dream something, and neither did the lucky stars

(the rabbit foot may have though:)

Dreams can have meaning without supernatural source, meh.

Current models support the induction of dreams from the brain stem, with cortical areas rearranging the experiences into a narrative. I think there is definitely a feedback mechanism, both directions.

I just don't look at it as being a meaning per say. It's not like the dream has come to tell you something about yourself or your life. The dream is a manifestation of certain emotions and impulses caused by your life. You can "backtrack" mentally to find the source or stimulus for a certain dream, but it's usually going to point out something you already knew.

I do believe dreams have meaning... strong meaning. Finding what your dreams means is rather simple if you log what you dream. I started going this on a regular basis when I was young. I have found that there are three types of dreams I have

1. random dreams (ones with no meanings)
2. reflection dreams (reflection on life of either past, present, or immediate future)
3. Narrative dreams (dreams where a story continues through multiple dreams, often over an extended period of time)

Understanding your dreams comes when you understand much of the symbolism behind those dreams. For example. I often have dreams where I dream I am sitting down. This would represent that i can be reserved in my thoughts. Dreams with the color blue all throughout them tell me something negative about a situation, as I am strongly opposed to that color.

Very few dreams have predicted the future, and by this, I mean the immediate future. I doubt highly that If I had a dream about winning the lottery I would actually win the lottery. Prophetic dreams are only truly prophetic if you do not realise it is prophetic. If you have a dream about breaking up with a girlfriend, then it will be engraned in your mind that it could happen, thus subconsciously may lead you to it rather than predict it.

Cool dude, I have a dream log too. :) I doodle my experiences in a small notebook. Gives me ideas for drawing dreamscapes in future.

My dreams have as much meaning as Paris Hilton has acting ability: absolutely none.

I cannot draw for crap, so I just be as discriptive as possible. Generally when I go back and read the book, I remember exactly what the dream was, just by the discription and the friendly reminder.

if you are looking to artistically portray your dreams try photoshop. if it is someplace you are familiar with, take a picture of it and photoshop it with other elements of your dreams. If you are not that skilled in that, then just write discriptively

My dreams have as much meaning as Paris Hilton has acting ability: absolutely none.

lmao:gundge:

What about reccuring dreams? I have had the same dream at least three times, but I have never associated with anything in my waking life...

I rarely have one of those, but usually when I am really tired or sick. It would be a confusing scene repeated again and again through the night. Very disorganized.

What about you? What is the dream content? (if it's not too personal or risque...)

I just don't look at it as being a meaning per say. It's not like the dream has come to tell you something about yourself or your life. The dream is a manifestation of certain emotions and impulses caused by your life. You can "backtrack" mentally to find the source or stimulus for a certain dream, but it's usually going to point out something you already knew.

Nah the brain is not a simple stimulus recorder. :rolleyes: You can have completely novel dream experiences not rooted in any recognizable aspect of reality. That's how imagination works, and dream-making is not lower-ranked than imagination.

To add to that, it's subconscious, so it's like a box of chocolates...

What about you? What is the dream content? (if it's not too personal or risque...)

For reoccuring dreams, I have had several. I noticed that if a dream reoccures then usually there is something slightly different (it is that that I focus on and try to understand). I have had several reoccuring dream about looking over a dock on a lake and seing earth from space. (not sure on that one).

If they do reoccure, they often may continue the 'story' just a little further. I hate that because it can keepme guessing for years.

Content wise in general. a majority of my dreams take place outside. If I am in a building, it is usually a house and I usually feel uncomfortable in some way or other. I have never had a dream where I died, but have had two where other people have killed themselves because I said something mean to them. once a gunman killed a exgirlfriend outside a mall in chicago. Certainly that was just randomness (watching to much tv). if I have a dream where I am indoors, I generally get some bad feeling and try to get out of there. If I am in the woods, I am always running. if I am in a lake or ocean, I usually am in the middle and to lazy to swim. I never have dreams that are competely outragious or of anything to against the laws of physics.

Nah the brain is not a simple stimulus recorder. :rolleyes: You can have completely novel dream experiences not rooted in any recognizable aspect of reality. That's how imagination works, and dream-making is not lower-ranked than imagination.

To add to that, it's subconscious, so it's like a box of chocolates...

