Dreams

[WorthofaSoul]

So after having another very eventful night of dreams, I kind of wondered: what do us Mormons/people in general think of dreams? (I know that's so vague)

Just in general, I'm not even getting into the whole possible seeing visions and angels in dreams kind of thing, but just the average run-of-the-mill crazy fest at night.

I've been wondering a little bit about this especially when discussing dreaming habits amongst friends and roommates. Most of the time it seems that others occasionally have dreams but don't really remember them and usually have some sort of standard goofy dream whose recounting usually begins with "I had the craziest dream and you were in it...!"

Whereas for me, I remember my dreams regularly, at the very least 2-3 times a week, especially if I think about them after I wake up. And about 40% of the time these dreams include morbid content such as death (and when I mean death, I mean like viscous murder/suicide). Another strange thing about my dreams is that sometimes I die in my dreams. I die and I don't wake up. Sometimes it hurts like a massive shock, and sometimes it's as subtle as my subconscious informing me that I am now dead. Sometimes I've become an omnipresent force that just confusedly watches the rest of my dream play out, or sometimes I've even become a sad ghost that can only haunt the halls of my home while I watch my dream family mourn.

So why? Why do I have dreams like this? Why do any of us have the dreams that we do? (This isn't so much of a plea for help as it is more of just for curiosity's and discussion's sake)

I not really all that obsessed with death and violence. I'm not really all that fond of horror movies and shows like CSI and have tried to stay away from them, so why would my dreams reflect such graphic-ness? Why can't I tune into dreams about topics and shows I'm actually interested in?!

So what do you think about dreams?

Does anyone else have any strange/fun dreams?

And has anyone else actually had that stereotypical "showing up somewhere important in your underwear" or the "I didn't study for this test" dreams?

Edited August 16, 2012 by WorthofaSoul

[tumbledquartz]

I have a lot of strange dreams, most nights. I've dreamed just about everything anyone's ever dreamed - I just dreamed the other night that a bunch of people came in the room when I was changing - some of the people were relatives, some were friends. I usually wake up relieved that it was a dream. I've had numerous dreams lately that my husband has left or divorced me - real possibilities in my life right now. I often have dreams that I'm living back with my parents, or that I'm back at school or that I've returned to a previous job, or some combination. Or I dream I'm making out with an old boyfriend. I've had dreams that my brother was shooting at me with a gun, that I found my parents dead in bed, and that my daughter was killed in a terrible accident. But I've also had dreams that I could fly, and other such positive things. Usually not, though. I often have nightmares, more frequently after watching scary movies, but sometimes just randomly. Like I said, I'm usually relieved to wake up.

One of my most recurring dreams is that I'm back in school but I can't remember my locker combination or my class schedule or it's time for finals and I don't remember anything, haven't turned anything, and am basically hosed.

My theory is that my brain is just throwing together random thoughts and memories and fears and hopes and just processing them in a random way. I'll dream that my current ward members are at my thirteenth birthday party, for instance.

There was one time when I had a dream where I was visited by a dead relative who was trying to tell me something important. I couldn't hear him clearly, but I felt like I knew what he was trying to tell me anyway. But I don't know if it was real or not. That was also right before I went into a mental hospital for my bipolar. So, take that with a very large grain of sea salt, right???

I don't know; I really do believe that there are times when dreams have real meaning, like in the case of Joseph interpreting Pharaoh's dream, and such, but I think the majority of them are just random mental junk. I'd be interested to hear other perspectives, though.

[captmoroniRM]

My personal theory is you can't dream anything you've never seen before. Every locale, every person, every wacky thing, you've seen in some form, even if it is something on TV, something in a picture or some person you simply passed on the street.

[Anddenex]

Dreams are very interesting. I had an acquaintance once who actually had a diagram which explained the majority of our dreams, or at least, what one psychologist determined our dreams meant.

One I have found very interesting are the dreams where either your teeth are falling out, or they are extremely loose and feel as if they are falling out. The interpretation, you are stressed out.

The majority of my dreams, as my wife would call them, are "Superman complex". I am either flying, a really fast runner, or I can jump a mile and save everyone. This is when my wife jests with me and asks if there is anything I can do to make this a reality?

I have never had the dream of showing up naked or in my underwear ever. The psychologist said that these dreams give evidence that a person is anxious for something, or an event they are about to perform at or at least play a part.

