Repetitive Theme

[KAF]

Hi all.

Over the last few months I've had at least 3 " dreams" with a similar theme I walking up to my house but in each dream the house is completely different ( different house, facing direction, terrain etc).  While in the dream I recognize extreme amounts of  detail down to the smallest thing as though I am actually living in this " dream", the only thing that seams to remain constant is myself and my neighbors it's the houses that always seem to change. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what may be going on. 

I do tend to have lucid dreams though not all that often, I do travel during sleep to other locations but for only a matter of a couple seconds, as well as I have bilocated several times. I have popped into the dreams of others as well  unknown by me but have been told by those it has happened to. I'm just  wondering if any of this plays a part in this.

[Karl]

hi KAF,

What does it feel like when you're in the house dreams, different than normal, or especially notable? What about right before when you go to bed, or wake up after?

If you think about the day(s) preceding the dreams a bit, does anything come to mind that's different or unusual?

Also, can you explain the dream in a bit more detail, like how you move or feel, or what you see - what would be typical?

[KAF]

When I'm in the house dreams everything seems to be in super detail from the books on the shelves in one to the pine needles and snow on the ground. I have noticed upon waking that I'm thinking wow what was that about and how very detailed it was versus a normal dream where there is detail but it is sort of bland. I may notice the books on a shelf but not the actual colors and sizes as in a detailed dream.  I also noted in the detailed dreams some of my sense touch sounds and sight but not smell or taste. In a normal dream for me I might notice snow on the ground but not down to seeing some of the crystals as you would in real life, or I might see the pine trees but maybe just notice a brownish coloring under the trees and not the actual accumulation of the needles like in my detailed dreams.  Movement in the dreams is usually normal walking around maybe walking up to the house but experiencing everything up to the house in great detail. What I find strange is it's always feels like I have lived here all of my life just that each house is different from the styling and actual  building itself but it is always my home.

Usually before going to bed before I have these dreams everything is pretty much normal and I may not be thinking of much at the time . During the dreams I am not really interacting but letting it play out as nothing seems to be of worry to me almost as if I'm trying to see where things are going to lead me to. If it was a lucid dream I would notice it and interact with the people to or go and try to walk around more and see if I can find any clues to what is going on in these dreams.

[Karl]

Kaf,

I don't really believe or use dream interpretation - as in, analyzing the imagery according to a list of symbols.

Seems to me to be a "seeking" theme, as in looking for something. Perhaps it's also your energy moving or traveling around, trying to explore or find something.

One thing you could do is try to intend to do something in the dreams. For example, you could intend to stop and observe something in particular, like doors or windows or people (if there are any there). Since you're already moving in your dreaming energy, it might shift it from being sort of a movie script into something more dynamic, more shamanic. It could also switch you to a lucid dream, since you have done that. 

We don't generally work a lot with lucid dreaming (normal consciousness in dreaming isn't super interesting in a shamanic sense), but a change to the program might be good to let it switch to something newer.

Maybe other people will have some thoughts, too.. 

[centur888]

kark hi, u said :

"We don't generally work a lot with lucid dreaming (normal consciousness in dreaming isn't super interesting in a shamanic sense), but a change to the program might be good to let it switch to something newer."

 interesting or not Karl  I am unclear as to what you mean by the above statement ???

I am under the impression that to do any work as a dreamer controlling lucid dreaming with the intent to achieve a result as ascertained by the dreamer at the time is ALL about the work? 

or 

is THAT what you said/meant when you suggested to Kaf that they change the program?

 

[Karl]

4 hours ago, centur888 said:

"We don't generally work a lot with lucid dreaming (normal consciousness in dreaming isn't super interesting in a shamanic sense), but a change to the program might be good to let it switch to something newer."

 interesting or not Karl  I am unclear as to what you mean by the above statement ???

I am under the impression that to do any work as a dreamer controlling lucid dreaming with the intent to achieve a result as ascertained by the dreamer at the time is ALL about the work? 

or 

is THAT what you said/meant when you suggested to Kaf that they change the program?

 

A definition: lucid dreaming is normal (or semi-normal) consciousness during dreaming.

