It's so strange that this topic came up, because this happened to me over the holidays. My entire family was visiting, and I do mean my whole family. I was watching TV in the basement with my mom and my eldest niece when I suddenly heard my 5 year old niece's voice right next to me. It was exactly like she was standing next to the couch I was lying on at the time. It scared me, so I went looking for her in case she was in trouble and found her sound asleep in bed … in the attic suite. She and I had two full floors between us, so even if she had been awake I wouldn't have been able to hear her. Neither my mom or my eldest niece heard her.

It was the strangest thing. I heard her voice as clear as day. I wasn't sleeping, and I wasn't thinking about her at all. Weird. Was she dreaming about me? Is that why I heard her and no one else did?

I have heard my family members sometimes over the years when they weren't speaking and they say they have heard me, too. I suspect that it's pretty common. I believe that people who are emotionally close are connected somehow. Maybe being genetically linked to someone means you send and receive on the same signal more than people who aren't related. Just a thought.

At night, especially this is VERY COMMON! Especially with family and loved ones that are strongly connected.

I was 'hearing voices' at night for a while when I was relaxing to go to sleep. Seems the more I relaxed the 'louder' the voices got. Seriously annoying when you are trying to wind down and go to sleep for the night.

One night I decided, I needed to find out what these voices were. I relaxed and focused on one of them. It was my son, and it was him DREAMING! I took notes, in my mind, "key words – phrases" and then tuned it out and followed the other voices. Found it was various family members dreaming. I was hearing their night dreams.

I confirmed this the next day by asking, "(Name) did you dream about ….?" They all looked at me with SHOCK. Okay I maybe should have approached this differently. Then I explained what was going on and why I 'did' this. They thought I had voilated their dreams … which I understood and quickly apologized.

But the answers were YES! to their dreams.

I also found I was hearing neighbors dreams at night. I also confirmed this with more tactful approach with them, to find out, ya .. they had this or that dream. I was specific enough to make sure it was not 'generic' enough to 'just fit'.

At night my wife has found I can hear her thoughts when she is in the Kitchen, Downstair in the Family Room.

One night my wife was in the Kitchen and I was downstairs watching TV. I shouted up, "It's in the cubboard above the Fridge!" I honestly heard he ask me where is the Stainer Cup. She came down with it in her hand going, "How did you know I was looking for this?" (She didn't remember where it was.) I said, "I think I heard you asking where is it." (Obviously by her tone, she did not.) But she said, "Thank you. I was getting frustrated looking for it."

We've had other events like this.

I also had one event, where I was helping my daughters class on a field trip. I looked at my daughter and said, "Your brother just passed out at school. He's fine. But is going home."

Sure enough we got home and he did. Nothing serious, we think he fudged on eating breakfast and just did not have enough food.

My daughters reaction, "Dad, this is just creepy. This only happens on TV shows." (As she mocked looking around for a camera.) Ya she really did.

Then there was the ….. (just kidding.)

Sounds like a pretty cool skill to have but I wouldn't be able to trust myself with it. My human nature would probably tempt me to use a gift like this for less than noble reasons. Also, I think I would have been a bit miffed and felt violated too if I learned that someone was eaves dropping on my dreams or thoughts. Just my personal take on it.

Actually that is exactly what happened. My family avoided me for a couple of weeks after that. They were NOT HAPPY. It had fall-out.

My wife and I talked about the Dream Event and she understood I was not trying to 'sneak in' – but just trying to figure out "what are those **** voices…" She knew it kept me awake and thus her, because I was working hard to tune them out.

We talked with the kids and we explained exactly what and why and that I would NOT do this again, now that I fully understood what the voices were. It brought peace as I told them I would NOT do this again, because simply put, "I had my answer."

But I also explained to them, IF and only IF the emotions behind the dreams and/or thoughts were so strong, I would likely not be able to 'tune them out' … but that I would do my best to forget them and respect their privacy.

All was well after that. They understood, ya I needed to know IF I was going crazy or was there actually something else going on? They too would want this answer.

Yes it still happens and ….

…and? Good thing you can respect their privacy, must be tempting at times though.

Well as you have learned, you do not 'read' people's minds … you HEAR their thoughts, which are EXACTLY like their spoken voice ….

So, well … you hear their thoughts as 'loud' as if they had spoken … and you respond when you should not have. Sometimes it get seriously awkward and you try to explain … when they swear they did not say "that" outloud …

AWKWARD ….

Pardon, my awkwardness!

See this is why I stand strong on this issue.

We do not "READ" minds. This word implies "words" like we 'read' in a 'book'. That is why I use, "We hear thoughts, we do not 'read' them."

The person "thought voice" is exactly how their vocal voice sounds. The two are exactly the same and thus why we have this 'argument' – confusion in this topic. It's totally based on symantics.

READ implies one thing.

Hearing implies another.

We hear thoughts, we do not 'read' them.