Sinning during Lucid Dreams

[monorail]

I asked this in Ask an Apologist, but it looks like I might not get an answer.

I am a lucid dreamer, meaning I know when I am dreaming and can control my dreams. Sometimes I commit sins in my dreamworld, even after thinking “this is wrong.”

These are sins that I do not commit when awake.

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

 

[ForwardProgress]

No. Any sort of dream means you are not 100% in control of your decisions and there is no sin at all, even if the dream was sexual, or violent, or whatever.

 

[ronyodish]

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

Well, based on what my priest has said a while ago during Bible study meetings, a person does not sin while dreaming. That settles it for me

Now, while awake, it is a different story. Being that I’m an Eastern Catholic, the priest says in our Chaldean liturgy: “Forgive my faults and my sins, intentional and unintentional, in your grace and in your mercies”. So we ask for forgiveness even for unintentional faults and sins, but I’ve always understood this in the waking, not sleep-dreaming, state.

God bless,

Rony

 

[JRKH]

I asked this in Ask an Apologist, but it looks like I might not get an answer.

I am a lucid dreamer, meaning I know when I am dreaming and can control my dreams. Sometimes I commit sins in my dreamworld, even after thinking “this is wrong.”

These are sins that I do not commit when awake.

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

This is wierd because I was just thinking about this this morning. Not lucid dreaming, but sins in dreaming, so I am thankful for the answers.

To the OP though I would say that we should be aware of the sinful aspects of our dreams and try to discern if there are underlying issues that we should address. Perhaps we are harboring anger that we shouldn’t be. Perhaps we aren’t sufficiently controlling our lusts.
Of course an occasional “sinful” dream probably means nothing, but if it is a recurring thing…
This is just something I have been thinking about for myself and thought I’d pass it on.

Peace
James

 

[Danny_OC]

I asked this in Ask an Apologist, but it looks like I might not get an answer.

I am a lucid dreamer, meaning I know when I am dreaming and can control my dreams. Sometimes I commit sins in my dreamworld, even after thinking “this is wrong.”

These are sins that I do not commit when awake.

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

I have been in similar situations, but the lucidity of dreams can never possibly become even comparable to the control we have in waking life, no matter how in control it may feel. If you ask me it is actually the reflecting upon the dream during which we accidentally ascribe some control to it that actually was not there.

That said, I have noticed that when I became more resistant to lust in my life, my dreams also started to more frequently involve me resisting committing a lustful sin; so there is some correlation. But don’t worry directly about the dreams, worry about your thoughts while awake, and if God wills it, the dreams will coincide with them.

 

[Ana]

I have been in similar situations, but the lucidity of dreams can never possibly become even comparable to the control we have in waking life, no matter how in control it may feel. If you ask me it is actually the reflecting upon the dream during which we accidentally ascribe some control to it that actually was not there.

That said, I have noticed that when I became more resistant to lust in my life, my dreams also started to more frequently involve me resisting committing a lustful sin; so there is some correlation. But don’t worry directly about the dreams, worry about your thoughts while awake, and if God wills it, the dreams will coincide with them.

I agree with the above post. I have had many lucid dreams. Although you are awake while dreaming, you ae not 100% awake, no matter how awake you feel. If you were, you would be in reality. Not in a dreamworld that you are aware you are dreaming.

Even if there were a slight possibility that an action was sinful, I would think it would only be venial, as it doesn’t fit the criteria for a mortal sin. I know that it seems hard to believe, especially because we seem so in control, but we are not COMPLETELY IN CONTROL.

Plus like I said, anything I do to myself or others in dreamworld that is sinful, could only at most be venial.

Now, if you went into the lucid dream looking and planning to commit a particular sin, I would be careful because just like sinful thoughts, these could lead to sinful actions. I think intent is important here. JMO

Also, if you are in a lucid dream and want to wake up, just look at your hands. I know it sounds weird, but it works.

 

[water]

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

I would say you just ask the confessor for spiritual advice. You could also pray more and constantly trying to think of God in all your actions. When temptation comes, pray and pray. In time, by graces of God, you might find yourself praying during such dream when a temptation comes – I caught myself praying in situations like that and woke up while my mouth was still praying.

