Do you find dreams more real than reality?

[Alex-Anderson]

Some of my experiences that have taken place while asleep such as OOBE's, AP's, Lucid Dreams have been so real that they have definitely contributed in mentally shaping my life just as an experience taking place in reality (mentally shaping such as experiences being emotional, spiritual, psychological, and physical).

However I have found that I question the validity of these experiences and if they deserve the same level of attention as one would experience in real life (i.e. it was just a dream or wasn't it).   

I'm not trying to insinuate that I have become somewhat deluded between what happens during my dream states to what happens during my waking hours. But I do question and sometimes find it difficult to trust or differentiate things that happen to me externally to internally. I have also found while mentally categorising and segregating the real from the non-real experience, that it will often impact and pollute the subconscious experience, or visa versa.   

Anyone else with similar issues, or advice?

[Yamabushi]

There really isn't much difference at least phenomenologically speaking, except that you tend to come back to the same "reality-context" when you wake up. Both dream world and waking world are a hologrammic world concocted by the brain(s) via sensorial and emotive information.

I've had dreams that have left very vivid impressions on my memory - more vivid than most impressions even from the shared physical reality you and I experience at the moment. These usually happen when I am purposefully attempting to induce lucid dreaming on a regular basis or doing other Tantric energy work.

[Tiny]

I think the problem is that mainstream science has polluted our minds telling us that dreams are somewhat happening in our heads, which they really don't. What's going on in our heads is merely a reflection of that which is happening in the dream world, which is a place on the MENTAL PLANE in the astral worlds.

Hence it's easy to see that dreams, astral projections and whatnot are as real as waking life if not more real, because our brains really limit our perception of the physical realm.

[Yamabushi]

I think the problem is that mainstream science has polluted our minds telling us that dreams are somewhat happening in our heads, which they really don't. What's going on in our heads is merely a reflection of that which is happening in the dream world, which is a place on the MENTAL PLANE in the astral worlds.

Yeah and really it's more like a representation than a reflection. The original data is NOT retained in the conversion of information (whether receiving it from the so-called physical plane or elsewhere) to the experential "format" of sight, sound, touch, etc. we all know and experience.

[Alex-Anderson]

Yes you are right that in popular culture it is generally accepted that dreams or the experience only take place within the confounds of our heads/imagination - society tends thinks more functionally and logically.

I would also say the subject is often not generally discussed with family, friends or work colleagues on the same level or appreciation to our real life day-to-day activities. I have found when mentioning experiences the general reaction is probably on the same level as discussing the UFO phenomena (conversation going in circles, people generally shrug there shoulders, laugh or no comment). In fact prior to joining this forum I had no other formal way of sharing experiences and looking for answers.

So the depth of the experience and recollection of this alternative reality must only happen to a select few. This alternative reality I would see being composed by our personal understanding of the nature of our consciousness, what we see, our ethics, how we reason, and as Yamabushi mentioned 'phenomenology' perhaps linking them altogether.

But nevertheless the physical world must take priority over how we make up that definition, simply as our primary existence is rooted in the physical real world that we all share. The physical world is the initial place, in which we are conditioned and educated. For instance a newborn has no prior knowledge that can influence its behaviour during the dream state and probably will not until it can differentiate what takes place while awake to what takes place when sleeping (questioning the existence of the surrounding world).

Over time (youth to adulthood +) the knowledge we gain will influence and no doubt probably direct the experience/narrative that takes place during the dream state. This will also be influenced by cultures based on their geographic locations, religious beliefs etc.

So based on that one can say that it remains an important issue where and whether language shapes specific forms of the dream experience (thought, perception, emotion) and their content or meaning and if one can have power over the other.

So if I can experience dream states (AP's OOBE's etc) in what I would associate as reality by the same definition to the real physical world, and maybe consciousness awareness always and essentially involving my sub-consciousness. Then how come I cannot bridge the gap between these two essential levels by being able to validate the existence back to the real physical plane? Quite simply I can never validate an experience thus speculating on the true nuts and bolts of what is taking place during these dreams.

[Xanth]

Alex-Anderson,
Very well put.