Conference hydra::dejavu

464.0. "How I remember dreams" by TOPDOC::SLOANE (Bruce is on the loose) Tue Aug 25 1987 15:46

Dreams are natural and normal physiological events. Dreams are 
necessary for good health, and virtually everybody dreams for 
several hours every night. People who are not allowed to dream 
(by being woken up as they enter the dream state [as shown by 
brain wave activity]) will begin to show mental disturbances if this 
continues, and will feel tired no matter how many hours they 
sleep. 

Everybody has had the experience of waking up and half remembering 
the dream that was running through their mind just moments ago. 
For most, within a very few minutes the dream will fade away, and 
all that is remembered is a few fragments of the very last 
part. Sometimes all that can be recalled are the feelings and 
emotions that the dream invoked.

One reason why it is hard to remember dreams is that the dreams, 
when you awake, are stored in short term memory. Short term 
memory is lost (disremembered) quickly, unless techniques 
are used to load the memories into long term memory. Even people who 
claim they never dream have been shown to dream normally, although 
the dreams are not remembered because they never got them out of 
short term memory.

Dreams mean different things to different people. Psychoanalysts 
use them to probe the past, and psychics use them to predict the 
future. I am not going to pass judgment on any of that.

However, there are certain simple techniques anyone can use that 
may help you to remember your dreams. I'm sure there are other 
techniques to help remember, and I look forward to additional 
comments.

First, before you go to sleep, tell yourself that you are going to 
dream a happy dream tonight, and you will remember the dream. As you 
drift off, think about dreaming. Tell yourself that when you wake up, 
you will recall vividly the dream you were having. Do not at first try to 
specify the dream content. 

When you wake up, either in the middle of the night or in the 
morning, lie quietly in bed and think about what you were dreaming
for a few minutes. This helps to load the dream into long term 
memory. It may take a few moments to recall the dream. Concentrate on 
the main theme of the dream. It may be visually, emotional, or both. 

Keep doing this nightly. You may get no results at first. As you 
continue both the before sleep and after sleep portions, you will 
begin to remember your dreams. At first you may recall only 
fragments. As you keep at, success will be yours, and more and 
more of the dream will be clearly remembered.

As more and more dreams are recalled, you may want to keep a note pad 
by the bed, and write down things about the dream that will help you 
remember it. This is a good way to circumvent the short term 
memory problem. 

Finally, think about the meaning of your dreams. For me, most 
dreams simply reflect things that went on the day before. They 
are like pleasant grade-B movies, and I look on them as a sort of core 
dump for the brain. But some of them have brought back long lost childhood 
memories, or have lead to flashes of insight and creativeness, or have 
helped me make difficult decisions. My dreams have had poor predictive 
value for the future (these come to me when I'm awake - my only 
psychic abilities, by the way). 

Good night, and pleasant dreams.

-bs

I agree with Bruce about lying in bed just after waking and try to 
move the dream to more "long term memory" and then write it down.

Sometimes when I awake I can remember only one dream.  A friend 
suggested and I have tried upon waking to return to the sleeping 
positions that I use.  You know, on your left side, on your right 
side, fetal whatever.  You may find that returning to a physical point 
that additional dreams may be recalled.  This has worked for me.

In regards to what dreams might mean, I suggest that interpretations 
of dreams are *very* personal.  Each one of us has our own symbols and 
associated meanings.  The trick is to identify these symbols from 
our dreams (remember you have written them down) and think in terms 
of a few words to describe what this symbol means to you.

After you have done this for the major symbols and their associated 
personal meanings, the greater message of the dream will be presented 
to you.

I intentionally say greater message because I believe that dreams are 
a way in which unconscious thoughts are communicated to the conscious 
part of our minds.  The conscious mind can then come along and 
interpret our symbols so that we can use this knowledge in our day to 
day activity.

I do not believe that certain symbols mean the same for each person.  
They are unique and interpretation should be done in a context by an
individual for themselves.  You may want to seek assistance from someone 
whom you know and trust and perhaps not trust them to a "psychic at 
large".

Has any of you thought about extending the idea of dream symbols 
gathered during sleep to "waking dream" symbols gathered while doing 
your day to day conscious activity.  The same interpretation would 
occur as for sleeping dreams.

Try asking yourself:  "What does this (symbol) mean to me?  What is 
Spirit trying to tell me.?"

After working with this for awhile you will likely get some 
interesting results.

- Howard

    One recall technique that I also find helpful is this.  If I've
    had an important dream but can't recall quite all the details I'd
    like for further study, I sort of 'program' my subconscious (for
    lack of a better term) to assist my memory.  I find then that during
    the day, as I go about ordinary activities, events will trigger
    sudden little bursts of dream memory.  By the time I go home at
    night I am usually to get out my journal and flesh out the details
    that eluded me before my morning coffee.
    
    Marcia

    I once read that if you begin keeping a journal of your dreams
    you will find it easier to consciously remember them.  The
    suggestion went on to say that if we wake up in the middle of
    the night (those of us who have small bladders often do!) we
    should take a few minutes to write down any recollections of
    dreams.  Then in the morning upon awakening we should do the
    same thing.
    
    I often write down dreams that have a special meaning to me,
    but unfortunately I don't always take the time to write down
    the "how bizarre!" dreams.
    
    Carla