the true life dreams awake

Pinch me, I must be dreaming

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We were all at the beach. You all were sitting on the sand, while I was knee-deep in water when it occurred to me that this picturesque day was far too perfect. I needed to know if it were real, or all a dream. My test; if I could make the sky change. I stared at my feet and then closed my eyes. One breath in, held in, one breath out, held out, one more in, then I set my eyes to the skies. From the center of my vision, to the outer extreme of my peripherals, I saw clouds hurtling by in a vast whirlpool far above my head. The colors seemed off, as if the light were filtered through a vast kaleidoscopic array of green, yellow, and blue. Strangely, I remember only these parts of my dream. I don't remember much else after the initial realization.

Thanatos (Death) asleep with Hypnos (Sleep)

This was my first lucid dream, which is defined as a dream where the person consciously realizes they are dreaming. This was something I had been working at for sometime. Although by no means diligent, I had been keeping a journal of my dreams for a while. Certain environmental cues point to the conclusion of a dream. Looking at any sort of a clock is good indicator; as time does not pass in a 'normal' fashion, the dial on a regular clock will spin aimlessly, or not move at all. The numbers on the clock's face might not be present, or they could be replaced by completely meaningless symbols. Looking at a phone or texting in a dream has a similar effect, as the usual array of numbers and letters will give way to obscure symbols you may have never seen before.

If you want to get more in touch with this part of your mind, start recording your dreams. Don't focus on coherence or having it make any sense, instead try and remember detail. Lastly, think of what sorts of things hold special meaning to you, and notice when they occur in dreams. Our mind is very interpretive and flexible in its use of symbolism, so if you get stuck visit a dream dictionary for some references as to what some of these details. Always remember that this symbolism is deeply personal. If something doesn't make sense to you, then chances are you're over thinking this detail.

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