...Hardman 11/8/2012 Psych 111 Dreaming A dream is a succession of images, sounds, ideas and emotions that we experience involuntarily while sleeping. Everyone has dreamed at least once in their life, even if they don’t remember it. As a matter of fact everyone experiences six to eight dreams per night, and out of the eight hours of sleep we’re supposed to get each night, two of them are spent dreaming. People aren’t the only animals that can dream. Actually, every mammal is known to have dreams at night, and even some birds. Dreams usually occur during the “rapid eye movement” stage of our sleep, when brain function is high, almost as high as when we’re awake. We most likely remember the dreams that we have during the REM stage because the brain is functioning at such a high rate, but we also dream during other stages of sleep. Those dreams are just harder to remember because the brain is not functioning at the level that it would be during the REM stage. As we all know, dreams can range from exciting and pleasurable, to scary and terrifying. I know that I personally have woken up terrified from a dream, and didn’t want to go back to sleep because I didn’t want to encounter what I was dreaming about again. Usually, we can’t control what we dream about. However, it is a proven fact that a person can induce lucid dreaming if they work at it. Lucid dreaming is when the person who is dreaming is aware of the fact that they are dreaming, and can therefor control their...
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...What Does it Mean to Dream? What does it mean to dream? Why do we dream? In fact, what is dreaming really? In this world, a lot of definitions and answers were formulated to solve this question. Up till now, nobody has actually defined clearly what is dreaming or why do we exactly dream. People after all have different contentions from each other and opinions can play a heavy role in determining a decision. Because of this a lot of prominent psychologists developed different definitions to the meaning of dream. Even before that, Philosophists have already pondered on such an interesting concept. Some say that dreams come from an external source, wanting to communicate with us or convey to us an important message. Others say that dreaming is related to fulfilment… meaning that a dream is essentially something you wish to happen but are either actively repressing it or subconsciously doing it to yourself. Others say that dreams are a reflection of waking life… of what we have experienced translated unto the realm of dreams. But what is dreaming really all about? Dream, otherwise known as Morpheus or Oneiros, and his willy antics extends itself to the realm he presides on. Just like the enigmatic being, the landscape is unpredictable, changing and foreign. It may be rapid in its change or it changes itself in a snail’s pace. There is no limitations to the human mind after all. Anything that can, could and couldn’t happen can be easily conceived and achieved by the mere thought...
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...Lucid Dreaming Ayeisa Chavez SPCH 1311 MW 8:30 am Irma Garcia March 6, 2013 Imagine going to bed one night only to wake up in a whole other world where anything your heart and mind desired became reality. Flying over clouds, breathing underwater, going to any part of the world or even getting to be with that person you so much desire wasn’t impossible anymore. Well there is a way that can be done, and that’s through something called lucid dreaming. After listening to this presentation I hope you will have a better understanding of the world of lucid dreaming and how it can be done. I will begin by explaining to you in detail what it is exactly. Then, you will learn a few of the benefits gained by this experience and some dangers. Last, I will give you a few simple steps to how it can be done. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? I know I was! As explained in an article by Rebecca Turner, Lucid dreaming is the proven ability to become aware while you’re dreaming, to consciously “wake up” inside the dream world and control your dreams. In other words, it’s being able to do as you please while you dream. Marshall Brain researched that when you sleep, your brain goes through several stages of a sleep cycle. The cycle that deals with dreams is REM or rapid eye movement which takes up 20 to 25% of sleep and your brain is basically shut off during this period of time. Your body becomes paralyzed except for the eyelids and the part of the brain that deals with logic is shut...
