Dream journaling is an important way to monitor your subconscious mind and patterns. So often we wake and instantly the dream has vanished. Waking slowly and quietly and spending a few moments to consider what you were dreaming can be very helpful in your waking life.

If you’re having trouble with recall, try shifting around into different positions in the bed. Often you will begin to remember if you move into the position you were in whilst dreaming.

There are a variety of types of dreams. Some dreams are prophetic (typically they give you a lead time of three days before the event). Some dreams can be used to connect with people who have passed on or with souls in other realms. Dreams can also be subconscious patterns being worked out at deep levels.

All dream journals should include the date, time of waking and the city/location you are in (particularly if you travel a lot). If you are able, have a dedicated journal and a dedicated pen or paper for your journaling. You can use a computer, but it’s not considered ideal.

The quickest way to dream journal is to make a list of the emotions you were feeling in the dreams that night. After a few days you will begin to see some patterns and you can identify repressed or subconscious emotions that need to be processed, understood and managed.

Another way is to write down everything you remember from the dream.

Finally, you can list the symbols that were in the dream and try to identity the archetype or even the planetary symbolism (if astrology is your preferred symbolic language).

For example, if you dream of something the color red, it could represent anger, action; or even the planet Mars.

If you dream of being late to an event, perhaps that is a symbol related to delayed gratification; being unable to complete something that is important to you; or you could connect it to the planet Saturn which tends to delay things and is connected with the idea of time.

If you find yourself not dreaming, try to facilitate slow conscious movement into the sleep state. Try not looking at your phone or a television or computer right before bed. Cover any mirrors that reflect you in bed. Go to sleep slowly and remind yourself that you would like to dream and to remember your dreams.

Sweet productive dreams!

Shanti,

Jill