Thematic Dream Journal

[poème]

Since I'm in the process of going through my dream notebooks to look for recurrent themes, I thought it could be interesting to share some of them here. Of course, everyone is welcome to comment, even if it is to disagree on something. As long as it's respectful, I don't mind a little controversy. I think it helps to think things over more thoroughly. You may also share about your own dreams here, as long as they go with the theme. Or, if you already shared such a dream in your own dream journal or somewhere else on the site, it would be great if you could send the link toward the right page, so that people interested in the topic may also read other related dreams.

[poème]

I sometimes dream that I am someone else, or to be more exact, that I am with someone else, sharing this person’s thoughts and seeing through his or her eyes.

I chose to start with this topic especially because of one very intriguing dream I had lately. I took some time to think about it but I still haven’t figured out what it could mean or how it was linked to me. Since this one was, in part, occurring in the 1800s or early 1900s, I really wondered if this was a past life, my own or even someone else’s… If it wasn’t, how was this whole story linked to me…

I also chose two other dreams to illustrate the topic. I could not find how any of them were linked to me and my actual life. Your thoughts would be more than welcomed here!

July 23 2010 (last dream; morning)
The young woman living in the street
The first dream seems to be set in a European town and I have the impression that it’s in the 1960s and up since the girl is wearing jeans, or pants, if not jeans… And she takes the bus at the end of the dream. So unless she died young (I was born in the early 1980s), I can hardly think this one was a past life. Was it empathy then? Or was it linked to my life in a way that I did not want to see?

I am her or I am following her, but I am not in my own body. She has long blond hair; she is bare foot and has no home to go to. She finds shelter on the upper floor of an abandoned building that feels nice actually… She’s been sleeping there for some time. But then, she is discovered, and since she has no right to squat the place, the poor girl has to leave. And so, that night, she sleeps in the stairs…and it starts raining (!)

In the morning, she walks around town. She sees coffee shops and restaurants and people happily eating there. She is hungry too. Nobody pays attention to her and when someone does, it is with some disrespect or disdain. She then takes the bus. Once seated, the driver, a rigid-looking lady, tells her that she did not pay her fare. The girl is shocked since she did pay it. After sharing some of her thoughts about this situation and what she (or we) should do, I wake up.

January 3 2011 (early in the morning)
The modern young woman and two guides
The second one is definitely set in a modern setting and the young woman wears clothes of today’s fashion: leggings and a simple dress with flat caramel colour boots. And she has a modern hair cut: bob style straight black hair. And so, I can hardly think that this one may be a past life… There is also a very heavy dream tone here, as you’ll come to notice:

I am or I am sharing thoughts with a young woman who is not me. I recall a quite sunny scenery, reddish dirt road or sand. I’ll skip some of the details here and go straight to the next scene: she is accompanied by two males, whom I (or she) think are her guides. I have no proof of that, just my (or her) hunch. They are travelling together at a high speed (in a vertical way) from level to level. I have no clue where they are: too otherworldly! She is more limited than the other two; she can’t go as far as they can, and one of them tells her exactly that. She replies, boldly, that she sure could go to the upper level too… If she was more orderly and wanted to do some cleaning (!). That being said, she goes up the higher level too…


February 18, 2011 (morning)
The psychic and the little girl - The psychic’s apartment (Part I)
I am in a small and humble-looking apartment. At this point, I think I am «physically»there. I see a lady, a maid. She is rather friendly and we chat lightly (nothing important). At some point, I realize that she’s actually a spirit… I can feel a cool (as in cold) energy field around her. She puts her hand on my cheek and I can feel how cold her hand is. My cheek, in comparison seems so warm, even hot.

The apartment belongs to a psychic. I recall visiting some parts of it, but I’m not sure if I was him at this point or if I was still «physically» there, following him around. But I don’t recall speaking to him. It seemed more as if I was sharing his thoughts. There is a very funny looking spirit in the tub, round and red (!) but he doesn’t seem disturbed about it. It seems like a normal thing to him and though I know he sees it, he doesn’t pay attention to it.

He’s rather anxious though, and this is where I get very confused. It seems to be linked to a family, and even to the maid (who may have been tied to this family): I see a woman (his wife?) and two blond-haired little girls, dressed in the 1800’s or early 1900’s fashion. I have the impression that it’s his family and that they are in danger because of him, or affiliations that he has. (I think these were memories he was recalling at the moment.) I see men wearing old fashioned suits and top hats. One who appears to be the chief decides to send some of his men to the psychic’s house (which is not the apartment).

