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Introspection within Dreams and the Distortion of the Conscious


Cristiferbeast

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Dreams are a complex existence, something we still don’t really understand the origins of. However almost everyone has had one at least once and knows the general nature that dreams take on. Dreams are not bound by the logics and rules that dictate reality, because they are devoid of reality. Dreams are devoid of the cause and effect flow of the natural world, with events occurring on the random with no preconceived reason for its occurrence. While we don’t know why dreams happen these are things about the nature of the dreams that can be observed within all of adventures within sleep.

 

We also can bring to focus the most complex of these dreams, the Lucid Dream. If we can barely understand the regular dream then its no surprise we understand these special dreams even less. But once again we can characterize their general appearance, Lucid Dreams are dreams where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. Biologically during these dreams the dreamer’s brain shows raised activity similar to alertness (NCBI). With such cognitive recognition of ones state one holds much control over their dreams and what occurs within it. 

 

So if one can accept that dreams are largely a collection of random events that are devoid of the laws that dictate reality, and if one can accept that within the lucid state one is aware of their dreaming nature and can exorcise some level of self control we can begin to consider what would happen if the lucid dreamer began to consider introspective ideals during these dreams.

 

Before continuing it should be noted that objectively measuring the plausibility and possibility of this is impossible as it is something that lays fully within the subjective measurement of change within self.

 

However if one is willing to consider the idea we can consider what the results of such a action would be. Well within dreams we the dreamer are embodying a character, who may not be a clear reflection of ourself, as it is possible to dream you are someone else. This is a character who dwells within a realm of pure randomness, thus their nature and existence which makes sense to the character would likely make no sense to ourself, reason why we often find ourselves asking why we did something in a dream we would otherwise never do. Thus the character we embody in dreams does not have to be us which raises more questions when we are lucid dreaming.

 

So we in lucid dreaming have control over our actions, however we are not necessarily a true reflection of ourselves. We may be aware we are dreaming and be able to reach consciousness as well as manipulate what is going on in the area the character whose actions we are controlling is not the same as ourselves.


This returns us to the original question, what would occur if a dreamer, in control of their actions within the dream are to begin to consider thoughts of introspection? This would likely not be a problem for the average dreamer, as being in a constant state of introspection is not something most of us are in. However what form would this introspection take in this lucid dream?

 

The introspection would likely take characteristics of the character we are in these dreams and fuse it with the rationalism and conscious we have of our aware state. A fusion of our personal existence of our personal conscious with some of the ideals and characteristics of the character, this introspection within a lucid dream would be highly disorienting and likely cause the dreamer upon awakening to be left in a state of confusion.


This state of confusion would likely be temporary, our memory of dreams is fleeting and as our memory of it fades the effect of this introspective fusion would fade away with it. So there would likely not be a drastic jump in ideology of the dreamer, however within the confused state one could raise further introspection to inspire change within the self. And the margin of this installed confusion would be increased the more the dreamer is able to remember the dream and the introspection. 

 

All in all this is purely within the theoretical, however the concept of introspection within lucid dreams is one that is certainly interesting, what would be the results of taking a analytical view of an impossible irrationality? And while we as a society may likely never know, for only those of us who are lucky enough to be graced by both constant introspection and lucid dreams will get the chance to test the results of such a conflict within the mind and find the solution of just how much of a hold the irrational dreams can have over our daily rational and ideals. 

 

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22 minutes ago, Cristiferbeast said:

So we in lucid dreaming have control over our actions, however we are not necessarily a true reflection of ourselves. We may be aware we are dreaming and be able to reach consciousness as well as manipulate what is going on in the area the character whose actions we are controlling is not the same as ourselves.

Who else are we?

When I become aware that I'm dreaming, I get up too alsorts of naughty thing's that would get me a prison sentence in reality; same me with a different awareness.

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2 minutes ago, dimreepr said:

Who else are we?

When I become aware that I'm dreaming, I get up too alsorts of naughty thing's that would get me a prison sentence in reality; same me with a different awareness.

As you just said, you do things that would be impossible within reality, you become a version of yourself that responds to the differing version of reality that dream offers.

it should also be noted that many people report in their dreams they are different people, maybe they are younger, older, the opposite gender, or just someone else entirely. 

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6 minutes ago, Cristiferbeast said:

As you just said, you do things that would be impossible within reality, you become a version of yourself that responds to the differing version of reality that dream offers.

How does a version of you differ from you?

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4 minutes ago, dimreepr said:

How does a version of you differ from you?

