Originally posted by Leo Volont
A very effective means of assuring improved dream recall is to threaten to slap your arm or leg so hard that it will make you wince in pain, IF you do not only remember your dreams, but even if you don't find the dreams particularly interesting.

I once used the negative reinforcement method -- beating my left hand, that is, in order to get my left hand to be as good as my right, when I had learned juggling when I was still quite young. *If my left hand messed up a trick, I would give it a good painful beating. *It seemed to work well enough... outside of leading with my right hand, people could no longer tell which was my dominant hand after awhile. *And so I suggested the same technique for improving Dream Recall, and I've been surprised that so many people have found Negative Reinforcement -- beating themselves for not remembering, to be so very effective.

It turns out that the Subconscious mind has an interested link with the physical body and does not enjoy pain, and will make certain efforts to avoid pain that is not entirely necessary. *If it is a choice between pain and remembering a few interesting dreams, then the Subconscious will whip up a few interesting dreams and see to it that you remember them.

Now that is fascinating!