[Lesson 1] : Dream recall

[Raphael]

Keep a dream journal How often should I write in my DJ? Every day, and immediately after you wake up so you don't forget. Jot down down everything, even if it's just emotions or dream fragments, recall gets better with time and practice. Is there an alternative to writing in a dream journal? Yes, you can record them on tape if you don't like writing. When you become good at recalling dreams it's not totally necessary to write them down either, you can just go over them in your head in detail. I'll continue use the term dream journal though, just realize it refers to all the collective methods you can use. Why do I need to improve my recall? Because it will make you more proficient at getting LDs. It helps to identify dream signs, recurring things in your dreams that can alert you that you're dreaming. But mostly it will improve your overall awareness, which is probably the most important facet as a lucid dreamer. Why do I have trouble with improving my recall? Most likely because you aren't consistent enough with your journal. Writing in it only a few times a week or less is not going do you much good. Make it part of your morning routine, and wake up early to give yourself enough time if necessary. Sometimes you won't be able to remember a damn thing, but that's ok. Stay with your DJ and you'll improve over time, having the self-discipline to stick with it is key. It'll be easier to stay with it if you don't think of it as a chore. It's fun to write down the cool dreams you have, that way you can look through them later and remember the adventures you've had. Stuff that would have been long forgotten had you not written them down. A tip: When trying to recall a dream immediately upon awakening, jot down only key words. Your memory of the dream will fade very rapidly, so start with the earliest parts you remember first. You can write the actual entry once you've gotten the main things down on paper, the smaller details of the dream are much easier to remember if you can recall the main plot. Student question(s) Well, I don't know if this is a right question to ask; but I'll go ahead and ask it. All of my LD's feel like a memory. Like I just wake up and remember them; like a regular dream. Why is this so? It's perfectly normal for dreams to feel like memories. That's why a lot of times it's difficult to remember whether something actually happened or if you just dreamed it. There's also memories of dreams you've had in the past that can resurface, and it can be a weird sensation. I can't tell you the science of how/why it happens, but it's not going to affect your ability to recall dreams. Being able to recall LDs and regular dreams with the same efficiency is a good thing, normally it's easier to remember LDs. Record both in your dream journal. Please post any questions or comments you have! --------------------

[Taffy]

Awesome, I'll get right on it.

[SoulClaw]

i shall do this

[rossman92]

count me in

[wana]

man i have good recalling never less than 2 dreams per night(average:4 and fragments) so can you post the second lesson ?

[Jordi]

Ok, I'll start with more Dream Journal entries!

[Barinthos]

Nice thread

[TGHMiller]

I have a question for you Raphael. My dreams are usually not very vivid making them hard to recall. Do you have any suggestions to helping dreams become more vivid.

[Raphael]

You can increase the vividness once you're in the dream. I talked about the different stabilization and clarity increasing methods in Lesson 2: How to increase clarity/ vividness Dream spinning- Spinning around in place. Once you've stopped spinning, the dream should have increased in vividness. I've heard some people say it destroys the dream for them, for other people it works wonders. I personally only use it when I feel like the dream is ending or starting to collapse. Try it for yourself and see if it works for you. If the dream starts to collapse, immediately start using one of these other techniques to stabilize it. Hand rubbing- Rubbing your hands together. This one works pretty well, and doesn't have the risk of collapsing the dream. Focusing on details- Using all of your sense to focus on different aspects of the dream. Looking at different textures closely, feeling them, smelling them, tasting them, and listening to things. You can also try eating peanut butter, or take B6 supplements before going to bed, those have been known to increase dream vividness. Your dreams will fluctuate in terms of clarity, sometimes you just have wait for it to get better. It has do with what point in your REM cycle you're at, and if you're close to awakening.

[Karlitaki]

eat bananas , it helps alot for me also Mustard - Milk and Cheese - Orange Juice - Chocolate could help too

[TGHMiller]

Ok I understand how to make it become more vivid within the dream after youve become lucid but that is were my problem lies I cant create a good dream journal to help me achieve better dream recall because i cant remember it without the vivid clear dream which in turn makes it were I have never become lucid. Vicious circle wouldn't you say? So suggestions like good foods and vitamins are what im seeking I do drink alot of milk and will try out bannanas and orange juice.

[Morten]

Good lesson. I will begin to write my DJ tomorrow morning. I have heard that it is a good idea to have an alarm to wake you up just after REM periods. That way it is much easier to recall dreams. Is it true?

[Karlitaki]

i think its differentof person to recall dreams. u just wake up and if u have paper and pen near u write what u dreamed directly but not everything just the more u can and when u wake up agian u write them on DJ and u will also remember the dream

[Raphael]

Ok I understand how to make it become more vivid within the dream after youve become lucid but that is were my problem lies I cant create a good dream journal to help me achieve better dream recall because i cant remember it without the vivid clear dream which in turn makes it were I have never become lucid. Vicious circle wouldn't you say? So suggestions like good foods and vitamins are what im seeking I do drink alot of milk and will try out bannanas and orange juice. You'll get better at recalling dreams with practice; and not all of them are going to be vivid, so sometimes you have to just write down fragments. Good lesson. I will begin to write my DJ tomorrow morning. I have heard that it is a good idea to have an alarm to wake you up just after REM periods. That way it is much easier to recall dreams. Is it true? Yes, it's much easier to remember dreams if you wake up immediately after, or during the REM period. So waking yourself up during those times will yield some pretty good results.