Who Drafts My Dreams?

Watch out a missile is heading our way. Phew!
You all….get behind me, let me fight the terrorists!
Oh I lost one leg, still I can kick them flying in the air!
Aliens. OMG! They are attacking with lasers. Do a thing, you all go to the nearby lane, lemme fight them down!
Seems like police is coming, do you hear the siren?
Or is it ambulance? Do you hear the siren?

Oops, it’s not police it’s not ambulance either….. It’s the sound of my alarm bell, In Real. Ro, wake up!!!

These are few of my dreams, dreams which we all see. But to me, in every 3/10 dreams, I am playing a Super Hero. Do I look like? Or do I feel like? Ahem, mysterious dreams.

We all see dreams and we all forget them. Yes if we believe the studies and we recollect our experiences, we forget almost 9/10 dreams. And the ones we are able to remember leave us in a dizzy that why did we see those?

There are so many times when we can relate a particular dream to things seen/read/spoken during the day. But what ‘bout those which are from nowhere, see these Alien ones. I see them very often.

It’s hard to say clearly why we dream and most importantly WHO story-lines our dreams. But whoever s/he is…is an interesting story writer. The creativity, something beyond anyone’s imagination, the twist & turns, the association with recent happenings or the link with the unfulfilled desires…all are beyond comprehension. And the best part is the ability to adapt with the things happening in real time around you. How many times have you felt that what you are seeing in your dream, something similar is happening ‘at that moment’? Does it happen to you too that a ringing door-bell/cellphone/alarm-bell nearby gets converted into a siren in the ongoing dream OR a yell from your parents for waking up gets exchanged with someone calling your name in your dreams OR a mosquito biting you in reality is substituted with a wild animal tearing your body? I wonder how…but it happens, happens with all. At least to me.

There are many theories based on dreams; scientists have done lots of researches but I am afraid none seems 100% acceptable to me. Few say it’s a chance to do those things which we are not able to do in our day to day life, few say it gives us more time to think ‘bout something, and few say it’s outright useless. Whatever it may be, it’s interesting. Very interesting.

If I can quote what I have read recently…it say that five minutes after the end of a dream, we have forgotten 50 percent of the dream's content. Ten minutes later, we've forgotten 90 percent of its content. And I can tell you it’s true. So what’s the best way to remember dreams, if only you want to? One of my friends says, she keeps a pen-paper near to her bed and whenever she wakes off her sleep, she immediately notes down the dreams. And yes it DOES help, because I tried and I do it many times now. I already have few dreams of mine noted. And whenever I read those, I can’t help smile because they are at the meridian of creativity. Hats off to the creator!

You also wish if you could remember your dreams too right? No issues, give a try. If you would like to remember your dreams you can try the above approach. Yes it sounds a lil troublesome to hear but the result is very pleasing. You will enjoy each and every of your dreams, only if you value them. Though to me this has proved to be ‘the best’ solution to recall dreams, there are few more as below:

How to Improve Your Dream Recall

• When you go to bed, tell yourself you will remember your dreams. It is found that thinking about dreams before you fell asleep actually makes you remember having them.
• Set your alarm to go off every hour and half so you'll wake up around the times when you're most likely to remember your dreams.
• Drink a lot of water before you go to bed to ensure you have to wake up at least once in the middle of the night! – I know you are smiling b’coz this is really Funny! ;)
• Keep a pad and pencil next to your bed. – I told you this already, it works.
  
• Try to wake up slowly to remain within the "mood" of your last dream. - slow motion waking up with adda :)
  

Few facts ‘bout dreams, worth mentioning:

• Most dreams last anywhere from five to 20 minutes.
• People don't only dream in black and white, as was once believed.
• Even though they may not remember them, everyone dreams several times a night. In fact, during a typical lifetime, we spend about six years dreaming.
• People who have been blind from birth have dreams that are formed from their other senses (e.g., touch, smell, sound). - this is interesting.
  
• When people are snoring, they're not dreaming. - this is even more interesting, b'coz you can safely wake up your snoring hubby without worrying of the yelling, "you broke my dream!" ;)
  

Interesting facts, indeed! And this post will be incomplete if it doesn’t talk of the meanings of dreams. Yes, your dreams can be interpreted. Same as few people interpret moles on body or a a lizard falling on your belly. You may call these superstitions but its true that "it's superstition till it happens to you."

Common Dreams and Their Interpretations [NOT mine ;)] – Interesting, very interesting

• Being naked in public
  Most of us have had the dream at some point that we're at school, work or some social event, and we suddenly realize we forgot to put on clothes or are in minimum clothing! (I do see this sometimes…eesssh) Experts say this means:
  
  • We're trying to hide something (and without clothes we have a hard time doing that).
  • We're not prepared for something, like a presentation or test (and now everyone is going to know -- we're exposed!).
  
