Dream #9: Dreamsigns & The Hilarity of How Dreams Mock Us

Photo by Ben

Photo by Ben

I’ve noticed before how my intentions with my own dreams often strike back in clever ways.

For instance, when I was readily working with Calea Zacatechichi, it’s powers alluded me, even mocked me. I would have dreams about taking dream herbs instead of having lucid dreams or crazy vivid dreams! Ha! Oh Calea Z…

Anyhow – I wanted to share a dream today that’s about having a hole in my palm.

This comes from the fact that one of my favorite means of reality testing, and by extension, testing the reality (or lack thereof) in the dream world, is putting my . . . → Read More: Dream #9: Dreamsigns & The Hilarity of How Dreams Mock Us

Dream #8: The Exorcist

Art by Ben | Copyright 2010 | Dreaming Life

Art by Ben | Copyright 2010 | Dreaming Life

Lots of people have their personal nightmare; you know, the one that re-occurs overs the years, the one that horrifies them to the core, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem very scary when talking about it.

Mine is something most people are familiar with: the 1970′s horror film, The Exorcist.

When I was 10 years old I saw The Exorcist. It was on TV and I watched it with my brothers. Not wanting to look weak in front of them, I acted brave; oh no, this movie doesn’t scare me!

The truth is, it scared . . . → Read More: Dream #8: The Exorcist

Dream #7: Four False Awakenings in a Row, Down the Rabbit Hole We Go…

Photo By Colleen | Copyright 2010

Photo By Colleen | Copyright 2010

False awakenings are one of those gifts from the dream gods.

Ever so strange, even eerie, and somewhat rare in the grand scheme of dreaming – although I think everybody has one at one point or another.

A couple years ago, in an attempt to induce a lucid dream, I had a series of repeated false awakenings. It’s crazy how many I had – 4 in total – one right after another!

Here’s what I wrote in my dream journal that morning.

Dream Journal: April 23 2007

Slept in about 2 hours longer than I need to try and . . . → Read More: Dream #7: Four False Awakenings in a Row, Down the Rabbit Hole We Go…

Dream #6: Dreams of Being Other People

Untitled Art by Ben | Copyright 2010 | Dreaming Life

Untitled Art by Ben | Copyright 2010 | Dreaming Life

Having a dream where you are simultaneous you but also someone else is such a strange yet common occurrence.

Here is a short dream I had where I was someone else not just once but twice, in the same dream. The first person I barely knew, he was  someone who helped spearhead some events I was a part of and the second one is a person nearly everyone on the planet knows – Homer Simpson. What a strange thing to merge the two.

Dream Journal: 7:32 PM 10/11/99

I’m R, the PFT organizer. I’ve . . . → Read More: Dream #6: Dreams of Being Other People

Dream #5: Flying Vampires, Locusts, Violence & Biblical Imagery

Art by Ben Copyright 2010 Dreaming Life

Art by Ben | Copyright 2010 | Dreaming Life

This is another dream from the vaults, the experience of which has always stood out in my mind. Only 1 person has ever read this dream – he told me his Mom did dream interpretation, so I sent him this dream, to which he was sheepishly responded it was really long and maybe another time she could interpret it. Ha! Anyhow, here’s a condensed version of it.

Dream Journal: 1:12 PM 9/19/99

I’m flying over the United States we a group of people. We see a small little town in the country and immediately . . . → Read More: Dream #5: Flying Vampires, Locusts, Violence & Biblical Imagery

Dream #4: A Very Symbolic Dream of Fighting & Reconciliation

Photo by Marisa

Photo by Marisa

It’s rare that I have a dream whose meaning is so easily and obviously symbolic to what’s going on in my life in such blunt terms. This is one of the most literal dreams of that sort that I’ve had.  This dream is about problems my girlfriend (at the time) and I were having in our relationship.

