Need a DILD routine for recall

[geogzm]

I've been trying DILD the past two nights. I didn't remember any dreams both of them. How can I recall my dreams better? At the moment my day is: Wake up Do reality checks, go on dreamviews/facepunch, play arma2 At about 10pm start reading through other people's dream journals 11pmish, start reading up on DILD and filling my mind with ld related stuff 1am, go to bed and start thinking "I will remember my dreams" and then put on a relaxing mp3 (really's ultimate) 2-3am, fall asleep 11am, wake up repeat

[Matte87]

To remember your dreams better, you need to improve your recall by writing down dreams. Improving your recall significantly takes a long time. Keep on trying and you'll have atleast a few dreams each night in a few weeks or months, depending on you as a person. Change your sleeping schedule perhaps, and have a REM-rebound day. Only sleep 4-5 hours, then the next day you sleep in. Good luck!

[geogzm]

I go to school from 8:20 to 3pm btw

[sisyphus]

Like Matte said, your recall will improve with practice and intent. You build intent by diligently writing down dreams every morning. With repetition, your unconscious mind will understand the intent and start to help you recall more. Even if you can't recall any dreams, write down something. A vague sense or emotion. Or just judge whether you slept well or not.

[geogzm]

I wrote down my attempt to DILD/recall. Will that work, until I can remember my dreams?

[Matte87]

Yes, that is better than nothing. Don't get too frustrated in the morning if you can't remember anything. Stay as relaxed as possible without opening your eyes or falling asleep. If you start getting annoyed, you will have a harder time recalling. Blank mind!

[geogzm]

Okay. Slightly unrelated, but how do I "clear my mind and let thoughts pass" when I'm trying to get to FILD?

[sisyphus]

Well, the first insight about meditation is that you can't just think of nothing and let your mind go blank. Thoughts arise spontaneously; you can't suppress them. Instead, observe your thoughts but don't become attached to them. Recognize them for what they really are: just sounds and images that arise on their own and will drift away on their own if you let them. My favorite metaphor is to imagine that thoughts are bubbles and your awareness is a feather. As the bubbles arise and float toward you, you very gently deflect them with the feather, without popping them, and let them float away.

[LabRat]

I think the biggest thing to change would be the times you go to sleep.. Keep your weekend 'somewhat' constant with your school week. I have work 8-5 each weekday, going to sleep about 10. So maybe try stay slightly constant in the weekend, otherwise its going to be difficult.