Can Dreams be Premonitions of the Future?
Jon: I have questions about dreams I have had all my life. I've done some research but it seems everyone is just trying to make money off of this. This is not your typical Déjà Vu. I have very clear dreams about places and people I have never seen that have played themselves out in my life to a T; to the point where I know the script of the conversation. Really, this is something I have had for as long as I can remember. It doesn't bother me. It's more that I just would like to get a grasp on it. Again, I had always chalked it up as Déjà Vu in the past until I spoke with people who say it is more than that. These are very clear dreams, and in most cases take place years before the event. If there is someone real out there that may have a minute to help me understand I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time, be well.
Kirk: In parapsychology, your experience would be labeled as precognition. As you might imagine, science-based people who are interested in skeptic myth busting are, well...skeptical. The definition for premonition--I'll substitute "precognition" (from the Latin præ-, “prior to,” + cognitio, “a getting to know”)--is a type of ESP where one can perceive data regarding future events and/or places before they actually occur (this different than just predicting through reason and what you already know).
In my map of the world, the meaning for premonition visions is that they're a natural intuitive process (intuition = premonition). Although I don't expect I could pass a scientific premonitions test in a laboratory, I have no doubt that my precognitive experiences (mostly waking, not in dreams) are true. So, for me, this is a matter of belief, not fact. I believe that real people have premonitions, and it sounds like you may be one of them.
Jon: The first time I remember [having this type of premonition] I was very young, maybe twelve years old. I had a dream that I was in my bedroom hanging out with a friend that I did not recognize, and we where sharing a cigar. Mind you, the bedroom was not one I had ever lived in, but I knew in the dream it was mine. The friend was someone I had never seen, but I knew him in the dream to be a friend. Both my parents smoked when I was growing up, and I had sworn that I never would. Needless to say, it was a dream that I remembered. I awoke thinking that it was very strange, and just kind of discarded it.
About four years later -- after we had moved several times -- I was living in a new town over two hundred miles away from where the dream had taken place. I had many new friends. My mother was away and I had some friends over to my house. One friend and I where sitting in my bedroom smoking pot that we had rolled in a cigar paper. The entire dream came back to me in an instant. I knew everything he was about to say. The room was clear as day in the dream and everything was in its right place down to the posters on the wall and the TV stand. I remembered it all very clearly. I was instantly faced with a dilemma. I felt I knew what I was about to say, but I wondered if I should change things -- try to say something different. All this went through my mind and it was almost as if I'd stepped out of my body. I continued to speak without control over it. Everything played out as the dream had and then it passed.
This has now happened several times. It's not all the time; maybe three times a year for the past ten years or so. Mostly, it's a dream that takes place in an environment I've never seen, but I feel comfortable in the dream. I dream often, just like anyone. At first, I really started trying to analyze all of my dreams, but then started to be able to filter out the ones that may have this precognition in them. As some of these dreams have played out over time, I've begun to be able to grasp them right as they happen. I often wonder if there are consequences to me changing my actions in life from that of the dream.
For years as a child I had a reoccurring dream that was very clear. It was of my mother passing away when I was with her. It's a long story but sometimes I am very weary of dreams like this.
Is there anyway to get a better understanding of these dreams, to be able to have more warning before the actual event? Or to be able to put them to use to do some good for someone? I am a spiritual person of no specific faith. I believe that human beings are much more capable than we can begin to understand. Sometimes just kind of shrug this off as something we all have in us that just kind of happens. I guess I don't really have any one specific question, just trying to talk to someone who may have had these kind of experiences or be able to help me understand what it is and how to nurture it maybe, if that's even possible. Again, Kirk, thanks for your time. I've never really gone too far into this aside from my own introspective thoughts on it.
Kirk: I'm happy to be talking about this with you, Jon. I know that talking (in our case, writing) can help us in our learning. If you would like some "warning," just ask your subconscious. One useful way to do this is to make a clear request before you fall asleep. Here's some sample language. I'll include your second question about putting your experience to good use for yourself and others. As you'll see, my suggestions will include some of my beliefs on the topic. Please feel free to adjust any of my words so that they "fit" for you:
"Hi, subconscious mind. This is the conscious mind speaking, but you probably already knew that. :-) I'm interesting in working more closely with the subconscious aspects of my being that have the ability to time travel while I'm dreaming. This skill has always just kind of been there, and it's not something I worked on developing, at least in this life. I don't want to control this ability. I want to learn to work with it. I want to deepen the bridge between my conscious self and my subconscious self.
"I would like to begin with two requests. The first is to have a some more warning when I'm in my waking state and then something I dreamed in the past becomes my present. I believe I receive this information in my dreams for a purpose, but when I don't have any warning, I usually don't know what to do other than just watch in wonder as the experience plays out. If I have some kind of cue, like an inner picture, sound, words, feelings...something, I could might be able to be more present. I'm not sure about this, as I really don't understand the deep purpose of why I know of certain experiences and not others. So, I'm wanting to learn.
"My second request is that I'd like to learn how this ability can help other people. I'd like to see if I can do some good.
"That's it for tonight. I've been doing the talking and now I'll be quiet and listen. I know that all parts of my subconscious can learn to talk to me in many ways, dreams about future events being only one of them. I'm open to all that is aligned with my highest and best good, and the highest and best good of everyone else. Thanks, and goodnight."
OK, something like that. One thing you can do is adjust the language above to fit your own vibe, make a sound recording, and then play it as you fall off to sleep. Listening to suggestions and requests in your own voice can be very helpful.
Jon: I never really thought about establishing the relationship between my conscious and subconscious selves. I really do appreciate your thoughts. Thanks again.
Kirk: Happy to help, Jon. Take care.
