I could rehash scientific theories until I am blue in the face, but that is not what this post is about. Instead, I would like to share my thoughts and experiences on dreams.Since a life altering event during a time of homelessness in 2021, I have experienced dreams differently than I had before. I rarely have dreams of which I consider are my own (meaning people, events and setting are unfamiliar).
The Physical Fallout
You see, after these specific types of dreams, I experience what I call “Physical Fallouts.” These are residual effects that linger for 2-3 hours post-wake-up. It’s as if my body is rebelling against the reality it’s currently in, yearning for a life that feels more authentic (the dream of which I recently awoke from). At its worst, I’m overwhelmed with anxiety—so severe it borderlines on a panic attack.
There was a single instance in which my wife had to show me pictures of our wedding because I was so sure that my reality was not my actual reality, and that I was unable to hold onto my true reality (the dream), and the people within that reality (the dream was fading).
The Dream Within a Dream
What’s even more fascinating is that these dreams often defy conventional logic. They can last for weeks or months within the dream world, with timelines blurring together like a kaleidoscope of memories. I’ve experienced “dreams within dreams” where I am dreaming within the dream, and wake up into another dream.
The Search for Answers
While I’ve considered consulting sleep experts, I’m hesitant to explain these events without a concrete understanding of what’s happening. It’s like trying to describe a color to someone who’s never seen it before – the language just isn’t there yet.
So, where do we go from here? The truth is, we know very little about our minds and the mysteries that lie within. It’s time to be open-minded, embracing possibilities that may seem improbable but not impossible. After all, as the great philosopher once said, “The universe is not required to be consistent with our feelings.”
A Hypothesis
Here’s my theory: what if dreams are events from another life, time, or place? What if we’re living vicariously through someone else’s experiences, observing moments that belong to them, not us? And when we pass on, might the dream before death be a reality we continue to live in?
Or maybe, just maybe, our remembered dreams are our own, while the forgotten ones don’t belong to us at all.
The truth is, nobody knows for sure. We’re all just wandering through this uncharted territory of dreams, trying to make sense of it all.
