Returning dreamer: I'm scared of falling into the same problems

So I had been trying to lucid dream for on and off since 5 years ago. I had a long break and I'm finally returning to trying to lucid dream.

I used to have problems with remembering dreams. Not because I wasn't trying hard enough, but because I didn't have enough sleep and had too much stress going on. Even after months of trying I'd have little to no dreams each day.

I'm finally in a good place in life so I decided to try again, but I'm scared of encountering similar problems with dream recall since I had several tries where I'd get nothing. Several. So me trying again doesn't feel fresh - I'm afraid I'd do the same thing over and over again, not feeling new, and ending up with the same results.

Any advice?

Hey, welcome back :)

Start a journal, not just for writing down dreams, but for what dream you intend to have before sleep and use it as a way of expressing gratitude as well. It will give great insight into your life and how your dreams function, common dream signs, etc. and improve recall.

Also, try not to move when you wake up. Lay still and memorize the key things you want to jot down. When we move after waking up it resets the mind for whatever reason, guess something to do with the synapse. This can also be used to help fall asleep, by changing sides you disrupt what you were obsessively thinking about, it works try it! Also, laying still can help you chain dreams so you can re-enter the exact same dream if you only awake briefly during the night.

I like to multi-purpose my journal:
NIGHT
1. reflect on the day write short summary
2. gratitude for most important thing that happened
3. draw picture on left page (about the day)
4. write intention for dream (include in drawing if you like)
MORNING
1. record dream
2. write intention for what you want to happen today
3. write what you would be grateful for if happened today
4. draw picture of the dream and draw what you want to happen today

It's pretty cool when you get a few pages going and can look back over the things you wrote and the pictures you made!

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Originally Posted by DieEine001

Any advice?

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Hey Dreamer,
It's good to see more people returning to the dreamscape!

Firstly I'd recommend making bedtime a special time for you to honor and to reinforce to yourself that you have intention for this time. This can be done by lighting some candles or incense, dimming the lights, or having some pre-bed meditation to put you in the right state of mind.

Try going without a screen for the hour or so before bed, likewise give yourself time in the morning before grabbing your phone or making any actions that aren't dream related.

On the topic of recall, you could get yourself in the habit of recalling your day as you lay in bed before falling asleep, only sequentially. So observe where you are currently, then walk backwards from there, how did you get in bed? What were you doing before that? And before that? Visualizing the whole day backwards from where you currently are will help the mind habituate the act of recall.

So when you first open your eyes and acknowledge you have woken up, if you have no immediate memory of dreams, just lay still and breathe. Ask yourself where you just were, what was I just doing? Just ask that question and wait. Oftentimes when I think I haven't had a dream or don't have a strong recall, just allowing the mind that space to answer the question will give glimmers of some experience just before opening the eyes.

I hope this helps, above all, don't be scared, don't beat yourself up, dream practice is a journey, never ending and forever rewarding if we have the eyes to see it

Cheers!

Welcome to the forum! I would try this: Use the voice recorder on your phone. When you wake immediately start talking about what you were just doing. Your only goal at first is to remember three very basic words relating to your recent experience. Maybe the dream was a long adventure with kim while riding horses in France on the beach, while pirates were in the bay, and fresh coconuts are falling about, and some guy is yelling. Problem is you have no recall ability and this memory will fade immediately so yo think you had no dream. You quickly record three words, say "Kim, horses, pirates." Make it a habit even if you only get one word. It could be simply "at school." You will go in steps. Try for three brief thoughts next. "with Kim, riding horses, saw pirates off shore."
You are teaching your brain that remembering this stuff matters to you. Hey brain, there will be a quiz later! Next go back to these three short concepts about an hour after waking. Try to day dream about the memory that must be there. repeat the phrases and add another two thoughts if you can, "coconuts in trees, someone yelling." No, it is not a full memory of the dream, but you are developing the part of your brain that handles this stuff. Work on each phase no less than 2 weeks each.
In the mean time take brief quiet naps or relaxing/day dreaming moments. Even though you do not fall completely asleep. relax enough for your mind to wander. Afterwards act as if those wandering thoughts were dreams. Use the above process to learn to recall your waking mental wanderings in a close to sleep state.
Good luck!

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Originally Posted by sivason

Welcome to the forum! I would try this: Use the voice recorder on your phone.
Good luck!

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That is actually a really good idea, I was going to say most people's phones have a built in recorder but you already said it :)
If you have a PC, there is a pretty nifty program called One Note that lets you write a journal, draw and record stuff too.
I used to use it for brainstorming and planning, along with recording a review of my day, it's very versatile in what it can do.

:fro::fro:It's great to be back.

After a long period of not even trying, because I've had so much going on, I am finally getting back into the practice of lucid dreaming with great success.

Lately it has been the power of suggestion alone and I have added something else to the repertoire, too: mindfulness meditation.

Sweet lucid dreams, folks! :fro: