Remembering a dream whilst in a dream - Question

[ravendaze]

I am more frequently having both of the following experiences whilst dreaming: a) I enter a dream place (unintentionally) I have been before and remember what I did there the last time I visited, the general layout, what happens etc and can choose to do things differently (is this lucid dreaming?). New dream chracters sometimes appear and the result of the dream becomes different depending on how I interact with the environment. I also explore the dream further each time. Sometimes "time" has passed, characters are older, places (buildings, gardens etc) appear older - overgrown gardens, buildings with cracked paint etc. B) I enter a dream place (unintentionally) that I have been NOT before and remember locations and the layout, but not events or characters. How is this possible? On these occasions it is not me due to forgetting being there, because I also remember/know that I have never been there before. Any insights? Also can you tell me if these are lucid dreams. I am confused between lucid dreams and non-lucid dreams due to part (a) above, however I don't think I was aware that I was dreaming - although I could remember... Thanks in advance

[walterallen1]

I am just learning about what really is going on in Lucid Dreams even though I have been able to have them most all my life and just recently (because of this site) I have been about to conciously go to sleep and have a lucid dream from the start. I dream very vivid dreams every night and I too have had reoccurring dreams where I remember having been there before and look for things and people that I know will be there and they are. But I think that I mostly will that to happen rather then experience it out of control. I to have been to places I knew I knew yet don't exsist in reality. I think we make them real and give them history quite easily with our minds. A lucid dream is where you know you are dreaming in your dream. Whether you act or take advantage of it is up to you. I learn to take control of my dream as a child after having reoccurring nightmares. Someone (mom) told me that if I could remember that this is a dream I could change or take control over it. I did and it worked and since I been about to control my dream once I realize I'm dream. It's great fun. If you can realize you are dreaming in your dream try doing something you can't do in reality. Jump twenty feet into the air, do flips, fly. Good luck to you.