Differing values, morals, and responses to situations.

as you said in dreams you do things that laws prevent you from doing, as of such this version of you is able to do things you typically can’t or wouldn't thus in the process creating a version of your conscious that differs slightly due this lack of restraint

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3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

So if one can accept that dreams are largely a collection of random events that are devoid of the laws that dictate reality,

I don't accept that. The events in dreams are not random; they are the continuation of real life experience and/or cogitation and/or emotional preoccupation. Dreams have a narrative and an internal logic that has meaning for the dreamer. That meaning may be expressed in symbolic imagery and therefore, to some degree liberated from physical laws: You may be able to walk underwater or float among the clouds, but your motion is forward and below is down; the sacrificial lamb that has its throat cut bleeds red, though perhaps it does not die; it may speak with a human voice, but the language is one you understand. 

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

Lucid Dreams are dreams where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. Biologically during these dreams the dreamer’s brain shows raised activity similar to alertness (NCBI). With such cognitive recognition of ones state one holds much control over their dreams and what occurs within it. 

Some control. But this tends to happen only when one is close to waking, so the dream is already disintegrating when he takes conscious control. I do some of this, and have discussed t with others who do; have not yet encountered anyone who has total control, except at the beginning or end of a dream sequence; what happens in between is directed by the unconscious mind.    

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

if one can accept that within the lucid state one is aware of their dreaming nature and can exorcise some level of self control we can begin to consider what would happen if the lucid dreamer began to consider introspective ideals during these dreams.

The introspection would have to be consciously undertaken, visualized and focused on a specific subject area before falling asleep. Then the dream would begin to form during the NREM stage, so that the REM stage had a theme to take up. After that, unexpected events are likely to take place, but these might shed light on the issue that the sleeper is investigating, and might, in the semi-conscious end-stage be recalled long enough to record for conscious analysis. 

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

Well within dreams we the dreamer are embodying a character, who may not be a clear reflection of ourself, as it is possible to dream you are someone else.

No, it's not someone else, though it may be one's own alter-ego. Most of us have several, some of us have many alter-egoes, or aspects of personality that play different roles in one's private, social and working life, or are are indulged only in fantasy, or suppressed altogether.

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

This is a character who dwells within a realm of pure randomness,

There is no 'pure randomness'. You have definite images of known objects, and plausible events. Randomness has no meaning, while dreams are rich in meaning. 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

thus their nature and existence which makes sense to the character would likely make no sense to ourself, reason why we often find ourselves asking why we did something in a dream we would otherwise never do.

The point of that is not being someone else (and even other characters don't do things randomly: they have motivations and aims) but the question itself. "Why did I do that?" Wish fulfillment? Frustration? Revenge? Aspiration? Fear of temptation? You have a reason for doing that in your dream: either the action was a response to something that happened to you, or else an experiment or rehearsal of something you might do in certain situations. 

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

So we in lucid dreaming have control over our actions, however we are not necessarily a true reflection of ourselves.

 So we in lucid dreaming have limited control over our actions, and some control of the environment, however we are not necessarily a true reflection of ourselves.

What and where is a "true reflection" of any self?

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

what would occur if a dreamer, in control of their actions within the dream are to begin to consider thoughts of introspection?

If you're controlling, as in conscious life, you are not considering at the same time. The introspection comes either before (What can I do? What should I do? What do I want to do? What am I prepared to do?) or after the action (What was I thinking?! Could I have done better? Would I have done that if I'd known...?) but not during.

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

The introspection would likely take characteristics of the character we are in these dreams and fuse it with the rationalism and conscious we have of our aware state.

I don't see how. Every author knows about creating and controlling characters; every fictional character we manipulate has motivations and aims upon which we have reflected through introspection ("What would I do in his place?") and that thought-process doesn't either fuse us with our characters (who are already buds off our own) or confuse us in our identity.

 

3 hours ago, Cristiferbeast said:

what would be the results of taking a analytical view of an impossible irrationality?

Isn't that psychoanalysis? Rorschach test, word association, mood journal, dream log, hypnosis...? 

2 hours ago, dimreepr said:

Same you, different situation.

Just so!!

Edited by Peterkin
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  • 3 weeks later...

Dreams bring to my mind the psychiatric phenomenon multiple personality disorder. In both cases the "individuals" (the dream person vs. the awake person and one personality vs. anothee personalityl are separated by a hole/gap in memory: one usually doesn't remember one's dreams and the two/more individuals in multiple personality disorder don't remember/know each other.

On occasion, when one is aroused during a dream, one can recall one's dream, but, from my own personal experience, the recollection is imperfect: you're left with only the thought that one had a dream without any idea or memory of the details thereof; it's the same feeling/experience as realizing one has forgotten something without ever finding out what exactly it is that one fails to remember. 

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