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...tired or bored, one will eventually dream in one way or another. Lucid dreaming is a term created by Frederik van Eeden that is used to describe a dream in which one is aware that he/she is dreaming. This type of dreaming is considered by many as a higher level of consciousness. Most people do not know what lucid dreaming is and those who do rarely are aware of how to realize that they are dreaming, let alone actually manipulate their dreams. Lucid dreaming can have many benefits in one’s life, whether it’s relieving stress, learning or studying, having fun, etc. Also, there is little risk in dreaming lucidly, since dreams do not take place in the physical world. Anything that can benefit many people with little risk should be readily available and encouraged. Dreaming lucidly fits this description yet is not studied often, and on top of that, is not taken very seriously within the scientific community. Lucid dreaming should be a topic that is taught and discussed more often than is currently in everyday life. To understand lucid dreaming, one must understand the two different types of “life”. One of which is waking life, which you probably can guess, refers to one’s life while they are awake. The other of which, is dreaming life, which refers to one’s life while asleep. The special thing about lucid dreaming is that it encompasses both of these ideas into one. That is to say, that you are dreaming and consciously aware of that fact simultaneously. This all sounds simple...
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...What if you could conquer your fears, phobias, overcome mental blocks, and release chronic pain or stress while you were sleeping? With lucid dreaming, it's a possibility. Charlie Morley, teacher of the Tibetan Buddhist practice of dream yoga, has experienced the power of the dream state in healing. He teaches lucid dreaming to numerous people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder—including ex-soldiers, victims of terrorist attacks, and those who experienced abuse during childhood—as a means to not only cure nightmares, but he says "to open people up to view their nightmares as a call for help rather than an attack from the unconscious." A lot of our fears, traumas, and the shadow aspects of psyche that we have unconsciously rejected...
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...scientist wonder the same thing. The sci-fi adventure hit movie,INCEPTION has sparked massive new interest in the concept of lucid dreaming. Lucidity means becoming conscious and self-aware in your dreams, turning the dreamscape into a vivid virtual reality where everything you see, hear, feel, taste and even smell will be just as authentic real life. Tibetan monks have used dream control for more than a thousand years in a philosophy called Dream Yoga. However the modern term ‘lucid dreaming’ was not coined until the 20th century by the Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Van Eeden, meaning ‘mental clarity in dreams’ . The concept of lucid dreams were popularized by Celia Green in the 1960 s. She was the first to point out the link that false awakenings make way to lucid dreams. False awakenings are essentially ultra vivid dreams in which you are convinced you have woken up in physical reality. Yet many such awakenings go unrecognized assumed to be waking reality as they involve things one does everyday on autopilot such as getting up, having breakfast, getting dressed and heading out for work. It thus reveals the remarkable capacity of the human brain to emulate reality. But in normal dreams our self-awareness is shut down. That’s why we often feel fuzzy and distant. Lucidity occurs during altered states of consciousness when you realize you are dreaming and your brain switches into waking mode inside the dream. This is a safe and natural state. It is not a literal out of body experience...
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...With lucid dreaming becoming more popular, experienced lucid dreamers are getting out from the underground and speak to there non-practicing mates about abilities to control the dream. Often, to their surprise, my dreaming mates realise, that their friends, who never thought about lucid dreaming, lucid dream all the time. Or, at least they say so. I personally met quite a few people who claim to always know they're dreaming. For many, it seems to be the natural ability - they've known they dream since they were kids, and there's nothing magical or surprising to them. Nothing special, at all. So, what is lucidity all about? Speaking to these "natural lucid dreamers", i've asked them, what they normally do when they realise they're in a dream. I've heard two answers most often: "I wake up" (or sometimes, "I get so excited that i wake up"); "I find a hot lady/guy and ..." Is this lucid? I don't really think so. It has some degree of lucidity, although it's really far from what i'm looking for. In these dreams, people don't have much of control to their dreams - they are like occasional sparks of consciousness - and then they either wake up, or follow the first natural instinct "I'm dreaming and i can do whatever i like". For me, when i become lucid, the first thing i do is reality check (step 1). The checks i use most often follow: Look at my hands and try to compare them with the image of my "real" hands; Jump in attempt to fly; Look at the watch or switch...
