Everyone tries to decipher their dreams.
Usually when I awake, the dream is illusive. My foggy mind tries to grasp onto the tail of it before it’s gone.
How is it, I wonder, that these dreams come about? They choose to visit us in that darkest of places. Buried deep within our slumber. Shadowy bits and pieces of a puzzle we have no way of putting together. Or is that the point?
Intense dreaming occurs during REM sleep as a result of heightened brain activity, but paralysis occurs simultaneously in the major voluntary muscle groups. REM is a mixture of encephalic (brain) states of excitement and muscular immobility. For this reason, it is sometimes called paradoxical sleep.
It all sounds so mysterious. I find that I dream about people who have no correlation to one another. But are for some reason packed into the same dream sequence. Like someone from my childhood might be paired in the same dream with someone from my adulthood that I know never met.
I frequently dream of being light as a bird and flying through the skies. It is a feeling, when I wake, of being free. Free as a bird. Soaring high above troubles and earthly complications.
I dream of being another age. I dream of being chased. Or of someone shooting a gun at me, and then I immediately wake up. Not knowing if the bullet pierced my skin or stopped my heart. I wonder if my heart speeds up in my sleep as it does in my dreams?
It is an enigma, this dreaming and figuring out the meaning of it. I wonder if it is like a stew in which everything that has ever happened goes into the pot, and then it is stirred?
Or is it as translucent as these leaves? If you patch all the things in your dream together, like a quilt, does it make some strange but logical sense?
This morning I tiptoed through my garden, waiting on this dragonfly to light. I watched as it balanced precariously yet gracefully atop the object of its choosing.
Is this what dreaming actually tells us? That there is a point if only we can find it? Do we choose our dreams or do our dreams choose us?
What are your most frequent or odd dreams composed of? And what do you hypothesize about the inner workings of what happens when we sleep?
Gosh, Brenda, these images are amazing. I can’t imagine a red dragon fly!!! I still have dreams about showing up for a college final in a class that I never attended or read the books for, and I get all panicked! Then I wake up and realize that it’s been 27 years since I was in college : ). Not sure what that means! Beautiful thoughts, here….
xx Suzanne
My dreams are often like yours: people coming and going who I know, but don’t know each other – or are from different parts of my life. I’m in one room, then suddenly I’m moving forward in time with the same people but in a whole different setting. I can never make sense of those.
I also have the recurring dream of taking a college final that I have done absolutely nothing to prepare for. Or hearing that I am going to flunk out because I skipped too many classes or getting ready to go onstage in front of an audience when I’ve never learned the words in the play.
xoxo
Claudia
i rarely remember mine these days. but always thought being chased was something i was dreading.
Brenda, your images are totally amazing! I’m in awe of your photography skills. Enjoyed your thoughts on dreams. They are a puzzlement! ~ Sarah
Brenda, great photos and we have had a red dragonfly at our pond, too. A lot of my dreams are quickly forgotten after I wake up. My husband needs to quit having some of his dreams where he is fighting with someone because I have actually been kicked in the bed by him more than once.
Your photos are really beautiful. I really admire your skill. As for dreams, well I dream every night, and always remember them in detail.
I have a whole town., with the same streets, shops etc every time. Some nights I’m living in a big house, and other nights in the smaller one next door. I call out, and all the cats I’ve ever had in my life come running out of a wood at the bottom of the garden and I feed them all, also, I float rather than walk up and down stairs, and when I walk I only use one leg. Weird!, but it seems natural in the dream. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Hi Brenda! Oh, more gorgeousness of snaps – always here! You do such a great job. I seem to dream alot. But I don’t always remember it all.
You should join us in the sorority! You can be the photographer!
be a sweetie,
Shelia
I had a dream last night that I had triplets. The dream involved actually giving birth although I felt no pain. I have dreams like this a lot and often wake up feeling cramps. I always wanted more children, so I attribute the dreams to this.
There is a myriad of books out about deciphering your dreams…my daughter has one. You might be interested in researching this more. It’s a fascinating subject!
Love all of your pictures as always! Have a good weekend, Brenda!
xoxo
Janie
Your photos are amazing. You have a good eye for sure.
