~ Dreams at Night ~

[SilverYarrow]

I am going to put this here for now. For it is a topic that many cultures have in their beliefs somehow and something we all do every night. A place to write, talk and share the dreams you have at night. And if you are like me, maybe get some help in understanding them better.

For example of one that I wish to understand. I had this sometime ago. Why there was a guy standing over my bed wanting to kill me! I could not move or speak. I tried to call out for help and move to defend myself or even move away from him but I was not able to....

[Yavanna Firithule]

I've had one a bit like that before, exsept it was me tring to kill me, if you see what I mean (there was two of me!) and I had the dream for ages and ages. But now for some reason I've stopped having it! ;D

SY- This is a great Idea for a thread, it's good to talk about dreams, it can help you to understand them better!

[SilverYarrow]

Hmm...you have had them too.

Plus I know that sometimes when you tell someone else your dreams that can help you learn the reason behind them. For, I know anyways, with me that most of my dreams there is a meaning to it. I just have to learn what it is and that is the fun part.

This dream that the guy was trying to kill me. I was laying in my own bed! What scared me the most was the fact I could not move or cry out for help! That and this guy is wanting to kill me.

[Malaika]

LOL, oh yea your not the only one my step sister's mom was trying to kill me and it was SO freaky and scary! and I didn't know why she was trying to get rid of me or kill me, that is something that hasn't happen before and now it has in my dream!

[SilverYarrow]

I have had dreams about my step-mother from...nm. However in my dreams I am always making her mad by saying somethings!

[Malaika]

ok I had a dream last night and it was SO weird I had a dream that a fire warrior/person gave not only me, but some other ppl, power of the four elements, but I think he gave the "spirit" one to someone else I am not so sure, I had earth and he gave it to the five of us and he said that if you like wave it in a tiny circle to the color of your element power would come out of it, and it was a tiny sack that was filled with a powder of the element he gave me and it was covered with deer skin and tied with a green string and a leaf attached to it and it was the size of a ball, like a pool table ball.

And this boy oh god he was like very friendly, and he had water and I had earth and both of us were talking and whatnot and he stuck with me, I guess I dont know why, but he looked familar in a way.

the rest of the ppl who had the rest of the elements stuck with us, because they thought that we knew how to do this or that and that they were afraid of being by themselves.

Next thing we are at a club and I am talking to the boy, truth be told I think he had a crush on me, and can't stop looking at him, I think he had black/blue eyes that twinkle and i blush.

then I am all bymyself and then my sack of powder broke and I had a laundry basket in my hands and it appeared ant it was filled with the powder, the powder was pink, then three christians in white...ALL white come up to me and started talking to me and then they thought that the pink powder was candy and they started to eat it, and when I smelled it, it did smell like candy, then couple of ppl came and grabbed some, I was like HEY and growled, but you know whats funny? the pink powder some how grew and then I tried to

put it back in the deer skin, but the deer skin had a hole in it and then the boy appeared and said if I was alright and he looked and then magically helped. I swear to god that sometimes I REALLy know him, like he is one of my guardians or something. who knows.

and that is it.

The rest of my dreams........that continued after this......I have not a clue.

all I can remember is that I was going to somewhere, where there is the water and land, maybe a beach? or somewhat and that is it.

[SilverYarrow]

Intreasting dream there Mal. If I remember correctly deer skin was used to make bags for things. That is saying I remember correctly. Then again it is very possible for deer skin what used alot. I know for like clothing. For it is soft. I should know I have something to go at the end of your hair that is made of deer skin that a friend made for me. (like a pony tail holder)

Then the elements...hmmm....intrea

[Yavanna Firithule]

Now a days my dreams are mostaly E.S.P (extra sensory perseption, thats when you have a dream the at some point your dream happens it's a sort of seeing the future) I haven't gained any kind of control over it yet and it's pretty random, but it's kind of nice to be walking down the street and think..."that woman in the red jumper is going to drop her bag" and then it happens, there's a sort of comfort in it being minor. Like I wouldn't like to knowsome thing big before it happens!
well that's about it for now!

[SilverYarrow]

One thing I have found that is very help to me anyways are those wonderful things called DreamCatchers! They helped me not only remember my dreams, helped me learn things a good number of things, and how to deal with my nightmares/bad dreams. I still have them even though I sleep under one but I am not so afraid because I know it is telling me something very important.

I to have had psychic type dreams. I have them and then sometime later they really do happen. My mom knows this and it is one reason why I WELL NOT live in Washington state at all!! I have seen what is going to happen there and I am not to be in that state when things "go down."

[Malaika]

my dreams have been blurred, I think i 'll just buy a dream catcher i know that I had one , but I threw it away, I dont know I just did anyways I'll just have to buy one, but buying one can be tough.

