Reading

[Newbiedreamr]

Is it possible to read a book that you've never read before in a lucid dream? Someone said that you could but I don't see how...

[Rainman]

Simply put, no. That's not possible. Dreams are constructed entirely and only of things already within your mind. There are some anomalies of this concept, but as compared to the standard way people dream, those cases are few and far between, sadly.

[Newbiedreamr]

Okay... Thought so. So if I've gotten bitten by an alligator then would I be able to feel it my dream?

[Rainman]

Yep. And even if you haven't. I've never been bit by an alligator, yet if I dreamt about it, I would feel it realistically, because I've felt countless other types of pain, and I've felt a dog bite and other similar things, so my brain would be able to put the pieces together and come up with a pretty realistic feelign for that based on my schemata and other brain functions instantaneously. It's quite brilliant and amazing.

[Newbiedreamr]

So what if you have read a book before. Then could you read it in your dream word for word?

[Rainman]

Eh...it's possible I suppose but highly unlikely. Most people that I've heard from can't read anything consistant at all.

[sweetshoes18]

My thought: Your dreams are either recreations of waking life or simulations (possibly actual representations) of spiritual planes. The ability for you to read a book in your dream is based on your mental capacity and vividness (amount of lucidity during the dream). If you have been graced with a photographic memory, or have practiced the technique such as myself, then it is possible to a degree. I believe (if my memory serves me correctly) I have experienced writing on paper as well as in books and have had the ability to read it in my dream, however in small amounts (maybe a sentence or two). Personally, I believe its up to the dreamer and his/her ability to produce a dream with detail and quality

[Redrivertears]

Hey there, Do you mean a real life book? Like say you've seen a book in a store that haven't read, and then at night, read that book and when you awaken again, know what's in it? I doubt that, though I think that discussion would belong more in the beyond dreaming forum. If you mean a dream book though? Then I'd say "ofcourse you can". How much sense it would make, and what you'd remember of it, seems debatable though But you have the ability to write, you have the ability to devise story, plot and theme. Therefor, you could in fact do all this in your dreams, put it in a book and read it. There's actually quite a few examples in history of famous writers and poets that have gotten their ideas for their real books, exactly from such dreams. That said, I find the act of 'reading' itself a very interesting topic. Like language, I don't think you really read in the book, rather then look at it and have it's meaning conveyed to you directly. But that's again a different discussion. -Redrivertears-

[Vivisection]

about that alligator thing: technically you'll feel what your mind thinks an alligator bite feels like. obviously everyone has felt pain, hence the brain can associate an alligator bite quite well, making it feel realistic. If however, you starting playing guitar in your dream (without ever having played guitar) chances are you'll realise that it is, infact, much different in reality. the most important thing to remember when it comes to dreaming is: ITS A DREAM. its all in your head. there are of course influences from reality, but ultimately its just a simulation of your brain's thoughts. capiché

[Redrivertears]

Hey there, I fully agree with vivisection there. I believe that the subconscious is very adept at making deductions about how something would feel, even if you haven't actually experienced them yet. (Some experiences might even be hardcoded into our biology, who knows). So yes, even if you haven't been bitten by an alligator before, the subconscious might well be able make a fairly realistic simulation of how it'd feel. Ofcourse, the more abstract the experience (like taking drugs), the harder it'd get for your subconscious to make you experience it with any degree of simularity to the real thing. -Redrivertears-