The little girl (Part II)
And past this point, I become immersed in this family’s story, from the younger girl’s point of view. It’s a very sad story (and a very long one) so I’ll skip the details. To make it short, the men come to their house and threaten the family who manages to escape and hide somewhere around the house, but because of that, the men are quite angry and talk about killing them now, in some horrible fashion. The mother and her daughters (and even a small boy is there) seem to think they don’t stand a chance and decide to give each others a quick death (with small butter knives such as those I have in my own kitchen!) before they get caught… But the older daughter doesn’t have the courage to give death to her little sister, so she’s left alive, alone. I seem to think that this story won’t end well for her but somehow, I want to make it otherwise. I want her to escape.

And so she (and I with her) runs and runs and she manages to arrive safely in what appears to be a castle and a court (and a quite otherworldly one at that!). A guard (or was he a page?) catches her running around. She’s scared but he’s gentle and he takes her under his wings and threats her as if she was a royal guest. He shows her the quarters of the royal guests (which were in royal tents outside the castle!), all of them rich foreigners from everywhere: French, Chinese and lots of others. From there, I know that she is going to be safe. I wake up.

***
I would love to have your insights about these dreams and if you have such dreams from time to time, how do you think they relate to you and your present life? Do you think they may be past lives or even parallel lives, or do you think it may be that you’ve reach someone else’s thoughts to the point that you actually shared a part of this person’s life somehow? Or do you think it’s a lot simpler than that and it’s some metaphor meant to highlight issues you may have in your own actual life?

[Korpo]

Hello, poeme.

I sometimes dream that I am someone else, or that I am with someone else, sharing this person’s thoughts and seeing through his or her eyes. Sometimes, I think I am this person in the whole dream. It’s only when I wake up that I realize I was not in my present body, but in someone else’s. Sometimes, I seem to know that I am accompanying someone else, and sharing a body that is not my usual dream body. Sometimes also, it feels as if I am watching from an exterior point of view, and my present body is not in the dream.

Yeah, I can relate to all of this. This can get even more confusing. I realised when reading the headlines of your shared experiences that you at least kept your gender. In one of my experiences I was for example a little girl...

I think a past life connection is possible in such experiences. I had a few where I would consider that as a good explanation.

I have the impression that it’s in the 1960s and up since the girl is wearing jeans, or pants, if not jeans… And she takes the bus at the end of the dream. So unless she died young (I was born in the early 1980s), I can hardly think this one was a past life. Was it empathy then? Or was it linked to my life in a way that I did not want to see?

Well, in this specific case, I would say that homeless people (the girl you describe) live very threatened and insecure lives. Also, in my opinion we can share in many different experiences when needed - I can't of course guess the mechanism, "related lives" might be as good term as any. Nah, not yet another term...

In the January 3 2011 experience you seem to be sharing in an OBE of hers. That's why the guides can go where she can't go. They're probably more advanced and can go to higher planes than she can at that stage.

In "The psychic’s apartment (Part I)" you might have experienced something Kurt describes. You can take on different roles within the same experience and/or directly gain information from the experience itself.

Cheers,
Oliver

[Sinera]

I sometimes dream that I am someone else, or that I am with someone else, sharing this person’s thoughts and seeing through his or her eyes. Sometimes, I think I am this person in the whole dream. It’s only when I wake up that I realize I was not in my present body, but in someone else’s. Sometimes, I seem to know that I am accompanying someone else, and sharing a body that is not my usual dream body. Sometimes also, it feels as if I am watching from an exterior point of view, and my present body is not in the dream. I can also have a confusing mix of all three experiences in one dream.

I can relate to that. It is like a movie with cuts and perspective changes going on all the time. I think it shows that we are in our Mental Body, at least partially in some dreams. If we were in the Astral Body only it would still be more like a permanent "ego-perspective".

[poème]

Thanks to both of you for commenting! I will take your insights and spend some time to think a little more about these dreams. I yet have to find their deeper meaning, for surely, I picked up this information for a reason, whatever these were: shared experiences, past live... or «related live», to use your term, Korpo... I probably needed to learn something from these or to heal something unresolved as to the little girl part...It could have also been some kind of retrieval, no? By saving her, maybe I actually saved myself (or a part of myself, or a past me, or... )

This can get even more confusing. I realised when reading the headlines of your shared experiences that you at least kept your gender. In one of my experiences I was for example a little girl...

Actually, I had a few dreams, as a teen, in which I was a boy. I don't recall the dreams much but I do remember that I was quite confused and slightly disturbed by these in the morning

I think a past life connection is possible in such experiences. I had a few where I would consider that as a good explanation.

What led you to think so, in these cases... May I ask?

Also, in my opinion we can share in many different experiences when needed - I can't of course guess the mechanism, "related lives" might be as good term as any. Nah, not yet another term...

This makes perfect sense... We are all one, after all. I'm pretty sure that we can reach someone else's thoughts in dreams as well as in the waking state, may it be in subtle ways. I know from experience (even from little experience) that it's especially true in dreams...

