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Forgive me if someone has posted this already. But I read in one of the tutorials around here that I shouldn't waste my time recording nightmares in my journal because it encourages the wrong kinds of dreaming that can discourage lucidity?
I was under the impression that all dreams are important. What do you guys think?
- fanny
Haven't been around here in quite a while so I don't know what you're referring to, but I'll agree with you in that all dreams are important. I also fail to see how there would be a "wrong" kind of dreaming when you're going for LDs since after all, any dream you have is a dream you can come to control.
I have heard of this, but I do not agree. You want to remember any type of dream. Nightmares occur because of fears and insecurities in life, not because they are encouraged... unless of course you can incubate them or create them from an LD. I like nightmares, so no reason for me to worry about it either way.
Meant to say this, too. Most interesting dreams to have for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by BrandonBoss
Definitely amazing. have you had a lucid nightmare?Quote:
Originally Posted by LostRealist
Whoever suggested that certainly didn't encourage facing nightmares which I think is part of finding a solution to cause them to stop permanently; You can't fix a hole in a roof by ignoring it. I've had nightmares that scared me, But they happened for reasons and I need to stand up and face the music.Quote:
Originally Posted by fanfair
Sadly none that I could think of right now, but there's just something about the bizarreness of nightmares that keeps puzzling you. I often return to this site and pick up my dream journal again after leaving it for months or longer at times because I woke up out of a nightmare and the feeling you get just intrigued me. Gah, it's hard to describe why I'd enjoy nightmares, but after waking up and thinking about them, I just do.Quote:
Originally Posted by BrandonBoss
Same here. Definitely should record them if you love to remember them as well.
I agree with everyone else; I think you should write down all your dreams regardless of whether or not they're nightmares. All dreams have symbols that could be recurring or otherwise significant, and it's important to keep track of those if you want to become lucid. In fact, part of why I started trying to attain lucidity was because I was tired of always feeling scared and/or anxious in my dreams. I've found that when I write down my dreams, I don't feel as frightened when I'm dreaming; instead I feel more calm and in control, even when I'm not lucid.
One of the reasons to record dreams in a DJ is to look for dream sign patterns to enable one to recognize dreams, definitely want to do that with nightmares.
I think the idea was anything that might discourage a lucid moment like fear would be less productive.Quote:
Originally Posted by 101Volts
I'll see if I can find the article in question.
I think there is nothing bad in writing nightmares to DJ. Unless it is something that you are trying to forget.
I agree with writing down your nightmares. Not only will it help identify dream signs, but rereading through your nightmare entries will help you understand how your mind works, help you familiarize your dream world, and perhaps even realize how to overcome it. Good luck :D
I know I'm a little late for this thread, but I just wanted to say that, in my opinion, that reasoning for not recording nightmares is simply wrong, period. Nightmares are practically a lucidity engine, so I can't see them discouraging LD'ing in any way. Plus there are also no wrong kinds of dreaming; you should be paying attention to all your dreams, and not just cherry-pick the nice ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by fanfair
... not to mention that the journal entries for nightmares will probably be the most interesting ones you read many years from now!
Lucid dreaming pro-tip #1:Quote:
Originally Posted by Sageous
Listen to Sageous
I thought I was strange for liking nightmares. Loved 'em even before I started practicing Lucid Dreaming.
I'll mirror what everyone else is saying. Record them. If for no other reason than that you'll begin to notice commonalities. Two of my strongest dream signs are physical violence and being lost... which are often very much associated with nightmares. If someone shoots me with a gun, I'm instantly lucid, and livid. I become lucid in most of my nightmares now and can usually sort out and/or escape whatever situation I'm in. It actually helps with my anxiety in waking life as I find waking from a nightmare before it resolves tends to leave me with a persistent sense of unease for the entire day.
You only said "Might". Does it actually do that? I believe it would if the "Proper" Fear was in place but I'm not advocating fear here, As fear made me shrink from life; Faith in life helped, That includes noticing the sunbeams and more.Quote:
Originally Posted by fanfair
In addition: If a person shrinks from only having nightmares, How on earth will they find a way to cease from having more nightmares? One nightmare can turn into many if it's not dealt with, Not unlike a plant.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sageous
I also have one particular nightmare I logged which recurred in September 2008 or so; It's very detailed of my life at the time, Somehow, With so many graveyards.
Graveyards were common in my dreams a while back, If I didn't face it I think I would still be having them.
Just wanted to cast my vote in agreement here that you should write them all down including and especially nightmares (if that's your preference of course) . They might not be too fun at the time but later they're usually fun to read about if nothing else. I've never looked too deep into mine to find out "why" I had a nightmare, but just some of the whacky stuff the brain comes up with in them is worth a little sweat and fast heartbeat to me.
Plus I hear that for some people its pretty easy to train themselves to become lucid during nightmares. I haven't been able to partly because of lack of practice since my nightmares are few and far between, but you could be one of those people and just don't know it yet. By training yourself to become lucid in nightmares you should be able to effectively stop one after it starts, which in my opinion would be easier than preventing them in the first place. Of course this is assuming you aren't one of us weirdos who enjoys them, haha. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad mine are few and far between, there has been a time or two I woke up thinking I was having a friggin heart attack... But I wouldn't stop having them altogether given the choice, it's kind of a nice rush.