The World of Dreams

[Caelan Arendor]

Tel’aran’rhiod is the World of Dreams in The Wheel of Time—a dangerous yet fascinating realm where actions carry real consequences. It is also known as the Unseen World or simply the World of Dreams, a parallel dimension that can be entered during sleep. What makes this dreamscape so compelling is its malleability: reality itself can be reshaped, as thoughts alter landscapes, objects, and even encounters.

My question is this: Is Tel’aran’rhiod merely a dream‑realm, or does it stand as a dimension with its own laws? Does it reflect the inner psyche of the characters, or is it a neutral battlefield? Who can tell me more about it?

[Tovya]

Tel'aran'rhiod is both a dimension and a dream realm. It is a dream realm as it can be touched/entered from dreams, but only by certain people or by odd chance for a very limited time. But it is also a dimension as it can be assessed via a form of gateway. It is a different place of existence, but it is not like the mirror-dimensions accessed via portal stones. 

[Starla Yilmaz]

Yeah, they touch on it being its own dimension in-between place in The Dragon Reborn.

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

As far as I remember from Verin's explanation, not only is TAR not like the portal stone realities, it is a constant in all these "trouser legs of time". Along with the imprisoned Dark One, the only constants. 

 

Which makes no sense really. Why does Egwene or Perrin ever meet their infinite portal stone doppelgangers? Why isn't it neck deep in wolves? What would happen if a Shadow-aligned ta'veren got into TAR? If each reality has its own TAR - how does Verin call that a constant? Very loose with their terminology, these Browns. You can tell she isn't a White.