The power of a dream journal.

[DreamCloud]

I had not recorded any of my dreams in a long time and had not had any lucid dreams either because of work and school but before going to bed last night I got my dream journal out and read through some of my dreams. It both fun and inspiring. I was back into that lucid dream mindset at least for the time being. I sat my dream journal down so that it would be close and went to sleep. In the first dream I had, some people that I did not know and I were robbing a bank. That was definitely a dream sign but I didn't realize I was dreaming until we got into the getaway car and it wouldn't work right. It was then that I realized I was Dreaming. It was so fun!It became my longest lucid dream or series of lucid dreams ever. I just basically explored wherever I was at, it was such a thrill.I was even able to not get fooled by what seemed like two three false awakenings(those darn things get me all the time). But I guess the moral of the story is that Dream Journals are one of the most important things for inducing a Lucid Dream.Good Luck ,everyone!

[IndigoGhost]

I agree.

[topten35]

Yes, i don't have as many lucid hardly any like i use to when i was keeping a journal, i guess i'll start writing down my dreams.

[pond weed]

are there any guids for using dream journals. there are plenty on how to make them. but as you all stated, there is so much more that can be done with them. do you use a written journal, or a tape recorder? i find the benefits of a tape recorder are: -you can easily use it ijn the night without having to switch on a light, this makes DEILD's a lot easier. -you can close your eyes and visualise the dreamscape a lot easier, nice to do when going to sleep. but the downer is that its a pain in the ass to navigate to specific dreams, im probably gonna type them all out now.

[Dream scaper]

are there any guids for using dream journals. there are plenty on how to make them. but as you all stated, there is so much more that can be done with them. do you use a written journal, or a tape recorder? i find the benefits of a tape recorder are: -you can easily use it ijn the night without having to switch on a light, this makes DEILD's a lot easier. -you can close your eyes and visualise the dreamscape a lot easier, nice to do when going to sleep. but the downer is that its a pain in the ass to navigate to specific dreams, im probably gonna type them all out now. Why not do both? Do the tape recorder thing first, because it makes it easier to DEILD, but then write them down afterwards.

[Falsn]

Yes, I agree. Everyone should keep one, it's also fun to look back at them later on in your life.

[doddolfur]

I agree indeed. But how do you feel about less important dreams, or like dream flash, when you don't remember any of your dream context but you were maybe able to memorise one moment, like let's say you were opening a closet, and you picture that but you don't know why or what happened next. I always write down when I have a whole dream and I remember alot from it, but I find it a little bit harder when it's only snapshots. Anybody have a system for this?

[pond weed]

i had that this morning. i only rembered a specific part of the dream, when i knew it was part of a much bigger story. i started to journal it and more of it came to me, as i was speaking into the tape recorder

[moonshine]

If you can't remember dreams how do you remember lucid dreams. Keeping a dream journal is the first and biggest weapon in the Lucid Dreamers armoury. It is essential.

[marcher22]

The same thing happened to me sort of. Gave up lucid dreaming for maybe like 3 months because i was fed up. Read a lot one day about it, and then that night i had a lucid dream. I started a dream journal which only lasted for maybe 2 weeks. Maybe i might start again tonight. With the dreams i had last night.. I lost count of any number of dreams i remembered since when i first joined this site and started a DJ ( June 2008..) and lost count of the number of lucid dreams. I can still remember some though. When ever i think back, more stuff seems to pop up.

[DreamCloud]

Just trying to record your dreams in a journal will increase your dream recall dramatically. If you can only remember an image of the the dream then right it down. Many times as you write down your dream more and more of it keeps coming back to you. As you wake up in the morning don't move...just try to recall your dream that you just awoke from, this usually works great. I give titles to my dreams as I record them, like they are a short story about an adventure. If I can only remember a short scene or image, I record it. It really does help. Focusing on recording and remembering dreams is like the first step in Lucid dreaming. You have to walk before you can run or remember your dreams and be focused on them before you can be aware that you are dreaming.

[panta-rei]

Very true. Dream journals are the most important tool in any LDer's toolchest.

[Mzzkc]

This thread almost makes me want to start a DJ. Almost. . .

[v.riffmeister]

I usually remember more details from my dreams throughout my day from the things I see. Like I had this dream in which I was talkingand laughnig with one of the guys I hate in school and I didn't remember that dream until I saw him in school that day.