Nightmares at absence of prayers.

[Expectrum]

Note: None of this is made up. I responsibly admit that it may sound like an attempt to prove the existence of God or something, but it isn't. I'm serious.

I want someone to explain me this because I seriously don't understand why it happens. As I am writing this, it's been like 5 minutes since I woke up.

Since I can remember, some nights when I forget to pray before going to sleep (Note: forget, not deliberately. And I am not talking about an exaggerated prayer, just a small gratitude), I have nightmares. The nightmares didn't necessarily had to be related to God or praying, they were simply bad and uncomfortable dreams. The weird thing is, it only happens when I don't pray before going to sleep. I in no way make my mind up before going to sleep, so don't say it's because I provoke it.

Well, last night I coincidentally forgot to pray before going to sleep for some reason (yesterday was Ash Wednesday, btw). The result? I had a never ending nightmare where my house was burning and I couldn't wake up. Instead, I jumped from nightmare to nightmare without knowing what was real.

I then wake up and think why I could have such a nightmare... ''Wait... did I pray? Oh shit, I forgot!''

Why does this happens WHEN I forget to pray? Why does it happens if I don't have any consciousness that I forget to pray? I can't find another answer but that someone is reminding me to not forget about the prayers...

td;dr: Learn to read paragraphs or don't use forums.

[DevourerJay]

dont bother with praying... there is no god... the nightmares are prolly because you got issues

[Expectrum]

At 2/7/08 06:25 AM, MissingNYC wrote: dont bother with praying... there is no god... the nightmares are prolly because you got issues

You probably didn't read or analyze what I posted. I don't have ''issues'', most of the time I have nice and normal dreams. I also have normal days when stuff like this happens. The only difference is that I had forgotten to pray when nightmares occur.

[PandaKore]

Because you've tricked your brain into thinking it will happen if you don't pray.

Your subconscious is quite powerful.

Just tell yourself before you go to sleep that you'll have wonderful dreams and theres nothing to worry about, but you have to mean it, because if you're just saying it, and not thinking it, then nothing will be affected.

Try it?

[Fknox]

The answer to this is simple. Just don't forget to pray and you will not have nightmares. It's all in your mind, you think that you have not said the prayer, even though you FORGOT to say it, your subconscious brain knows that you forgot to do something that you usually did. It's like you wake up everyday and wash your teeth. If you don't wash your teeth in one day, then the "nightmare" comes into play, and, for example, you have bad breath :P. I'm just giving an example. You should simply not forget to pray evry night, even if you are drunk, I guess... Anyway, just DON'T FORGET TO DO THE THINGS YOU USUALLY DO!

[ever-vigilant]

you are so use to praying when you go to sleep your minds subconcious rebels to your forgetting/change of the normal and lets you know through the form of ill sleep or nightmares. Does that sound plausable?
e-v

[DevourerJay]

At 2/7/08 06:27 AM, YoungAndWise wrote: I don't have ''issues''

riiiiiight... EVERYONE's got issues... there is NO such thing as normal

[1337]

Either the subconcious-theory, or become a buddhist.

[Expectrum]

At 2/7/08 06:28 AM, PandaKore wrote: Because you've tricked your brain into thinking it will happen if you don't pray.

Your subconscious is quite powerful.

How? That's precisely my point! I only remember that I forgot to pray AFTER the nightmare. How can I trick my brain when I don't have knowledge of that fact before sleeping? It's not like I go: ''Well, today I won't pray. Just wish I don't have nightmares''.

Just tell yourself before you go to sleep that you'll have wonderful dreams and theres nothing to worry about, but you have to mean it, because if you're just saying it, and not thinking it, then nothing will be affected.

Try it?

That would imply me knowing that I didn't pray, which would then condition my mind and cause what you think that's already happening.

[Little-Rena]

At 2/7/08 06:34 AM, YoungAndWise wrote: How? That's precisely my point! I only remember that I forgot to pray AFTER the nightmare.

Obviously you know that you didn't pray but you aren't awear of it. You are relating nightmares to days where you haven't prayed, that sounds to me like a direct association between the two. Which means that you must on some level think it is going to happen. PandaKore makes a lot of sence in this case.