I'm not saying that everything in a dream is going to be taken directly out of your life, it wouldn't be the subconcious if it worked like that. What I'm saying is that no matter what insane and totally nonsensical thing happens in your dream, it was provoked by something that happened, in your life, something your subconcious picked up on, maybe its also something that your concious mind also remembers, maybe not.

I'm not saying that everything in a dream is going to be taken directly out of your life, it wouldn't be the subconcious if it worked like that. What I'm saying is that no matter what insane and totally nonsensical thing happens in your dream, it was provoked by something that happened, in your life, something your subconcious picked up on, maybe its also something that your concious mind also remembers, maybe not.

Ok, fair enough. :) What about your dream content?

For reoccuring dreams, I have had several. I noticed that if a dream reoccures then usually there is something slightly different (it is that that I focus on and try to understand). I have had several reoccuring dream about looking over a dock on a lake and seing earth from space. (not sure on that one).

If they do reoccure, they often may continue the 'story' just a little further. I hate that because it can keepme guessing for years.

Content wise in general. a majority of my dreams take place outside. If I am in a building, it is usually a house and I usually feel uncomfortable in some way or other. I have never had a dream where I died, but have had two where other people have killed themselves because I said something mean to them. once a gunman killed a exgirlfriend outside a mall in chicago. Certainly that was just randomness (watching to much tv). if I have a dream where I am indoors, I generally get some bad feeling and try to get out of there. If I am in the woods, I am always running. if I am in a lake or ocean, I usually am in the middle and to lazy to swim. I never have dreams that are competely outragious or of anything to against the laws of physics.

Most of my dreams are about walking in shopping malls and museums. On occasion I have lucid, controllable dreams where I can fly and move things about with my mind, about once per month. Nightmares are less common. Even rarer are dreams with sexual content; I like them but lucky to get a few per year...;)

I rarely have one of those, but usually when I am really tired or sick. It would be a confusing scene repeated again and again through the night. Very disorganized.

What about you? What is the dream content? (if it's not too personal or risque...)

I can't remember a lot of it, but after waking I remember I had the exact dream earlier. It's in a forest, and it's very dark...

Ok, fair enough. :) What about your dream content?

With the vast range of media available: from books, to TV, movies, the internet, I think my mind has already seen, or is capable of imagining just about anything, so I'm really not surprised by anything I see in my dreams. Just think back over all the books you've ever read, all the magazines and TV shows and movies and video games etc. Then take a face here, a noise or phrase there, and pluck them at random, then lay them out like a storyboard and attempt to make them mean something in relation to your life.

That's what I think your subconcious does when you dream.

Most of my dreams are about walking in shopping malls and museums. On occasion I have lucid, controllable dreams where I can fly and move things about with my mind, about once per month. Nightmares are less common. Even rarer are dreams with sexual content; I like them but lucky to get a few per year...;)

I love lucid dreams, but the older I get, the less I seem to have them :(

Dreams are just the brain defragging at night, random and usually pretty meaningless.

Mine just tend to be more random than normal. Or as I have (repeatedly said), if my dreams mean anything, I'm scared.

Do you think dreams have real meaning? Or are they simply random, weird thoughts?

I've sometimes thought that they are based on things you have thought during the day, and sometimes that they are the cause of déjà vu.

Any thoughts?
Yes, some do, some are just weird mish-mashes

There was there dream and I had when I was little and had forgotten until I was looking at pictures of Cheynobyl.

In this dream I was drowning at a public pool and I couldn't do anything and while looking at the pictures I came across a pool.

There was a freaky resemblense along with the fact that I have had a sister that has drown and died when I was a baby and I hve a sister that drowned just a week ago and has lived. This freaks me out to no end.:(

I love lucid dreams, but the older I get, the less I seem to have them :(

The moment of lucidity is just pure magic.

"Hey things don't look right. Is this reality? I'm a dream! Can I fly?"

*Hops off the ground and soars skyward*

"Wee! Can break stuff with my mind?"

*Shatters a few neon signs.*

Quite a ball.

I heard there are books that teach you how to increase your chances of getting a lucid dream, and how to stay there longer.

There was a freaky resemblense along with the fact that I have had a sister that has drown and died when I was a baby and I hve a sister that drowned just a week ago and has lived. This freaks me out to no end.:(

:eek: That is really freaky!

The moment of lucidity is just pure magic.

"Hey things don't look right. Is this reality? I'm a dream! Can I fly?"

*Hops off the ground and soars skyward*

"Wee! Can break stuff with my mind?"

*Shatters a few neon signs.*

Quite a ball.

