Increasing your dream recall

[Anya]

In my Voice and Speech class, we learned, kinesthetically, the easiest ways to lay oursleves down on the ground - or mattress - with the least effort; how are skeletons can properly align for the best rest. I have been using these techniques when I lay myslef down to sleep and my dream recall has increased exponentially. The same is true for other friends of mine in the class who are doing the same thing. The positions are as follows if you would like to try them for yourself: 1) Lying flat on your back. For yogis - this is the corpse pose. For those who are unfamiliar - think of making your spine as long as possible (your spine extends form your tailbone to behind your eyes.) Your feet should be hip-joint distance apart. Your arms should go where they are comfortable - at your side or on your belly. Think of your shoulders being as wide as possible. And you should feel your weight rest in your pelvis and in your shoulder girdle. DO NOT USE A PILLOW. If that is uncomfortable for you, take a towel and fold it flat until it is about 2 inches thick and place it behind your head so that the towel starts at tyour shoulders going up your head is resting on it. Sleep accordingly. 2) Laying on your side. Try this on both sides. Determine which side feels more comfortable for you. This may change day by day, but usually everyone has a side they prefer. Think of the long spine again. Tailbone to eyes. Lay your head on your arm or on a folded towel - noe more than 3 inches thick. Bring your knees toward your torso so they are at a 90 degree angle to your body. You can use your free hand to balance you. Feel your breath expand through your ribs down to your pelvis. 3) Folded leaf. This one is not so good for sleeping comfortably on a mattress, but I have fallen alseep like this and had the most vivid dreams. Sit on your knees. If this is uncomfortable, roll a towel and place it behind your knee hinges. The towel can be a sthick as needs be to feel comfortable. Lay forward on your thighs so that your forehead rests on the ground. Stretch your arms above your head on the ground. Let your belly sink between your thighs as you breathe. Feel your tailbone slide toward your heels while at the same time your arms stretch forward. Long spine. When coming out of these positons think about the ease of rolling. Rolling is very "baby" and is a very basic movement. It is stress free. Roll out of these positions to come to alerteness. Hope this is cool for you guys too. Even if you don't remember your dreams they are awfully relaxing. And keep your breath in mind. Are you breathing? What is your breath like? Where is it going when it enters your body? How far down can you feel it? How quiet can you make your breath even when it is at it's fullest? Can you make your breath sound like the ocean? How easy can that be? This breath stuff is great, too

[Keurslager]

Wow, this sounds really promising! Gonna try it out tonight, I always have problems lying down.

[R.Carter]

Any suggestions for those of us who sleep on our faces ?

[Anya]

Don't suffocate. But seriously . . . I would refrain from using a pillow of any kind. Not only would it make it more difficult to breathe, but it would stack your spine in the opposite direction from what it likes to be. I would also encourage you to find other ways of sleeping. Stomach sleeping is pretty rough on your body. Your own weight makes it difficult for your guts to get out ot the way for your diapraghm to drop down causing your lungs to expand and fill with yummy oxygen. And breath is very key. Plus your spine lays wierd. And besides - versatility is always a good thing for human beings. Do you really sleep on your face or do you turn to one side? If you do, you might want to consider sleeping on that side. The position we choose to sleep in is very backed by psychological reasons. I would ask yourself why you choose to protect your guts when sleeping. What triggers this in you?

[wombing]

this is interesting, thanks. i also sleep on my stomach, usually with my neck turned to my right. however, this is partially from neccessity, as i'm 6'6, and this way my feet can dangle down over the end of the bed comfortably (toes down). if i try to sleep on my back (which i definitely prefer) my legs dangle past the edge from mid-calf onwards, and my ankles get sore from constant gravitational pull i'll try sleeping on my side tonight though and see how it goes. anya, do you have any inklings what the psychological motivation could be for crossing my arms across my chest while sleeping on my stomach?

[Anya]

Protection of the heart chakra. this chakra has everything to do with how you open up to people - the giving of love as well as the receiving. If you block this chakra in any way, whether with your arms or by slouching your shoulders, which has the same effect, it suggests that you are possibly uncomfortable with this aspect of your day to day life. Does this make sense? If you do it while sleeping, you are also protecting it. I would ask you this (not too be too personal or anything and you do not have to respond): Are you afraid of intimacy? Is it difficult for you to trust? Why? Do you feel safe, validated and appreciated in your love relationships? and especially being that your and American male - Does it make you feel uncomfortable to speak about your emotions? Know that people who love you want you to stand up for yourself, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Feel free. this is all a shot in the dark. I don't know you. but knowing what i know about bodies . . . And if you are so long, you may want to consider ditching the mattress all together. Being flat is key to relaxation and rest and if your legs dangle so, how else can you be flat?

[Gez]

Sounds very interesting. Has anyone had any results

[Anya]

No one has got back to me, but my dream recall keeps increasing.

[Neruo]

I never sleep with a pillow anyway Do you have to like lay in those positions when you go to sleep and/or wake up? You can't avoid turing 100 times in your sleep, you just do.

[Anya]

Neruo: Both. When going to sleep I will flip back and forth until I find one that makes me relax. This is usually one of my sides. When i wake up - if i remember - I start on my back, and consider how I slept, dreams etc. But this is considering i don't have anything to do. usually i bound out of bed and start getting ready without transitioning from sleep to awake. Which is something i am trying to break myself of. It is important to review sleeptime before starting anew. but it is hard for me to remember as of yet. Phyllis, my teacher, says every day when we wake we should take five minutes where we lay flat on the floor after rising from bed, and ask ourselves how our body is today. How are our muslce groups? Any tightness? Where is my breath? How is my spine? Etc. But like i said - most times i forget.

[Anya]

This is not so much about where you end up but how you approach the sleep state. Do oyu just fling yourself into bed or do you gradually allow yourself to relax and let sleep take you over? Are you sleeping in a fashion that will cause you tension and pain? Are you sleeping in a way that promotes breath or are you cutting yourself off with too many pillows, etc? Do you know what i mean? How mindful of your body are you? And does that mindfulness help find a dreamstate more successfully? I am not sure, but that is why i posted - to see if others were finding this same thing to be true>