Opening the Dream Gate:

• How many times have you had the most amazing technicolor dream only to have it fade from your memory within minutes? You knew there was no way you were going to ever forget the vivid images, the amazing revelations, and all the twists and turns of the story…yet you did, before breakfast! Recalling your dreams is key to this process. If you do find that you are unable to remember your dreams, there may be an attitude that is blocking your ability to do so. The following process to help eliminate dream blockage attitudes is offered. This simple process may help you become aware of and then release limitations or blockages. These blockages may be deeply rooted in your sub-conscious and this process can help bring them to the surface.  Use the following chart to help you work through your dream blockages and affirm a positive dream attitude.

 

Examples of limitations or blockages:

• Thought responses: I think dreams are important, but I am not sure how it relates to me.  I want to believe dreams are important.  I am not convinced though.
• Emotional Responses:  When I feel this attitude, I feel frustrated and annoyed with myself, almost angry.
• Body Responses: After saying this attitude my stomach knots up and feels tight, as if I am not breathing correctly.

 

Using affirmations:

 

After you have worked through our responses to the attitude, you can then create your own affirmation that will allow you to reframe your thoughts about the attitude.

• Affirmation: There is great importance in dreams.  My own dreams allow me to unlock unseen potential within myself.  I greatly enjoy dreaming, and I remember my dreams easily and completely.

 

Thought Responses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emotional Responses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Body Responses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affirmation:

 

 

 

Dream Recall:

Hints and Tips

• Write the dreams down- no matter how sure you are that you’ll remember the dream, you most probably will not.  Write it down.
• Don’t move- while you write in your journal.  Immediately after a dream try to move as little as possible.  Research shows movement often impairs dream recall.
• Watch for flashes-often a dream doesn’t appear, but you have a vague feeling that one is just around the corner of your mind.  These images can be so fleeting that you must remain conscious of the images that suddenly pop in your mind.
• Record the fragments-even if it’s only a dream fragment, don’t’ dismiss it, record it.
• Record each dream as it occurs- it’s difficult to record all your dreams every morning.  Even if someone does remember all their dreams in the morning, they’re not as vivid and detailed than if they were recorded as they occurred.
• Sleep for shorter periods of time-try to sleep two or three times a day.
• Read and study dreams-learn as much as you can about dreams. Where intention goes, energy flows.  As you increase your awareness in the area of dreams, you’ll increase your ability to recall your dreams.
• Name your dreams-when writing in your journal, give each of your dreams a descriptive title.  These are good references for later.
• Wake up naturally-train yourself to wake up before your dream alarm.
• Embrace your nightmares-write down all your dreams even nightmares and other dreams that you don’t feel good about.  Humans are not just good.  We are the whole- a balance of light and dark, yin and yang, good and bad.  We are total, infinite beings, and because of this it’s important to honor and accept all aspects of ourselves.
• Resist the urge to explain away the dreams.
•  Don’t feel guilty if you just cannot remember a dream-guilt will only hinder your progress.  And if you do feel guilty, don’t feel guilty about feeling guilty.
• Don’t feel pressured to interpret every dream-often just reviewing a dream several times will contribute to your inner balance.
• Have fun!

 

Before Sleep Dream Recall Techniques:

• Tibetan Dream Meditation- as you lie down to go to sleep, concentrate on your desire for dream recall.  Now focus your attention on the back of your throat.  Imagine a glowing blue sphere in the throat area, and imagine putting your desire for dream recall within that blue orb.  Hold that visualization until you fall asleep. Research has shown that it’s this area at the back of the throat which is near the stem of the brain that controls the activation of dream states.
• Water Technique- Fill up a glass of water and drink half of it before retiring.  As you drink affirm to yourself, Tonight I remember my dreams.  When you wake in the morning, if no dream recall is evident, drink the rest of the water saying to yourself.  My dreams are recalled, now and throughout the day.  Often drinking the second half of the glass stimulates dram recall.
• Third-Eye Technique-This technique also uses water for dream recall.  Put a bowl of water next to your bed.  Right before sleep, dip two fingers into the water and lightly touch your throat.  Then rub these two fingers on your forehead in the area of your third eye (the area between and slightly above your eyes). As you rub this area affirm that you will remember your dreams.  The next morning touch this area with water.  Very often this will stimulate recall.
• Spiritual Assistance- relax your body, keeping your spine straight.  Let your mind become still and receptive.  Pray or ask your dream guide for assistance in remembering your dreams.  Strongly affirm that you will remember your dreams, repeating several times as you are falling asleep.
• Creative Visualization- as you begin to fall asleep, visualize yourself waking up, looking at the clock, noting the time, and writing down a dream. Continue this visualization forward in time until you see yourself waking in the morning and writing down another dream.  Visualize yourself looking and feeling very satisfied because you’ve recorded your dreams.
• Four Directions Technique- a) when you enter the area where you’ll sleep, smudge the area with sage, cedar, juniper or sweet grasses.  Smudging means to offer or hold the smoldering herbs so that the smoke goes to each of the sacred directions- north, east, south and west.  You can use a feather or a fan to direct the smoke.  b) when you get into bed, replay each action of the day, moving backward to the time when you woke in the morning.  Then begin the day anew in your mind, replaying each event from morning onward, changing your response to any situation in which you wish you’d behaved differently. c) say a prayer of thanks for the goodness of each day and affirm your intention to live a balanced and compassionate life.  d) imagine an upward-spiraling double helix of energy spinning through you as you count backward from ten to one, affirming that you’ll remember your dreams.

 

After Sleep Dream Recall Techniques:

• Rolling Technique- research has shown that dreamers usually roll over or change positions immediately after a dream.  It’s thought that this helps you move into a different brain-wave pattern.   If you can’t recall your dreams, try changing your position, as sometimes this will spontaneously generate dream images if you happen to move back into the position that you were in when you had the dream.
• Conversation- immediately after waking up, share with someone what you remember.  Just beginning to talk about your dreams will allow more of it to rise to your consciousness.
• Writing- when you write in your dream journal, just note whatever you remember even if it’s only a word or feeling.  If you don’t’ remember anything, write: “I don’t remember my dreams”. Very often this will stimulate dream recall.
• Imagination-when you wake up in the morning and don’t’ remember your dreams, imagine that it’s the night before and you’re getting ready for bed-brushing your teeth, lying down, and going to sleep.  Then just watch the images and feelings that occur, and imagine what kind of dreams that you might have had.  Even though it might sound strange to imagine your dream, this exercise often spurs dream recall.
• Doodle technique- if you didn’t remember your dreams, begin to doodle in your dream journal.  Often this right-brain activity triggers associations and sparks memory.
• Color technique-in this process, get a sense of what color your dream felt like, and begin coloring or imagining that color to incite recall.
• Mood savoring- with your eyes still closed, just before you get out of bed, notice your mood and indulge it.  The mood you’re in when you awaken often reflects the activity in your dreams. Exaggerating your mood often stimulates dream recall.