Dream Journal:
6:56 am May 24, 1999

We’re outside of  a business. I’m arguing with an employee who then turns into A. I’m shouting and ranting and raving because of the bad service. Then A and I start throwing things at one another . . . → Read More: Dream #4: A Very Symbolic Dream of Fighting & Reconciliation

Dream #2: Dream Archetypes & Sexual Dreams

Untitled By Ben. Copyright 2010 Dreaming Life

Untitled By Ben. Copyright 2010 Dreaming Life

There is a woman who has appeared in my dreams for many, many years. A little while back, I realized she ceased to represent the person who she appears to be and had become a kind of archetype in my brain; a woman that represents some sort of ideal woman, a highly sexualized archetype, a kind of goddess almost.

In fact, in real life she had a very big “energy” or presence to her personality, style, and image, so this archetypal concept is not too far off to be honest.

So yes – . . . → Read More: Dream #2: Dream Archetypes & Sexual Dreams

Dream #1: Childhood Dreams or “I’ll Poke Your Eye Out”

claudio p art

Art by Claudio P

One of the earliest dreams I ever had was an experience that scared me because for the longest time I never realized it was a dream.

I reckon I was 4 or 5 years old at the time. Nearly 25 years later, I can still remember the man in this dream who threatened me. Here’s the dream retold from the perspective of my 29 year old:

I’m lying in bed, going to sleep. My bed rests up against the white walls of my bedroom, and as usual, I prefer to sleep towards the wall, as opposed to the other . . . → Read More: Dream #1: Childhood Dreams or “I’ll Poke Your Eye Out”

Dream Journaling Through Life, Marriage, and Divorce

Few readers of this blog know this, but I am going through a divorce right now. In fact, I am 3 months separated.

It would suffice to say this is a pretty terrible period of my life.  The upheaval this has caused in my day to day living is one reason why my work on Dreaming Life has been so spotty for most of 2008.

What I find interesting and want to talk about in this article is how I can see reflections of my marriage and divorce in my dreams.

I got married 4 years ago last month.

Around that time, and for . . . → Read More: Dream Journaling Through Life, Marriage, and Divorce

Dream Report : bad dreams, choppy dreams…

My dreams have been choppy lately, and my dream journal is in desperate need of attention. The two are probably related.

I had a really weird nightmarish dream the other night – demon children chasing me, weird symbolism and whatnot. I am sure this is related to some real life struggles.

I see my work creeping into my dreams more and more lately. I don’t like it.

And deep discussions my wife and I have in waking life slip into my dreams, too, like the conversations are just carrying on with or without my intention. It’s slightly amusing to have these issues we’re working . . . → Read More: Dream Report : bad dreams, choppy dreams…

Aliens, Demons, and Sleep Paralysis : What a Way to Wake Up!

I’m in bed, lying on my side. I can see myself in the mirror, but I cannot move.

My body feels like absolute dead weight. I struggle to move at all.

I move my hands and arms around; I can feel it happening, but am puzzled because they are completely invisible, 100%. I don’t see them at all!

I hit my hand against the bed. Nothing.

I throw myself to the floor, and struggle to move bit by bit. Only I’ve not moved at all, now I’m again on the bed, lying on my side.

There are others in the room. I can’t see them, but . . . → Read More: Aliens, Demons, and Sleep Paralysis : What a Way to Wake Up!

The Most Fantastic Lucid Dream Of My Life

“Just had the longest, most extensive, lucid dream of my life”
-from my dream journal, 2:50am, August 24, 2007

A few nights ago I had the most fantastic lucid dream of my life.

This experience was far more fulfilling than any other lucid dream I’d ever had. I’ve never had a dream anywhere near this long, with this much control, with so many different dream characters, with so many different dreamscapes and experiences, and all of it with so much clarity of mind.

It was incredibly long. I estimated, while still dreaming, that about an hour had passed.

I became lucid after noticing my face . . . → Read More: The Most Fantastic Lucid Dream Of My Life