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Psychology
Premonition (Precognitive) Dreams: Can They Predict the Future?
Can dreams predict the future? Can one know what’s going to happen through premonition dreams?
For some, the answer is yes, while for others, it is a joke. If you have ever wondered why people have different perspectives or what precognitive dreams are, you are at the right place. In this post, we will explain what premonitions are and whether or not they are true or mythical.
Has it ever happened to you or someone you know that even before something happened, it was predicted? Yes! What do you call that coincidence or intuition? Different people give different names to this scenario.
For some, it is intuition; for others, it is premonition, psychic vision, precognition, et cetera. Regardless of the name, people often associate these visions with reality, especially when they dream of something negative happening, like a disaster, accident, or death.
Humans tend to think that they can predict the future. They know what will happen; sometimes, it’s true as the subconscious connects the signs that something will happen, and when this happens more than once, they think they have some extraordinary power. But this can’t always be true, as intuitions cannot predict the future.
A person can make assumptions based on the present scenario but cannot guarantee it will happen. However, sometimes, such ruminations can be right because even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while, and so can you.
How do you react when someone says they can predict the future based on intuition? Do you think how many times it will come true, or do you start to trust the person blindly? If yes, let‘s understand what premonition is and why it happens.
What is Premonition?
It is a state of mind in which people think they can predict the future or perceive themselves as future tellers. In the psychological framework, this is referred to as “precognition.” This mental state often disturbs people because their attention is mainly on the negative.
This concept has always fascinated researchers, and humans are always interested in predicting the future. For example, when it is raining and the sun comes up, people likely predict a rainbow. If they see smoke and smell gas, they predict fire and take the required measures.
But what if somebody could predict the future without any evidence and without using the five senses? This seems impossible. However, when the subconscious picks up some clues and gives us hints, we can predict something will happen that makes us believe we can predict the future, which is incorrect.
Premonitions are cues picked up by the brain that are not obvious to the conscious mind. They can range from intuition to strong desires.
Premonitions are a feeling that something will happen. Most people have experienced it in some degree or another. Sometimes the phone rings, and you know who the person is on the other end, whereas sometimes you feel sad throughout the day and later you get to know that a loved one or close relative died.
These are scenarios that make the belief in premonitions stronger. There are many such examples where a person has experienced something true. However, some people say there is nothing called a coincidence, but that’s something we will discuss at some other time.
Premonitions can be subtle, overwhelming, vague, or vivid. They can tell something will happen, but when there is no certainty. It can happen a minute later, weeks, or even months later. These precognitive thoughts can come at any time of the day while doing anything or even when you are dreaming.
I had a premonition. What can I do?
If you have a premonition that often comes true, document it because an undocumented thing is worthless and untrusted. However, recording every little detail is optional.
An example of documented premonition can be feeling that something is wrong with your sibling or spouse, and when you call them, you get to know that you are right. For example, if you have not talked with your best friend for a long time and suddenly you just think of her, and she calls you, or you had a dream that your friend met with an accident. When you call her, you will know you are right. Premonition can be of anything. It can be an accident, a natural disaster, or anything.
Is that so? Aren’t they true? Well, these are cues your subconscious picks based on past incidents. If you don’t believe it, try documenting your premonition.
Ways to document premonition
There are different ways in which premonition can be documented. Below, we explain the major ones:
1. Keep a diary:
Get a diary and start writing your premonitions. While writing about precognitive dreams, write the time and date you had them, as it will help prove and verify your dream. As diary entries can be altered or written later, writing date and time will help understand whether you have a premonition. A diary entry is only of value if it is done with honesty.
2. Share with others:
Avoid keeping your premonition secret; share it with others. Let people know what you are experiencing. Sharing doesn’t mean that you would be annoying or harassing other people. If you think it is important to tell them, share with someone you can rely on.
3. Use software that offers date-stamping:
The third way to document premonition is to use date-stamp software. Although this is not in your control, everything you note in it will help you understand whether you have precognitive dreams.
Different Types of Premonitions
Precognitive dreams come into consciousness differently, and each person experiences them differently. Here is a rundown of the major types:
- Dream premonitions occur while you are asleep. In these, the person dreams about all events that will happen in the near future.
- Emotional premonitions and future predictions are based on emotions.
- Visual premonitions, the person sees images based on which the future is predicted.
- Auditory premonitions: the future is predicted based on sounds or voices the person hears.
- Physical premonitions physiological signs like cold or unease are experienced.
Signs of Premonition
The signs of premonitions vary from person to person.
Some may feel worried if they have a negative dream, while those who have a positive dream feel excited.
However, a person’s response to these precognitive dreams depends on the context and the type of premonition. When a person has a premonition, it’s not that they will only have an emotional response, many people even have different sensations. They show different behaviors and emotions, which include:
- The feeling of uneasiness.
- Intense sensation about something will happen.
- A strong sensation of something is going to take place.
- The person starts taking precautions based on the feeling of premonition.
