Many people swear by their lives that they’ve experienced a mutual dream with their family, friends or significant others.
It’s even covered in popular media, in movies such as Avatar or Inception and it’s even present in anime, such as Paprika.
Is mutual dreaming really possible? Can you share a lucid dream with others?
If yes, does that mean that the dreamscape is a separate realm, outside of the mind, just like the Astral Plane?
What is Mutual Dreaming
Before getting into the meat of the matter, let’s first define the term.
Mutual dreaming refers to the ability of two human beings (or more) to share and meet in one common dreamscape.
There have been many claims to mutual dreaming but insofar, there is no proof confirming that they’ve actually happened.
To be perfectly fair, the chances are slim of it being an actual occurrence.
Even movies use instruments to launch them into the dreamscape of others.
We’re here talking about advanced technology that’s not yet available to the public.
However, the entire idea shouldn’t be thrown into the bin, since there is some overlap between mutual dreaming and group dreams.
Group Dreams
The most popular and well-documented case of group dreams occurs between clients and therapists.
Both of them share an intense emotional connection but what happens when they have the same dream?
Studies about this phenomenon are scarce and they don’t focus on our matter of interest.
For example, a study performed in 2014 found that therapists and clients who dreamed of each other had a higher emotional connection compared to others who didn’t.
The problem with studying dreams is that they are hard to quantify, they only happen in the REM stage of sleep and you don’t really have a way of including a placebo.
Hopefully, with more advances in science, this gap will be filled.
What’s interesting to note is that even among identical twins, their brains are not similar.
This would mean that the therapist and the client actually reached a shared dreamscape in their dreams.
Another type of group dream that’s interesting to note is that between parents and children, friends and partners.
A study found that people who desire a higher emotional connection with their peers, parents or siblings had a bigger occurrence of group dreaming.
Maybe the brains of the subjects understand the importance of intimacy among people close to them and therefore, allowed for the inclusion of a common dreamscape.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is happening between people having the same dream and recalling the exact same objects in the same colors.
Our theory is that our brains are limitless in their ability and that we’ve not yet learned how to properly utilize them to enter a shared dreamscape.
We do believe it’s in the realm of possibility, no matter how slim the chances!
How To Practice Mutual Dreaming
Before you start practicing mutual dreams, ensure that both you and the person you’re doing it with have experience with lucid dreaming.
Lucid dreaming could be seen as the first step to group dreams and mutual dreaming in general.
The first type of dream you want to indulge in are dreams in the same environment.
That would be the first stage to pass before moving on to more advanced stuff.
Pick a partner and do something together that you both enjoy, it could be going to the mall or visiting your favorite museum, maybe a trip to the zoo?
It doesn’t matter what you do, the essence of the entire thing is that you share the same environment as that person.
While in a dream, note your environment and make sure to write everything in your dream journal.
Instruct your partner to do the same.
Compare notes and find all the similarities between your two dreams.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time for the second stage: try to become lucid while in such a dream and change something about the environment but don’t tell your partner what you’ve changed.
Once again, compare your writings and see what environmental change happened in both of your dreams.
The third stage is to actually communicate in your dreams through telepathy.
We actually did experiments with our crew members and while most of them were failures, some were able to recall what the other person was telling them in a dream.
Ensure that you have a high emotional connection with the person you’re doing this with and make sure that you’re both on the same page about lucid dreams.
Think of something to tell the other person but don’t reveal it to them, instead, seek them out in your lucid dream and tell it to them in person!
This might not always work but if you’re in a deep emotional connection with the person and if you’re both experienced in lucid dreaming, your chances will increase significantly!
The fourth and final stage involves actually meeting up in a dream and sharing the same dreamscape.
We’re sad to report that we’ve never been able to find success in the final stage but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be trying.
Proceed by talking with your partner about a dreamscape that is emotionally agreeable for both parties and go for a lucid dream as usual!
Once in a dream, turn yourself lucid and find your partner.
Once you’ve met up, proceed to explore the dreamscape and do whatever you desire!
Conclusion
Mutual dreaming is a great thing to do with a significant other or your soul mate.
It requires a high emotional connection and dare we say, the presence of love.
If all the conditions are fulfilled, you’ll surely be able to reach at least the third stage of mutual dreaming.
Don’t give up and remember that everything takes time!