In our tradition, consciousness during dreaming isn't necessary (or maybe desirable) to use or progress dreaming shamanically. Normal consciousness brings back a sense of normal dreaming energy (and therefore normal dreaming energy) back into the dream. It's difficult to then use the dreaming in a shamanic way. Using dreaming in a shamanic way would be things like setting a dreaming intent, dreaming outside yourself, moving dreaming energy into the world, etc. It's possible to do that lucidly, but it's often more difficult. Controlling the dreaming intent is completely separate from lucidity in dreaming. The intent of dreaming has nothing to do with consciousness in dreaming, if that makes sense.

Lucid dreaming has other uses, of course - you can just have fun and explore, use it to overcome trauma, take control of nightmares, etc. Many people can dream lucidly and use it shamanically at the same time, but people who don't do that naturally often mistake lucidity for dreaming energy control. Lucidity is about the mind in dreaming, and not the dreaming energy. The dreaming energy is what we're interested in as shamans.

What I was suggesting to KAF about changing programming is a kind of dreaming intent, with the idea of changing how the dreams are working for him. Changing the setting or dream is a way of taking control of it, and maybe switching things up. When you switch things up, you can create openings and opportunities for new "stuff" - insight, skills, knowledge, etc.

Hope that clears up what I meant!

-karl

[KAF]

21 hours ago, Karl said:

A definition: lucid dreaming is normal (or semi-normal) consciousness during dreaming.

In our tradition, consciousness during dreaming isn't necessary (or maybe desirable) to use or progress dreaming shamanically. Normal consciousness brings back a sense of normal dreaming energy (and therefore normal dreaming energy) back into the dream. It's difficult to then use the dreaming in a shamanic way. Using dreaming in a shamanic way would be things like setting a dreaming intent, dreaming outside yourself, moving dreaming energy into the world, etc. It's possible to do that lucidly, but it's often more difficult. Controlling the dreaming intent is completely separate from lucidity in dreaming. The intent of dreaming has nothing to do with consciousness in dreaming, if that makes sense.

Lucid dreaming has other uses, of course - you can just have fun and explore, use it to overcome trauma, take control of nightmares, etc. Many people can dream lucidly and use it shamanically at the same time, but people who don't do that naturally often mistake lucidity for dreaming energy control. Lucidity is about the mind in dreaming, and not the dreaming energy. The dreaming energy is what we're interested in as shamans.

What I was suggesting to KAF about changing programming is a kind of dreaming intent, with the idea of changing how the dreams are working for him. Changing the setting or dream is a way of taking control of it, and maybe switching things up. When you switch things up, you can create openings and opportunities for new "stuff" - insight, skills, knowledge, etc.

Hope that clears up what I meant!

-karl

I got into lucid dreaming to help stop nightmares that I was getting quite frequently when I was younger mid 20's and earlier but then I learned to use that as well to explore my dreams in what I would say is outside the norm, exploring settings changing the scenery or as you say taking control of the dream. .  Now when I have dreams some of which are normal I just let them play out without interfering other times I will use that ability to take absolute control of the dream.  I have had instances where what I thought was a dream seems to be more of what I call traveling to other places that I have not been to before in real life but the details go beyond the reach of a normal dream where everything is in great detail as if I'm really there. Sometimes I am able to go back to the same places more then once nights later. In other dreams I have met people that I do not know or have never met in real life but have felt as if I have known them for some time.

[Karl]

5 hours ago, KAF said:

I got into lucid dreaming to help stop nightmares that I was getting quite frequently when I was younger mid 20's and earlier but then I learned to use that as well to explore my dreams in what I would say is outside the norm, exploring settings changing the scenery or as you say taking control of the dream. .  Now when I have dreams some of which are normal I just let them play out without interfering other times I will use that ability to take absolute control of the dream.  I have had instances where what I thought was a dream seems to be more of what I call traveling to other places that I have not been to before in real life but the details go beyond the reach of a normal dream where everything is in great detail as if I'm really there. Sometimes I am able to go back to the same places more then once nights later. In other dreams I have met people that I do not know or have never met in real life but have felt as if I have known them for some time.

Those dreaming experiences all sound typical of shamanic dreams. Have you had any control of the dreams other than when you're lucid in them? Like, if you wanted to dream a particular thing, or have a particular type of dream, could you do that?

