Thread: A technique for remembering forgotten dreams?

I do have moments where I know I have dreamed something cool but not what it was about. Sometimes I remember more details about a dream while thinking about it and writing it down, or I can't remember it immediately after waking up but after 10-15 minutes I suddenly know what it is about. But it is always about slight details and happens very rarely. I also don't have a clue how to make it happen.. I'm sorry

What works for me is laying down in the position that my body was in when sleeping and patiently trying to remember and think about little dream clues that I recall. Obviously, it works best right after waking. When I can't remember anything about the dreams at all I do the same thing but I focus on..pushing to remember? I don't know how to explain it very well, sorry. The best way I can think to describe it is like the memories of the dreams are protected by this membrane and I have to push through the membrane with my conscious intent to remember. Eventually I'll get through and instantaneously I'll be like OH YEA I remember that! But that's just what I have found works for me. I have heard of other techniques through DV like using mantras to remember or periodically waking up and writing down/recording some details of your dreams.

Oh and another thing that sometimes works for me when I'm not getting anything is I will go through the letters of the alphabet, mouthing them all. Sometimes that triggers a word that leads to dream recall.

I'm not sure if there is a cutoff point to remembering. I have spontaneously remembered dreams that I had 2 days ago and forgotten upon waking.

Dream recall is weird, it fluctuates a lot. There are some days in a row that I have very vivid and detailed dreams, and all of a sudden the recall drops for no reason.

I don't know if there's any techinque in particular for rememering "lost" dreams, but I often find myself recalling a dream in the middle of the day because of something. Say I see someone, start talking to them, and suddenly I remember the dream I had in which this person took part. So for me, triggers are of great help, but of course you can't control which "triggers" you will bump into.

When waking from a dream, it helps a lot if you stay still and try to reconstruct the dream, as has been already mentioned. I don't know if this has ever happened to any of you (I guess it has) but sometimes I do this, think I have the dream under control and, when I try to write it down, I realise I don't remember much of it, or nothing at all.

Thanks to everybody for replying!

I've already had some success with trying these suggestions, and I'm going to keep exploring and see what else I can learn about dream recall.

I just remembered a dream that I had years ago. The lights weren't turning on in the bathroom, I didn't realize it was a dream until just now. So I'm not so sure about there being a cutout point for remembering forgotten/lost dreams

Most of time I am able to recall my dreams when I'm in the shower. Then again, I think alot in the shower!