Just yesterday, I was thinking about my dreams, particularly the elusive lucid dreams I have, and something occurred to me and I wonder if it means anything. It seems like when I have a lucid dream or a flying dream (usually I only fly if I'm lucid dreaming), it's almost always night time in the dream.

And as if to reinforce my little discovery, just last night I had a lucid dream where I flew, and guess what, in the dream it was night time!

I wonder if this means anything? Or is just the way the marbles in my head tend to rattle? =) Could it be because I'm sleeping (and having the dream) at night time? I've had "daylight" lucid dreams but not in a long time, so I don't recall if such dreams occurred in the morning or during a nap when it was light out.

Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

Kevin, I'm wondering if this is a case of lucid dreaming or an OBE. It just seems that the combination of lucid dreaming, flying, and night time(when you are most likely in a deeper state of sleep than an afternoon nap)point more to a possible out of body experience. I've had flying dreams, but never lucid dreams. I only had one dream, many years ago that I felt could possibly be an OBE. Oddly enough, most of my dreams take place in the past or present rather than the future.

My husband has lucid dreams, and he has a come across a common thread with other lucid dreamers: The lucid dreamers he knows also typically have precognitive dreams. He was talking to a friend of ours about this just the other day. I don't know if you have precognitive dreams also, but it is an interesting theory.

I don't think it was a OBE since I usually have these lucid dreams when I'm in a light sleep, especially if I'm having trouble falling asleep. Sometimes I'll drift between asleep and awake, having a (usually) different dream each time I fall asleep. Then I'll wake up and start thinking about the dreams I had and not be able to fall asleep again! The dreams I have in normal sleep are the more typical, non-lucid variety, rarely worth remembering or mentioning.

Also, some things are usually "off" in the dreams. For example, I might look up in the sky and see stars, but they don't look like they do when you see them for real. Sometimes they're more vivid, sometimes I'll see the moon but it'll be in the wrong location in the sky or wrong phase, etc. I'm into astronomy so that could explain why I tend to notice the moon/stars in my dreams. =)

Another interesting "thing" I often do in flying lucid dreams: I'll start out indoors, and I'll lift off and either fly through a window or go straight up through the ceiling or roof to the outside. I'll usually feel some sort of resistance when passing through the solid object. Then the remainder of my flight will be outdoors. (you're probably thinking to yourself, this Kevin guy is a kook!) In last night's dream, I went up through the ceiling. I guess it doesn't occur to me to use the door!

Sometimes I'll fly in non-lucid dreams, but when I do, it's usually more that I'm "floating" myself around instead of walking. Within the dream, it seems perfectly normal that I can do this too. Ok, Kevin is completely off his rocker!

I've never had a precognitive dream that I'm aware of. At least nothing that I wasn't able to pass off as coincidence or deja vu (and not being able to remember the dream accurately).

[ June 02, 2005, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Kevin P ]

Although I have read many dream type books the one that helped me most to understand dreams like the one you describe Kevin was Sylvia's Book of Dreams.

I agree with Carrie what you describe does sound like astral travels. In paticular since you are aware that your flying, have gone through the ceiling or window etc and it feels normal to do so plus they are so vivid. The fact you are noticing things that seem "off" leans toward lucid however, so maybe during astral travel your dream becomes "lucid"? Here are few excerpts from her book that may help you to determine if the dreams your having are in fact "lucid" or actually "astral travel". Sorry but this post will be on the long side.
Lucid Dreaming (from SB's book of Dreams)

"When you realize during your dream that you're actually dreaming, you're having what's called a lucid dream." "Nine times out of ten, what causes a dream to become lucid is the sudden conscious realization that something in it is too unlikely or downright impossible to really be happening."

After giving examples of lucid dreams (submitted), she also explains that it makes perfectly logical sense to her (based on years of research and study including the works of others who have also studied dreams) that "when it consciously occurs to us that we're dreaming, we can realize that in dreams we can do anything and everything we want with absolutely no consequences, the possibilites are endless. Now that sounds good to me.

Astral Travel (from SB's book of dreams)

"We're born knowing how to astrally travel, we routinely travel astrally while we sleep (an average of two or three times a week, in fact), and it's astral travel that lies at the core of our most vivid and memorable "dreams".

"There is no limit to the people and places we can see, and do see, during astral travel."

"Anytime you dream that you're flying without benefit of an airplane, you're astrally traveling." After sharing ane example (from many she recieved) she goes on to say "astral travel during sleep includes the realization of flying. It's very common, so I hope those of you who experience it don't feel there's something strange or crazy about you." So no Kevin you're not crazy. =) Some people like Sylvia don't have flying dreams but that doesn't mean you don't take astral trips (she does regularly).

"All astral travel "dreams" unfold in a logical sequence of events, just as waking experiences do, rahter than a haphazard jumble of images, people, and locations." There are also always in color.

"Not all astral trips during sleep are prophetic, but all prophetic "dreams" are really astral trips." We go to the Hall of records and read charts which gives us the info. We usually don't recall reading them just what we read.

