Realistic dream....?

Question

I had the most bizarre and somehow touching and realistic dream the over night.

In my dream I walk into a french bar in paris, I walk towards the bar and suddenly someone grabs my arm. I dont recognize the face for a moment then suddenly I feel this burning heart ache when I realize who it is. He smiles and says its been a long time, he's missed me and how've I been. It seems like we were never apart and all at once Im swept with despair and longing as the life we could have had flashes before me. He holds me close and I see our future together.

When I woke up I was in a panic, my heart beating, gasping, slighty sweaty. I had never felt anything so real before. The whole thing that a magical, fairytale feeling to it. Yet I was so sad and terrified.

I dont understand what this dream is supposed to mean? Is it really all just a dream? Is this guy someone from my past I skipped over or dumped? I dont recognize the face now, only in my dream. I cant recall his features either.

It was so lifelike, I cried silently for moment, like I would never feel that way again. I dont understand it all. Is it maybe a future someone I am/was supposed to meet? Does it mean I regret a past choice I made dating wise?

Could really use some insight on this.

You all have given me good responses so far.. I read the out of body experience link. maybe that does explain why it felt so much real and intense than anything I've ever experienced.

The thing about the dream really is that I catch myself hoping to feel like that again every night.. and at the same time terrified that I will feel like that again.

I wasnt overly tired, or on drugs when I felt this. It feels like such a loss in my heart, like a sharp pain of... belonging perhaps? Its been on my mind for days. I cant help but wonder if this dream is a bad sign of what could have been? Have I made an awful mistake with my fate?

I cant believe I am investing so much time in this.. need more opinions and help.

Answer 1

There are a couple ways to interpert dreams. It all depends on what you believe.
1. You own the dream. This is very individualistically driven.
Everything is a manifestation of your subconscious. Therefore the dream belongs to you and everything in it comes from you.
2. The dream is not yours. It is given to you for a purpose, it is a message or people in it are messengers. It comes from somewhere outside yourself.

Because of my culture I tend to believe more in number two.
Please note that any dream that leaves you with a strong feeling, one that you can't shake, one you keep thinking about, is important. It does mean something. Trust your own intution on this.

If you interpert your dream using method number two (described above) then you are being sent a message. This person in your dream may not have a face for a reason. It isn't someone you know or have known. In fact it is a messenger. Possibly a spirit guide if you believe in that.
The strong feelings you get are part of the message but they are also there so you remember the dream. It could even be someone from the spirit world that you are connected with, who honestly does miss you and only knows how to connect with you in this way. I cannot tell you more about what it means because it may just be a begining, or a simple message, you have to trust your own intution on this.

I have had dreams like this. You will probably see this person again in another dream, may not look the same but will feel the same.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

This sounds like a past life experience to me. A memory left over, that is coming up to remind you of what was lost. Perhaps so you don't make a mistake of that kind in this life. Many people believe that the same pack of souls are connected and tend to travel together throughout their lifetimes. It might also have the purpose of allowing you to "recognize" this soul when you meet it.

Sarita

Answer 3

Hi there

The purpose of dreams, as far as we understand them, is to process the vast amount of information that comes in through your senses each day whilst you're awake.

On this basis the "meaning" of your dreams is simply that you are making sense of information which previously didn't have a "meaning", for you, because it hadn't been processed so as to fit into your mental maps of the world (all your existing beliefs, ideas, values, etc.).

Given what seems to be going on, it's not really surprising that lots of things appear in your dreams that have nothing to do with what has been happening in your life just before the dream occurs. Things can appear in your dreams that have been part of your memories as far back as you started forming memories - or anytime in between then and now.

Nor do the things in your dreams have to be obviously related to each other. Like I said, dreaming is a process of finding/making meaning, and the brain can draw from anywhere in its huge store of memories in order to carry out that process.

Of course we sometimes wake up at a moment during the dreaming process with a memory so clear and, as you say, realistic, it seems like it must be "real" in some way.
Well, it is. It's a real dream. And it is evidence that your brain is actually doing, with great skill, one of the important jobs it was designed to do.

Answer 4

Maybe it was someone in your past you regret parting with. If you can't think of anyone you could feel this way about, then it probably wasn't. Maybe it was just simply a dream. I understand how real it could seem. Believe me I have had some odd, yet overwhelmingly real dreams too.

Answer 5

The realistic nature you've mentioned reminds me of out-of-body-experiences.
but the situation with the person you mentioned is very weird.
an out-of-body-experiences take place spontaniously rarely rarely for some people, and mostly is a result of abnormal physical or mental effort u made before sleeping.
if u want to induce out-of-body-experiences, to see who's sending u a message from the other world, it's easy to learn
start from here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-body_experience

Answer 6

Could be a past life. It's difficult to say.

Answer 7

The other person is you. possible interpration can be you have learned, or started accept yourself.