* Edited for spelling!

[Korpo]

Hello, poeme.

I think a past life connection is possible in such experiences. I had a few where I would consider that as a good explanation.

What led you to think so, in these cases... May I ask?

I remember one with a story with no relation to me, I am not the main character or anyone else, I can relate to the main character. The story, however, has nothing to do with my life. I might as well have watched a movie.

In yet another one the story seemed to have symbolic elements, but after I decoded them I realised that they were misunderstood parts of the story. Again the story did not seem to relate to my current life at all, it could have been during the second world war.

Cheers,
Oliver

[sono]

Hi, great idea for a thread. . .I too have had many dreams where I was someone else, briefly, I've a scientist (male) living on an island, whose son transformed himself into a liquid, which I then poured into the sea to give him immortality (terrible experience, that dream), plus various dreams where I am my own gender - a recurrent one is of myself in a different body, darker skin, a sort of polynesian look; here I am a big, strong muscled woman (not!) who carries a heavy weapon - I seem to be a soldier, guarding the island (yet again!).

[poème]

Hello, poeme.
In yet another one the story seemed to have symbolic elements, but after I decoded them I realised that they were misunderstood parts of the story. Again the story did not seem to relate to my current life at all, it could have been during the second world war.

I find it interesting how you think symbolic elements were misunderstood parts of the story. Could be so in my case too... I also noticed that symbolic elements were used to give a lighter tone to some parts of the story that could have been shoking to me otherwise... For instance, in the little girl story, the part where the family members give death to each others could have been traumatic for me if it had been shown exactly as it happened. So instead, the dream traded the original weapons used by something appearing harmless to me: small butter knifes... I did not see any blood or anything graphically shocking then, but the meaning behind this scene and others still got accross through the use of symbols.

Hi, great idea for a thread. . .I too have had many dreams where I was someone else, briefly, I've a scientist (male) living on an island, whose son transformed himself into a liquid, which I then poured into the sea to give him immortality (terrible experience, that dream), plus various dreams where I am my own gender - a recurrent one is of myself in a different body, darker skin, a sort of polynesian look; here I am a big, strong muscled woman (not!) who carries a heavy weapon - I seem to be a soldier, guarding the island (yet again!).

Thanks for stopping by, Sono! Your dreams seem to have a quite unusual and highly symbolic quality... I'm thinking of this one, but also of that other dream you shared elsewhere : The minotaur. Both these dreams have this same quality

[poème]

I know this was supposed to be a «thematic» dream journal but I’m so excited about this last experience I had that I’d like to share it here. As stated in the title, I’m really not sure whether this was an OBE, a WILD or even a lucid dream simulating an OBE. I barely had exit or return sensations and everything happened fairly quickly and smoothly, which really makes me doubt that my experience could be an OBE, but maybe some of you could help me sorting this out… If you are willing to read a long post that is, since I feel this is going to be very long indeed! J

So last night, I fell asleep at my usual hour and woke up also at what-seems-to-be-my-usual-hour these days: 4 am or so (!) Not tired enough to fall asleep shortly after, I spent another 3 hours or so thinking in bed and watching the ceiling. (Time actually really flies when doing so!) Among other things, I remember thinking about this strange feeling I had lately, as if something was missing or as if I was disappointed because not much happened lately and because my dream recall was rather poor. I thought that maybe I was due for something new and uplifting to happen, which made me think that maybe I should get started on the MAP and get more serious about OBEs. But then I wondered if that was really my desire… And I came to the conclusion that perhaps it was not really so at the moment, not out of fear, but simply because I thought I couldn’t really find a strong enough motivation to do so. But I guess I was proven otherwise later in the morning, whatever happened…