What are the Triggers of Premonition?
The reason for premonition is unknown. However, some theories exist, and most say that the experiences we have in the past or unconscious thoughts and feelings about future incidents subconsciously influence a person’s feelings, making them have precognitive dreams.
Psychologically, premonitions may result from the brain’s ability to unconsciously synthesize large amounts of information and recognize patterns quickly without having conscious access to them.”
Sometimes, stress or a significant change in surroundings can cause a person to have a premonition. Premonition can occur when somebody experiences emotional set-offs and stressors, including a major change.
Classification of Precognitive Dreams:
Not all dreams can be precognitive. Certain criteria must be fulfilled to be considered a precognitive dream.
- There must be numerous unique details that coincidence cannot fulfill.
- Dreams shouldn’t be influenced by self-deprecation and pre-existing knowledge.
- Dream telepathy cannot influence precognitive dreams.
Can Dreams Predict the Future?
There is proof that can give a converter answer to whether dreams predict the future. However, some type of mental decline, for example, Parkinson’s, is said to tell about something negative that might take place in the future. Dream of negative emotions related to the future, which negatively affects their sleep. Sometimes, a lucid dream may exist but does not predict the future. However, it makes you aware that you are dreaming but cannot control the dream while lucid dreaming.
Examples Where Dreams Were Considered To Be Premonitions
Some old events suggest that dreams can predict the future. However, as these incidents occurred in the past, one cannot verify their credibility and see whether or not they meet the criteria of a precognitive dream.
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
It is said that President Abraham Lincoln reported a death dream to Lamon, his friend and law partner. He described a dream in which people were sobbing in the East Room of the White House. To find out what happened and who these people were, he went there and found a dead body dressed for a funeral.
He asked a person in the dream as to what happened and got a reply that the president was killed. Lincoln shared this dream with his friend and looked scared and disturbed. However, later, he clarified that the president in his dream was someone else, but he had this dream before his assassination on April 14, 1865.
When should you pay attention to premonitions?
In Larry Dasse’s book The Power of Premonition, four conditions must be fulfilled for a dream to be considered a premonition. If these conditions are fulfilled, they should not be ignored.
When a physical symptom accompanies a dream, it should never be taken lightly. There are different stories about people who were not feeling well on 9/11 and skipped work. Some victims didn’t feel well but went to work, and we all know what happened.
When the dream is intrusive and insistent, keeps you awake, and always brings your attention back to what you saw, you should never take it lightly.
When you see somebody die, never take those details lightly. This could be a message that an action needs to be taken. For instance, the story of a lady who stays in Utah had a feeling that her husband was in danger. To confirm, she went home, leaving work, and found that her husband was underneath the SUV he was fixing. This helped her save his life, and the precognitive thought seemed real.
For instance, you may have a vivid dream that you want to write down and share with others.
Ways to Cope with Premonitions
If you have been frequently experiencing premonition, it can be difficult for you to cope with it, as it can be emotionally taxing. To cope with it, you can follow these practices:
- Make mindfulness or relaxation part of your daily routine. This includes deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, journaling, and meditation. You can calm yourself down and journal all the details when you do so. Sharing these things with the other person and focusing on each detail gives you more clarity about what makes you less anxious.
- You can also try cognitive restructuring to challenge and change negative thoughts.
- Accept whatever is going to happen is bound to happen.
- Limit your exposure to stress as it leads to premonition.
- Try cognitive behavioral therapy, as it helps reduce and deal with anxiety, stress, and disturbing thoughts. In addition, you can focus on hobbies, social relationships, and self-care practices that make you feel happy
Misconceptions About Premonition
There are different myths about premonitions. Some people think there are supernatural or spiritual ways in which a person is given information about what will happen, but this isn’t true. It is how the brain processes the information. However, when this information comes true, people consider it true, but that’s not true. Different factors may lead to a premonition coming true. Sometimes, it’s just a coincidence that a premonition comes true.
Also, some people believe that prevention only happens to people who have mental disorders or are mentally weak. This isn’t true. Premonition doesn’t mean that a person has any mental health issues. Anybody who is too stressed or anxious can have a perforation.
Precognitive Dreams: Are They The Future Tellers?
It is difficult to accept and disapprove of the existence of precognitive dreams. Researchers are studying larger samples of people who experience premonition dreams to come to a conclusion and understand the reason behind such dreams. We hope that we can have a concrete answer to whether precognitive dreams can tell the future shortly.
Final Words
At some point in life, we have experienced premonitions that might have been real. However, no magic guides it. Premonitions come from the thoughts and clues stored in our subconscious, which influence our thoughts and feelings, and we assume or perceive things related to the future. They aren’t facts. They are instincts that every human has.
Some premonitions can be bothersome, making a person anxious and stressed. Some may hear something that comes from their subconscious, or it’s the little voice they hear, so if you consider premonitions as future predictions, beware; these are your subconscious thoughts. You might have had some events, but you forget about them, and now you are predicting based on them.