Using you senses in dreams

hi afraid of the dark.

obviously the connection between my mam and my grandad was close, and the same with your dad. we have all smelt aftershave, and all smelt bacon so if we can smell whist dreaming then it would surely be easy to recall that smell with ease, therefore, to me it seems if only these senses are getting used only due to the death of a close one if so, then there could easily be a presence there from that person. i know this event comforted my mam. it could easily have been prompted by something other than just the (mind in my opinion).

back to lucid dreams. i often get a feeling of a dream feeling very real when i wake, but actually during the dream i don't think i am aware i am dreaming therefore am not in a lucid state. is it not possible people are just assuming they have had a lucid dream when really they have just thought upon waking that there normal dream was real.

reply to post by Cowler


Hi Cowler

I never thought the smell in my dream could have come from a presence in the room, good thinking! That idea seems to make sense when connecting the smell to a visit from a deceaced loved one.

Though this idea still doesnt explain why some people can touch, taste and smell in their dreams, while others cant.
Im thinking this seems to happen more to people who have lucid dreams. Maybe these people have a higher state of mind. Im not an expert on the mind so im only guessing!

reply to post by afraidofthedark


just a theory about the presence of the loved one. if the mind can create such things in dreams then it also could easily just be that the memory is that strong and that you truly want the person back, and your mind knows you would be comforted by remembering key smells and what not. It could possibly be a different state of mind, i would assume it all depends on how open minded you are as a person.


I have been itching all day to get on here to talk because last night i actually had a lucid dream, it was funny because i now recall having more lucid dreams, it is also strange because i was having a restless sleep, and i ended up on the sofa (being 6"3 this is not very comfortable!) all in all last night i had around 2-3 hours sleep, but the lucid dream i had i find strange because i kept waking up during the times i did fall asleep so therefore surely was not in a very deep sleep at all, but still had a lucid dream... i assume that you would have to be in a deep sleep... well obviously not. i have heard in the past people say that you cannot have a lucid dream until you have heard about them, so its likely talking about them in this forum yesterday prompted me to have a lucid dream. as i said before it has made me realise that in the past i have had more lucid dreams than i first thought, but what is funny about them in the past has been that i have usually woke up, then went back into the sleep fully aware of what was going on and that i was in a dream, but this lasted for literally a few seconds and i was back, generally fighting my hardest to get back into the dream... last night was very different though. i was in a street with some old friends, and i cant exactly remember what was happening there, ( i think maybe a fight, I'm not 100% sure) but i travelled to the bottom of the street and at this point thought, wait I'm in a dream i can get out of here, at this point i started to fly and took myself to a nearby field where i was alone. someone previously spoke about flying in a lucid dream earlier in a post, is this rare? i would like any kind of analysis regarding this from anyone.

Thanks for listening.

reply to post by Cowler


It seems all this talk of lucid dreaming has had its advantages!
To fly in a lucid dream must be great and give the feeling of freedom.
I have had flying dreams but they were not lucid.

I have also been thinking about lucid dreaming, and I too have been starting to remember the very few I have had over the years. The strangest lucid dream I can recall I had a few years ago. In my dream I was in a pub, which in waking life is something I never do. I was sat at a table with my mum and we were having a drink. I remember feeling very awkward, nervous and very uncomfortable, feeling something was wrong with this situation. I looked down and realised I was topless, not wearing a stitch! Straight away after this discovery I woke up. Now this night I had gone to bed without a top on as it was such a hot and humid night. This is something I never do as I am so scared at night and need the comfort of clothes and a heavy duvet.

very strange indeed, it all just proves the power of they human mind. it is wonderful, and powerful yet very scary... a lot like many things i suppose.
so you are actually scared of the dark? do you live alone? i dont think it is at all irrational to be scared of what you cannot see, if anything it could be very sensible.

reply to post by Cowler


Im scared of something! I lie in bed and I start to imagine all sorts of horrible things all of which are stupid and irrational!

I think I have watched too many horror films! When I go to bed at night I have to be wrapped up snug with full length P.J.s and a nice heavy duvet! Which can be very annoying in the summer!

I live with my husband and three children, who probably think I am mad!