Since it’s common knowledge that I’m very “big” on dreaming, I get a lot of questions about dreams. Seems like every week somebody emails me to ask about remembering dreams, or lucid dreaming – or even to ask me to interpret a dream they’ve had! (nope, can’t do it, sorry!) So I thought I’d outline a few dream tips that might be helpful.
Please be patient with yourself. With a little persistence, dream recall is available to everyone.
Note to artists and songwriters: improving this skill will have a gigantic positive impact upon your art. If you are an artist or writer and a dream wakes you in the night, get up and at least make a note or two. Dreams are never vulnerable to writers block, there’s always an abundance of ideas and imagery available to you.
- As you’re falling asleep, consciously tell yourself that you will remember your dreams. This may seem silly, but you will notice an increase in dream memory as you continue to practice this.
- When you awaken, give yourself the gift of lying in bed a few moments to remember dreams. Be aware of feelings they’ve left you with.
- Keep a dream and vision journal with pen right by the bed. Before you get up, write down anything that’s in your memory: a feeling, a mental image, or a full dream… no matter how small a snippet of dream you remember. As time goes on more and more dreams will stay with you long enough to write them down.
- If a dream awakens you in the night, write it down. These kinds of dreams can be especially vivid.
Now, a couple things that can screw up your dreams:
- Television. You will find that television and movies (especially within a couple hours of bedtime) seriously interfere with your dreams. When you passively watch TV, you’re taking in someone else’s imagination, and your dreams will be corrupted with someone else’s pictures. You want to have your own dreams – not some TV director’s!
- Alarms. If you can avoid use of an alarm clock, do so! I realize that most people in our society have jobs that are rigidly scheduled, but alarms can jolt you right out of a dream and create an adrenalin rush that drives it from your mind. At least on your days off, allow yourself to awaken naturally.
As you continue these simple practices, you’ll find that your dream recall is increasing, and with it your overall self awareness. Have fun with it!
Take note of repeated themes. Your dreams are unique to you – although there are images that we all share from the Collective Unconscious, and cultural imagery that is common to many, the best interpreter of your dreams is you.
This little outline will also be posted on EnchantedCrystals.com and DigitalGoddess.org within the next month or so. And I’ll write separately about lucid dreaming – a deliciously fun experience that can teach us much about our current lives. 🙂
These suggestions sound very basic, but they are excellent exercises for being in touch with yourself. Self awareness can be elusive and illusionary, but the more deeply we are in touch with ourselves, the better fit we are to “genuinely” share in this world, and benefit others, as well as ourselves. Exploring our dreams is essential for this understanding. -Not necessarily trying to make sense of them, but letting them be what they may be, while still paying attention to them. If you follow the steps Scarlet has listed (especially the (no) tv before bed, and lying in bed after you wake up, you will discover a more inner peace throughout the day, insight, inspiration,and lots of humor. All these are signs for a more healthy “you”. –Dreamweaver Stevens.