My reoccurring is trying to find a bathroom. There are changing rooms but no potty or there are no bathrooms…..I do this alot and then finally wake uop and realize I need to find my bathroom, hah, you asked…..LOL
My dreams usually aren’t repetitive, except in times of stress. And then, my mother is usually in the dream. I know I’m under real stress when I dream about her. We are usually gathered at a familiar place that typically isn’t our home, and we’ve forgotten to do something. I’m not sure what, but we have to play catch up to finish whatever business it is. Generally, I’m the one to do it, and when I finish everyone has left to go someplace which means I have to find them. Once the place was my best friend from childhood’s home, and she told me that all of her dreams about home are about our house. We were so close as children and spent lots of time together. She was from a family of seven children, and I was from a family of three kids with one grown. So she loved to come to our house to be pampered, and I loved to go to hers for the excitement of always having enough kids to put on a play or a dance recital.
Then just before Katrina for a couple of years, I had a repetitive dream that I was in a car, driving down a road that was suddenly under water. I always had the sensation it was the Gulf. It would be a long stretch of flat road, and it looked like South Louisiana in my dreams. Not Florida. Sometimes it would be on a bridge, and other times it would just be on a highway. I haven’t had one since. If I do, I’ll know to pray hard.
Interesting topic.
XO,
Sheila
Oh, and I used to have a dream that I was in college and had forgotten to go to class or DROP the class, that it was the end of the year with me being far behind. The final is usually the next day. My husband and FIL have a similar one.
I often have the dream Claudio and Magpie refer to! The other one that recurs with me is that there is another story to our house – 3rd floor — and HUGE. There are lovely bed & breakfast type rooms. Occasionally people are in there uninvited and messing them up/causing an uproar. Other times, I’m thinking of assigning them to someone….
Your photos are amazing! Wish THEY were in my dreams instead of these weird ones I have
One reason I used the word Dreams in my blog is because of my dreams. I remember several dreams EVERY morning of my life! I usually tell my hubby some of them at breakfast. They are all over the place…realistic, fantasy, scary, happy! This morning I dreamed I was teaching a class of ladies and I was very excited. I woke up feeling like I needed to prepare my lesson plan! Enjoy your weekend, my friend! Sweet dreams! ♥
I have never ever seen a dragonfly that color, but if I did, I think it would make me happy all day!
My dreams never seem to make any sense, but I have a feeling it’s my subconscious mind working overtime! I do have a recurring dream that we’re still living in our condo that we moved out of 15 years ago, where I couldn’t plant anything, couldn’t feed the birds or hang a birdhouse, there was no privacy, and the walls were so thin we could hear our neighbors. I almost wake up screaming. I guess you could call it more of a nightmare than a dream!
A very ethereal and dreamlike post Brenda. That red dragonfly is stunning! I used to remember my dreams a lot more than I do now. I seldom remember dreaming anymore, I wonder why?
hi brenda,
what awesome photos! you could start a nat-geo side blog!
there’s a new leonardo di caprio movie that’s about dreams. it looks kind of cool. definitely a big screen kind of film.
happy weekend!
xo
elyse
Gorgeous! Pictures! As always! I dream about people driving onto our property (50 acres) and having parties. More people. More cars. And then they start coming into our house and taking over everything. And they won’t leave. Come to think of it, it sounds like what’s going on in Arizona. Yikes!
Lovely photos, Brenda! I have dreams of being in houses and everywhere I turn there is another wonderful room that I never even knew was there, they just surprise me…
Brenda, I agree your photography is amazing!!!!! I have a recurring dream of trying to get to high school to see if I have missed too much and I am going to be able to graduate….different schools, all the time, but same theme, and how horrible it will be if I don’t graduate! And I always dream of houses….noticing floorplans, colors, where rooms are in reference to another one….I could write it all down when I wake up,the exact floorpaln. The house dreams are that vivid….hmmm……don’t have a clue….:)
The most infuriating part of my dreams is this: if it’s a pleasant dream & I awaken halfway through it, I cannot fall back to sleep & continue it!