God bless.

 

[monorail]

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful remarks.

To the OP though I would say that we should be aware of the sinful aspects of our dreams and try to discern if there are underlying issues that we should address. Perhaps we are harboring anger that we shouldn’t be. Perhaps we aren’t sufficiently controlling our lusts.

That said, I have noticed that when I became more resistant to lust in my life, my dreams also started to more frequently involve me resisting committing a lustful sin; so there is some correlation. But don’t worry directly about the dreams, worry about your thoughts while awake, and if God wills it, the dreams will coincide with them.

This is my eventual goal! I do believe there are underlying issues in my dreams (recurring themes), but I have been working on improving these areas.

Now, if you went into the lucid dream looking and planning to commit a particular sin, I would be careful because just like sinful thoughts, these could lead to sinful actions. I think intent is important here. JMO

Also, if you are in a lucid dream and want to wake up, just look at your hands. I know it sounds weird, but it works.

Agreed on the intent. And thanks for the tip. It does sound weird, but I’ll try to remember it.

I would say you just ask the confessor for spiritual advice. You could also pray more and constantly trying to think of God in all your actions. When temptation comes, pray and pray. In time, by graces of God, you might find yourself praying during such dream when a temptation comes – I caught myself praying in situations like that and woke up while my mouth was still praying.

God bless.

I am having trouble finding a confessor who I feel comfortable enough asking for advice around here. I do go to confession, but the priest is a little too unorthodox for me. He once gave me advice to never miss out on the Eucharist even if I feel like I’m in a state of mortal sin, and he never gives me a penance or has me pray an act of contrition?

Thanks also for the advice. I will try to pray when the tempting situations come up.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Monorail, if I were you, since you have a good deal of control in your dreams, I’d resist the temptation as much as I can, in the dream.

This is what I do. I’ve two or three times given in to temptation during a lucid dream state, but the vast majority of the time, I resist the urge to let the dream’s lust proceed. Like you, I’m aware of what I’m doing in the dream and have a good deal of control over it.

In the situation where I have no control, I just try not to think about the dream afterward.

The result of resisting temptation in a dream, for me, is a very strong emotion of grief, loss and disappointment. I hate the dreams that include temptation and the possibility of resisting. I do resist in the dreams where I control, and I’m usually successful in resisting, but it’s always a miserable thing to do. But, as you know, we can do it. And because we have that much control, morals naturally are involved.

This situation is, to me, similar to the moral situation where one has sexual fantasies. If the fantasy just chases its way through your mind, you’re not at fault, for you had no control and you did not indulge in dwelling on the fantasy. But if you indulge in the enjoying the fantasy’s thoughts and images, dwelling on them of your own choice, then one is at fault.

If you’re in control, resist the temptation in the dream. That’s the most morally obvious thing to do. To the extent that we have control of our thoughts, we should always seek to glorify the Lord with them.

 

[Danny_OC]

Monorail, if I were you, since you have a good deal of control in your dreams, I’d resist the temptation as much as I can, in the dream.

This is what I do. I’ve once or twice given in to temptation during a lucid dream state, but the vast majority of the time, I resist the urge to let the dream’s lust proceed. Like you, I’m aware of what I’m doing in the dream and have a good deal of control over it.

In the situation where I have no control, I just try not to think about the dream afterward.

The result of resisting temptation in a dream, for me, is a very strong emotion of grief, loss and disappointment. I hate the dreams that include temptation and the possibility of resisting. I do resist in the dreams where I control, and it is a miserable thing to do. But, as you know, we can do it. And because we have that much control, morals naturally are involved.

This situation is, to me, similar to the moral situation where one has sexual fantasies. If the fantasy just chases its way through your mind, you’re not at fault, for you had no control and you did not indulge in dwelling on the fantasy. But if you indulge in the enjoying the fantasy’s thoughts and images, dwelling on them of your own choice, then one is at fault.

If you’re in control, resist the temptation in the dream. That’s the most morally obvious thing to do. To the extent that we have control of our thoughts, we should always seek to glorify the Lord with them.

