Fight or Flight When Faced with Fear

[Selski]

Hello fellow dreamers

I'd like share a rather interesting dream I had just last night.  It was non-lucid at all times.

It goes like this...

I was on a grassy slope a few minutes walk away from my parents house.  It was summer time.  I vaguely remember wearing a summer skirt and blouse, hence my assumption it was summer.  I had a cup of coffee and some papers with me that I was reading.  These papers are the beginnings of a book that I am writing (in physical reality) and I was checking them over for spelling/grammatical mistakes and so on.  All was peaceful, although there was a road not too far from me, but it was reasonably quiet - the odd car passed by occasionally.

Suddenly a man on a motorbike turned off the main road and came onto the side road near where I was sitting.  He had an ordinary bike which was black and wore full black leather gear, with a dark helmet.  The visor was down.

As I looked round (because the noise had disturbed me) I had my first fear that he might come up onto the grassy slope and try to "get" me.

Hey... guess what happened.  

So he rode onto the slope and stopped his bike.  

I then decided (not lucidly remember) to face him, so I walked over to him confidently and as he took his helmet off, I said "hello there, can I do anything to help you."

He looked perfectly ordinary, not demonish or scary, but he grinned and pointed to his crotch with both hands and started to say, "these two... "

I then realised that his intentions were not gentlemanly and he had in fact stopped with the sole intention of "getting" me.

I blocked myself from hearing any more of his words and decided to levitate - just by thinking about it.  (I've been doing this in my dreams ever so often in the last few months.)

As I rose off the ground, he was still talking and then he realised what I was doing.

I was about 5ft up by now and he laughed and I could hear him say, "don't worry, I'll grab you when you can't get any higher, you won't get away."

My body faltered in mid-air, but I wasn't going to let him manipulate me into believing that I couldn't do this so I turned my face away from him and up towards the sky.  I put my right arm straight up and willed myself higher and higher, away from him.

I kept going for some time and when I felt I was about 50ft high and 20ft away from him, I then realised I was safe.  I'd done it.

And I promptly awoke.

This dream has some wonderful qualities to it.  Firstly, my bravery in facing the man (whose image obviously represented some sort of fear, being that he was dressed in black on a motorbike [I've never been on a bike and would be rather scared to do so]), and that he interrupted my peacefulness.

And the levitation is wonderful too, not only to naturally start to lift off the ground, but then after he nearly got me again, to be determined enough to continue going upwards and away.

It could be that I'm able to "rise above my fears".

It also has one or two not-so-wonderful qualities to it of course as well.  I haven't worked out what the motorbike man represents.  I mean, I know it's a fear, but I don't know of what ilk yet.  And I'm not altogether happy that having faced that fear ("hello, how can I help you?") to find the fear not go away.  Normally when I face my dream fear symbols and ask them something out of the blue and totally unexpected, they stumble and succumb.

However, if anyone else has any ideas, feel free to post.  I do know that I'm the only one who can fully interpret it.  

Does anyone else regularly levitate in their dreams?  I love it - I do it when I'm lucid and when I'm not lucid.  It's a great feeling.  I just seem to know that I can do it - as easy as walking.  

Sarah

[catmeow]

Hi Sarah

As for the dream interpretation I think dreams are best interpretted by the dreamer, I've found that all so called dream-interpretation guides or books are always way off the mark.  So trust your instincts - you will be right!

Having said that though i'd say your dream was just a minor anxiety type dream, in which you became semi-lucid and this enabled you to fly away from the danger.  There's also clearly a strong element of triumph over adversity in it!  I've had dreams like this too, and like you I also experienced a "height barrier" when floating away from danger.  I think your dream is completely typical of the LD personality type.

Regarding levitation in dreams, I (very) regularly fly and levitate in dreams and have done so for many years.  I love doing this.  Quite often this is a precursor to full lucidity.  But if I don't become fully lucid then the mere fact that I'm levitating always means that I'm actually semi-lucid in that I realise it's a dream but I'm not critical enough to take full control of it.  For me these semi-lucid dreams still have the same hallmark magical quality of a fully lucid LD.... and are very satisfying when remembered in the morning!

