Nightmares and "bad" trips - similarities?

[randomancer]

Hi all,

During the last weeks I've experienced some nightmares and most notably last night I had one which got me thinking a bit.

Last night I had a nightmare, of course a bit blurry but in the dream I was in my family home which got kind of invaded by violent burglars that were after me, my family and my possessions.

The feelings I had were mainly helplessness, a willing to protect myself, my family and my possessions, and fear. It felt like I was getting closer to my death as I was threatened with a knife to my throat, unable to defend myself. But I also felt brave as the feeling of protecting myself and family with violence was stronger than the feeling of fear. At this point all the feelings I mentioned was getting stronger and I asked my mother in the dream if this was just a dream, hoping she would reply "yes", but she replied that it was unforunately not just a dream. Then I died/woke up.

The reason I am making a thread is because it felt quite similar to how intense trips are described, and I remember Leo saying something about if there is no reference point outside of the "dimension" you are experiencing, you can never know whether you are in a dream or not, which is the case for fish in the water, humans when dreaming or tripping intensely, or (unenlightened) humans when just living.

Anyway, when I woke up from the dream it felt like I had overcome something, and felt more brave than before. It seemed like there were some similarities with a bad trip - as you feel helpless, scared, haunted by demons etc - but if integrated properly maybe better off afterwards. Maybe I'm extrapolating a bit too much from just a dream. Anyone has any thoughts on this?

(Note: I myself have a quite limited experience of tripping, and have had a very peaceful upbringing with zero violence in my life, currently age 27)

[Arzack]

Pain/suffering is part of this reality. The difference between nightmares and bad trips is that you wake up soon after the scary shit starts happening in your dreams. 

This is why psychedelics are needed for most people, they force you to stay in the suffering situation for longer, and eventually your ego (not you, it's not a decision) gives up and you attain nirvana (only very old souls can attain with meditation alone; my own theory... for now). Check my sign. for sources and more info.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Arzack

[Member]

On 5/19/2020 at 1:54 AM, Arzack said:

Pain/suffering is part of this reality. The difference between nightmares and bad trips is that you wake up soon after the scary shit starts happening in your dreams. 

This is why psychedelics are needed for most people, they force you to stay in the suffering situation for longer, and eventually your ego (not you, it's not a decision) gives up and you attain nirvana (only very old souls can attain with meditation alone; my own theory... for now). Check my sign. for sources and more info.

Lol what about bad lives vs bad trips?

[WhatAWondefulWorld]

@Member

On 5/20/2020 at 6:10 AM, Member said:

Lol what about bad lives vs bad trips?

Definitely very similar, but one of them goes on for far too long, to the point where you are ready to end it. You can't end a psychedelic.