I heard there are books that teach you how to increase your chances of getting a lucid dream, and how to stay there longer.

Yeah, I think I heard that if you record your dreams right after you wake up, or talk to someone about them, you will be more likely to be able to control them in the future...

Yes, some do, some are just weird mish-mashes

There was there dream and I had when I was little and had forgotten until I was looking at pictures of Cheynobyl.

In this dream I was drowning at a public pool and I couldn't do anything and while looking at the pictures I came across a pool.

There was a freaky resemblense along with the fact that I have had a sister that has drown and died when I was a baby and I hve a sister that drowned just a week ago and has lived. This freaks me out to no end.:(

Like a horror movie :eek:

Yeah, I think I heard that if you record your dreams right after you wake up, or talk to someone about them, you will be more likely to be able to control them in the future...
Really? I've always been able to do that, though sometimes it's a fight.

Yeah, I think I heard that if you record your dreams right after you wake up, or talk to someone about them, you will be more likely to be able to control them in the future...

Here's one exercise I know of :

Look at a road sign or poster or anything with some static information like words or pictures. Look away then look back again, but this time expect it to be different or changed. Training your mind to try make it different. If it is consistent, you are in reality. If it looks different... wee! Time to fly and break things!

The idea is that if you make it a habit of checking reality you will do that in a dream as well. :D

Here's one exercise I know of :

Look at a road sign or poster or anything with some static information like words or pictures. Look away then look back again, but this time expect it to be different or changed. Training your mind to try make it different. If it is consistent, you are in reality. If it looks different... wee! Time to fly and break things!

The idea is that if you make it a habit of checking reality you will do that in a dream as well. :D

Awesome :D
That might be something to do.

Do you think dreams have real meaning? Or are they simply random, weird thoughts?

I've sometimes thought that they are based on things you have thought during the day, and sometimes that they are the cause of déjà vu.

Any thoughts?My dreams show me what I want, what's occupying my mind at the moment, and what I fear.

Basically, the ones I remember tend to torture me.

My dreams show me what I want, what's occupying my mind at the moment, and what I fear.

Basically, the ones I remember tend to torture me.

I had a dream the other night that I was pregnant, and I lost the baby. I would swear I was crying in my sleep, I was so upset. :(

Thinking about it now is making me upset, even though I have no intention of having a child anytime soon.

I had a dream the other night that I was pregnant, and I lost the baby. I would swear I was crying in my sleep, I was so upset. :(That must be horrible. :(

That must be horrible. :(

It was, and what made it worse was the the person I first told about it paid no attention, and promptly fell back to sleep. :rolleyes:

It was, and what made it worse was the the person I first told about it paid no attention, and promptly fell back to sleep. :rolleyes:Bah. I hate it when that happens. Unhappily, there's worse things the person listening can do.

It was, and what made it worse was the the person I first told about it paid no attention, and promptly fell back to sleep. :rolleyes:

Insensitive bloke! :rolleyes:

Bah. I hate it when that happens. Unhappily, there's worse things the person listening can do.

:(

:(Yeah, a nice person I considered a friend passed on information to the person that shouldn't have been receiving it.

I'm still not sure in what I see in dreams. Sometimes I have pretty normal dreams i.e. sex with a girl I like, becoming someone big and famous. But other times I have dreams that are somewhat unrealistic, such as my fallings dreams or the ones where I go on a story book quest with magic and such. I dunno. I may just sound like a rambling idiot right now.

Yeah, a nice person I considered a friend passed on information to the person that shouldn't have been receiving it.

Ouch, that's not right :(

Anyone else want to share any dreams they have had?

Anyone else want to share any dreams they have had?
Yeah. I seem to constantly have dreams that my mother is trying to kill me. Don't know why...

Causes without meaning.

I saw Silent Hill the other day, went home and slept. The whole night I dreamt about myself in the movie, or my own adaptations of the movie based on other things dwelling in my subconcious.

Cause: I just saw that movie.

What it means: I just saw that movie.

Dreams are based on what has already happened and from there you can take meaning. However, it's silly to claim that has some hold on predicting future happenings.

Do you think dreams have real meaning?
Well, last night I dreamed that I missed a day of work, didn't call in, and got fired. So right now, I hope dreams don't have real meaning...

Well, last night I dreamed that I missed a day of work, didn't call in, and got fired. So right now, I hope dreams don't have real meaning...

That would suck :(