Thread: Can Intention Kill Recall?

"Intention" describes a specific short-term plan and "expectation" is less specific, still thematic though, and not on any particular schedule.

No, intent to remember dreams does not kill recall, quite the opposite! Intent is a focus of a very strong desire, and for good recall you must really want to remember dreams.

Dreaming is not like a simple function machine where if you input intent you get recalled dreams as output without fail.

Recall goes up and down for many different reasons. Current level of interest, how well-rested your are, whether you're stressed or have a lot of waking life responsibilities that are stealing your attention, all these things and more affect recall. And even when there are no apparent external changes, recall goes up and down on its own, pretty much all long-term dreamers experience the waxing and waning of recall as a continuous cycle.

Patience is pretty important in lucid dreaming. It's good to stay highly motivated, but if you start experiencing frustration or anxiety due to your dreaming "performance" not meeting your expectations, that can affect your dreaming. It's much better to maintain a very positive and thankful (and yes, patient) mindset towards dreaming.

Keep up consistent, diligent day and night work, and the dreams will keep getting better and better over time.

Supplements that affect brain operation can help, but generally only if you are deficient. I think it's better to take a general-purpose multivitamin (for example, "Opti-Men" is one I take fairly regularly to make sure I have no glaring deficiencies) than to pile up on individual substances like B6. B6, as with any single vitamin/supplmement, can have harmful effects if taken in doses beyond what is safe. Always research a lot before taking any supplements.

I find that regular exercise, being happy, drinking a lot of water (good for the brain, and good for helping to notice middle of the night wakings for WBTB), and staying really excited about dreaming are generally all that you need beyond the awareness, memory, and recall work, to have great dreams consistently.

Originally Posted by FryingMan

"I find that regular exercise, being happy, drinking a lot of water (good for the brain, and good for helping to notice middle of the night wakings for WBTB), and staying really excited about dreaming are generally all that you need beyond the awareness, memory, and recall work, to have great dreams consistently.

Well "being happy" isn't so easy for me since I have been diagnosed with chronic depression. That's one issue I'd hoped to work on in dreams once I learn to control them. I know some vitamins are water soluble so having some extra won't hurt, maybe I should research B6 a bit before taking it.