Do you experience things in your dreams, but not in life?

I was wondering.... lately I've noticed that in my dreams, I am experiencing things I have never experienced in my real life, so how would I know what they feel like? How would my brain know how to interpret something like that? I'm stumped!!

Example...a couple days ago I dreamed that I was riding a bike on a lonely road, had been riding for miles and it was either dusk or just before sunrise, there was very little light in the sky and the road was surrounded on either side by very dense, tall forest. As I rode on I saw on the side of the road a small bicycle in the grass, as if abandoned, like a little girl's bike (age 5-8 maybe) and next to it was a small suitcase, the kind kids take when they go to stay with their grandparents sometimes. Anyways the suitcase was empty but a few things that must've been inside it were strewn in the grass.

I slowed down as I rode past it and I can't describe the feeling, it was the knowledge that something terrible had happened to that little girl who was nowhere to be found. The forest only made me feel worse. It was a sickly feeling I've never felt in real life before, like knowing that some horrible person had taken her into the woods.

I've also had a dream a couple of times now that I wake up in the morning, look at the clock, and it is something like 9 am or so, but I notice that it is still dark. I get up, check all the clocks in the house, they all say the same time, but looking outside I see that it is completely pitch dark, and realize to my horror that the sun never rose that morning, that there in fact is NO SUN. It's hard to describe but it is a feeling of complete terror and desolation....again, something I've never felt when I'm awake!

Does anyone out there have similar experiences? Is it just paranoia? Just bad dreams? What I wish I knew is WHY, and where, do bad dreams come from, especially dreams that seem so real?

Hi,

How old are you? (I only ask because it seems like you've just started having dreams! Only joking)

Everyone has dreams like this but a lot of people don't remember their dreams when they awaken.

You shouldn't worry at all, aren't dreams manifestations of the subconscious? So you'll have good and bad dreams.

I've had dreams of falling off of cliffs, or being ran over by cars. Yet have never experienced either of these things. If you can imagine what an event is like you can probably dream it.

You should post this in the psychology section, you might find some more helpful people there.

Originally posted by Replikant
Do you experience things in your dreams, but not in life?

Yes, dreaming is incredible, isn't it? I believe most of it is a compilation of everything we view in real life, though, including movies, sometimes movies we may have seen when we were kids.

Very interesting dream, I wouldn't worry too much about it, I've had freakier. Sometimes it seems like they're "lead" by a sinister teacher, but it's just our subconscious mind swimming by bad as well as good.

Our mind can also create. I find the sleeping brain to be the most interesting creator.

You are not paranoid. Dreams are an expression of the inner workings of the mind.

In example: The little girls bike, suitcase, your remorse for her whereabouts, all could have been picked up from those dreaded missing child headlines in the news.

In example: The sun never rises - something so impossible yet felt so real I am sure. Not a fear of yours, I'm sure, but probably an idea that you thought up while sleeping which expanded into that specific scenario. The build-up to the scenario is that of which you do not remember.

I have remembered the "build-up" a few times and it makes dreams a bit more interesting if you can train yourself to think more while you sleep. You could be dreaming of sheep and then you start thinking about farmers, and next thing you know your being chased by a farmer with a pitchfork.

Dreams are great.

Then you can go all ninja on the farmer and multiply yourself and surround him, kicking his arse Naruto style.

I guess you'd have to get a LOT of sleep to be able to control your dreams, though.

Originally posted by mmariebored
Then you can go all ninja on the farmer and multiply yourself and surround him, kicking his arse Naruto style.

I guess you'd have to get a LOT of sleep to be able to control your dreams, though.

It's called lucid dreaming. It can be done, but it is also re-routing the way your brain works so it must be done with caution.

I practiced for a few months and had only a handful of dreams where I was entirely lucid.

One particular incident was where I was running across the entire world it seemed, jumping 1600feet in the air and crash landing on my feet destroying the pavement beneath my feet. I was looking around, running, jumping, searching in one massive, endless dream world.

