Dream Activity and Analysis

My girlfriend and I both experience extremely active dream activity. From what I've learned, most people dream throughout the majority of their sleep, but being able to recall those dreams is a different story. When I was younger I recalled my dreams a lot, and usually it was some mundane event that ended up happening just the way I pictured it the next day. My sister did the exact same thing, except her happenings were almost always involving family members. We used to joke about it despite our mother's dismay; she felt this was unnatural and somewhat evil in nature. Well, ole Cerebral Souldier discovered marijuana. When I was smoking everyday the dreams (or recollection of them) just stopped, especially when I was still partly stoned before going to bed, and I usually was. I outgrew the reefer and the dreams came back full force. I gave up on trying to decipher them a long time ago, because they are just too weird. When I say weird I mean the kind of weird that makes good comedy. Sometimes, if I think about it hard enough, I can usually decode something that's going to either happen or be relevant the next day. If that's the case, more often than not I can't make the connection until it happens. For someone with such active dream activity, I hardly ever have nightmares, and the only recurring dream I had was from my younger days (and I haven't had since my youth):

In pitch black (not like darkness, more like nothingness) running my ass off, don't know from what at first. After a while I turn around and see that its aliens I'm running from, looking comical (short and green with the little antennae), but the feeling behind it tells me these guys are the real deal. I'm never in any serious danger of being caught, but I know I have to keep running. Eventually I get to a brick wall that pops up out of the nowhere I'm in, and it's huge but I scale it with no problem, then I wake up.

When my girlfriend and I sleep in the same bed, the entire night is a literal “dream-o-rama”. We both wake up every couple of hours, almost clockwork, after an intense dream. Sometimes we wake up at the same time, and a couple of dreams were too close to each other for comfort. Long story short:

She dreams that her aunt (who was her primary guardian) disapproves of our relationship, chases me out of her bed one day, and then tries to shoot me. I ran away (supposedly to get my pistol) and when I was close to my house it took me a minute because there was a white car that was involved in a wreck close to my house. That was pretty much the gist of things. She lives about a block away, and walking home that morning I saw the the car she described, not just any car, it was exactly how she described it (no wreck, though). At the same time I dream that I purchased a pistol, and doted over it like it was a child. That pistol brought me so much joy. It was shiny and beautiful and it glowed... whew I love that pistol, never got a chance to use it, and there was nothing concerning about my dream.


Continued in next post...

Whether I'm there or not, my girlfriend has way too many dreams that either scare the hell out of her or stress her out. It's a lot like she's torturing herself in her dreams. She experiences some reoccurring snakes every few months or so, but none of her cooked up trauma ever really happens. I don't know if it's relevant, but she has these dreams and in “real” life she has the most beautiful capacity to love others that I've ever seen, there's not a mean bone in her body. I, on the other hand, acknowledge that I can project myself as a complete ass at times (but I use love and compassion as a template for making sure I do right, and that others follow suit), and while I sometimes show impatience with her ability to understand things quickly, I try to protect her from this cruel world with all that's in me, because I love the way she loves (not just me but everything), and I want to try to keep that pure. We work pretty well together, we're just so very different.

Back to the dreams... I would like to hear everyone's feedback and opinions on the following (especially if you're good at dream analysis and interpretation):

1.Why do I dream so much? And if everyone dreams throughout most of their sleep, why do I remember most of mine, and why are they waking me up all the time? I still get a good night's sleep, but when my mind wakes up it's a bit groggy from the dreaming, which I can shake off almost instantly and then feel pretty good.
2.Why do her dreams suck so much?
3.How could we have dreams/events that are related?
4.What's the meaning of the recurring dream I used to have and the prevalence of snakes in hers?
5.Who out there has dream cycles like mine (please explain your experiences), or like my girlfriend and me?
6.Please explain your dream cycles, or if you don't have any at all.
7.There's a theory that everyone in a dream is the dreamer... agree or disagree?

I think that's about all I had on my mind (for now). My apologies for making the first few points of discussion about me, I'd like to think I'm more selfless than that, but they were the first to come to mind. I would love to read about the frequency of your dreams and the effect it has on your day to day life. I am by no means an expert on the topic, but I know I have a wealth of experience to share. If anyone would like to u2u for specifics or more details, feel free, and thanks for listening.

I have no knowledge when it comes to dream analysis. But I surely do dream alot. And crazy dreams too. I've heard the theory that everyone in your dream is a part of you and to an extent it makes sense.
However, I know that situations from my dreams have come true before. I still don't understand what is going on in that crazy world you go when you sleep.
As a child I had recurring dreams about walking in a nearby forest with my parents and getting attacked by wolves. In the dream my dad always saved me but my mother was always left behind. I had alot of nightmares as a child.
Then, like you, I discovered the weed. Great stuff. I still had dreams from time to time but they were more sporadic and lighthearted. I often dreamt about having masses of skunk and planning to smoke it over the next few months non stop. But then I would wake up and feel sad because I hardly had any.
About a year ago I decide to give it up. Since then my dreams have gone insane. Every night something epic happens. Sometimes they seem to last for decades(slight exaggeration). I haven't noticed any obvious cycles, some recurring themes though. But I might try to, if I can find the time, record them. Then I'll be able to analyse them more.

Sorry. This is no help to you at all. It's just a bit random I guess. Oh well.

[edit on 2-7-2006 by surrender_dorothy]

Originally posted by surrender_dorothy
I often dreamt about having masses of skunk and planning to smoke it over the next few months non stop. But then I would wake up and feel sad because I hardly had any.

Sorry. This is no help to you at all. It's just a bit random I guess. Oh well.

[edit on 2-7-2006 by surrender_dorothy]

That's hilarious, been there myself. If nothing else your post tells me I'm not absolutely crazy. The recording thing is a good idea. I let alot of stuff go that would probably make more sense if I put it all together.