  
  
  
  
  If we're naked but no one notices, then the interpretation is that whatever we're afraid of is unfounded. If we don't care that we're naked, the interpretation is that we're comfortable with who we are.
  
  
  • Falling
    You're falling, falling, falling... and then you wake up. This is a very common dream and is said to symbolize insecurities and anxiety. Something in your life is essentially out of control and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Another interpretation is that you have a sense of failure about something. Maybe you're not doing well in school or at work and are afraid you're going to be fired or expelled. Again, you feel that you can't control the situation.
  
  
  • Being chased
    The ever-popular chase dream can be extremely frightening. What it usually symbolizes is that you're running away from your problems. What that problem is depends on who is chasing you. It may be a problem at work, or it may be something about yourself that you know is destructive.
  
  
  • Taking an exam (or forgetting that you have one)
    This is another very common dream. You suddenly realize you are supposed to be taking an exam at that very moment. You might be running through the hallways and can't find the classroom. This type of dream can have several variations that have similar meanings. (Maybe your pen won't write, so you can't finish writing your answers.) What experts say this may mean is that you're being scrutinized about something or feel you're being tested -- maybe you're facing a challenge you don't think you're up to. You don't feel prepared or able to hold up to the scrutiny. It may also mean there is something you've neglected that you know needs your attention.
  
  
  
  • Flying
    Many flying dreams are the result of lucid dreaming. Not all flying dreams are, however. Typically, dreaming that you are flying means you are on top of things. You are in control of the things that matter to you. Or, maybe you've just gained a new perspective on things. It may also mean you are strong willed and feel like no one and nothing can defeat you. If you are having problems maintaining your flight, someone or something may be standing in the way of you having control. If you are afraid while flying, you may have challenges that you don't feel up to.
  
  
  • Running, but going nowhere
    This theme can also be part of the chasing dream. You're trying to run, but either your legs won't move or you simply aren't going anywhere -- as if you were on a treadmill. According to some, this dream means you have too much on your plate. You're trying to do too many things at once and can't catch up or ever get ahead.
  
  
  • Your teeth falling out
    Many people have dreams that they lose all of their teeth. In this dream, they may feel something strange in their mouth and then spit teeth into their hand, eventually losing all of their teeth. According to some, our teeth are related to our sense of power and our ability to communicate. Losing our teeth not only makes us embarrassed by our appearance, which hinders our communications, but it also lessens our power because we may not speak our minds. It's also associated with feelings about our appearance.
    
    
  • You Die in your dreams
    Yes, it is possible to experience death in your dreams. Dreams of death often occur as a result of great stress caused by relationships, school, career changes, depression or by the approach of death itself. Death in dreams may also be viewed as a metaphor - as a new beginning or a time of renewal.
    
  
  
  
  There are few dreams that one sees many times repeatedly. And then we start getting a lil curious to find out why this one again? If you have read the above interpretations, you can understand that it’s also linked to your mental state, something which is running in your mind for a long time. Take my example, as I said I do find myself half naked in the dreams and as soon as I realize I start running to my home….which I never see reaching. I also find myself with slippers/shoes inside the holy temple and I immediate take them off making sure no one noticed it. And then these Superhero ones…..God, this gives me jitters!

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which I just read, says “Dreams are the language of God.” No point arguing on this as I am clueless ‘bout the Author of my dreams. But if it is God then does he want me to be a Super Hero, huh? I remember the Super-Hero-ship, or I better call it the feeling of being a Savior, was deep inside me few years back. There was a time when I used to feel that I am gonna solve all the problems you have and that you was everyone I was interacting with. But then I gave it up, thankfully. I realized that I am a normal human, not a super hero who can fly in the air and kill the bad people, one who will do a magic to get you what you want, one who will solve your personal problems, one who will help you get over all your weakness. Stupid me! I realized and I am relieved. Because I can do it to one, but I can’t do it to all. I don’t want to.

Wikipedia describes Dreams as:
Dreams are sequence images, sounds and feelings experienced while sleeping, particularly strongly associated with rapid eye movement sleep. The contents and biological purposes of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of speculation and interest throughout recorded history.

Whatever dreams are they are worth seeing. And if you would like to know more ‘bout dreams & their mysteries you better take Oneirology.


So, what do you think who is the author of your dreams? Is it your wild-yet-philosophical-though-sometimes-worried-sometimes-excited-mind or is it God talking to you in his language? And what do you dream 'bout?

Happy Dreaming, yeasty yeasty!