Why Do I Have Vivid Dreams While Sleeping?

[john5170]

I have been meditating for quite some time now.

I never had really vivid dreams while sleeping. I do have dreams from time to time, but I do not remember the content.

Recently, I have been having (once a week) very 'real' dreams where I am very clear in my thoughts and intentions and I incorporate very specific facts from my life. I also remember my dreams very well.

What does this mean? Does it have anything to do with meditation? Am I growing (in terms of my mind expanding)?  Is it just a random experience?

EDIT:

I just did some more research, and this is what a post on Reddit says (not sure if its true):

Quote

This does tend to happen when you strengthen your pineal gland. The pineal gland is considered your third eye chakra and is scientifically said to release the natural chemical dimethlytriptamine (DMT) when dreaming and at the beginning and end of life. This gland also regulates your sleep/awake patterns and produces melatonin. It sounds like you're starting to experience lucid dreaming and you might be interested in the sub /r/luciddreaming to learn more.

 

Edited August 1, 2017 by john5170

[str4]

I don't know about the pineal gland, but I have the same experience as you do and I've just pointed it to a general rise in awareness. My awareness has raised so naturally, I enjoy my heightened awareness while I am sleeping. Although I don't know if you can really raise your awareness since it's limitless but it's just a way of saying that when you remove the blockages which obscure your awareness — it shines through more clearly.

[aurum]

@john5170

I've noticed the same thing. Your dreams aren't random.

Whenever I have a deeply vivid dream, it always contains insights into my own shadows / what I still have left to purify in my subconscious. So it may be the result of you starting your spiritual purification work through meditation.

Have you noticed anything significant about the content of these dreams?

[Azrael]

4 hours ago, john5170 said:

What does this mean?

It means that your mind seems to process a lot of stuff. Get used to it. I had a phase in which I dreamed that way 5 out of 7 days a week for 6-8 months. This can be quite intense stuff.

4 hours ago, john5170 said:

Does it have anything to do with meditation?

Yes, meditation is releasing unconscious blocks from your mind/memory and your dreams seem to process them.

[Max_V]

@Azrael I've had this too, but in addition I wake up every 2 hours and have different vivid dreams, sometimes I have 5 different a night

Do you have any idea why I have this?

[Azrael]

3 minutes ago, Max_V said:

Do you have any idea why I have this?

Seems like purging to me. Don't try to make sense out of it. It's your mind that's releasing tons and tons of stress, emotions, thoughts. It'll do that in ways you won't get at first because it doesn't make sense. Well, it doesn't have to. It's your mind. It doesn't work logically. Just let it be and wait until you can see yourself what happened.

[pluto]

Tbh as a young child vivid dreams were every night. Teenage years usually dark or no dreams and after spiritual awakenings early 20s dreams started to come more alive again like a young child but not as powerful or as vivid. I think it also has to do with overstimulation from screens, social media and general thoughts we get daily. As a child you are much more in the present moment and usually outdoors playing not flooding yourself with social media junk and subconscious layers and patterns.

I find when you meditate more, and spend more time off screens, social media and more time in nature/sunlight and doing one thing at a time in the present moment your dreams tend to become more alive(so to speak), also notice when keeping artificial lighting off after sunset balances our natural circadian rhythms thus optimal melatonin production = optimal dreaming/restoration.

Could be a sign of spiritual awakening

[Erlend K]

Heavy amounts of meditation is known to increase the lenght of REM sleep, leading to much longer, often more vivid dreams. I know from my own experience, in normal life I barely dream, and when I do they are not very interesting, while on retreat I have insanely interesting dreams most night.