The dream of the missing girl might also be related to some repressed memory. Although, supposedly the psychiatric association (?) now claims there's no such thing as repressed memories. (whatever)

I guess it depends on your emotional response to the dream as well. The waking in what you believed was day and was night, I've had before by sleeping at odd hours or when sick.

Some dreams may be long past memories or even other dreams. I've noticed some dreams recycle after several years. Of course, there's always some weird dream matrix where aliens or whomever play games with you.

I've been recalling dreams more often lately, which isn't typical for me. I have a notebook next to my bed, but haven't yet felt like writing them down. I hear it's a good idea to help do a self diagnosis on the dreams.

If you think you're psychic and the day will turn to night and people will be raptured, you might be reading or listening to bible prophecy supposedly now being fulfilled.

reply to post by aleon1018


You know, you're probably right about the whole Biblical prophecy thing having something to do with it, I'd never thought of that until right now but my mom does talk all the time about end-time prophecies and something about there being a day that would be 'neither day or night'...hmm....wow, I must be really dense!

I've had dreams where I can fly. I've had dreams where I can move things with my thoughts. Now I ask this, how can one think in a dream, and at the same time be using the same mind to dream that dream of thinking? Answer that one...

Not really. Many who've heard that wonder when it looks like we're in the sign of the times. 2012 is just around the corner.

Originally posted by Electro38
You shouldn't worry at all, aren't dreams manifestations of the subconscious?

Yes
But isn't reality also a manifestation of the subconscious? You wouldn't know unless you were aware of your subconscious thoughts long enough to find out.

In answer to the OP, yes I often experience things in dreams that I've never experienced in "real" life. But the experience is still real, so it's just as important to me as if it happened to me outside the dream.

In my dreams, when they don't go how I like, I go back in time in the dream and do certain parts over for a more desirable outcome. You should try it sometime. It makes waking up easier.

Originally posted by Replikant
I was wondering.... lately I've noticed that in my dreams, I am experiencing things I have never experienced in my real life, so how would I know what they feel like? How would my brain know how to interpret something like that? I'm stumped!!

That is a matter of increasing your awareness of who your are and how you relate to your world and eventually the realization that everything is connected in some manner.

Originally posted by Replikant
Example...a couple days ago I dreamed that I was riding a bike on a lonely road, had been riding for miles and it was either dusk or just before sunrise, there was very little light in the sky and the road was surrounded on either side by very dense, tall forest.

When we have dreams that we're on a path or road etc, it is a symbol of our present course in life in some manner. The mode of transportation relates to the rate and method of which you symbolically are traveling by in life within the given context of the dream. wtf does that mean!? Well, you're on a bike which means quiet a few things in itself. For instance, in the very least it means you are persisting on your current life path very much by your own exertion to a certain degree(as opposed to being in a car which is self powered & faster not to mention is a right of passage of sorts). But at the same time a bike is a clean, practical, and highly useful vehicle. A guess here: Have you been in an introspective mood lately in hopes to kind of ground yourself to maybe get a sense of stability to a degree?

The fact that the scene took place at dusk/dawn is a symbol of choice &/or duality and the opportunity to look into your own "shadow" and over come it. It is also a symbol of beginnings and end as well as natural cycles. Especially with the added imagery of the very dense forest which is a symbol of deep knowledge, issues, vitality, time, timelessness, and if it looks intimidating; probably means latent fears that you may or may not be consciously aware of. How the forest appears to you reflects how you view the world around you, so the dense forest can also be a very friendly place depending on you and your own perspective.

Originally posted by Replikant
As I rode on I saw on the side of the road a small bicycle in the grass, as if abandoned, like a little girl's bike (age 5-8 maybe) and next to it was a small suitcase, the kind kids take when they go to stay with their grandparents sometimes. Anyways the suitcase was empty but a few things that must've been inside it were strewn in the grass.

