Dreams-Don't know where I'd be without them

I think maybe sometimes our subconscienous mind makes up for the lack of happiness in our waking lives in dreams. Does this make sense to anyone? For the past two nights in a row, I've had the best dreams, I actually woke up with the residual good feelings from the dreams still lingering for a few minutes, after crying myself to sleep the night before. It was really an awesome feeling. I say, keep them coming!

Do you (or does anyone else here) have lucid dreams? I "trained" myself but lately seem to have lost the ability.

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--http://www.idexter.com

Dexter,
I find that ability SO interesting! I have a book on lucid dreaming, and tried to "train" myself several times, although it never worked. I realized I was dreaming only once, and woke up right away. I would love to be able to do that. How did you finally figure it out?

I used to have a lot of dreams where I would have an opportunity for something fun but I wouldn't take it because I was embarrassed or afraid... I would wake up and say to myself "if I realized I was dreaming I would have done it!"

At some point I thought about it and I realized that I could never tell in my dreams whether I was dreaming or not. But it dawned on my that when I am awake, I KNOW I'm not dreaming, I never mistake it or am unsure about it. So I said "next time I'm wondering whether I'm dreaming or not, instead of asking myself 'am I dreaming?' I'll ask myself if I am awake."

That started to work! For quite some time my dreams became very pleasant and I would be able to do things and take chances that I never would in real life.

I think lately I just haven't been in a situation like that in my dreams. I know my depression effected my dreaming very much.

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--http://www.idexter.com