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...During REM sleep dreams can be characterized as being nonsensical, bizarre, and the individual is left unaware that they are dreaming. Certain neural patterns describe this state, such as, the deactivation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Contrastly, lucid dreaming describes a state of sleep where the individual is aware that they are dreaming. Lucid dreaming can also be characterized by increase of 40-Hz wave activity and coherence in the frontal region of the brain. It is interesting to note that lucid dreamers are able to communicate their state by eye movements that can be tracked by an electrooculogram. Apart from the awesome idea of being aware that one is dream, lucid dreaming also have some benefits, such as, treating nightmares. In order to understand the neural changes in lucid dreaming and examine its neural correlates EEG and fMRI techniques were used in this study to compare lucid vs non-lucid REM sleep....
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...mysterious, but understanding the meaning of our dreams can be downright baffling. The content of our dreams can shift suddenly, feature bizarre elements or frighten us with terrifying imagery. The fact that dreams can be so rich and compelling is what causes many to believe that there must be some meaning to our dreams. Why do we dream? Some researchers suggest that dreams serve no real purpose, while others believe that dreaming is essential to mental, emotional and physical well-being. Although there is not much agreement on why we dream there are some interesting theories around. One possibility is that our minds are running us through the worst-case scenario during sleep. Disaster preparation you could say. For example if a new mother was to dream of losing her baby she is rehearsing what it would feel like for that to actually happen. So our dreams are just fire drills? Another possibility is that dreaming is actually aiding learning. Some researchers have found that performance on physical tasks is actually enhanced by dreaming about it. Whatever the reason for why we dream it has been proven through therapy that dreams can reveal certain aspects of ourselves that we were not aware were there. Dreams are also thought to help people find solutions to problems. Despite this, dream interpretation has becoming increasingly popular. While research has not demonstrated a purpose for dreams, many experts believe that dreams do have meaning....
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...thinking that holds them back? These are questions that I often ask my students all the time. In return I offer, “Isn’t amazing how people only dream of greatness?” I have never heard of anyone dreaming of failure or aspiring to be unsuccesful. Failure does not plau any part in dreaming. It is the dreamer that instills failure, not the dream. I have read of many very successful dreamers that failed numerous times before they experienced success. The difference is that failure was not going to end their dreams onlu motivate them to dream bigger. Dreaming is the easy part. Acting on the dream is harder. Recognize that dream is a journey. On the simplest level, it takes commitment, time, desire, and courage. But rarely is something great easily realized. I challenge everyone to reach for your dream. Do not be afraid to dream. If you can dream it, you can do it! Many of the people that impacted history came from humble beginnings. We can easily look to the Bible to discover humble greatness. Moses immediately comes to mind. He stuttered and God chose him to speak to Pharaoh. He felt inadequate and unable to achieve the greatness God had laid before Him. God often chooses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. “Those who lose dreaming are lost” – Unknown Dreaming is recognizing and embracing the potential for greatness and seeking it in all areas of your life. Believe in your dreams and your ability to accomplish them. Keep your dreams in front of...
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...one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly. Dreaming, Vol. 1, No.4, 1991 The Effects of Dream Length on the Relationship Between Primary Process in Dreams and Creativity Glenn Livingston l and Ross Levin l ,2 The effects of dream length on the relationship between primaty process in dreams and a measure of creativity unconfounded by IQ was investigated in a sample of 93 graduate students using the Auld, Goldenberg, & Weiss (1968) Scale of Primary Process Thought (SPPT) and a modified Wallach-Kogan (1965) creativity batte/yo Consistent with previous research, total and mean primary process were found to correlate significantly with creativity (r = .28, P < .01 and r = .23, P < .05, respectively). Both significant relationships disappeared, however, once the effects of dream length were partialled out, confirming Wood, Sebba, & Domino's (1989-90) contention that this relationship may be artifactual. It is suggested that dream length as an individual difference in and of itself may thus be a more fruitful variable to examine in future research investigating the relationship between creativity and dreams. KEY WORDS: dreaming; dream length; primary process; creativity. The contention that creativity and dreaming may reflect similar psychological processes has long been maintained by both the lay public and philosophers alike. In support of this, both the anecdotal...