The indication of gender & age specific items, such the "girl's bike" might be a symbol of your own feminine side issues (such as nurturing aspects of your personality for instance) related to a emotional, spiritual, or intellectual issue in your day to day life somewhere.

Originally posted by Replikant
I slowed down as I rode past it and I can't describe the feeling, it was the knowledge that something terrible had happened to that little girl who was nowhere to be found. The forest only made me feel worse. It was a sickly feeling I've never felt in real life before, like knowing that some horrible person had taken her into the woods.

While this is something you may not consciously remember, the feeling is not lost to your subconscious enough that it communicated that "sickly" feeling to you. Your subconscious (And "higher self" or "spirit" etc for that matter) are trying to tell you something by showing you these images and leaving you with these feelings. Just like when we get sick, or we know there is danger, we attempt to rectify the situation. Either by removing yourself from the danger or confronting it, or treating the sickness etc.

The symbols in this dream are very universal which leads me to believe this is an visualization of deeply routed belief patterns & realizing, identifying, and confronting them to the degree your conscious mind can understand right now...even though you don't It's like a catch 22 as there is always a "trickster" at work to some degree in relation to our dreams. That "trickster" is actually you and your own struggle to view outside of your current perspective or "ego". While that can seem really F'in annoying, it actually helps us grow at a faster rate since it forces us to learn on our own for our, who we really are.

Originally posted by Replikant
I've also had a dream a couple of times now that I wake up in the morning, look at the clock, and it is something like 9 am or so, but I notice that it is still dark. I get up, check all the clocks in the house, they all say the same time, but looking outside I see that it is completely pitch dark, and realize to my horror that the sun never rose that morning, that there in fact is NO SUN. It's hard to describe but it is a feeling of complete terror and desolation....again, something I've never felt when I'm awake!

Does anyone out there have similar experiences? Is it just paranoia? Just bad dreams? What I wish I knew is WHY, and where, do bad dreams come from, especially dreams that seem so real?

I think more then likely this is an indicator that your ideal of "life as usual" is about to go "bye bye" but DO NOT interpret that as "doomsday" or "end times" or any of that crap. What is in store for us in the near future is going to be a bit odd, and it will alter our perceptions of reality and time, and it will be an "end" of sorts, but it will be the beginning of something much much cooler. With in the context of your dream though which is about you of course, this once again just means you're at a choice point in your life where you're starting to realize that life isn't quiet as predictable as you may once have thought.

Originally posted by blowfishdl
It's called lucid dreaming. It can be done, but it is also re-routing the way your brain works so it must be done with caution.

What if your brain is already "wired' that way? I'm a natural lucid dreamer and the only thing you have to have "caution" about is your own mind. If you can handle that, there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of no matter what anyone might tell you. Conquer your own fear & desire (which lucid dreaming is great for btw) and everything else is much easier

Btw isn't running around where ever how ever you want one of the coolest sensations?

Originally posted by Kruel
In answer to the OP, yes I often experience things in dreams that I've never experienced in "real" life. But the experience is still real, so it's just as important to me as if it happened to me outside the dream.

In my dreams, when they don't go how I like, I go back in time in the dream and do certain parts over for a more desirable outcome. You should try it sometime. It makes waking up easier.

Excellent point and awesome way of dreaming! I like rewinding just to try things different ways even if they go "good" the first time, just to experience more(or something cool again for that matter).

reply to post by Shakesbeer


Thanks for the reply-- your dream interpretations were quite insightful, and made sense. A lot of the things that you mentioned are relevant to my situation..

To the person who mentioned how one can be able to think in a dream with the same brain that they are using to dream...er...good question....it's confusing, innit? I've had a couple of dreams where I suddenly realized I was dreaming, only to wake up, then KEEP waking up over and over again, each time thinking I was REALLY awake....ever had that one? Talk about annoying!

Check out this site. They have a dictionary search feature which is good for looking up the symbols you see in your dream.