[SilverYarrow]

Okay, I am need of help before I lose my mind. I do not know who can help me but I need help!! (you'll learn why here in a moment)

For over a month now, about 2 to 3 times a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. I have bad dreams. I do sleep under a dreamcatcher and yes I have even cleansed it. However, this did not work. Matter of fact I dear not sleep without it! I went on a trip and well I need my dreamcatcher!!

So my question to all of you, do you know someone who might be able to help me figure out why I am having these bad dreams that would be true nightmares if I did not have a Dreamcatcher?

[Faraday]

Just posting this info I have which probably wont help but is interesting...

What is a nightmare?

A nightmare is a very distressing dream which usually forces at least partial awakening. The dreamer may feel any number of disturbing emotions in a nightmare, such as anger, guilt, sadness or depression, but the most common feelings are fear and anxiety. Nightmare themes may vary widely from person to person and from time to time for any one person. Probably the most common theme is being chased. Adults are commonly chased by an unknown male figure whereas children are commonly chased by an animal or some fantasy figure.


Who has nightmares?

Just about everyone has them at one time or another. The majority of children have nightmares between the ages of three or four and seven or eight. These nightmares appear to be a part of normal development, and do not generally signal unusual problems. Nightmares are less common in adults, though studies have shown that they too may have nightmares from time to time. About 5-lO% have nightmares once a month or more frequently.


What causes nightmares?

There are a number of possibilities. Some nightmares can be caused by certain drugs or medications, or by rapid withdrawal from them, or by physical conditions such as illness and fever. The nightmares of early childhood likely reflect the struggle to learn to deal with normal childhood fears and problems. Many people experience nightmares after they have suffered a traumatic event, such as surgery, the loss of a loved one, an assault or a severe accident. The nightmares of combat veterans fall into this category. The content of these nightmares is typically directly related to the traumatic event and the nightmares often occur over and over. Other people experience nightmares when they are undergoing stress in their waking lives, such as difficulty or change on the job or with a loved one, moving, pregnancy, financial concerns, etc. Finally, some people experience frequent nightmares that seem unrelated to their waking lives. These people tend to be more creative, sensitive, trusting and emotional than average.


What can be done about nightmares?

It really depends on the source of the nightmare. To rule out drugs, medications or illness as a cause, discussion with a physician is recommended. It is useful to encourage young children to discuss their nightmares with their parents or other adults, but they generally do not need treatment. If a child is suffering from recurrent or very disturbing nightmares, the aid of a therapist may be required. The therapist may have the child draw the nightmare, talk with the frightening characters, or fantasize changes in the nightmare, in order help the child feel safer and less frightened .


The nightmares which repeat a traumatic event reflect a normal psychic healing process, and will diminish in frequency and intensity if recovery is progressing. If after several weeks no change is noted, consultation with a therapist is advisable.


Adults' nightmares offer the same opportunity as other dreams for self-exploration and understanding. With practice, the dreamer can often learn to decode the visual and symbolic language of the dream and to see relationships between the dream and waking life. The nightmare by nature is distressing, however, and the dreamer may need to reduce the distress before looking more closely at the meaning of the dream. Some techniques for reducing the distress of the nightmare include writing it down, drawing or painting it, talking in fantasy to the characters, imaging a more pleasant ending, or simply reciting it over several times. The more relaxed the dreamer can be while using these techniques the better. A number of good books are available for learning how to understand dreams. Alternately, the dreamer may wish to ask a therapist for assistance.


Sometimes nightmares are related to intense stress or emotional conflict that is best dealt with in consultation with a therapist. One should not hesitate to consult a therapist when in doubt.


It may be surprising to learn that many people are not really disturbed by their nightmares, even though the experiences themselves are distressing. Research has shown that about half of people who have quite frequent nightmares regard them as fascinating and creative acts of their minds, and either view them as very interesting or dismiss them as "just dreams". This illustrates the fact that one's attitude toward nightmares is quite important.


What about night terrors?

Night terrors are something quite different. Nightmares tend to occur after several hours of sleep, screaming or moving about is very uncommon, the dream is usually elaborate and intense, and the dreamer realizes soon after wakening that he or she has had a dream. Night terrors, on the other hand, occur during the first hour or two of sleep, loud screaming and thrashing about are common, the sleeper is hard to awaken and usually remembers no more than an overwhelming feeling or a single scene, if anything. Nightmares and night terrors arise from different physiological stages of sleep. Children who have night terrors also may have a tendency to sleepwalk and/or urinate in bed. The causes of night terrors are not well understood. Children usually stop having them by puberty.

They may be associated with stress in adults. A consultation with a physician may be useful if the night terrors are frequent or especially disturbing.

