--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You must first realize that you are in a…" description: "\"You must first realize that you are in a dream. Then you must realize that your current dream is a nightmare.\" — Frederick Lenz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/frederick-lenz-8_currents_you-must-first-realize-that-you-are-in-a_1903702.jpg" --- # You must first realize that you are in a dream. Then you… ![“You must first realize that you are in a dream. Then you must realize that your current dream is a nightmare.” quote by Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/frederick-lenz-8_currents_you-must-first-realize-that-you-are-in-a_1903702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/frederick-lenz-8_currents_you-must-first-realize-that-you-are-in-a_1903702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/frederick-lenz-8_currents_you-must-first-realize-that-you-are-in-a_1903702.jpg) > “You must first realize that you are in a dream. Then you must realize that your current dream is a nightmare.” [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognize life as a dream; awaken to its nightmarish aspects to transform perception. **In simple terms:** Life is a dream, sometimes nightmarish. Key Takeaway Awaken to change your reality. Themes self‑awareness spirituality transformation Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - creative visualization - personal crisis Key Concepts consciousness illusion Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate dream from reality? - What nightmares in your life need confronting? A Different Perspective Some may view the metaphor as escapist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) ## Related quotes > [“It‘s all a dream, until we realize that it is all a dream. Until then, we need to participate in the dream as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/it-s-all-a-dream-until-we-realize-that-it-is-all-a-dream-until-then/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [To realize a dream, you must have a dream to realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/to-realize-a-dream-you-must-have-a-dream-to-realize/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Every dream I have is a nightmare without u!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mcbeth/every-dream-i-have-is-a-nightmare-without-u/) [Jessie McBeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mcbeth/) > [The American dream would have been a nightmare for me, all American men lie so much whether they like male or female, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/the-american-dream-would-have-been-a-nightmare-for-me-all-american/) [Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/) > [When the wish and the fear are exactly the same, we call the dream a nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/when-the-wish-and-the-fear-are-exactly-the-same-we-call-the-dream-a/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Living the dream, Not the Nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelawolf/living-the-dream-not-the-nightmare/) [Yelawolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelawolf/) > [When I arrived at Barcelona, I was following a dream, but I now realize sometimes it's better to be content with what you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/when-i-arrived-at-barcelona-i-was-following-a-dream-but-i-now-realize/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [I was very impressed by Walt Disney and the idea that you could have a dream and you could realize it to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-was-very-impressed-by-walt-disney-and-the-idea-that-you-could-have/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) > [“Dream your dream; and realize that you are more than just the dreamer, you are the point of origin for its reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/dream-your-dream-and-realize-that-you-are-more-than-just-the-dreamer/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Do not pretend - be. Do not promise - act. Do not dream - realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirra-alfassa/do-not-pretend-be-do-not-promise-act-do-not-dream-realize/) [Mirra Alfassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirra-alfassa/) > [It's easier to crush a dream than realize one, forming a bond is infinitely more difficult than breaking one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-easier-to-crush-a-dream-than-realize-one-forming-a-bond-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are walking on the earth as in a dream. Our world is a dream within a dream; you must realize that to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/you-are-walking-on-the-earth-as-in-a-dream-our-world-is-a-dream/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I close my eyes and dream of you and I, and then I realize There's more to love than only bitterness and lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-close-my-eyes-and-dream-of-you-and-i-and-then-i-realize-there-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“the world was in the hands of those who had courage to dream and to realize their dreams”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-was-in-the-hands-of-those-who-had-courage-to-dream-and-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Then, you were my dream.. now, nightmare!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/then-you-were-my-dream-now-nightmare/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Frederick Lenz > [There are places that are very draining. There are places where there is another dimensional crossover but to a dimension that is not powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-places-that-are-very-draining-there-are-places-where-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, faces the passing human generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-sound-man-immune-as-to-a-sacrifice-of-straw-dogs-faces-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Karma means changing planes of reality or changing fields of attention. There will be perhaps a resulting physical action stemming from the change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-means-changing-planes-of-reality-or-changing-fields-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You and I are both life. There's just the experience of every moment. We like to call them moments. There isn't really such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-and-i-are-both-life-there-s-just-the-experience-of-every-moment/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Why waste your time being around people who drag you down? You don't live forever, at least in this life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/why-waste-your-time-being-around-people-who-drag-you-down-you-don-t/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Everybody here is so caught up in the game of life they don't see death. They don't see beyond their deaths. They are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everybody-here-is-so-caught-up-in-the-game-of-life-they-don-t-see/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Explore all 4,399 Frederick Lenz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More Currents quotes > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I earn my living by teaching film, mostly filmmaking but also teaching courses on current cinema. I'm interested in movies. I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) Frank H. T. Rhodes > [The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved. You cannot make a spoon that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-book-is-like-the-spoon-scissors-the-hammer-the-wheel-once/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Read things you're sure will disagree with your current thinking. If you're a die-hard anti-animal person, read Meat. If you're a die-hard global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/read-things-you-re-sure-will-disagree-with-your-current-thinking-if/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Donald Trump said he will not decide about a possible run for the presidency until after the current season of Celebrity Apprentice wraps up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/donald-trump-said-he-will-not-decide-about-a-possible-run-for-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) Browse all 2,019 Currents quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You must first realize that you are in a dream. 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