If it’s an unpleasant dream (& I’m blessed to have had very few) I tell myself I can’t handle any more & it’s time to wake up! And I do!
Why can’t I tell myself to go back to sleep & continue on with the GOOD dreams?
That’s what I want to know!
Oh – I forgot to mention how lovely your photos are! The dragonfly is especially stunning!
You photo’s are stunning. That sweet dragonfly, yes don’t you wonder what he was thinking as you were taking his picture. I have always thought of dreams as a way of our subconscious at work, although it doesn’t explain those weird dreams! Great post
Wendy
Gorgeous photos, Brenda.
I often wonder about my dreams too. At least the ones I can remember.
An old wives tale or Ozarkian tale is…never tell a dream before breakfast, unless you want it to come true.
Happy weekend!
Hi Brenda, I have been meaning to get to you to thankyou for your lovely comments on my blog, and for visiting; from Creamy White)
I love your beautiful photos, I am going to enjoy reading your blog!
Have a lovely weekend over there in Texas!
Laura curriexx
Beautiful photos my friend!
I have flying dreams too. I use to joke that I had “frequent flyer miles” from my dreams. I looked it up and it means that we are independent people and we are fighting or flying towards independence. When I was in a stressful situation, I would have those dreams.
Hugs to you.
Ohhhhh I have such “Photography Envy”!!! Oh you are marvelous! Oh my!!!!!
But I don’t let such ["Photography Envy"] stop me. Instead, I use it to inspire me! To try stuff myself! And to keep experimenting!
Oh and we [because I had to have my husband look over my shoulder, at your photographs!!!!!!!], anyway we have never seen a red Dragonfly. I’d probably faint if I did, ’cause I lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve Dragonflies so much! Is this his real color or did your love of red shades cause you to PhotoShop him?
Please… I need to know if there are such things as red Dragonflies somewhere, even if not in my neck of the woods.
Oh and I’ll look up a site I have ‘bookmarked,’ on dream interpritation and give you a link to a great blogger, who has a whole blog on such!
^_^
And my take on dreams is that they are us, trying to tell ourselves something.
Amazing photos, Brenda. Love the dragonfly.
I don’t remember a lot of my dreams but I think dreams are just a part of us, and probably trying to tell us something.
Hugs,
Donna
Thank you for your answer, in my blog comments, about your Dragonfly color. Oh yes, now I see the orange. How lucky you! Having both orange and blue dragonflies in your garden. Here we only see black/grayish. But they are still lovely and I love them!
Dreams… Mary has a Dream Blog. Dreams, A Pathway To The Soul.
And here is a link I found, but haven’t really full read it. But I will!… Undrestanding Your Dreams
Hope these links are of interest. I love the topic of dreams, myself.
Wow, these photos are amazing, and I love thinking about dreams, so this post was right up my alley! I am a vivd dreamer, and I remember at least a few snippets each morning, and sometimes much more. My dreams often linger with me throughout the day, sometimes coloring my mood or helping me work through fears and anxieties.
Thanks for visiting over at my place! It’s wonderful to meet you and see your beautiful blog. xo Gigi
Hi my dear friend! I had to go through this post a few times because I was so mesmerized by your fabulous photos! Ever since I was a young girl I have had funny whimsical dreams. I often wake up laughing. These silly dreams are mixed in with dreams of longing. Dreaming of my childhood home and childhood friends. So even though they say one can never go back home again, I do often in my dreams. When I do, those pleasant thoughts just follow me into the next day.
Lots of love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo
What beautiful photography! I tend to dream alot about trying to climb a mountain and I never seen to get to the top….hmmmm
Beautiful pictures! I’ve never seen a dragonfly that color before. I don’t dream very often. Not that I can remember anyway. Maybe once every 6 weeks or so. Never about flying. What do you think that means? Mimi
Your photos today are exceptionally gorgeous. I have never seen a red dragonfly. How pretty and the yellow/red flower is beautiful too.
I have always had lots of dreams. They are always very vivid and usually don’t make a lot of sense. At times I feel exhausted in the morning from all of the dreaming.
