Memory is fickle, in general. Dream memory is even worse. Incredible events can be just as hard to remember as anything else. For example, I can barely even remember the last time I went skydiving, even though it was a thrilling experience. My dinner last night felt incredibly real and vivid, but I can barely remember it, now. Even when I'm actively trying to memorize something for a test, I fail.

I think the problem with dream memory is, we don't have a chance to process it. Unless we journal it, we don't have a chance to translate it into memory. Think about the last time you had to study for a test, or memorize something. You don't just look at a flash card, and immediately remember it. It is better to close your eyes, and imagine the flash card in your mind a few times. This translation locks the experience in your memory.

I think dreams are hard to remember, because they are already only happening in our memory. There is no separation between imagination and reality to allow for translation. It is all imagination. It is only when we wake and review it that we can begin to create lasting memories of the dream. Even better, is to journal it. Translate it to words, and it suddenly blossoms.

A good exercise to explore this relationship is trying to use your imagination while in a lucid dream. Anytime I try to visualize something, or remember something, it just becomes the new reality. It is very taxing to maintain a separate line of thought or imagination while in a dream. You can't really daydream while dreaming.