Thread: What does this mean?

Hi there!

This is my first time ever exploring the world of dreaming, so please pardon my lack of knowledge on the subject.

I had this dream about four years ago and I am KILLING myself now for not researching it when I had the chance. It's great that I remember it perfectly though, just like most of my dreams (From what I've read here, that seems to help?). Anyway, this dream has always stuck with me, and for some reason it felt like it changed my life. It felt completely different than any other dream I had before. I am just curious as to what it means and if it could have been something more than a normal dream.

OK, so onto the dream.

The dream starts and I am in my own house, standing in my living room. The lights are off, and I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, it is incredibly dark in here." I looked outside the window and saw the moon high in the sky, so I walked over to my parents room and saw them both sleeping. I ponder to myself, "Why on earth am I standing in my living room when it is probably very late and I should be asle..."

Right then I had this sudden epiphany that I might indeed actually be sleeping. I don't know why I realized it, or how I caused myself to do it, if I actually did indeed cause myself to do it at all. I think the dream itself induced my realization. Is this possible?

Anyway, Back to the dream..

I didn't believe I could be sleeping, so the first thing I did was walk around my house and look for signs to show otherwise. Everything seemed perfectly fine. There was nothing dreamlike about my surroundings. I was almost positive that I was awake, so I decided to go to sleep. I walk up the stairs very carefully, so as to not wake anyone up, and head towards my room. Right before I entered the room, I had this second sort of realization that I might actually see myself lying in my own bed. I wondered if I would just die, like it is some sort of impossible paradox that could never occur, and if it did, the entire universe would implode. I open the door and see someone curled up under my blankets. I kept praying that it was someone else as I crept up to the side of my bed, but when I peeled back the covers, sure enough, it was myself, dead asleep. Thankfully, the world did not explode, but I started getting really scared that I might actually be dead. At this point, I am pretty sure I knew that I was not awake.

The next event that occurred, I am not sure if I am glad I did it, but I always wonder what could of happened if I didn't. I decided to try and wake myself up. Slowly, I started whispering my own name to myself, but nothing happened and I just lay there asleep. I started getting nervous that I would never wake up, so I started shaking myself, delicately at first, and gradually becoming more violent. Eventually I just screamed my own name as loud as I could and then I jumped up into reality and I was awake in my bed. It felt almost spiritual in some way. I am not very spiritual but I felt moved after the experience. I wish I could experience it again.

The first thing I did when I found this site was head to the forums because I wanted to post my experience, so I am an honest to god noob when it comes to this. I am now going to read up on it, but I would really appreciate any comments. I will check up on this.

Thanks a lot.