[KAF]

2 hours ago, Karl said:

Those dreaming experiences all sound typical of shamanic dreams. Have you had any control of the dreams other than when you're lucid in them? Like, if you wanted to dream a particular thing, or have a particular type of dream, could you do that?

I am not able to do that yet. I have tried it on several occasions but still can not do it. I have however visited a few people that I know in their dreams, one of which told me so the day after it happened, I had popped into her dream and then popped out just as quick.  I'm pretty sure it has happened to a couple other people I know but they have just given me a strange look the next day that I had seen them in person. This too seems to happen randomly and I have tried to do it on my own to visit one particular person to no avail.

[Karl]

KAF,

In my experience, those types of dreaming experiences are things which often happen with people who have tendencies to move during dreaming shamanically.

Back to your original question, this does seem to be possibly related to shamanism. Some people just move naturally that way - it doesn't mean you want or need to pursue a shamanic path. It might mean that you just have that inclination, or tendency, to do so during dreaming.

In the old days, having the same (or very similar) dream three times was considered significant, especially if it was precognitive. However, it's easy to tend to obsess about such things and try to figure them out. If the meaning isn't clear yet, I think it's better to maintain a watchful intent to understand it and recognize it, should you come across the world.

Sometimes, even shamanic dreaming practitioners have three similar dreams that aren't connected, or it's not anything useful. I would feel more driven to find out more about the three dreams should the feeling in those particular dreamings or upon waking up be that it's something you really "need" to know, or that it feels important. Our dreaming energy can guide us to things which are important in dreaming in a way that the wakeful mind doesn't let us. 

This dreaming stuff could be something where you just go, "Hmmmm, interesting." and move on with your life, or it could be something you pursue actively.

Hope that helps!

-karl

[KAF]

2 hours ago, Karl said:

KAF,

In my experience, those types of dreaming experiences are things which often happen with people who have tendencies to move during dreaming shamanically.

Back to your original question, this does seem to be possibly related to shamanism. Some people just move naturally that way - it doesn't mean you want or need to pursue a shamanic path. It might mean that you just have that inclination, or tendency, to do so during dreaming.

In the old days, having the same (or very similar) dream three times was considered significant, especially if it was precognitive. However, it's easy to tend to obsess about such things and try to figure them out. If the meaning isn't clear yet, I think it's better to maintain a watchful intent to understand it and recognize it, should you come across the world.

Sometimes, even shamanic dreaming practitioners have three similar dreams that aren't connected, or it's not anything useful. I would feel more driven to find out more about the three dreams should the feeling in those particular dreamings or upon waking up be that it's something you really "need" to know, or that it feels important. Our dreaming energy can guide us to things which are important in dreaming in a way that the wakeful mind doesn't let us. 

This dreaming stuff could be something where you just go, "Hmmmm, interesting." and move on with your life, or it could be something you pursue actively.

Hope that helps!

-karl

Thank you Karl. Maybe if this happens again with this same dream I will try and take an active part in it instead of letting it play out on it's own. What I find odd is that it's basically the same dream but with different versions of the neighborhood always different houses, terrain, landscape but always the same house layout more or less.  I think all of my experiences abilities have just come to me naturally without any previous training or knowledge. Each one has come to me not all at the same time but one at a time I guess to let me adjust to them one at a time and get used to them one at a time and then moving to the next one almost as if I'm being taught one step at a time, at least that is how it feels to me.

[Karl]

2 hours ago, KAF said:

Thank you Karl. Maybe if this happens again with this same dream I will try and take an active part in it instead of letting it play out on it's own. What I find odd is that it's basically the same dream but with different versions of the neighborhood always different houses, terrain, landscape but always the same house layout more or less.  I think all of my experiences abilities have just come to me naturally without any previous training or knowledge. Each one has come to me not all at the same time but one at a time I guess to let me adjust to them one at a time and get used to them one at a time and then moving to the next one almost as if I'm being taught one step at a time, at least that is how it feels to me.

Sounds like a plan!

If you have further questions or thoughts, just put them here

[KAF]

1 hour ago, Karl said:

Sounds like a plan!

If you have further questions or thoughts, just put them here

Thank you again for some insights.

KAF