I’ve dreamed of my mother 3 different times since she passed away. Once I was walking through a field of wildflowers and I came upon a white barn (aren’t they usually red?) there were three spaces cut out for windows in the barn but there wasn’t actually glass in them. I walked by the first 2 and nothing happened. But the last window I walked by my mothers head popped up! She was smiling so pretty, and had rosey pink lips and a white sweater and blouse on. It startled me in my sleep so much that I raised straight up out the bed and thought she was there. That was the night before my first mothers day without her. Then another time I dreamed of her holding a baby boy. After she had me, she had a miscarriage, and I’ve always wondered if that was my baby brother she was holding. Then the other dream I can’t speak of, it was NOT a happy dream. I’ve rambled enought thanks for sharing your thoughts and beautiful photos!
Such a great post Brenda, and the pictures are, as always, fabulous.
I have recurring dreams often. There are three in particular. In one, it’s nighttime and I’m running through the streets of an abandoned downtown area and I know someone is chasing me but I can’t see them. Right when they catch me, I see a patrol car and know that if I can yell loud enough he’ll hear me. I try to yell and nothing comes outm and I just cry. I break loose and start to run again, and I always wake up right when they grab the back of my shirt again. Same dream every time.
The next is that I am little, around 5 or 6, and Im in a church going upstairs to vacation bible school, but the church is empty. I realize when I’m walking up the stairs that I have on a little white dress, but that I’m not wearing any underpants. I turn around and start walking up the steps backwards so that no one will know, crying all the while. When I reach the top of the stairs, I turn around, and there is the preacher shaking his finger at me. Then I wake up.
The last is that I’m in a cemetery, and I’m looking for my biological dad’s headstone. I come upon a spot that is caved in and as I look at it, I realize there is a plaque in the ground with his name on it. While I stand there, I notice the ground is shifting slightly the entire time, and the dirt is still sinking. An intense fear comes over me, then I realize it’s dark and I can’t see how to get out of the cemetery and I panic. No one knows where I am, and my phone doesn’t work. I start to climb what feels like a stone wall, then I wake up. It’s a weird one, but I keep having it.
So there you go, decipher those and get back to me, would ya?
When I wake up, I’ve started writing down what I can remember of my dreams. It’s pretty interesting. You should try that.
Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world! What a beautiful and cozy place you have here!! Love your quilts and doggies.
I always dream of needing to get away but being unable to move quickly. My feet stay rooted or I’m moving, but in slow motion. Then again, the same thing could be said about me exercising …
B at the CG
Beautiful photographs! Dreams have always fascinated me. I have learned to pay more attention to the emotions I have during the dream. This helps me identify what in my life triggers it.
Beautiful photos….as always! My dreams….well many times I don’t remember them anymore. But the last couple of years I have many dreams about my Dad that I lost Sept. 28, 2008. Some of these dreams are good and others wake me up feeling as if I’ve lost him again all over again. I lost my Mom when I was 7 years old…and I used to have dreams that she was still alive and that my Dad knew it and had been hiding her all these years…I haven’t had a dream like that sense my Dad died. But the funny thing is….my sister used to have the exact same dream about my Mom…..very strange indeed.
Great topic. I rarely dream about people I know. I’ve always found that a little weird. I have 2 recurring dreams. Anytime I dream of a house, it always turns into a nightmare. Doesn’t matter if it is a house I have never seen before or the 2 houses I grew up in, or the house I currently live in. The 2nd one is I witness some sort of plane crash. I’ve dreamt I’ve witnessed an airline crash, a small plane crash, a helicopter crash, the space shuttle crash, a military plane crash. Doesn’t really matter, as long as it has a motor & flies, I have dreamt that I’ve seen it crash. I used to always wake up in such a panic after having the dream. Now when I have one, I always think that I am finally awake, witnesses a plane crash for real & that is why I’ve had the dreams all my life. But then I wake up & realize that I was really asleep. At least I’ve never been on the plane when it crashes. I hope that this is a dream that never comes true. But when I see a low flying plane, I always think “what if”. I’ve always wondered what these dreams mean.
My dreams are often a mystery to me as well.
The red canna is beautiful!