I really appreciate though the dreams I have had which have been provided by the Lord. They are great experiences.

[mirkwood]

I dream over the top action movies most the time. Imagine Aliens meets Predator meets Van Helsing meets Blackhawk Down meets Robocop meets X-Files all mixed in together. Good thing I like action movies.

[pam]

I dream over the top action movies most the time. Imagine Aliens meets Predator meets Van Helsing meets Blackhawk Down meets Robocop meets X-Files all mixed in together. Good thing I like action movies.

Now are you sure those are movies you dream about? I mean you are in a profession that would have some pretty over the top stuff too.

[mirkwood]

Well, I did leave out the bank robbers, gang members and tweakers. I also left out the vampires and zombies!!

[Backroads]

Well, last night my dream involved lots and lots of really cool zombies, including a "cured" zombie who still looked like a zombie and was therefore able to act as a spy. And a creepy little girl who I couldn't tell if she were a zombie or not. And an Oceanic plane piloted by Jack from "Lost".

Seriously, though, most of my dreams seem to be my mind de-processing. For example, I was recently watching "The Walking Dead".

But I also subscribe to the idea that dreams can be sources of inspiration.

[BrendaM]

I think most dreams are just our subconscious letting off steam and generally don't mean anything.

[annewandering]

I think most dreams are just our subconscious letting off steam and generally don't mean anything.

I suppose some may be like that. Mine tend to be more puzzles to work out. Many years ago I had terrible nightmares every night for a year. A few years ago I realized that they were about betrayal. It was during the time I was being molested by a family 'friend'. Other times I am doing something wrong without realizing it. My dreams will show me what I am doing.

Dreams can serve a lot of different things depending on our needs.

[slamjet]

Well, last night my dream involved lots and lots of really cool zombies, including a "cured" zombie who still looked like a zombie and was therefore able to act as a spy. And a creepy little girl who I couldn't tell if she were a zombie or not. And an Oceanic plane piloted by Jack from "Lost".

You truly are either strange or imaginative. Still trying to figure out which.

[Misshalfway]

I had a missionary companion who had the most amazing, vivid, diverse dreams. You'd have thought she was on drugs or something. She kept a dream journal so that she could record each individual one. She'd read them out to us.

I think she was a highly intelligent creative person. She's gone on to do some really amazing things with her creative talents.

[Misshalfway]

I think most dreams are just our subconscious letting off steam and generally don't mean anything.

If it's the brain just letting off steam....doesn't that suggest that they do "mean" something?

Maybe what you meant was that it doesn't mean it's revelation.

I think we can learn a lot about ourselves from looking at some of our dreams. I had a re-occurring dream about me being in the wilderness with two of my kids. We were playing in the river and a huge grizzly bear, up on his hanches, came towards us. In the dream, I knew that one way or the other, someone was going to die. Either, I could run and grab one of my kids to safety or I'd sacrifice myself and send my kids away. In in the dream I was conflicted with guilt because I'd actually considered saving myself. Funny thing was that the bear never attacked. It just sat there scaring us and we just sat there frozen in indecision.

I asked my therapist guru friend about it. She helped me understand it. At the time, I was considering divorce. She said she thought the bear was divorce and that my brain knew that either I'd stay in the marriage and suffer, or that I'd save myself by getting out and my kids would suffer.

The dream didn't help me make any decisions and I don't think it was revelation. But it mean that my brain was trying to work things out. It kinda made me feel lots of compassion for myself.

(BTW. I chose not to divorce and we're super happy and the bear is now our pet.)

[THIRDpersonviewer]

my super crazy dreams come when I am exhausted and I haven't been getting sleep, and then I finally have time to let myself crash and I do and I dream about crazy stuff.

Last week I had a dream that I was at the mall where I worked and I was at my car with the doors open, I was standing and yelling, then I walked away and went back and then I left again and then some robbers came and stole my car. I didn't have a gun but they did and so I ran and my manager came out and said forget the car and run. I ran behind another car out of sight and I was planning how to get back my car. I was crouched and planning like I was in trenches in a war. And the dream kindof fell away there.

I have had other good dreams that have taught me some things, and some coincide with these tired ones. However unless I am tired like this, I never remember my dreams. I think a number of them are pointless but some teach us things.

[Spartan117]

I kept having the same recurring dream all throughout my childhood that I was a member of the Ghostbusters. I wish that followed me unto adulthood.

[Signs]

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