Dreaming within a dream, what is going on?

Note: This is a bit beyond me so I just did my best to describe my question and ponderings. This could be very interesting for people who have had dreams within dreams and who can maybe explain the way conciousness is working in these situations.

My question relates dreaming within a dream and to the point of conciousness within the dreams. Say I go to sleep, then I start dreaming. My conciousness is now inside that dream, and my body is in the physical realm. But when I dream within a dream, my conciousness is now inside that second dream, and my body according to that perspective is in the first dream I started.

My question is, what is going on here? Is there still a true first point of conciousness that stays with the first dream? Is a second point of conciousness created going into the second dream? Because usually when you come out of the dream within a dream, you find yourself back in that dream body, right where you fell to sleep with it.

How does the perception of time apply here? Our dreams seem to be limited by physical time because our minds are. However, once you dream within a dream, what is that subject to? Do our dream bodies also answer to time? Does that realm answer to time? I would have to think so, almost independent of our mind. Otherwise a dream within a dream would take up 0 time, and basically your conciousness related to your physical mind, time would basically be frozen until you came back to the original dream.

Looking at this, it seems to make dreams more real, as in not all in your head. If it's all in your head, then the dream within a dream would not answer to time, because the dream itself would be based on nothing, based on no set laws, no set time. If we assume the dream only answers to time because of our physical mind.

Here, this link may have some insight for you. I found this page while I was doing research on a great game called Dreamfall.

en.wikipedia.org...

This "Dreamtime" refers to the Aborigines belief that all dreams happen in one place, called the Dreaming.

It is the place where all thoughts are stored, and may be what every body calls the "Central Consciousness" that many people talk and theorize about; and this Dreamtime is supposed to be more real than real. It is the very fabric of the earth, the cosmos, time, everything.

So, I guess I could call having a dream with in a dream, maybe another reality?
Or maybe peeling back another one of the vast layers of time and space.

I don't know, but hopefully the link will help you relate to your troubles.

It's called lucid dreaming. The dream stage that many have used to obtain astral projections from.

reply to post by Novise


I believe, that when you sleep, you are not actually, "dreaming", but your body is at work. It's not that you don't participate, but more as if, you are catching the end of a show you've seen before. You know how it all works out, but forgot the twist or for instance, if you can't remember unique passages of time to relate context too, catching the end of the show, could still be confusing. Even if, you "knew" the show, but were unclear on details, it would not make for the same ending. Spirit is in the blood, and the blood is always working....: Peace

I have had dreams within dreams countless times. A couple of times though, I had dreams within dreams within dreams ... up to 4 dream levels deep (and that itself was a dream.) They are very intriguing!

I've also died in dreams many times and left the body within the dream. I'm living proof that dying in a dream doesn't kill you! One of those after-death dreams was ALSO a dream within a dream.

Dreams are one of my favorite topics; but, I don't know the answer to your question.

I have many dreams within a dream before, and I mark it down to one of those quirky things. I also reference previous dreams, sometimes from years ago, in my lucid dreams. For example, in my dream I can be strolling down a road a come to a park that I had dreamed about before.

Lucid dreams are strange and amazing experiences, indeed!

reply to post by Novise

When I dream within a dream I find myself literally going to sleep -- in the first dream -- then have the subsequent dream, which can go on for quite a long time, before I re-awake ... in the first dream...

There is a profound (emphasis) feeling of drowsiness before the DWIAD begins; as if I am narcoleptic, I cannot stay awake in the 1st dream. I will quasi-lucid dream, in that I realize when the sleepinness comes that I am in a 'first dream', but do not find myself controlling the second dream, just paying more attention to it.

Another thing worth noting is that when I really wake up in 3d-body-time I have a feeling of well being and rested-ness, like the best nights sleep ever. In fact this is often how I recognize and remember the D-W-I-A-D.

I am unable to recognize any specfic difference or quality between the two dreaming states outside of what I listed above, but am v. interested to hear if any of this is familiar to you or others, and if anyone has any suggestions about how to respond to/handle the 'Dreaming State Squared'.

I just think that dreams within a dream make dreams seem more real, like there is something holding it together if you are able to dream within it. I was hoping that the metaphysicists on ATS could talk about what is going on with our conciousness in these situations of dreams within a dream, and OOBE within a dream. Is it all one experience, one "now," and even though it feels like your dreaming within the dream it's all one dream or one show, one perception at a time? Or does dreaming within a dream require the construct of a dream body to remain in (for lack of a better word) existence in order for you to dream within that dream?

Anyone ever done a meditation within a dream? What's that like? Haven't been lucky enough to do that accidentally, and not able enough to do it lucidly (without waking back up too quickly)