Every choice we make should of course be directed towards God, but would you really say that even in the most lucid dream, the control you have in it comes anywhere near the kind of control we exercise in reality? I really don’t think that’s possible

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Yes, I do think it can come near the control we have in reality. That’s been my experience, and I could stop resisting temptation during these dreams any time I want.

It’s not quite as great of control as one has in real life- one’s emotions are greatly amplified. It is a state of greater weakness. That’s why I compare it to indulging in sexual fantasies for a while, rather than considering it to be some massive evil. I’d consider it to be definitely venial. But I know from experience that we can consciously decide to resist and succeed in resisting, while in this lucid dream state. It can be very hard, but it’s often doable. So I think we should glorify the Lord with our minds to whatever extent we are able. That’s all.

When we truly aren’t able to control the dream, I would just try to forget about it afterward. If I do control, I bear some responsibility. And I know that for myself, I do have a lot of control. I use it to resist this temptation while I’m dreaming. It is an act of my own will; I actually ponder the moral issue during the dream and I make a conscious (and successful) decision to resist. Which leads to dream-amplified emotional distress, which stinks. That’s why I hate those dreams.

 

[mctzjgreene]

I am wondering if actually having Lucid dreams are a sin?
They can be somewhat addictive.
Why do some people have them and others don’t?

 

[Lief_Erikson]

For me, in the past they tended to turn up when I was exposed to graphic material through the world around me. They took a long time to die down, after I closed off those connections.

Nowadays, I fend 'em off through a combination of prayer and avoidance of much graphic material that’s bad for my brain.

 

[LilyM]

For me, in the past they tended to turn up when I was exposed to graphic material through the world around me. They took a long time to die down, after I closed off those connections.

Nowadays, I fend 'em off through a combination of prayer and avoidance of much graphic material that’s bad for my brain.

Well, if you can resist the sin in dreams just like you can in real life then why don’t you? What reason is there for you to give in while in control of your faculties in this situation as opposed to when you’re tempted at other times?

I think if you tried you’d probably find it was a little more difficult than you think, and probably more difficult than in real life.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Well, if you can resist the sin in dreams just like you can in real life then why don’t you? What reason is there for you to give in while in control of your faculties in this situation as opposed to when you’re tempted at other times?

I think you’re misinterpreting that post of mine . . .

It’s not “just like you can in real life.” It is harder. If a person has control, though, they should exercise it. I agree with you that if you can control, you should exercise that control.

I think if you tried you’d probably find it was a little more difficult than you think, and probably more difficult than in real life.

I have done it many times, and I do do it whenever I have such dreams. And yes, it is difficult. I’ve never been in such a scenario in real life, so I can’t compare the two. But it’s always a miserable thing in the dream. I hate those dreams. The emotions are so amplified that when you’re turning the girl down it’s just horrible. But I’ve done it many times in lucid dreams. Miserable though it is. A few times I’ve given in. There are victories and defeats. I pray that if I have such dreams again, I won’t give in to their temptations. I also pray that I won’t have such dreams in the first place.

 

[blessedtoo]

I asked this in Ask an Apologist, but it looks like I might not get an answer.

I am a lucid dreamer, meaning I know when I am dreaming and can control my dreams. Sometimes I commit sins in my dreamworld, even after thinking “this is wrong.”

These are sins that I do not commit when awake.

Am I sinning here? Do I need to confess these?

Monorail,
If you want absolute peace on this issue, get hold of Fr. Benedict Groeschel’s tiny but powerful little book “The Courage to Be Chaste.” He directly addresses this issue from both the spiritual AND the psychological perspective (he is a licensed psychologist). You will be greatly relieved to read his more authoritative and educated opinion on dreams.

 

[Caesar517]

I think if you *can *control it and choose not to then you may be venturing into sin. I believe such dreams were a sin for me. I have completely eliminated them since I made the commitment to purify my life. This may not be possible for everyone, but I believe we all should try.

 

[thistle]

I do not believe there is such a thing as lucid dreams just like there is no such thing as out of body experiences.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

I think if you *can *control it and choose not to then you may be venturing into sin. I believe such dreams were a sin for me. I have completely eliminated them since I made the commitment to purify my life. This may not be possible for everyone, but I believe we all should try.

That’s how I feel too. This view makes a lot of sense to me.