Don't know if this helps you at all, but you're certainly not alone!

[Selski]

Thanks for responding catmeow.

I guess you're right about being semi-lucid as there must be some level of awareness to realise that you can do things like levitate because you are dreaming.  Cool  

Yes, levitation dreams are amazing, I always enjoy mine.  As I said, I've only recently started to have them regularly.  

I remember having them as a child.  I used to dream I was at assembly and I'd be sat on the floor cross-legged with all the other children, and would slowly rise.  I also remember dreaming about being in P.E. (I hated P.E.) and we were learning to climb the rope.  In my dream, I simply floated up the rope to the ceiling where I bobbed about a bit, and looked down on everyone  

Now that you have told me that for you they can be a precursor to full lucidity, I'm hoping the same will become so for me.  

Thanks! :approve:

Sarah

[catmeow]

Hi Sarah

I haven't as yet figured out the relationship between dreams, LD and OBE.  Many people don't differentiate but I suspect there is a difference between them, ie it may be possible to "wake up" from a flying dream to find yourself actually OBE.  A number of OBE authors have described exactly this.  But whatever the relationship, LD and OBE are I believe closely related.  LD is a dream occurring simultaneously with an OBE or else an incompletely remembered or low quality OBE.

So I would say that your early dreams of levitating and floating are in some way related to OBE's - either a dream caused by an OBE or a dimly remembered OBE itself.  I've seen many interpretations for flying dreams and I can categorically state that they are all way way off the mark at least in my case.

Other OBE-related dreams are:

Skiing, quickly, easily, downhill and uphill
Ice-skating, effortlessly
Spinning on the spot indefinitely
Riding a bike, effortlessly, long distances
Running long distances, giant strides withe ease
Diving from a high board
Swimming underwater without having to breath
Any form of movement over land quickly with ease
Flying in a plane, either as a passenger or at the controls

etc, etc

You may not see the connection, but I regularly have all of these types of dreams and they all have the same quality to me.  They all have the magical quality of effortless movement over distance with speed.  I suspect the underlying cause of these dreams is actually an ongoing OBE which is translated into the dream mind as effortless movement.

Your early levitation dreams IMO would then fall into this category!

[Selski]

Hi catmeow

Like you, I'm not sure of the connection (or difference) between dreams, lucid dreams and OBEs.  

I do know that "RTZ" OBEs feel so much different to LDs.  Perhaps when we create the environment of our own room/physical world, (assuming we are NOT actually in it), the physical beliefs we have are harder to let go of.

They are all linked in some way – they may even be the same thing but we perceive them differently – I don't know. :dont-know:

Even just taking one of them, say lucid dreams, there are different types (or "levels") of lucid dreams so you could break those down and label them.  Low level awareness, high level awareness, full clarity, living reality, fuzzy hazy, etc etc.

I used to fly like superman as a child in my dreams – I wonder whether they were some form of OBE.  My recollection of them now (30-odd years later) is still reasonably clear.  I remember the sensation of flying, of looking down at the little planet below me.  Of course then, my flying ability was second-to-none (because I didn't have any doubts that I could fly I suppose).  These days, when I get a chance to have a "go" at flying during an OBE (RTZ), I'm like a giraffe on ice skates!!  Beliefs, beliefs, beliefs.

You mention swimming underwater.  I used to have recurring dreams of drowning.  Not every night, but every few months or so.  I'd be under the water holding my breath and just when I realised I could hold it no longer, I'd wake up.

These days, I know I can breathe under water and it doesn't bother me.  Don't know why or how (or even when) that changed, but it's possibly another fear that I've overcome.

And I often dream I'm having an OBE.  What these are all about is anyone's guess.  They seem to be 33.33% dream, 33.33% LD and 33.33% OBE.  Don't ask me what the 0.001% is!

Perhaps there are times when our dreams overlap our OBEs and hence we perceive we are dreaming about having an OBE.  When in actual fact we are doing both.   :doh:

Brain getting befuddled now.  Think I'll stop and have a nice cup of tea...

Sarah

[GeKKo]

Yes, levitation dreams are amazing, I always enjoy mine.  As I said, I've only recently started to have them regularly.  

