Ideas for your dream journal
Dream Journal Tips
Dreams can be a window into your subconscious. They can tell you more about your feelings, help you look into the past, and give you hints to what your future holds, but the problem lies in retrieving the messages that these dreams hold. We often forget what we dream, especially if you do not write it down immediately after you wake. I have found that keeping a dream journal is a great way to help me interpret my dreams and find the deeper meaning behind them.
It is not the same as keeping a daily journal; in fact, it is something that you have to do at a specific time so that your memory of your dreams does not fade. Let’s take a look at some tips to help you get started.
1) Write every morning as soon as you open your eyes. In fact, before you open your eyes, take a second to think about the dreams that you experienced during the night. Those few seconds are very important for your subconscious memories to transfer to your conscious mind. If you cannot remember your dreams each day, write what you can, and eventually, it will become easier to recall. If you have no idea what you dreamed at all, simply write something like “Tonight I will dream and when I awake I will write the details of my dream down in this journal” to help your mind get used to the idea.
2) Use a physical dream journal that you can touch with your hands, not one that you type your dreams into. If you keep a dream journal on a tablet or a laptop, chances are that your device will be in sleep mode overnight, so unlocking them, signing in, and bringing up your journal can eat up valuable time that can cause you to forget. You transfer your entries into a digital database at a later time, but when you first write them down, write them by hand.
3) When you are recalling your dreams, never worry about spelling words correctly and using proper grammar. In fact, complete sentences are not even required. This is your journal so as long as you are able to decipher it later, you can use whatever shorthand you want. The object is to get all of the details of your dream down on paper as quickly as possible, so a few grammatical errors are not something that you should be concerned about.
4) Always make sure to date your entries. This will help you connect the dream to the events that are currently going on in your life. Maybe you are having a tough time at work or your relationship’s not where you want it to be, your dream could have a hidden message that you will only be able to figure out when you come back to the entry at a later time.
5) When you make a new entry, be as detailed as possible. Write down what the dream was about and who was in the dream with you. If your dream included imaginary individuals, make sure that you write that down as well. Detail the environment. Don’t just say that there was a table in the room. Describe the table; was it made of metal or wood? What color was it? Did it have chipped paint? Is it a coffee table, an end table, or a dining table? Describe it in as much detail as possible because it could have some importance later.
6) Do not overcrowd your journal. Make sure to write on every other line when you make an entry so that you have space to write in details that you remember at a later point. It also gives you additional space to interpret what your dreams mean.
7) Don’t be afraid to add drawings of individuals or scenes from your dream in your journal. Visualization can be an important tool to help you remember the details of your dream, so if you are feeling artistic, draw the details.
We all dream. Whether our dream is a message from a deceased loved one or a peak into our future, there are hidden messages in our dreams that need to be interpreted. Use these tips to help you keep a detailed dream journal that you can look back on.
