Has anyone experienced a dream within a dream? What does it mean?

[alphastate]

I have never experienced this before, but it is staying very vivid in my mind; especially when I woke up in my dream but was still dreaming. Here's how it went, please help me understand this:

My girlfriend and I were going into what was supposed to be her house but I did not recognize it. We saw a man walking a dog as we entered. We then pulled out the sofa-bed in the living room to go to sleep but she decided to go upstairs. Then her ex-boyfriend whom I have never met entered the house and went upstairs. He came down a little later and asked if he could use my bathroom. Then my girlfriend came down and I accused her of having sex with him upstairs. She said yes she did and didn't find it to be a big deal. I told her that that was it, I'm done and started to leave when all of a sudden I woke up in the sofa-bed with her laying next to me. I realized it was just a dream and we got up and went outside. I was explaining my dream to who appeared to be her brother (whom I've never met in real life) when I saw someone walking two dogs who were twisting the person up with the leashes. I was telling him how I saw someone walking a dog in my dream too when I woke up for real in my own bed with her next to me and realized I just had a dream within a dream. As I got into my car to go to work this morning, I had a total out-of-body experience. I did not even feel like it was me driving my car.

If anyone can help me understand this better, I would sure appreciate it......

[cpn.miller@yahoo.co.uk]

i have also experienced a dream within a dream on a number of occassions. i will be dreaming for example i was on a bus but it was going very slowly so i laid my arms out on top of the seat in front of me and then lay down my head and went to sleep, i then dreamt that jarvis cocker got on the bus after paying the driver he stood by the door i got up went over to him and started to kiss him, then i sudddenly woke up again still on the bus in the first dream and felt really embarrased that i had fallen asleep and realised that we were still going really slowly because we hardly moved along at all. very strange i also often fall asleep in my dreams i have been told this is because i am tired but that does'nt make sense because i go to bed early and always sleep really well

[jade]

I did once or twice. I don't remember what it was since it was too long ago.

[sailrmc]

A dream within a dream is a coping mechanism, a way that the subconscious mind buffers very sensitive subject to the dreamer, so that he does is not get upset and wake from the dream. In addition is adds enough distance between the dreamer and the subject to allow for objectivity.
sailrmc

[Varzandeh]

Hi,
if a man dreamt his wife or gf had sex with someone else in her home ,means the husband or bf will receive a good deal of money soon.
This is a common dream symbol.
Please see the words ," Sex" , Marriage" and woman here in the Dream Dictionary Advanced , using search.Also there is another interpretation that says:if a girl had sex with a known man means that man will do her a big favor or help nothing more.
Here is different scenarios with title of marriage:

If one dreamt he married means will have some greatness and dignity.
If is single means may marry with a rich partner.
If dreamt he divorced means will lose some dignity and greatness.
If dreamt he married a dead woman and slept with her means will receive something from her properties.
If a woman dreamt she married a dead man and he slept with her in her home means she will lose some money and her situation will change.
If a man dreamt married a woman but didn't see her and didn't know her name too, means a death danger.
But if saw the woman but the house was unknown and the house was for a dead person means there is a death danger for the woman.
If the house was known the woman will lose some money.
If a married woman dreamt that had another husband but didn't see the wedding means she will receive some money and honor.
If one dreamt he wanted to marry but didn't know the bride, means there is a death danger. Some interpreters say he will hurt someone seriously.
If one dreamt his wife married another man and brought the man home means he will have a big money.*********8
If dreamt married a prostitute and slept with her means a difficult job will be easy for him.
If didn't slept means a small benefit.
If dreamt married a virgin girl and had sex means he will marry in a year time.
If dreamt had sex with a virgin girl he will receive an immoral money.
Marriage also may mean: 1- dignity 2- money 3- comfort 4- happiness.