just curious...

Im really new to this, I did a search but didnt find anything, so I was wondering if anyone could anwser this one for me. I seem to usually dream in the third person, as in im not actually there, im a fly on the wall observing whats happening (not literally). It hadnt really occured to me that this might be strange, but I was looking at the section on how to recognize dream signs and a lot of it refers to you either doing something in the dream that is odd or you testing to see whether it is a dream or not by doing some sort of simple test; which would all be difficult if your observing the dream and not actually participating. So I guess I want to know, is this normal? Is it just something that will come with more practice?

Even if you're observing yourself in the dream, you are still there. You are some being in the space of that realm. Thus, in order to do a reality check then one needs to practice taking attention away from usual observative functions (such as watching TV, reading, etc.) and doing reality checks in the midst of them.
In fact, from my own observations and analysis, I've deduced that I'm always doing something in my dreams...as in, taking part in some activity that takes my attention fully.
Thus, I've deduced that in order to resolve the dream state I'll need to make a habit out of reality checking as often as possible during concentration on any given activity.

Hello, and welcome to Dream Views. Dreaming in the 3rd person is completely normal. You are not your body in a dream after all, you are everything. There is no real physical matter, its all mental. You could try doing a reality check every time you see yourself in a mirror or picture or video. This way you would do a reality check every time you see yourself while you are not in your body.

Stu, I had the same question (I just never asked it)! As I started getting into dream recall, I realized that in a lot of my dreams I seemed to take the roll I've been calling the "invisible observer." I'm usually not directly in the action I'm observing, though (as in, I'm usually not watching myself), but I often find myself watching what's going on around me invisibly. It can also be a semi-detached feeling, like I'm watching a movie or reading a book.

Frequent reality checks helped me a lot. Since I do often take the role of the observer in my dreams, I'm trained to look for things. The nose RC (where you pinch your nose and breathe normally) doesn't really work for me because I'm usually not an active part of my dreams. Looking at a digital clock helps me. I see them all the time around my house and at work, and they tend to appear somewhere in my dreams. Look at a clock, then turn away for a few minutes, and then look at it again. Did time drastically change? Is the clock moving the right speed? It took me a little while, but I learned that if I trained myself to do this when I was awake, it became a natural part of dreaming, too. Neat, huh? :D

I dream in the third person a lot. It's not bad, or different...It's just a normal dream. Different people dream differently, so I wouldn't be worried about it. If you want to dream in the first person, then think about it throughout the day, and before you go to sleep so you'll remember.

Ya thats exactly what its like for me poeticDreamer, thanks for the advice. ill have to try that, or something like it atleast.

Happy to help. :) Let me know how it goes; I'm interested in seeing what works for you.

If you think thats weird, I have had dreams that switch back and forth between first and third person. It feels almost like watching a movie in my head...

Interesting. Even before coming to this website, ever since I was little I always keep looking at my watch or a clock. However I often dream in the third person. Do you think this habit might appear in my dreams? I always tend to want to be prompt, so hopefully I can make use of the 'want' to be timely as a form of a reality check. Don't worry, almost 80% of my dreams are always in the third person. I'm usually looking at myself though, like a video camera. Does anyone know a way to make your dreams in first person? I'd rather be in first person than third. Any ideas?

Valvo, you could close your 3rd person eyes and tell yourslef that you will be you when you open them. This has worked for me beofre.

Hmmm. I should try that. But I have never had a lucid dream, so I don't have much control anyways! Thanks, though, if I ever get lucid, i'll try it.

IMO Ordinary dreams are characterised by "looking at a picture of oneself in a scenario", which is very like your own description of a "fly-on-the-wall".

The difference in lucid dreaming is that, at the moment of lucidity realisation, one suddenly finds oneself in another "body" looking around at a 3-D scenario from within, rather than "looking at pictures from the outside".

I'm sorry, Oneiro, but it doesn't work that way for everyone. All of my dreams, lucid or not, are from the 1st person perspective.

Hi Tygr Hawk..

After you've been lucid dreaming for a while, "ordinary dreams" as I described, disappear, never to return. After a point, your dreams, whether lucid or not, will be in the first person.. but this is no longer "ordinary dreaming".

Sorry, but I totally disagree. I think you are making generalizations based on your own experiences, which do not necessarily apply to everyone. I have NEVER dreamed in 3rd person -- even long before I knew what lucid dreaming was.

Anyone else want to chime in on this? I know from reading this form that 3rd person dreams aren't all that unusual, but I tend to believe that the majority of people dream in 1st person, even if they've never had a lucid dream.