Dream Notes

from Meg Bartlett
April 6th, 2026

Did you know that dreams can be experienced without any imagery at all?

In this week's Dream Notes:

• The highlights from my new article on dream modes and aphantasia (the inability to visualize).
• A list of related quizzes including your imagination spectrum and visualization styles.

Huzzah!

This is Meg's free weekly Dream Notes newsletter, dedicated to catching you up on the most recent blog posts, project updates, and notable nighttime adventures.

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​What's Your Dream Mode? A Guide to Non-Visual Dreaming and Aphantasia​

Aphantasia is a neurological condition where the brain, "... doesn't form or use mental images as part of your thinking or imagination."​

​About 1-4% of the world’s population have aphantasia and while it’s not considered a disorder, aphantasia can affect almost every area of an individual’s life from learning to memory recall and even dreaming. However, aphantasics themselves experience different levels of imagery from complete aphantasia (zero ability to visualize or dream with imagery) to partial aphantasia (some visuals appear but may be muted).

Interestingly, some individuals can dream with imagery though recalling the content can be a challenge. However, regardless of one’s level of visualization in the dream space, all dreams have some content and that content can be recorded and interpreted just like any other dream!

Take the Aphantasia Network's quiz to see if you have aphantasia (or hyperphantasia - which I have).

Different Dream Modes

A dream mode describes the channel through which you experience dreams. While most people are visually-dominant dreamers who recall their dreams by describing different image or scenes, it is possible to dream without any imagery at all.

As a dream and nightmare interpreter, I’ve encountered several individuals who experience dreams without visuals. Our conversations usually begin with the individual stating that they do not dream or can’t recall their dreams but through questioning have realized they do dream—just not in the way most people describe.

Different dream modes include:

• visual
• auditory
• olfactory
• tactile
• gustatory
• proprioceptive
• sense-of-knowing
• emotional
• and any of the aforementioned in combination

Non-visual dreams absolutely “still count,” as I’ve been asked before. Not only do they still count but they can be interpreted just like any imagery-based dream! As a helpful tool, you’ll find example dreams for each mode below with an interpretation at the end of this section.

The Quizzes

I love a good quiz!

Thankfully, the Aphantasia Network has several and they all contribute to further research and studies:

• ​Imagination Spectrum: Discover your unique imagination profile across vividness, use, control, and style.
• ​Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire: Understand how you identify and describe your emotions.
• ​The Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire: Explore how you experience inner speech and internal dialogue.
• ​The Four‑Factor Imagination Scale: Explore the different dimensions of how your imagination works.

If you are someone who experiences aphantasia or if you have a dream that includes other elements other than visual imagery I'd love to hear from you!

That's all for this week.

Talk to you soon,

Meg 🐝

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​Click here to read past Dream Notes.

What paid subscribers got in the latest issue of Dearest Waking Dreamer...

Jay's Dream:

"The dream started with [my wife], [sister-in-law], [brother-in-law] and I going out for dinner at a dive bar in NE Mpls. The interior was all old brown paneling, leather seats and booths and tons of neon beer signs. I went into a living room-type room and switched the TV to the Vikings game. Then I discovered that I was able to change all of the TVs in the bar to the game, with my mind. The other 3 had gone with a host to find a booth. I searched the whole bar for them. There were a ton of little rooms on 3-4 different levels. I searched every room and every booth but never found them. I was on my way out the door when I woke up. The bar was very 70s-early 80s style. Very much of the era of the game."

Subscribe to read the full interpretation and dive into reader questions regarding false memories in dreams and the symbolism of teapots.

What I enjoyed doing last week: Visiting with family at our annual Easter Tacos celebration. Lyron and Brandon matched! 😍

What I enjoyed reading last week: The Supreme Gift by Paulo Cohelo (a new book from him!)

What I enjoyed watching last week: Fallout: Season 2 (we've only watched the first episode but it was great)

What I enjoyed listening to last week: Lyron's gurgles and squeals. We have full on conversations even if they're illogical.

Who the Heck is Meg? Meg Bartlett is an author, dream interpreter, experienced out-of-body explorer, US Marine Corps veteran, and new mom living in NE Minneapolis. By day, she enjoys writing, disc golfing with her husband, and reading fantasy and sci-fi novels. By night, Meg explores the universe through her dreams and out-of-body experiences. She is currently working on bringing these galactic encounters to the waking world through creative writing projects. Learn More

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A Compendium of Common Nightmares and Their Wisdom Available in multiple formats for a wide variety of e-book readers and other file types. FREE E-book