Two Thoughts on Dreams

1. 6/4/09
I believe dreams are our brains' way of entertaining itself, like movies. Many people believe they are to be interpreted and mean something, but how can dreams tell you something you don't know? They may just point out less obvious things. I believed this at first until recently. I'll tell you what changed my mind later. I believe dreams are just random things that your brain put together subconsciously and against your will. Those things may be pull from prominent events in your life, but they are still random. No matter how hard you try to have your dream your way, it's still random.

Here is what changed my mind. It's sort of a mind game. I don't know if it just happens to me, but you should try it sometime. I have noticed that I think of two things at once: what I am originally thinking, and there are random other things that just appear. I do not try to think of random things; they are just there. Here's the challenge: as you lay down to go to sleep (it is near impossible to do it with distractions) try to not to think of anything. Pay attention to that other part of your thoughts that is constantly spitting out random things. If you try to think of random things, it won't work. I have noticed even random images appear. I realized that it is hard to do this for more than a second. I believe this is what your dreams are based on.

Here's my theory: When you go to sleep, your brain rests the part of your brain that you use to think during the day. Then the random part (that rests during the day) takes over, and therefore your dreams appear.

Side note: If you want to remember your dreams, just think before you go to sleep that you will remember it. This may sound stupid, but from my experience, it works.

2. 2/20/10
After watching an interesting (great) show called Fringe, I came up with another thought about dreams are. But first, you need to know about alternate/parallel universes.

This thought is based on the theory of alternate universes. These exist anywhere and everywhere, you just can't see them or get to them. In these alternate universes are versions of you and me; it is also possible that you don't exist in them too. Those versions of you are different in a way because they have made different decisions than you. Because there is an infinite amount of decisions you could have made, there is an infinite amount of universes where those alternate decisions are carried out. For example, you could be dancing in an alternate dimension right now instead of reading this. Earth could also be a desolate wasteland due to an alien invasion - the possibilities are endless.

Now that you know that, here is my thought: Dreams are view-ports into those alternate dimensions. That would explain the similarities to your own life as well as the weird stuff.

Another far-fetched thought: Mirrors are portals to those alternate dimensions - it's just the person on the other side is blocking you from getting through.

This may sound crazy, but it makes for a good story.