Perhaps not a very useful comment to you,
but I wanted to point out that levitation is merely an 'action'
(albeit a fun one) in your dreams, and you shouldn't
rely on the fact that if you are able to levitate in your
dreams that those dreams will be pleasant.
( I am just stating this because one of the most vivid
nightmares I have had included me being able to levitate/fly
- but then again I am almost always able to do so in dreams)

Nice going getting away from him btw...

- This is not really on topic - but you mentioned having a ceiling
height to which you can fly ? Could you elaborate on this ?
I dont really have a ceiling height, but I have that if I go above
a certain height, that I cannot safely return (because the fall
back to the world would develop more speed than I can counter
with my flying ability). Also happens that I "drift off" too far if
I fly too high, and cannot return to the previous dream-scenery...

cheers !

[Selski]

(I am just stating this because one of the most vivid nightmares I have had included me being able to levitate/fly - but then again I am almost always able to do so in dreams)

Hi Gekko

No problems.  I understand that levitation could occur in a nightmare too.  I suppose the dream I had could be termed a "less than pleasant" one, but what is interesting is that I don't think I've ever had a nightmare!  

Perhaps when I was very little I may have had.  I remember being scared out of my wits when I stayed with my Grandma because the room I slept in had a little cupboard and, for some unknown reason, I was frightened of what was inside the cupboard.  Mind you, this was when I was awake, but maybe I'd had a nightmare about something nasty in the cupboard which triggered the fear.

But apart from that, I can say I don't have them.  It could be that I'm able to diffuse a potential nightmare situation before it gets bad.  Or I wake myself up.  I can do that when I sense danger in my dreams.  And I know exactly how to do it.  My mind thinks, "oh-uh, this doesn't look good, I think I'll wake up now," and I mentally jolt my head as hard as I can which has the effect of jolting me awake.  This happens even when I'm not having a lucid dream (although when I say to myself "I think I'll wake up now" I'm obviously partially lucid to realise I'm dreaming).

I guess I've been lucky with my levitation dreams - they tend to be good!

This is not really on topic - but you mentioned having a ceiling height to which you can fly ? Could you elaborate on this ?

This might be more for catmeow who mentioned a height barrier.  Mine was simply a wobble when the man told me I couldn't get away.  I believe I awoke at 50ft (or whatever it was) because I realised that I was then safe.  I could have gone higher had I wished, but safety was foremost in my mind.

Sarah

[wisp]

Hi Selki,
I haven't had much computer time any more. So, I have to read fast and hopefully come up with a quick response without much pondering (as I did once upon a time  ).

Anyway, toward the end of last year and more in this new year, my recalled dreams and experiences have been picking up.

One of these dreams was a levitation dream. My levitation is very traditional, in a lying position in mid air in a room, as if above my bed (bedroom scene).

Besides the levitation awareness, I've discovered that I have quite the command (or control) of my dreams. My dreams always turn out the way I want (involving myself only?). I'm not sure how I developed this? It may have to do with self empowerment or will. A very clear dream I recently had involved me running out of road while driving in my vehicle (my son was with me in this vehicle). I noticed there was no road under my car.I quickly willed my car back on solid ground.I was fine but I noticed my son hanging on the edge of the cliff. He didn't make it. It was horrific to watch him fall off the edge of the cliff. The only thing I could figure is that I cannot control other people's choices, and the results that follow.

I wonder.

[catmeow]

This is not really on topic - but you mentioned having a ceiling height to which you can fly ? Could you elaborate on this ?

This might be more for catmeow who mentioned a height barrier.

Hi, yup I mentioned a height barrier.  This is simply a psychological barrier I have about flying too high.  I like to fly to the tops of tall buildings and stand on the roof, but as I get close to the roof it becomes difficult to fly higher.  I'm sure this is just a psycholgical thing, there is no real practical height barrier.  I invariably defeat this barrier anyway, get onto the roof and enjoy the view!

In physical life I really have no or very little fear of heights in fact I love heights!  The higher the better.  In a LD I love to step off high cliffs etc in the certain knowledge that I won't be harmed!

I've flown vertically out into space and watched as the world turned into a blue-green circle.  Then descended back down again...  fun!

