Dream Within a Dream
A dream presents us with emotions or information we may be avoiding while awake. Usually a dream within a dream is a ploy one uses to explain away the impact of the feelings met – which is all the more reason to understand the dream. The following example makes this very clear.
Example: In the dream-within-a-dream, I had just gone to bed with my husband, in a house in which lots of other people lived as well. But I wasn’t asleep yet. In the darkness, I saw a woman trying to escape from the house. Even though she wasn’t an intruder trying to get in, I sat up in bed and just screamed at the top of my lungs. I felt furious. I think really I felt jealous that she was trying to get out. I wanted to alert everyone there was an attempted escape. (In real life, I’m a very quiet person who seldom gets angry or jealous.) Then I ‘woke up’ from that dream within a dream and into the next dream, which was a similar scene. I was again in bed with my husband, but I had now woken up from this dream – and of course was still dreaming – and was worried that I had actually screamed in my sleep and woken people up. But my husband was still soundly asleep, and so I realized with relief (but also a little disappointment) that it had all just been a dream and I hadn’t disturbed anyone. Then I woke up from that dream, and was puzzled.
Having read the entry in Dream Dictionary, I was intrigued to see that it said, “Usually a dream within a dream is a ploy one uses to explain away the impact of the feelings met–which is all the more reason to understand the dream.” I realized it was true that I had pushed certain feelings very far away. At a very deep level, I wanted escape but was furious at myself for wanting escape. Also, at a deep level, I was screaming out for attention, wanting help with my own internal conflict, but felt that no one was noticing. My ‘waking up’ within the dream and being relieved that I had not actually screamed and disturbed anyone shows how at the next level of consciousness I was still trying very hard to keep all of this suppressed. Yet I was also, at this level, a little disappointed at how good I was at keeping my true feelings hidden.
Useful questions and hints:
What feelings are in the dream, and can you acknowledge them?
What is the surface you and what is the deeper you feelings?
What are the differences between the do dreams?
See Secrets of Power Dreaming – Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Programmed
Comments
I was asleep during evening. I have dream that I was sitting in my room.During the dream I have imagined that my mom had called me. I clearly remember being waking up two times. First inside dream and then real. Immediately I have gotten sleepand this happen again on 8:30 pm. In both situation I felt that I’m in a dream and something is wrong , not to mention that I felt like I am fighting against something. What does it means.
Hi – I must take time to upgrade the dream dictionary, so must halt from answering your posts – I started revising it in 2006, and haven’t neared the end yet. I believe someone else may start giving interpretations.
So, for a while I urge you to read http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/i-am-no-longer-interpreting-dreams/ – It describes ways that can help you.
Tony
Siddhant – You didn’t give any information about whether your mother is dead or still alive in body. If you mother is still alive, you may be reacting to your inner mother. Many people do not realise that they have an inner mother equally as powerful as an external mother. You have taken in millions of bits of memory, lessons learnt, life experiences along with all the feelings or problems met by loving and living with your mother, and they are a major influence in your early life. The memories and experience we gather unconsciously change us and are not lost. It is part of you and is symbolised in dreams as a person or event. Such an inner mother can appear in dreams because you are still deeply influenced by what you hold within you. The inner mother can also signify what has been received via genes passed on or ancestral influences.
So the lessons learnt from your mother is warning you about something that you need to be aware of. Try bein your mother as she appeared in your dream – a bodiless presence calling out to you.
i dreamt i had twins but in reality i am not pregnant also in the dream my deceased mom also gave birth to a child, in reality my mom is dead