Thread: A few questions on getting started...

I've been reading all of the tutorials & was planning on starting my dream journal this morning, but I don't remember even having a dream last night. Do we dream every time we are sleeping, or is it hit & miss? I tried to considerate on a single subject before sleeping & then totally cleared my mind when I went to bed. The best way I've found in the past to clear my mind (if something was bothering me), is to imagine I'm in a movie theater & looking at a blank, black screen. Works every time. Anyway, I can usually remember a dream for a while after I wake up, sometimes for days, but this morning...nothing at all. Did I dream last night & not remember it at all? What can I do to help in this process? I'm going back to re-read the recall tutorial now. Thanks, MAXX

You had dreams, but you just didn't recall them. It's a bit random sometimes on how much you recall. Sleep is the major thing. More sleep = more recall. To improve the recall, you just have to recall alot of dreams. The more often you do, and the more details you recall, the better you will get at it. Lie completely still for a few minutes or so after waking up during the morning, this will trick your mind into thinking you're going back to sleep, and so will trigger your "dream memory".

Don't worry, even pro's get totally blank nights, and even week long dry-spells. It's natural.

Keep on dreaming!

Thanks Matt, I think I'm ready to start the process of dream recall exercises at this point. I was just wondering if I had dreams every night or not. Unfortunately, tomorrow morning is not going to be the best time to lie in bed & try to recall my dreams due to an appointment I have. Thanks for the advice though, I'll have more time over he next few day's. I have very high hope's on this dream control & hope to someday plan every dream as I see fit. I think I'll be starting the public dream journal so I can get comments on them. Thanks again, MAXX

Originally Posted by Matte87

You had dreams, but you just didn't recall them. It's a bit random sometimes on how much you recall. Sleep is the major thing. More sleep = more recall. To improve the recall, you just have to recall alot of dreams. The more often you do, and the more details you recall, the better you will get at it. Lie completely still for a few minutes or so after waking up during the morning, this will trick your mind into thinking you're going back to sleep, and so will trigger your "dream memory".

Don't worry, even pro's get totally blank nights, and even week long dry-spells. It's natural.

Keep on dreaming!

More sleep does not have anything to do with recall except for the fact you can enter another REM period and have a longer more vivid dream that you may or may not remember.

The thing is that you dream every night and normally about 5 times. REM periods are when you normally have the best dreams and they occur about 15 minutes apart. Later in the night (or into the time your sleeping) is when the longest and most vivid dreams occur.

The way to remember all these dreams is to start a dream journal and your recall will start to go up.

Originally Posted by dakotahnok

More sleep does not have anything to do with recall except for the fact you can enter another REM period and have a longer more vivid dream that you may or may not remember.

The thing is that you dream every night and normally about 5 times. REM periods are when you normally have the best dreams and they occur about 15 minutes apart. Later in the night (or into the time your sleeping) is when the longest and most vivid dreams occur.

The way to remember all these dreams is to start a dream journal and your recall will start to go up.

Yeah that's what I meant with more sleep = more dreams. Should be: More sleep = more REM = more dreams = higher chance of recalling

And MAXX: Try to clear your mind before you go to sleep, it might work. Do some excercises in meditation. Using a mantra like : "I will remember my dreams" might work. Good luck!

Ya, I have to do something to get into the rhythm of this. I have great expectations of what I will be able to do once I learn what to do. I've always thought about this, ever since I read that article 20 some odd years ago. We'll keep at it & I'm sure it will come in time. Thanks for the assistance, it should help. MAXX

Ya, that's what I was hoping to do is start my dream journal, but I just woke up the 2nd day blank again. I don't remember anything from last night. I had plenty of sleep & I did try to lie still for a little while before moving. I think I'll just have to keep reading different things here & wait, I'm sure I'll recall sooner or later because I'm actively trying to recall in the morning. I never really tried before.

if you dont have any dreams to recall write down how you feel and how you felt the night before.

Try to wake in the middle of the night to write down your dreams. It can be difficult in the morning. You probably have a ton on your mind when you first wake up, and you could be far from a good dream cycle.

Set your intention to wake after every dream throughout the night and write it down. Everyone has natural brief awakenings throughout the night. They normally happen right after a long dream. Try to catch these brief awakenings and take advantage of them.

I'll try to wake in the middle of the night, but that will be tough sleeping next to the wife. She needs to get her sleep as well with work & taking care of the baby & all. She asked me what the journal was for & I said it's my dream journal, didn't get much of a reply from her after that. I'm sure she thinks it's just another silly thing I'm getting involved in. I don't care much though, I think it's the coolest thing I've ever gotten into. I'm just getting ready to retire now, I have a good mind set right now & again, expectations are running high. See you on the other side. MAXX