Hi,
i have a dream journal and practice dream recall everyday now,but somedays i have very unpleasant dreams which id rather not recall nor write in my journal,
will this affect my ability to recall dreams in a bad way ? Im sure everyone has some kind of dream theyd rather not talk or think about as it was too horrible...
I'm having a similar problem. Lately my dreams have been stressful and work/ school related. Not something I want to spend my time reliving and writing about. Of course when I do write them down I remember more details and it increases my recall, sometimes giving me deeper insight into the messages of my dreams. It also helps me to stay focused on lucid dreaming and I end up having a lot more lucid dreams. If you have trouble recalling your dreams in general I would suggest definitely journaling your dreams whether they are good or bad. Furthermore I think bad dreams can be insightful and recommend at least analyzing it even if you don't write it down, which can make reliving it quicker and more bearable while also maintaining some focus, recall, and insight.
Well i guess ill follow you're advice then and just recall the dream when its just too crazy and unpleasant to write.Thanks !Quote:
Originally Posted by lunagoddess
To write.
Concerning the dreams being negative: I wouldn't reject anything, especially starting out. Biggest reason is that this is kind of anti-lucid dreaming--it comes from a place of fear and distaste for your own mind, odd as that may sound. Everything in a dream is you, even the things that disgust your conscious mind or ego.
I think a better practice would be to become familiar with these dreams, and begin recognizing them as part of who you are, like it or not. If you become lucid in one, face those fears or aversions in a positive way.
You'll be a happier (and more balanced) dreamer in the long run.
I agree with ThreeCat. Skipping out on writing a couple dreams here and there won't really hurt your recall, but it's beneficial to write them all down, even the unpleasant ones. I used to have a lot of nightmares, so an older DJ of mine is filled with a lot of rather scary and disturbing dreams, but I'd rather have them written down and tucked away where I don't really need them than to just forget them and let them fade away.
You don't have to analyze every single dream you have. If you have a dream that you'd rather not think about, just jot down as much as you're comfortable with and leave it for another day, if ever. There's nothing making you re-read it over and over trying to figure out what it means. If they're about a sensitive topic or something of that nature, writing it down also allows you to return to it when you've become more at peace with the subject and have had time to grow from it. You'll probably realize that you were silly for having worried about it so much, and you'll be glad you wrote it down. You could also just hide it in a corner and let it collect dust if you'd prefer, but at least you'll have the option. It's better to have it and not want it than to want it and not have it.
I hate to jump on the bandwagon here, Hontoni, but these guys are right; write down as much as you can regardless of content.
It might hurt a bit when you originally record it, but, as was said, the process of writing them down can tend to put bad dreams behind you and diminishes their severity, as does the process of looking back at what you wrote and really wondering why your dreaming mind presented such an awful image.
Also, sometimes the really horrible stuff can become very valuable to you later in life, not only for entertainment value (you'll probably smile years from now, as the cliche goes), but because they might just tell you something about yourself that you are having trouble dealing with now.
Plus, perhaps sadly, just remembering dreams is not always enough; the process of writing them down seems to move dreams to long-term memory much more efficiently than just remembering them... and, though it might not make sense to permanently store a bad dream, it is actually a good idea. Why? Because when the bad imagery is on hand as a known memory rather than a new recurring experience, it will be much easier to deal with ("Oh yeah, this is a dream," rather than "Holy crap! why is that giant snarling red-eyed dog eating my arm?"). In other words, remembering a bad dream well turns it from a "very real" nightmare to just another dream. Sort of makes writing the bad stuff down a pretty good coping tool, I think!
And yes, every dream remembered is a step toward better dream recall and easier lucidity.
tl;dr: The real value value in sucking it up and writing down as much as you can remember, good or bad, might outweigh the comfort of ignoring terrible dreams. So write 'em down if you can!
Ok then i will follow your advices,and will write my horrible dreams too but if its too horrible i will simply omit it.
^^ That's a start!
Good luck with your journaling, Hontoni, and I for one hope for you that the omissions will be few and far between!