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How Elves Dream
http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12903
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Author:  Altariel Frodo [ December 11th, 2006, 6:43 pm ]
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The Two Towers wrote:
"In the waybread of the elves he [Legolas] found all the sustenance that he needed, and he could sleep, if sleep it could be called by Men, resting his ming in the strange paths of elvish dreams, even as he walked open-eye in the light of this world."


This suggests to me that elves do not need to be in a still state to rest; it's more like putting their mind into an almost dormant state, retreating into themselves... almost like really severe daydreaming.

The Two Towers wrote:
"Legolas already lay motionless, his fair hands folded upon his breast, his eyes unclosed, blending living night and deep dream, as is the way with Elves."


Once again, this suggests to me that it's almost like a daydream. I think in some ways they can almost control their dreams, though probably they often stray into visions as well.

Does that make any sense?

Author:  Taurquende [ December 11th, 2006, 8:34 pm ]
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I'd imagine elves don't go through REM, then, if they never go into our kind of dreaming. Though if they did, I agree that would be a little freaky. :blink: :-D

Author:  Elven Archer [ December 11th, 2006, 9:18 pm ]
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Yeah I agree that they probably don't have REM. And I agree with Altariel that Elven dreams always seemed like daydreaming to me....they are kind of lost in their own little world, but can be easily pulled out of it.

Author:  Star Gazer [ December 11th, 2006, 9:28 pm ]
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Yeah... Elves (in my opinion) can control their dreams... oh, there is a name for that... I don't want to say the wrong thing, but its called ______ Dreaming, its when (after many months, even years of frequent dreaming) You are able to control your dreams, at least, to some extent.

Author:  Aranel_En_Mirkwood [ December 15th, 2006, 12:53 pm ]
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to me it sounds like they meditate

Author:  Star Gazer [ December 17th, 2006, 8:50 pm ]
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*snaps fingers* AYE! Thats the one! lucid dreaming... Ok. Thats what I'd compare it to, for the closest comparison between elves and us mortals that walk in the modern world. ;)

Author:  Princess of Ithilien [ December 17th, 2006, 10:03 pm ]
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I thought lucid dreaming only meant you know you're dreaming.

Author:  Aredhel Ar-Feiniel [ December 17th, 2006, 10:08 pm ]
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Scientifically speaking.. wouldn't their eyes get a bit.. dried up? If they don't blink in their sleep?

Author:  Velcayelde Elentiriel [ December 17th, 2006, 10:12 pm ]
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^That's part of it, but apparently once you realize you're dreaming you can learn to control it. I have a friend who's really interested in it. He told me that if you feel yourself starting to wake up, you can try to spin around (in the dream) and it keeps you in the dream. Or maybe it was close your eyes and spin around...I'm not sure. But try it next time you dream! Maybe it works.

Do you think elves always sleep with their eyes open, or is it just something they're capable of if they need to rest very quickly? Because I imagine that sleeping with one's eyes open would be less restful than with them closed. But I don't know.

Author:  Aerandir [ December 18th, 2006, 4:45 am ]
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Well, I would think that elves would blink unconsciously while they were sleeping. But otherwise, their eyes would probably dry out.

[off topic]
I've never tried to keep myself in a dream before, to be honest....I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be in a dream that I want to stay in, because most of the time, when I dream, I die in some really painful way. It's not really the sort of dream I want to stay in.

But recently, I've been....dreaming lucidly? Lol, I'm not sure how to say that. Anyways, I've been able to do that, so I can avoid unwanted dreams now.[/off topic]

Author:  Princess of Ithilien [ December 18th, 2006, 8:05 pm ]
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I tried to stay in my dream, when I realized I was waking up and it didn't work!

Sorry, that's a bit off topic. Elves probably blink unconsciously the same way we blink unconsciously--like when we're daydreaming w. eyes open, we still blink.

Author:  Drew's Destiny [ December 19th, 2006, 5:59 pm ]
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This is a very interesting topic. To be honest, I hadn't read that before.
I can certianly beleive that Elves were able to sleep with their eyes open. :duh: Though it does sound...creepy. I have known people who would sleep with at least one eye open (literaly) and they seem perfectly fine. As for the whole wheither or not they dream the same way, from what I've read I'm not sure that elves could control their dreams. I totally think that they dream just not all that differently from us. Even if their dreams were like day dreams the farther into the day dream you get the more you venture the less control you have over what happens in it. The same goes for if you simply were searching your soul instead of dreaming. Therefore dreaming with your eyes open and day dreaming probabley aren't that different.

Author:  Star Gazer [ December 19th, 2006, 7:39 pm ]
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I will say, about sleeping with eyes open, while it is more than likely that their eyes would dry out - they're not humans. For all we know, they could've had some complex system for lubricating their eyes or something.. but as for the restfulness part of it, I have fallen alseep with my eyes open on several occations. Reason being either that I am VERY tired, or that I am in a very, very dark room, and so I don't need to close my eyes to block out the visual disturbance. I personally have a theory on why elves don't get sick, but I won't bring it up, as it is off topic...

Author:  Aerandir [ December 20th, 2006, 5:30 am ]
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Start a separate thread for it, then, Star_Gazer....I'm interested in it.

I have never fallen asleep with my eyes open, but my sister has, and I don't think her eyes dried out, but I don't know if she blinked unconsciously or not.

Author:  Drew's Destiny [ December 20th, 2006, 3:01 pm ]
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As for the whole blinking or not blinking thing...the people that I know who sleep with one eye open don't really blink their open eye. Therfore I would guess that the elves wouldn't really blink in their "sleep" either.
I'm not saying that I totally know what I'm talking about here but...maybe their eyes don't dry out because even though they don't rest their eyes when they sleep they do at other times. Is there any mention of anything like that?

Star Gazer, I would love to hear your theory. :-D So sometime when you get time (if you want to) please make that thread.

Author:  Miriel [ May 30th, 2007, 11:33 pm ]
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Perhaps every single elf doesn't sleep with his/her eyes open every single time. Has anyone thought of that? Tolkien said, as is the way with elves, but that's a bit vague.

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