Bicycle
To dream that you are riding a bicycle, signifies your desires to attain a balance in your life. You need to balance work and pleasure in order to succeed in your current undertakings. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it suggests that you are experiencing anxieties about making it on your own.

To see a bicycle in your dream, indicates that you need to devote time to leisurely pursuits and recreation.

Suitcase
To see a suitcase in your dream, indicates that you are a very together person. You keep attitudes and behavior in check. Alternatively, it is symbolic of a much needed vacation or break. You need some changes in your life.

Dusk
To see the dusk of day in your dream, signifies defeated hopes and a dark, gloom outlook in your endeavors.

Forest
To dream that you are in or walking through the forest, signifies a transitional phase.�Follow your instincts. Alternatively, it indicates that you want to escape to a simpler way of life. You are feeling weighed down by the demands of your life.

To dream that you are lost in a forest, signifies that you are searching through your unconscious for a better understanding of yourself.


I don't use the meanings on the site so much, I find them a little off sometimes, and I believe no one is as good at interpretting your own dream than you.

reply to post by Replikant


thank you and I'm glad my babblings offered some insight Let me know if I can help anymore. I actually do a fair amount of dream interpretation for myself & others, so feel free. Only you really know what your dreams mean, but I can offer a different perspective for sure.

Oh btw, this is going get some people's feathers all ruffled; but "thinking" isn't always necessarily done "locally" in the brain as far as conscious goes. It's a hard concept to prove, but take into consideration the phenomenon of remote viewing and it's implications of time and usage during controlled in-the-lab lucid dream sessions. SRI & the Monroe Institute take this subject very seriously (and very scientifically) and have product astonishing results.

Oh and "navigating" in "dream land" is very possible with and/or without consciously being aware of it

reply to post by mmariebored


I always think it's cool to get other interpretations of symbols off of sites (as well as who ever you trust or want to share with) because at least if they don't fit, you know that, and can search for another contextual meaning. If the generic interpretation does fit, then it helps calibrate your own feelings and knowledge base...or at least I have found that to be the case in the past. Dream moods does a pretty good job of giving a good generalize interpretation and is definitely a great place to start.

[edit on 13-12-2008 by Shakesbeer]

Let me begin by expressing my complete frustration with dream interpretation. When I was twelve I began dreaming of the sorts of things Lovecraft wrote about; I didn't read Lovecraft until I was seventeen, though. Not to say I have Cthulhu on the brain; the sorts of cyclopean cities and horrific beasties from his writing were prevelant in my dreams for years, though. Dreams of warfare, of rape, of eating and eaten, of things in the shadow, and of watching; my high-school psychologist concluded that either I have every known mental illness, or I fit into the catagory of unclassifiable.
The point is, psychology has very little to offer in the way of dreams. We know that REM cycle sleep is responsible for dreams, yet one can dream in other sleep cycles. We know that for most people dreams are the underworkings of the subconscious, but for some bear no accidental semblance to reality or one's inner workings. We know that the REM cycle of sleep, when charted, closely resemble the patterns of the waking mind, yet cannot intersect with consciousness. We know that children, and some adults, experience night-terrors, in which they experience nightmares while awake and, paradoxically, mobile (the REM cycle releases a natural paralytic to prevent the body from acting out its dreams).
Like I said, psychology has very little to offer in the way of dreams. Dreams tend to bend, if not break, the rules of psychology. My advice would be to interpret your dreams by what they mean to you, not by what they mean to somebody else; you had the dream, its somehow relevant to you, and so it is yours to decipher.

As for my own dreams, well...some answers only arouse more questions, and some questions are beter left unanswered. The only good news in the matter is that I'm still sane by most accounts.

Originally posted by Malfeitor
We know that REM cycle sleep is responsible for dreams, yet one can dream in other sleep cycles.

I often start to dream before I'm asleep. It's as if the dream is already running in the background and I slowly "tune in" to it. No REM cycle required for me. Maybe it's all that ambient music I listen to that's activating delta and theta waves while I'm still conscious.