Not being present/aware you exist in your dreams

Probably about half the time I have a normal dream where I'm doing stuff I become lucid. The problem is the vast majority of dreams I remember, I was never actually in it.

It's kind of like I'm watching a movie, from somewhat of a bird's eye view, of whatever is going on in the dream only I'm not a part of it and I'm not self aware. I have no thoughts, it's like I've turned into a video camera or something.

Has anyone heard of this? Also my dreams are about 100% of the time very disturbing and violent. When I'm a non-entity watching things take place it's always some horrific stuff that if you saw in a horror movie you'd wonder who came up with this because they must be some kind of a serial killer to have such a sick mind.

But anyways, I try to practice reality checking and being aware, but it's impossible when I'm not aware of my own existence in a dream. Anyone experience this?

You said half the time you become lucid? How is that possible if you aren't self aware?

For NOT being lucid, and watching the show, it could just be a phase that you are going through and it may just die down over time. In fact, you could actually USE this phase as a dream sign. Any time you witness something violent (whether it be on television, or whatever else) ask yourself if you are dreaming. Ask questions like "where am I?" or if you have an answer to that, "how did I get here?" With any luck, when you witness a violent dream, you will ask "where am I?" making you self aware and then lucid.

If you have trouble getting out of "projection mode," try to pretend you are just flying over the scene, and imagine diving down towards the land. Try to focus on the sensation of the wind and whatnot to help get you into the dream itself.

Anyway, hope this helps you out a bit.

I mean a minority of my dreams are normal in the sense that I'm going around talking to people or whatever and in about half of those I achieve lucidity. But the other 80% I'm a spectator. Planning to do reality checks doesn't seem like it works because there is no internal dialogue or awareness to wonder where I am, why I'm in the air, etc.

I see. If you have no internal dialogue, then I assume you don't realize that any of the scenes are actually horrific or violent until after you wake up? If that is not the case, then RC's should still work. If that IS the case, then I see how this could be quite difficult. Hopefully it is just a phase that will disappear after a while. As to what you could do, I don't have many ideas, but you could try some autosuggestion before bed. Just tell yourself that you are going to dream in the 1'st person, believe it, be confident in it. It it is a polite, but stern request to your subconscious. Picture what it would be liked, imagine yourself in that situation, all while confirming it in your head. Try to fall asleep with this on your mind. Hopefully, this will work the first time, if not, give it a try for a few days and you should have some luck.

Perhaps someone else has any ideas?

I've had these dreams too. :) Although you are in a third person point of view, becoming aware and realizing you're dreaming is still a concept needed to grasp. Since this is a common occurrence, you should use these experiences as dream signs. Simply recognizing them as a dream sign should trigger internal dialogue when inside future dreams. Whenever you're witnessing an outside POV, ask yourself if you're dreaming. After becoming lucid, create a body for you to enter if you do not take form to one already. OR if you can, stay without a body and remain lucid. Seems like it would difficult to take on tasks this way but I think it's possible. Seems like a great idea to learn to navigate and control a lucid dream as metaphysical entity...actually, this is going to be one of my goals now!

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Originally Posted by SkipBrutale

It's kind of like I'm watching a movie, from somewhat of a bird's eye view, of whatever is going on in the dream only I'm not a part of it and I'm not self aware. I have no thoughts, it's like I've turned into a video camera or something.

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A little while ago most of my dreams were like watching a movie. One of them even had a narrator and ending credits. :P

These eventually went away after I started keeping a dream journal, but I'm not sure if it was because of the journal.

Simply put: Not having a body should be your #1 dream sign. Focus on that.

Whenever you find yourself seeing things without a body, realize that it is a dream. After that, it's just a matter of 'stepping into' that disembodied perspective. If you're truly lucid, then you can just 'bring your hands up' in front of your field of view. (It doesn't matter if they weren't there, at first.) Viola. You now have a body. I have a lot of disembodied dreams - where I'm just watching things like a spectator. Remember: a disembodied perspective is simply a view where you can't see your body, even though it might just be 'off screen.' You are taking the concept of not having a body too passively. So when it happens, you aren't even thinking about it. While you're awake, think about the concept of seeing things from that kind of perspective, and realize how odd it is. Set your intention to notice this as a dream sign, and it should begin to be a little easier for you to recognize the state as a dream.