Seeing my Dreams from Different Perspectives at the Same Time

[Serene]

I often dream of me practicing things in my dreams or learning something in my dreams while also watching myself from different perspectives. I am not sure if I am describing this correctly, but as an example when I was younger I was trying to learn to water ski because I didn't know how to swim and I was terrified to try it so all night I went over and over in my dream practicing and analyzing myself while feeling myself waterskiing and the feeling of the skis and also hearing the Voice telling me how to improve, yet I was also seeing myself in the dream and seeing what I thought I could work on, same as giving speeches and watching the terror on my face as I was about to give the speech as if I was sitting in the front row rooting myself on. By they way I was never able to overcome my fear of public speaking even in a lucid where I feel so powerful and fearless. I have noticed a lot lately that I am getting another vantage point in most of my dreams. I am feeling the dream and controlling it yet I am watching it happen and analyzing it closely from a different perspective. Usually I am more present in one or the other but feel I am in both or even several at the same time. Does this have a name?

[Goldenspark]

Multiperspectivity? Sounds fascinating! I've had a few weird non-lucids where I had a completely strange perspective, but never more than one at the same time.

[Enchanted]

Serene, that is an incredible post. I am very fascinated by what you have written... so much so that I registered just because of it (and I have known about this site for years)! I believe you might be referring to "simultaneous dreaming". Google the article "Dreaming Twice (or More) at Once" and click on the link "Simultaneous Time" (I can't post the link, because I haven't been registered for 7 days yet). Is that along the lines of what you have experienced? I'm not entirely sure based on what you have written, so could you please tell me more? This phenomenon has fascinated me for awhile.

[Serene]

Yes. I am not saying they are different dreams, but one dream, seeing it from different perspectives and actually judging myself. Watching and learning how to better myself and judging what I like and don't like. Hard to put into words. I really learn a lot this way. I usually can watch from one and feel from another.

[Enchanted]

What do you mean by "different perspectives"? In the waking life, I can go about the day watching myself doing something and then also feeling what it means at the same time (in fact, those two perspectives may color one another, and, I assume that, most frequently, I am not so aware of this). Is that what you are referring to? Or, do you have multiple first person perspectives in your dreams, as if your self were split in two? I actually think both may be the same in another sense; but, one may be more "dramatic". There is no necessary requirement, I believe, that your experience be covered by words.

[Serene]

I wish I had a better vocabulary lol. I am so bad at expressing myself. I know what I mean but it is hard for me to put it into words. I guess in my dreams it feels like I am an observer at the same time as I am doing things. Sometimes it is and observer from different angles at the same time. Sometimes I see myself from above or in front of myself (the one doing the action). Sometimes I am the observer and switch between action and observer. As an example when I was about 9 I was dreaming I was in PE and we were learning how to play basketball. It looked difficult to get that ball in the hoop. I then took the ball and was trying to get it in the hoop when I was also watching from the side and seeing how wrong I was throwing the ball. Funny enough I accidentally wished I could float up to get it in the hoop when I flew up and dunked it. I felt powerful but didn't learn anything by what I felt was cheating lol. So I went back to learning the correct way, by trying it again with not doing it the way I saw from the sideline view? I also saw myself from above, but that one was not helpful. Geez writing this I sound like a crazy person.

[Serene]

Multiple first person perspectives. If that makes sense. I had to really think about it, so thank you. If I am playing basketball, yet each of us are aware of each other, seeing myself from the side and above and learning from their views while doing something, I am getting three perspectives all at once but they are all me. Each one is judging and analyzing for itself so I am thinking that must be multiple first persons?

[Nebulus]

It should be possible in theory in a dream (anything is possible but some things are more normal) as every dream character (and everything else) is a role you are playing yourself anyway, it is like one of those daft plays where every character is played by the same person, I digress. So changing the focus to having the dream character centre stage, as yourself should be straightforward enough, with another copy of your usual persona watching. I always had trouble conceptualizing the reality check of "look at your hands" as I realised that all of my non-lucid dreams, at the time were third person perspectives or dreams where I had an aerial view of things that were going on. But as I started to dwell on it my dreams started to become more first person.