It's long, but please read and answer... I've got some Qs

[Abstraction]

Noone answered in the noobie forum... I don't know if they just didn't want to read it all or if it was too difficult or what, but anyway.... here ya go: I know this is a lot... but I kind of have to give you a background. Please bear with me and read it so you can help me I have always been miserable at remembering my dreams.... I remember only a few from my entire life... I do remember some very interesting details though... I'm thinkin I may lucid dream quite often... but just can't remember it. -When I was a child, I had a dream of being chased by a lawnmower. I actually remember questioning if that was possible while in that dream, but was too afraid to actually stop running and consider what was happening there. -A few years ago... I don't know how.... but I came to the realization that I absolutely KNEW I was dreaming. So, for fun, I went up on the top of a skyscraper and jumped off.... I didn't control the environment however. The dream ended somewhere in the fall. Now this is what was exciting -Just two nights ago, I had a lucid dream, and I could easily control the environment! Once again, I have no idea how I came to the realization it was a dream, but it was just rock solid "Yes, I am dreaming." I only remember vague details. It was something like a ball went through the air and turned into a butterfly or something, then I knew I was dreaming. Then, I remember standing there, and one of my roomate's who sometimes bugs me with his pointless chatter was sitting on the ground behind me talking to me. So, I made a red pit open up beneath him. (but I don't remember if he fell into it) Then I put my arms like I was hugging someone, and made a beautiful girl appear in them, but I remember being slightly frustrated in the dream because I couldn't make out her face... I think I actually tried twice but both times it was like something wasn't right, like she didn't have a face, or like her body wasn't like I'd "imagined into being". So, it seems that I do have some kind of natural ability to control dreams, and it seems to have evolved over time without my knowing it.... but I think the ONLY reason I could remember that dream was because my roomate woke me up with his music! I got this dream when I slept 'till 1PM on saturday... I had gotten good sleep the night before too. I was so excited that I lucid dreamed... that I tried again last night and made sure I got about 9 1/2 hours of sleep. I just kept asking myself as I fell to sleep "Am I dreaming now? Am I dreaming now? Am I dreaming now?" I remember waking up an hour later, and 4 hours later, but I don't remember any dreams. It also seemed like I had a harder time getting to sleep... like trying to lucid dream was a strain on me. Since I'm in college, I can't forsee myself always going to bed at the same time, or getting the right amount of sleep all the time... but what I REALLY need is help learning how to remember my dreams! I don't wake up during the night normally... and I think forcing myself to wake up 6 hours later would seriously screw up my sleeping patterns. So... what do you think?.... Think I might be a natural who just can't remember his dreams?... Also.. can you give me good tips on how to work remembering my dreams into my schedule? Please post any other comments that might come to mind about what I've said.

[evolo]

Keep a dream journal. The first thing you should do when you wake up is write down any details of your dreams, even if you can't remember the whole dream. If you do this daily you'll become more aware of your dreams and you'll want to remember them, which, hopefully in turn, you will. I hope this helps. I have amazing dream recall so I was never in your situation. Dream journals are vital if you're heavily involved with dreaming.

[Abstraction]

Originally posted by evolo Keep a dream journal. The first thing you should do when you wake up is write down any details of your dreams, even if you can't remember the whole dream. If you do this daily you'll become more aware of your dreams and you'll want to remember them, which, hopefully in turn, you will. I hope this helps. I have amazing dream recall so I was never in your situation. Dream journals are vital if you're heavily involved with dreaming. Is it possbile to become proficient in dream recall and then to stop using a journal (I'm directing this at anyone)? it seems like kind of a pain to keep a journal for the rest of my life....

[evolo]

I would definitely think so. It's practice for dream recall. Doing this will teach you how to recall your dreams better, and when your mind knows how to master it, it will remember without the use of a journal. Same concept as learning to play an instrument. You start with lessons to learn how to do it, and when you know how, you simply won't need lessons anymore. But the more lessons, the better the musician.

[TygrHawk]

Hm, not sure I agree with that. You may not need "lessons" as such, but you need to keep in practice. I find that when I get lazy about journaling my dreams, my recall immediately takes a hit. Sure, there are times when you'd just rather sleep and not bother (I know I have plenty of those times), but I don't think you should stop doing it altogether if you want to keep your recall sharp. Besides, When I was a teen and learning to play the trumpet, my 80-year old trumpet teacher still took lessons from a master on a regular basis.