Mutual Dreaming

Mutual Dreaming - having shared dreams - is a subject that overlaps with lucid dreaming. Whilst you can have mutual dreams without lucidity, the two often occur together. The leading book on the subject is Mutual Dreaming by Linda Magallon. Mutual dreaming is also a key element of the excellent fictional novel Dreamside by Graham Joyce.

What is Mutual Dreaming?

Mutual dreaming occurs where the dreams of two or more people share certain elements. At its most powerful the dreamers share the same dream completely. As with lucid dreaming, this can occur spontaneously or can be induced deliberately. Mutual dreaming is most common amongst two people who know each other well.

The degree of overlap detween the dreams can vary considerably. The most basic is meshing dreams. In this case, the elements of the different dreams share a connection. This can be as loose as a feeling or as strong as specific elements - people, place, events, etc - occuring in both dreams.

The stronger form of mutual dreaming, the meeting dream, occurs where the dreamers actually see each other and possibly communicate. The strongest examples of meeting dreams suggest some form of telepathic activity, which causes many people to be sceptical about these dreams.

Mutual Dreaming Techniques

Spontaneous mutual dreams can often occur simply because two people who know each other well are exposed to the same stimuli. Both have a dream connected with something that happened that day, possibly interpreting it in similar fashion. It's an extension of the situation where one person knows what their partner is thinking and/or is about to say.

As with lucid dreams, mutual dreaming can be induced. The more "in tune" the dreamers are, the easier this is. Having already learned to induce lucid dreams also helps.

At the simplest a mutual dream is induced by the dreamers agreeing in advance what they'll dream about. For example: "We'll both dream about the park".

If the dreamers are experienced at lucid dreaming, this can be enhanced by incorporating dream signs. This is most effective when the dreamers share a common sign. For example, feeding birds in lucid dreams. Hence: "We'll both dream about feeding the birds in the park".

The chance of success can be increased by sharing appropriate stimuli - for example, by actually walking in the park in the evening and feeding the birds. Lucid dreams on this subject can then more easily be induced.

Lucid dreaming takes lots of practice, mutual dreaming even more.

Here Be Dreams - Dreams - Lucid Dreams - Mutual Dreams

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