Have you ever been visited by a vivid dream and woken up feeling baffled, wondering what it all means? Dreams are strange and elusive creatures, but with some simple tools, you can begin to decipher their hidden messages that often actually can be so obvious and makes us wonder how we did not see it in the first place. It was in plain sight all the time.
- Keep your dream journal close at hand: Place your journal and a pen or pencil next to your bed so that you can easily jot down any dreams you remember as soon as you wake up. It does not need to be a physical one. You can use your phone, tablet to record your dreams instead or make a video.
- Set a goal for your dream journaling: Whether it’s to remember and record your dreams more consistently for self exploration, or to observe a particular theme or aspect of your dreams more deeply, setting a goal can help you stay motivated and focused. You might wish to write your goal down onto the first page of your notebook as a reminder for yourself. I know, in a world we live in now that is full of information it is sometimes difficult to juggle between so many tasks. I believe that you can keep this habit going even if you sometimes lose interest or have zero time to be consistent. Just because you have not written anything to your journal for a month does not mean you have failed or have to completely ditch the idea of keeping a dream journal.
- Use your dreams as inspiration for other creative projects: Your dreams can be a rich source of inspiration for other creative pursuits, such as writing, painting, or music. Consider using your dreams as a jumping-off point for other creative endeavors. Having such a positively inspiring outcome can help you to stay focused and motivated to keep writing down your dreams.
- Write down everything you remember: Even if the dream seems insignificant or confusing, write down as much detail as you can remember, including any emotions, people, places, colors or objects that appeared in the dream. Something is better than nothing. Even if you can recall one sentence worth of information write it down. I have some dreams in my journal that only have titles. I just could not get around writing them down.
- Use descriptive language: Try to use descriptive language when writing about your dreams, using sensory details like colors, smells, textures, and sounds to bring your dreams to life on the page. You can also invent words if you feel that this is what you need in order to describe your dream in a perfect way.
- Your waking life experiences: It might be beneficial to jot down a few lines about your waking life after every dream to bring more context to what is going on in your life at the time of seeing a particular dream. This information might help you to interpret your dream.
- Don’t worry about grammar or spelling: Don’t worry about making your dream journal entries perfect or polished. Focus on capturing the essence of the dream and the feelings it evoked. Nobody is going to judge you. This is your journal and you decide what and how to write.
- Look for patterns and recurring themes: Over time, you may notice patterns or recurring themes in your dreams. Make note of these in your dream journal, and consider how they may relate to your waking life.
- Review your dreams regularly: Set aside time each week to review your dream journal entries and reflect on any insights or lessons you’ve gained from your dreams.
- Experiment with different techniques: To keep your dream writing practice fresh and engaging. You can try drawing, painting or collage to illustrate your dreams.
- Share your dreams with others: Sharing your dreams with a trusted friend or partner can help you gain new perspectives on your dreams and deepen your understanding of them.
Remember, the more you practice writing down or recording your dreams, the easier it will become, and the more insight you may gain into your inner world and unconscious mind. I know you can do it! Start now.