Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

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RopeNL
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:03 pm

Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by RopeNL »

Hi,

I'm beginning to feel as if Buddhim should be my path and hence I've got some questions.

For the longest time (since I was about 10 or 11) I've had "Deja-vu's" only with the extra sensation that I knew the Deja-vu I had was something I had dreamt before.

I'll try to explain this. Most of the time when this happens I am lost in thought not focussing on that which is happening around me. Then all of sudden I get a sort of jolt which runs from my heart in all directions.
At that moment I'm completely aware of what I'm going to say, think, do and the same goes for what other people might do or say (never what they are thinking however).
My thoughts run on automatic pilot from then on and eventhough I know what I'm going to think I cannot intervene. Most of the time they go like this "Ah I knew this would happen and I knew I was going think this.". Than after between 3 to 10 seconds the feeling subsides and I'm back "into" the space I was, because I feel like I'm kind of observing myself at the moments that happens.

This has caused me to become afraid of my dreams thinking that they might happen. Now most of the time the dreams that actually come true I never remember them, but the ones in which I phycially hurt people or something bad happens to others, they are the ones I remember.

I have told other people about this but no-one I've met has experienced something like this before.

What is the Buddhist view on such dreams? I've read that you should view dreams as just as unreal as this world as they deal with the dualistic nature of life. However I've been unable to release myself from dualistic thought patterns as of yet (I just started meditation 2 days ago).

For me these dreams have caused me to believe that I live in the past. That everything I do has already happened to me and I'm just here to experience this. For me another question is this. How do I deal with knowing this?

Thanks in advance, Rope.
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

It depends on the tradition.

I wouldn't try figuring out yourself or from the internet though, find a teacher you trust to explain it to you. Also don't start Buddhist practice with the motivation to figure out the dream stuff only. If the "boring" basics don't appeal to you, or you haven't even studied "the basics" yet and you are just after mystical experience..it will be a disappointing journey I think. Not saying these things aren't legit, they can be a big deal. A lot of people come to Dharma with these big expectations of spectacular mystical experience though..and yet many teachings warn against hoping or dwelling very much on that sort of thing.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by Jesse »

RopeNL wrote:Hi,

I'm beginning to feel as if Buddhim should be my path and hence I've got some questions.

For the longest time (since I was about 10 or 11) I've had "Deja-vu's" only with the extra sensation that I knew the Deja-vu I had was something I had dreamt before.

I'll try to explain this. Most of the time when this happens I am lost in thought not focussing on that which is happening around me. Then all of sudden I get a sort of jolt which runs from my heart in all directions.
At that moment I'm completely aware of what I'm going to say, think, do and the same goes for what other people might do or say (never what they are thinking however).
My thoughts run on automatic pilot from then on and eventhough I know what I'm going to think I cannot intervene. Most of the time they go like this "Ah I knew this would happen and I knew I was going think this.". Than after between 3 to 10 seconds the feeling subsides and I'm back "into" the space I was, because I feel like I'm kind of observing myself at the moments that happens.

This has caused me to become afraid of my dreams thinking that they might happen. Now most of the time the dreams that actually come true I never remember them, but the ones in which I phycially hurt people or something bad happens to others, they are the ones I remember.

I have told other people about this but no-one I've met has experienced something like this before.

What is the Buddhist view on such dreams? I've read that you should view dreams as just as unreal as this world as they deal with the dualistic nature of life. However I've been unable to release myself from dualistic thought patterns as of yet (I just started meditation 2 days ago).

For me these dreams have caused me to believe that I live in the past. That everything I do has already happened to me and I'm just here to experience this. For me another question is this. How do I deal with knowing this?

Thanks in advance, Rope.
I've had dejavu for as long as I can remember, it probably happens 1-3 times a month. When it does I always get the weirdest feeling. I never remember anything specific, there is just a feeling of 'I've lived through this before", and not just that moment, but this entire life. It's always made me wonder if we live the same life multiple times.. or it may be some kind of seizure, who knows. It's very interesting.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
RopeNL
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:03 pm

Re: Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by RopeNL »

Johnny Dangerous wrote:It depends on the tradition.