Oh by the way Sarah, I too have dreamed that I was having an OBE!  For example I've dreamt that I was sleeping in a bed in my previous house, and from this bed I "exited"?!!!  I have to say that these "dreams of OBE's" are uncontrolled ramblings, just like ordinary dreams, and are less like the kind of controlled critical experiences I have when I "exit" from a semi-wakeful state in my correct bed!  But it's very hard to distinguish philosophically between them....!

[Selski]

Besides the levitation awareness, I've discovered that I have quite the command (or control) of my dreams. My dreams always turn out the way I want (involving myself only?). I'm not sure how I developed this? It may have to do with self empowerment or will.

Hi wisp

This seems to be happening to me more and more.  It's been going on for about 6 months now.  I have an inkling that mine is to do with self empowerment, trust and belief.  I seem to be much more relaxed and less anxious about things in waking life too, which must seep into dreaming life.  I'm not complaining - it's all good!  

A very clear dream I recently had involved me running out of road while driving in my vehicle (my son was with me in this vehicle). I noticed there was no road under my car.I quickly willed my car back on solid ground.I was fine but I noticed my son hanging on the edge of the cliff. He didn't make it. It was horrific to watch him fall off the edge of the cliff. The only thing I could figure is that I cannot control other people's choices, and the results that follow.

I wonder.

That's very interesting and if you are right about the dream teaching you that you could only control your destiny (which appears to be the case), it's a rather gruesome example.  

Perhaps it's a lesson that you needed to learn FULLY, so using your son in the example means you won't forget it.  

Gosh, that's some dream.  And quite an obvious one to interpret.

Thanks for sharing.

Sarah

[Selski]

I've flown vertically out into space and watched as the world turned into a blue-green circle.  Then descended back down again...  fun!

Wow!!!  That sounds brilliant!   :thumbsup:

I'd love to do that, but I have a psychological thing about speed.  When I'm levitating, I'm going at a steady pace.  Whenever I start going fast, I black out and wake up.  This is true for my RTZ OBEs too.  I remember once zooming backwards from the ground up into the sky during an OBE.  At first it was exhilirating, then my stomach started turning over and I really literally felt queasy. :sick:  I must have got to about 70ft high and I couldn't take it any more.  Instantly, I was back in the physical berating myself for being a coward!  

Oh by the way Sarah, I too have dreamed that I was having an OBE!  For example I've dreamt that I was sleeping in a bed in my previous house, and from this bed I "exited"?!!!  I have to say that these "dreams of OBE's" are uncontrolled ramblings, just like ordinary dreams, and are less like the kind of controlled critical experiences I have when I "exit" from a semi-wakeful state in my correct bed!  But it's very hard to distinguish philosophically between them....!

My dreams of OBEs are the whole mish-mash of awareness levels.  This one happened to me only a couple of days ago...

I was dreaming that I was asleep in my computer chair.  (I was actually in bed.)  However, during this dream, I became lucid and realised I could leave my body, which I did.  Now at the time, I thought my level of lucidity was 100% (not 99%, but bang on 100%).  Everything was ultra-clear, ultra-vivid.  I could have told you my name, address, telephone number, etc., etc.  

However, if you'd have asked me where my physical body was, I would have said with absolute conviction that it was sleeping on my computer chair.  

I've never fallen asleep on the computer chair.  I find it very bizarre that I was so clear-headed, clear-headed enough to understand that I hadn't got a plan and that my OBE would fizzle at any moment because I didn't know what to do, and yet I didn't question the fact that I thought I was asleep in the chair.  Maybe I had no reason to question it.  I don't know.  It's incredibly frustrating.  I have no idea which label to put on that experience.  I guess it was a high level LD with one glaring mistake!  

In most of my dream OBEs I have medium-high level awareness.  They just seem to start out from the "wrong" place.  Perhaps they are OBEs and I've become aware half way through them?  

So in the experience given, my second body left the physical body that was lying in bed, then came into the computer room, fell asleep in the chair, then woke up again (at which point my consciousness awoke with it) and we both carried on with the OBE...  

God, it's getting confusing again.  I think I'll go and put the kettle on...  :think:

Sarah