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...seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, but some may have up to seven dreams in one night.[4] The dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[5] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware. Dreams can at times make a creative thought occur to the person or give a sense of inspiration.[6] Opinions about the meaning of dreams have varied and shifted through time and culture. The earliest recorded dreams were acquired from materials dating back approximately 5000 years, in Mesopotamia, where they were...
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...1983. This story is hard to understand for me. It seems like a split personality patient telling me a story about how he talked to himself. He said it was a dream. But even in a dream, in my experience I can’t have two of myself at the same time. If I am in the dream as a character, (Sometimes I dreamed about others and I didn’t even show up in my own dream) most of the time I knew I was dreaming. The pictures in my dreams are black and white. So if I am in a world without any other color, I will know I am dreaming. But there is a scary question I am wondering. Like what the narrator said, “Who is dreaming whom? I know I am dreaming you, I do not know if you are dreaming me. ” What if we can share our dream at the same time? For example, I was dreaming about my mother who is thousands miles away from me and we have the time difference, 12 hours+. I know she was in my dream and we talked about the tuition of Berklee is getting much higher than before. Then my mother had the same dream at the same time. So when she called me, she said she was dreaming about me, and I realize we were dreaming about each other. But we can’t leave any message in our dreams before we talk to each other and we appeared both of our dreams. But the narrator’s dream is scary too. His another himself wanted to suicide. Why he is still alive? If they really share the dream, once the dreamer died, the character would die too. That’s the logic. But anyway. That’s what I thought from the story. The Daughters...
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...Title: Sweet Dreams Topic: Dreams General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: By the end of my speech, my audience will have a greater understanding of dreams. Introduction I. Attention-getting device: Did you know that we spend an average of six years of our lives dreaming? (Dream Moods, Inc., 2010) II. Relevance to the audience: Even though some of us may not remember our dreams, everyone dreams! III. Ethos: I personally am one of those people who rarely remember their dreams, but the study of dreams is something that has always intrigued me. IV. Central idea: Dreams are an important topic because everyone dreams. V. Preview of main points: Today I would like to share some information with you about the history, types, and interpretations of dreams. Transition: First of all I am going to briefly define dreams and tell you a bit about their history. Body I. A dream can be defined many different ways, but according to Webster’s dictionary a dream is a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. (Merriam-Webster, 2011) a. The first recorded dream dates back to seventh century BC and was also the first recorded story: The Chronicle of Gilgamesh. A story about “the hero’s journey,” which was recorded on clay tablets in Assyria. b. In the era of the Old Testament God spoke to humans by way of dreams. For example, Daniel ‘s dream interpretation saved him for death in the lion’s den. c. In ancient Greece the study of dreams becomes more complex and...
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...Ryan Young CLA 325 3/10/11 Critical reviwe Do you ever have a dream that you have when your asleep and when u wake up it and u don’t remember? In the article Forgotten Fantasies? Modernity, Reenchantment, and Dream Consciousness by Raymond L. M. lee stats that “dreams are quickly forgotten and attempted recalls are difficult. We may remember some dreams or fragments of some dreams, but it is rare that our memory can provide unproblematic access to the detailed aspect of any singular dream or to the sequential unfolding of several dreams.” (pg288) When I think about this I feel that this is true because when I have dream and when I wake I have problems recalling my drams when I wake in the morning. Later in the article Lewis that “most people tend not to be in the habit of activating that power (to remember dreams). Unless dreams have significant meaning or arouse strong emotions, they have little immediate recall value and become cosigned to the waste bins of our memory.”(Pg289) If you think about this is significantly true it might not be to you but to me it is because all the dreams I remember are dreams that has great meaning or has some personal message connected to it. In the next part of the article Lewis starts talking about the cultures or dreams consciousness and memory. In this part Lewis talks about historic views of dreams by cultures. Most of these cultures we went over in class like the Babylon, Greece and rome. He talks about how some cultures view dreams...
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