I wouldn't try figuring out yourself or from the internet though, find a teacher you trust to explain it to you. Also don't start Buddhist practice with the motivation to figure out the dream stuff only. If the "boring" basics don't appeal to you, or you haven't even studied "the basics" yet and you are just after mystical experience..it will be a disappointing journey I think. Not saying these things aren't legit, they can be a big deal. A lot of people come to Dharma with these big expectations of spectacular mystical experience though..and yet many teachings warn against hoping or dwelling very much on that sort of thing.
Hello Johnny,

Thank you for your reply. What do you mean by a teacher? A Buddhist teacher? This seems to come up a lot. I asked a different question earlier and there a suggestion was also made I should get a teacher.
However I have no idea where to search for one.

If by "boring" you mean the five precepts and the Eightfold Path I would say that they are quite the opposite of that. It will take lots of willpower for me to accomplish it but eventually I will, and this is the part that I find not to be boring.
I'm not after a mystical experience I wish to truly get to know myself by whatever means possible and Buddhism seems to provide guidelines to such efforts.

My main goal is to quiet my thoughts because they have led me to too much suffering already.

I would like to give you an example. Tonight I was able to sleep without music on. I have not been able to do this for at least 3 to 4 years. Except for the occasions when I was still with my ex-girlfriend because she quieted my mind.
This is what I believe Buddhism has brought to me in a mere 2 weeks.

Therefore I wish to go full out and learn as much as possible and apply it in my own way so that I may stop my own suffering and the suffering I have caused.

Greetings, Rope.
RopeNL
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:03 pm

Re: Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by RopeNL »

Jesse wrote:
RopeNL wrote:Hi,

I'm beginning to feel as if Buddhim should be my path and hence I've got some questions.

For the longest time (since I was about 10 or 11) I've had "Deja-vu's" only with the extra sensation that I knew the Deja-vu I had was something I had dreamt before.

I'll try to explain this. Most of the time when this happens I am lost in thought not focussing on that which is happening around me. Then all of sudden I get a sort of jolt which runs from my heart in all directions.
At that moment I'm completely aware of what I'm going to say, think, do and the same goes for what other people might do or say (never what they are thinking however).
My thoughts run on automatic pilot from then on and eventhough I know what I'm going to think I cannot intervene. Most of the time they go like this "Ah I knew this would happen and I knew I was going think this.". Than after between 3 to 10 seconds the feeling subsides and I'm back "into" the space I was, because I feel like I'm kind of observing myself at the moments that happens.

This has caused me to become afraid of my dreams thinking that they might happen. Now most of the time the dreams that actually come true I never remember them, but the ones in which I phycially hurt people or something bad happens to others, they are the ones I remember.

I have told other people about this but no-one I've met has experienced something like this before.

What is the Buddhist view on such dreams? I've read that you should view dreams as just as unreal as this world as they deal with the dualistic nature of life. However I've been unable to release myself from dualistic thought patterns as of yet (I just started meditation 2 days ago).

For me these dreams have caused me to believe that I live in the past. That everything I do has already happened to me and I'm just here to experience this. For me another question is this. How do I deal with knowing this?

Thanks in advance, Rope.
I've had dejavu for as long as I can remember, it probably happens 1-3 times a month. When it does I always get the weirdest feeling. I never remember anything specific, there is just a feeling of 'I've lived through this before", and not just that moment, but this entire life. It's always made me wonder if we live the same life multiple times.. or it may be some kind of seizure, who knows. It's very interesting.
It is the weirdest sensation. Can't compare it to anything else I've experienced. I've heard that psychologists say it has something to do with the things you perceive not coming in at the same time but with a delay or something. I find that odd because I cannot shake the sensation I've dreamt it before. Can you describe the sensation? Maybe they are alike and how long does it usually last?

Thank you for sharing!
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Buddhism and precognitive dreams?

Post by Jesse »

It feels something like looking back on your life from a future perspective, but it last's for a split second and after that it's mainly an impression and it fades pretty quickly. I also get the same feeling when I remember my dreams sporadically, which happens all the time these days.

Row, row row your boat..
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
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