I too have had night dreams where I'm out in the sky and see the stars that appear much more vivid. I realized I was out there and flying and wondered where everyone else was, that is why wasn't I seeing others flying out of body out here as I was. I have had prophetic dreams as well, of which sadly some have even been of a tragic event (non personal). I have also had dreams where I knew I was dreaming that I now believe were lucid dreams. I often have flying dreams and some where I'm floating rather then flying. It's a bit weird to find yourself floating and you look down to see yourself sleeping in your bed.

Dreams are quite amazing really, and far more helpful then we may think. Keeping a journal has not only helped me remember them regularly but also with understanding what type of dream it was. You never know Kevin those dreams you pass off as coincidence may very well not be? Keep a journal it can it help you with those dreams plus the ones you have shared here. =)

[ June 03, 2005, 07:28 PM: Message edited by: Cat ]

Wow, great information there Cat! I think I'll have to hit up amazon.com for a couple of those Sylvia Browne books. I need some new stuff to read anyway, especially after losing my book collection in the fire.

I'm thinking that the dream I posted about wasn't astral in nature, mainly because it was one of those lucid dreams I have when I'm having trouble falling asleep. I'm basically dozing off and having a dream, then waking back up, rinse and repeat a few times. =) Some of these dreams are more vivid/memorable than others, but they're the typical incoherent dreams I usually have.

In some instances where I've had trouble sleeping, I've had the sensation of floating but my eyes were closed and if I open them I'd wake up, so I never knew if it was a real OBE or not. OBEs are hard to prove, aren't they!

Last but not least, when I fly in these dreams and I pass through the ceiling or a window, it's generally not a room that corresponds with an actual room in the place I'm living in at the time.

I've had some really vivid dreams in the past, but these are rare, and I haven't had one in years. Perhaps those were astral travel dreams? I'll have to post the details of one sometime, but it was probably 15 years ago. It felt so real that I was wondering if it was a repressed memory of some sort. It took me a week to figure out it was "only" a dream and that the events within it never actually happened.

I've tried keeping a journal back in my bachelor days, but never got very far with it. If I started turning the light on and scribbling notes every time I wake up at night my wife would either kill me or have me committed!

Kevin you are the best person (as we all are) to determine what types of dream(s) you are having. If they feel more like lucid dreams to you then that is very likely what they are. Going in and out the dream and being aware that you are dreaming is a sign of that.

I suppose OBE's can be considered hard to prove but it sure makes you wonder when you hear about information that some obtain during times they felt or claim they have traveled. If the soul survives physical death then why wouldn't it be able to leave and return while the conscious mind sleeps? We may not always remember how we arrived at a destination in our dreams but sometimes it's hard to deny that it felt as recognizable as places we've been in our waking hours. I have always been fascinated with this but find it a bit scary at the same time. It's interesting that some claim to even be able to do it at will.

I often have vivid dreams, I think we all do. I never used to remember them as often but as mentioned journaling has helped with that. Jotting things down in the middle of the night does help with training your recall but it can be disruptive if someone else is trying to sleep. =)

Thanks for the insights Cat, and Carrie too. Of course, I'm still curious as to why my lucid dreams are often in a nighttime setting, but maybe it's just because my mind "knows" it's nighttime or something. I wonder if the astral realm is on the same time zones as the physical world. =)

I always look forward to dreaming at night. I'm always disappointed in the morning if I don't remember anything. Sometimes a thought will pop into my head and I'll go, oh yeah I dreamed that last night, but most nights my dreams are uneventful. I almost always remember the lucid ones though, since I end up waking up from them.

I emphatically agree with Cat's statement about you being the best person to determine what your dreams are.
I believe that the possibilities in dreams are really quite amazing.

I've been a lucid dreamer for as long as I can remember. In line with Carries statement I too have many prophetic dreams. Also for as long as I can remember.
I've flown in dreams in incredible ways. Sometimes just like walking but just floating in a stand up position. Sometimes flying over the treetops or through them. Sometimes traveling extra-dimensionally.
I've always had good dream recal. Not all dreams but many.
We dream for all kinds of reasons. Our dream life is just as expansive as our real life and sometimes more so.

I believe that your dream of flying at night is from your own subconscience. As opposed to a condition of the astral plane. Unless you are creating that condition in the astral plane. I don't know why it is at night but I believe that it comes from your own mind. Flying for most people is founded in the need for freedom or escape. You may view the night as being more free than the day. At night it's harder for people to see us. At night the ether is quieter and the air seems clearer. For many people the night time itself gives a sense of freedom. The universe opens up before us at night. In the day we only see the atmosphere, the sun and sometimes the moon. At night we see eternity. As an astonomer I can imagine you can realize the fullness of the night.

Lucid dreaming can be fun. You can engage in dreams and fantasies. You can stop nightmares and make them something else.
I don't try to control my dreams anymore. I would rather let them unfold so that I can learn the most from them.
I share the Australian Aborigines belief that we live half our life awake and live the other half asleep in our dreams.