Are we in control of our dreams?

[Farfenugen]

Are we in control of our dreams or is it like a movie from the first person perspective + feelings and such like life on rails?

[Ignignokt]

The answer is yes. To both.

The vast majority of dreams are your subconscious at work (in that sense, you are in control, in that it has to do with what's in your mind).

It is also possible to take "conscious" control (or at least be conscious of the fact that you're dreaming):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream

I'm frequently aware I'm dreaming. Very, very rarely, like maybe 3 times ever, I've "taken control" of a dream - blew me away.

[dankhank]

agree with you on both counts. although since controlling a dream almost seems to be a fluke occurence (for example maybe a sound jars you out of deep sleep but doesn't wake you out of a lucid dream), we only really have control in the first way. ie you can change your life in ways that affect your subconscious.

[MusashiStyle]

when i first read title ithought it said

"Are wet dreams out of control?"

lol

[noonun]

First of all it depends how you choose to define "we"; if you accept that "we" is our entire mind/nervous system, then yes...we then produce the dreams, and in some sense the mind controls (sub-consciously) all that is percieved...as external stimulus is cut off (mostly) during sleep.

However your question also depends on the concept of "control":
I tend to believe that the universe is predestined in that it is governed by physical laws, and that "control" is largely a human invention. The brain is structured by genetics and environment (both physical (diet) and psycholgical (drugs or being beaten as a kid))...this structure, combined with the inherent physical and chemical properties of our nervous system, largely (if not wholely) determines what we think and how we act........so there is no room for self-determination. Thus there is no control in RL or in dreams.

[noonun]

There are supposedly some methods to increase the likeliness of lucid dreaming...one is to repeatedly ask yourself throughout the day (when awake) "Is this real? Am I dreaming right now? Am I in control?". When this type of questioning becomes second-nature it can happen while dreaming and can supposedly trigger the consciousness to "wake", and in a sense these meta-cog modes of thinking tend to occur naturally when lucid dreaming...

In certain lucid dreams, I give myself tasks like: examing my skin as closely as possible, or finding something to read...my conscious is examing my sub-conscious and both react to one another.

[Fingerswinger]

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It is also possible to take "conscious" control

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happened once to me when i was a child - absolutely amazing! you're like the master of your own universe, can do / create whatever you want etc.

[ QUOTE ]
There are supposedly some methods to increase the likeliness of lucid dreaming...one is to repeatedly ask yourself throughout the day (when awake) "Is this real? Am I dreaming right now? Am I in control?". When this type of questioning becomes second-nature it can happen while dreaming and can supposedly trigger the consciousness to "wake", and in a sense these meta-cog modes of thinking tend to occur naturally when lucid dreaming...

[/ QUOTE ]

tried this, sadly it never worked for me.