March 6, 2011 (morning)
A circle on the ceiling…
I am watching at the ceiling and I notice something strange: there is a 5 to 7 inches wide blue-violet light circle on the ceiling. It’s kind of subtle at first but out of curiosity, I gaze at it and as I do so, I feel as if something in me starts spinning. At some point, I have the impression that my whole body is spinning but it was so strange that I am not so sure about this. As this is happening, I’m thinking about how unusual this is and how I never felt that… And I am also reminded that I’m supposed to remain calm if I don’t want the experience to abort, and to go with the flow. So I try to do, but I am still somewhat curious to see what is going to happen. The spinning stop and I feel as if I am floating or being carried toward the corridor of my apartment. I was not familiar with the spinning part but I am with this «being carried away» thing.
A door
As I am being carried away, I notice a closed door in the middle of the corridor of «my» apartment. (There is no such door in my real apartment) Assuming that I will go through it, I keep going with the flow, wondering about how it will feel to pass through a door, but to my surprise… I can’t seem to be able to pass through it and so, I am let down in front of it. I suppose I could have tried to simply open it but I can be stubborn at times… «People pass through doors and walls and windows in their OBEs, so I should be able to do that too!» I think. (I don’t remember clearly how I managed to do so but I apparently found a way through.)
…And a window!
I am still in «my» apartment, though it doesn’t much look like it. The configuration is similar but there is definitely a dream overlay. (I have had experiences more realistic than this one.) I am totally uplifted, and still kind of amazed that I am out! I am floating toward a large window to see how it’s like outside: it has nothing to do with what I would see in the waking state! Something inside tells me that I should stay inside and keep my outing short, but it seems much more exciting outside, so… I decide not to listen to this advice and try again my luck at passing through the window… Again, it’s not as easy as I thought! I pass my hand through it tough and seem to «play with the matter» as if it really wasn’t solid, pushing it away or «tearing it» (?) as if it was a piece of clothe and when the opening is large enough, I go through it and stand on the windowsill. It’s very high, a lot higher than my apartment really is. As I am looking all the way down, I am reminded of the scene from the movie Inception when the woman jumps into space from the window. (Not sure if I understood that movie well, but as a result, I am frightened for a second, thinking that I may be confusing dream with reality, but I take a look at the surroundings and the unrealistic feel is enough to reassure me…I am then pretty convinced that I am definitely NOT in my waking state! So I jump into space too…
Fun flight experiments!
…And start jumping-floating around, from roof to roof. Oddly enough, I even encounter another woman doing the same. My floating skills seem to need some improvement and I have some fun time experimenting around. I can easily start floating around a few feet above the ground but the hard thing is to go higher… and maintain the flight! One time, I run and jump above large stone stairs…but end up falling right in the middle of it in some silly way. I laugh at myself heartily. Some people turn their head and look at me but I don’t seem to mind.
There is also a strange game (?) with platforms at different heights to perhaps again practice flight, but I can’t find the words to describe that well. I recall trying it for a couple of minutes and again having some fun.
Then what…?
As I am doing so, I start thinking that maybe I should try to pursue a more concrete goal instead of just playing around. But I have no real goal in mind… I barely project, so I did not really give it much thought yet. The only thing that comes to my mind is that I could ask to meet with one of my guides, and that perhaps I would like to know what I should do next, what’s next on my path. But I remember that I asked exactly that the last time I thought I was out, and somehow, I feel that I don’t really need these answers that strongly at the moment. There is a time for everything after all. So I give up on this idea and continue exploring the platform thing.
Attempts at engaging a conversation
I eventually move to somewhere else, not too far though. It’s a kind of busy area. I want to engage a conversation with someone, anyone, just to see if I can actually have a conversation with one of them. (Robert Bruce says that in a WILD, the characters met can’t hold a deep conversation, that they seem somewhat «plastic» and one-dimensional.) I see two women who appear sympathetic and I go toward them. But they speak a foreign language, plus they are carrying heavy luggage and seem too busy to pay any attention to me, so I give up and look for another target. I seem to recognize someone I actually know in the waking state. I call him by his name a couple times as he’s rushing into an elevator. He finally looks at me… but doesn’t seem to recognize me. He asks me, surprised, something like «How do you know my name? « I am kind of surprised by his reaction too..! I give up and get out of the elevator before the doors close.
The man in the wall
This is the strangest part of this «dream». There is a man stuck in the wall. I only remember seeing is face, his hands and maybe his chest but I am not too sure. What I am sure of is that nobody pays attention to him even though he really seems to need a hand. Plus, he looks wounded. I recall something on his forehead, like a bandage (?) Somehow, I feel compassion for him. I go toward him and gently take his hand in mine. He joins his other hand on mine. I am not too sure what to do but I decide to simply send him positive energy and as I do so, I really feel a strong energy transfer from my heart chakra to his. I also recall feeling a strong energy flow running through my legs but I don’t remember if I felt it elsewhere. At some point, I start worrying about being «emptied» if I go too far, since I don’t really know how this works, and that perhaps some barriers may be needed , and as I’m thinking that, the «dream» fades to what resembles hypnagogic imagery and I know I am back in bed, though my eyes are still closed. All I have to do is to open my eyes. I do so. It’s around 8 in the morning. And I have only one word in mind: « Wow! « (If that’s considered a word! )
…The only sad thing is that I don’t know what happened to the man. I hope he was released from that wall. Makes me wonder why he was in this situation. I know there was a dream overlay so what did this represent? Someone stuck… Is it possible that he simply wanted to get out of his body, but was stuck? (What about the bandage though… I guess I shall stop making stories and end this long post here )

[CFTraveler]

Interesting set of experiences, poeme.
I think the experience with the man could have been a simulation, or a retrieval. How did you feel afterwards when you woke up?