[Faraday]

Some evidence has appeared in psychotherapy literature indicating that rehearsal (i.e., re-dreaming) can help people overcome recurrent nightmares. Geer and Silverman successfully treated an otherwise normal patient who suffered for fifteen years from a recurrent nightmare with five sessions of relaxation followed by seven sessions of mentally re-experiencing the nightmare (rehearsal).
The frequency of nightmares decreased only after the third rehearsal session, when the patient was instructed to say to himself "It's just a dream." After the sixth rehearsal session, several weeks later, the nightmare disappeared.
Marks described a case in which a recurrent nightmare of fourteen years' duration disappeared after the patient relived the dream three times while awake and then wrote three accounts of the nightmare with triumphant endings.
Bishay treated seven cases of nightmares with simple rehearsal of the nightmare and/or rehearsal with an altered ending.
A one-year follow-up of five patients in the latter study
showed complete relief from nightmares in the four patients who successfully imagined masterful endings, and marked improvement in a patient who was only able to imagine a neutral outcome.

Rehearsal re-dreaming is done while awake. However, a similar technique can be practiced during the recurrent nightmare, if the dreamer is lucid. Instead of imagining how the dream might turn out if the dreamer tried something new, while lucid the dreamer can try the alternative action right there in the nightmare.
The resultant resolution should be all the more empowering, because of the enhanced reality of the dream experience.
Practicing altering the course of recurrent nightmares both in waking and dreaming may be even more effective.
Sometimes, the waking re-dreaming exercise is enough to resolve the problem created in the dream so that it
never recurs again. However, if the dream does occur again, then the dreamer should be prepared to become lucid and consciously face the problem. The exercise below incorporates both re-entry techniques.



EXERCISE: RE-DREAMING RECURRENT NIGHTMARES

1. Recall and record the recurrent nightmare.
If you have had a particular nightmare more than once, recall it in as much detail as you can, and write it down. Examine it for points where you could influence the turn of events by doing something differently.

2. Choose a re-entry point and new action.
Choose a specific part of the dream to change, and a specific new action that you would like to try at that point to alter the course of the dream. Also select the most relevant point before the trouble-spot at which to re-enter the dream. (If it is a long dream, you may wish to begin at the part that immediately precedes the unpleasant events).

3. Relax completely.
Find a time and place where you can be alone and
uninterrupted for between ten and twenty minutes. In a
comfortable position, close your eyes and relax as described in EXERCISE: PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION. ***I can post this relaxing exercise if you like***

4. Re-dream the nightmare, seeking resolution.
Beginning at the entry point you chose in Step 2, imagine you are back in the dream. Visualize the dream happening as it did before until you reach the part at which you have chosen to try a new behavior. See yourself doing the new action, and then continue imagining the dream until you discover what effect your alteration has on its outcome.

5. Evaluate your re-dreamed resolution.
When the imagined dream has ended, open your eyes. Write down what happened as if it were a normal dream report. Note how you feel about the new dream resolution. If you are not satisfied, and still feel uncomfortable about the dream, try the exercise again with a new alternative action. Possibly, achieving a comfortable resolution with the waking exercise will be enough to stop the recurrence of the nightmare.

6. If the dream recurs, follow your re-dreamed plan of
action.
If the dream occurs again, do in the dream what you
visualized during waking re-entry. Remember that the dream cannot harm you and be firmly resolved to carry through with your new behavior.

[Faraday]

For anyone who doesnt know about Dreamcatchers this is for you...

LEGEND OF THE DREAMCATCHER

Long ago when the world was young, an old lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a scared language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand.

As he spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the elders willow hoop which had feathers, horse hairs, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web. He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life....how we begin our lives as infants and we move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle.

Iktomi said, "In each time of life there are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the hawrmony of nature, and also with the great spirit and all of his wonderful teachings." Iktomi gave the web to the Lakota elder and said, "See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a hole in the center of the cirlce. If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good dreams and ideas - - and the bad ones will go through the hole. Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your people's ideas, dreams and visions."

The Lakota elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Lakota's use the dreamcatcher as the web of their life. It is hung above their beds or in their home to sift their dreams and visions. The good of their dreams is captured in the web of life and carried with them...but the evil in their dreams escapes through the center hole, and are no longer part of them.

[SilverYarrow]

I always wondered what trible it was that "started" the DreamCatcher. Now I know, my lesson for the day and I love making DreamCatchers, granted I have not made one in years!

Well I can say this from what I read from what you wrote. I do have nightmares and night terrors. I know that some are from stress and some other issues that I was not facing that I did not know where even bugging me.

The only drug I am taking is a pain killer but I only started taking that on Friday April 11th. Why I am taking this is because I had all four wisdom teeth pulled. (yeah! I am glad they got pulled and the only thing that I was scaried about was the IV part only because I have a GREAT fear of shoots, needles and IV's)

I do write my dreams down, good or bad because I believe dreams do tell us things. That and my mom likes it because it helps me remember my dreams and well she likes to know if something bad happens. (yes I have dreamt of things and then they came true, there are a few I hope that do not!)

Thank you for this information. It has given me somethings to think about and things to look into as well. Thank you again!