I don't know if you can convince yourself that you won't have nightmares if you don't pray, did someone possibly tell you that something bad would happen if you didn't pray? When you where younger maybe.

[morlockcleric]

for one dont lut any one tell you what to belive there is a god and so forth. And its prob. a message from him. Not that you have to pray every night he just wants you to be a good follower. Ask him to show you wat he wants. Just note he doese not punish.

[Expectrum]

At 2/7/08 06:38 AM, Little-Rena wrote: Obviously you know that you didn't pray but you aren't awear of it. You are relating nightmares to days where you haven't prayed, that sounds to me like a direct association between the two. Which means that you must on some level think it is going to happen. PandaKore makes a lot of sence in this case.

That sounds little more reasonable. It's still a little shocking to admit it, though, because I don't do anything different other than falling sleep before saying the prayers. Your reason sounds logical, nonetheless.

I don't know if you can convince yourself that you won't have nightmares if you don't pray, did someone possibly tell you that something bad would happen if you didn't pray? When you where younger maybe.

Mm... I doubt it. My father believes in God, but he doesn't practice a religious life-style. My mom if very religious, but I doubt she would scare me to make me pray.

Not that I remember... back when I was a kid I used to have nightmares frequently. I made up the prayer to feel more comfortable before sleeping and that reduced the nightmares. Perhaps that's why if I forget to pray the nightmares occur?

[seridon]

At 2/7/08 06:22 AM, YoungAndWise wrote:

Well, last night I coincidentally forgot to pray before going to sleep for some reason (yesterday was Ash Wednesday, btw). The result? I had a never ending nightmare where my house was burning and I couldn't wake up. Instead, I jumped from nightmare to nightmare without knowing what was real.

Maybe the nightmare might be a insight or something. Flee from the house now. Save the computer, forget the dog (or other annoying pet), forget to save the others in the house, just save the porn stash and computer.

[Thechickensparta]

See a doctor.

[cellardoor6]

I believe in God, but I think you're just imagining things, or your nightmares are a product of your psychology. Maybe you feel like by praying, you're protecting yourself from nightmares, so you're getting a sort of placebo effect.

Either way, quit being a pussy. Enjoy the nightmares, and reflect on them. There's nothing better than a nightmare you remember vividly, because you can analyze it.

[Yiffy]

I never pray and I never have nightmares.

Conclusion: You suck.

[AapoJoki]

It's not at all surprising that a psychological phenomenon that you find uncomfortable will occur when you forget to pray. If you got struck by lightning, or an earthquake, a hurricane etc. occurred in your town every time you forget to pray, then I would be more impressed.

[TropicalParadise]

Meh, Little-Rena's theory sounds a little too Freudian for my taste.

How about this one:

When you pray, you feel some sort of relief. You can apologize for things you did wrong, you are thankful for things that you have and you feel better after doing so.

When you don't pray, even if you don't actively decide not to pray, you don't get that little bit of relief. That little bit of relief means that when you sleep, you sleep better. When you don't get relief, you are more tense, and that tenseness translates into nightmares.

Psychologists know surprisingly little about dreams.

[JohnnyWang]

That's proabably because prayer has become a routine for you, that makes you feel safe. Your subconcious notices when you haven't done it, and it gets afraid.

Did your parents insist on you praying before going to sleep? Maybe you have some trauma or something related to it.

[Expectrum]

At 2/7/08 07:09 AM, cellardoor6 wrote: I believe in God, but I think you're just imagining things, or your nightmares are a product of your psychology.

Of course I'm imagining things, that's what dreams are all about.

Maybe you feel like by praying, you're protecting yourself from nightmares, so you're getting a sort of placebo effect.

Could be. But the point is, if I forgot to pray it's because I already felt safe or simply fell asleep, so why should I get nightmares?

I've read the other posts, though, and I think I already understand a little bit of why it happens.

Either way, quit being a pussy. Enjoy the nightmares, and reflect on them. There's nothing better than a nightmare you remember vividly, because you can analyze it.

When did I start complaining about nightmares? I just said I get them when I forget to pray, not that I want the nightmares away.

And no, I don't have any traumas nor did my parents force me to pray, ever.