Mapping the Dreamscape

Who has the best map of the dreamscape?

Some dreams have layers. Is the dreamscape like an onion? Can we get to the core and then have to peel back layers of false awakenings until we find ourselves back in this waking reality?

Some dreams feel like parallel universes—slightly different than our world. Dream figures dress differently. The buildings have subtly different architecture. Is our dream body jumping between parallel universes?

Some dreamers report precognitive dreams. Does the map extend from space and into time? Is this a realm where space-time does not behave in the way our evolved animal brains normally perceive it?

Some dreams are inhabited by deceased loved ones. Are our dream bodies visiting the spirit plane? What’s that map look like? Is there a nice and a bad part of the island?

Some dreams are a mashup of memories and rehearsals about potential futures. Is the dreamscape all in our heads? Can we map the neuro-correlates with the right collection of imaging techniques?

When we become aware within our dreams, through lucid dreaming, we can better explore the dreamscape and sketch this map. It’s challenging because lucid dreams can be short and the experiences can be dramatically different from dream to dream. It’s a new frontier for exploration. When Europeans started exploring The Americas, they produced ugly maps (see below image).

Humans have been exploring dreams through lucid dreaming for 1000s of years and the map is still fuzzy at best. With technology that can increase the frequency and stability of lucid dreams, we are better able to explore this new frontier and ourselves. The Tech for Dreaming community is focused on progressing this exploration. What we discover may redraw the map of the dreamscape and further our understanding of the nature of reality.