Is a dream journal an absolute must-have?

For a few months, I used a dream journal to record my dreams and such. I was doing all of my logging on the computer because I found it easier. I think it had the same effect as a normal pen and paper journal would, because I can clearly remember my dreams now every night. I decided to try using a normal marbel notebook and a pen to record the dreams for a change.

When I wake up, my energy is sapped. You know, I’m still waking up. Well, even when I do give myself the chance to pep up, my back gets cramped or something, or I become tired again from writing. I stopped writing in the journal after awhile because I found it too grueling to do in the morning. Now, I can clearly remember my dreams from every night. I just need to keep a log on which dreams I have on one night… A quick description. I realize this won’t work for long, as I’m not going to be able to remember every dream for years to come… Anyway, the only reason I stopped using the computer is because I don’t have a computer of my own that I can get on every time I wake up. When I was keeping that log, I was using my brother’s computer. He stays up all night pretty often, so we’ll have different schedules, so if I wake up, he’ll still be up for a few hours.

I’ll be getting my own computer in about two months. So, I ask - Is a dream journal absolutely neccesary? Christmas is only two months away, but I only started about four months ago and I’ve made immense progress. Should I just write down quickies until then, or…?

I think it helps a lot…

Why don’t you skip the insignificant dreams and write down the epic and lucid dreams? That’s what I do now. If you notice your recall declining, it’s time to straighten up though. Good luck…

The journal is primarily used for 2 reasons. It encourages you to make an effort to remember your dreams in the morning (thereby strengthening your recall), and it provides a readily accessible source of dreamsigns. You might not have any trouble remembering dreams when you wake up, but you won’t remember them forever. A journal allows you to look back over dreams you had weeks or months ago, and gives you an indication of your progress.

It’s not so much necessary, as just plain helpful. You can do without it, but you won’t be taking advantage of how it can help. Incidentally, you don’t need to write down the entire dream straight away. I find it hard to do anything for a while after I wake up as well, so I usually just write down a few lines and keywords, then scribble in some arrows and other arbitrary drawings that I hope will make sense when I fully wake up later. Usually I can recall the entire dream in full detail after reading the basic notes, then I can write it up in more detail if I want.

Athiest is right, not NECESSARY, but very helpful! I still use one even though my dream recall is fine, and I think I will for a long time just because I feel that I do better when I have one. It may just be me, or just be that I’m spending more time on dreaming, but when I keep a dream journal I seem to have more LD’s. I would try and stick with it if you feel like you’re having dream recall problems.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Nothing makes that grueling morning chore of writing down your dreams easier than buying a cheap minicassette recorder. I got mine at k-mart for 15 dollars. Since I bought mine about a year and a half ago, I have been able to wake up and immediately just hit record and speak my dream out quickly and effectively, then drift right back to sleep. I usually capture about 5 or 6 dreams each morning. What makes it really great is that if you have to get up and do something during the day, you can always go back at night and listen to everything you recorded and if you want you can write it down and reuse the tape the next night, or you can simply log all of your cassettes. This method is useful for two very important reasons, the latter more important than the first. When you go back and listen to what you’ve recorded the night before, it is like re-living the dream fully again. I will go back and listen to my tapes at night and hear things I did in my dream that I would have NEVER have remembered. Many times it is something important. I have even had lucid dreams that I didn’t remember until later in the night. It further helps you remember more dreams because if you listen and write them down at night, right before going to sleep, it further preps your mind and makes it dwell on your dream life, and the idea of you becoming lucid. It is a very productive method as my own lucid dreams count has more than doubled since I began using the tape recorder.

Alrighty, so… It doesn’t really matter how I keep it, though, does it? I know it’s really useful and all, but will using my computer work any less effectivley than using pen and paper?

It doesn’t really matter if you use the computer. If you record them on tape you can type them out later. I used to type mine out as well, but I felt that writing them out by hand made me more intimate with my dreams. It all depends on the person.

I browse through my head in the shower each morning. If i wasn’t lazy i would write it down properly on weekends…

Sezril a dream journal really aids the remembering of dreaming and thats an important part of also having lds.
So keep on going for it!
Killaclown is right a mini recoreder is handy…sure is!

Btw Sezril and killaClown…COOL avatars i like them! :smile:

Jeff

I write them down on a notebook when I wake up, but then I type them in on the computer using openoffice.

I recommend a dream journal, because you can

remember you dreams from whenever.
keep track of DCs or symbols.
keep track of your progress.
share it with your friends.
read it while you are bored.
use it to discover things from past dreams that seemed insignificant at the time.
discover recurring DCs or symbols.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why a dream journal is a good idea. Soon, I’m going to start on a dream program on my computer (I’m a software developer) and there is going to be a lot of features on it. I’ll get a page set up on my website for it.

Good luck!

Lately I’ve only been recording the longer, more “significant” dreams, and LDs of course (as infection0 mentioned). However, writing down dreams definitely helps you actually remember them. Many times when I first wake up I’ll remember a dream perfectly, and unless I jot some notes down or happen to think about that dream A LOT after waking up, I’ll usually just forget it.

This can get pretty annoying… However, if you decide you only really need to remember LDs and important dreams, you can just write those down. If your dream recall is good right now, you don’t need to record them every single night.

But if you glance at AstareGod’s list, you’ll find that recording dreams can be very useful. I consider two of the most important things keeping track of DCs and symbols, and discover recurring DCs/symbols. It can be very interesting to pursue those things :content:

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that it also exercises your brain’s “dream-remembering” function. But all the other reasons are great.

Usually in the morning, I won’t have any idea what I dreamed about, unless I woke up directly from the dream (which happened this morning, actually). Anyway, about 5-15 minutes after waking up, I’ll try to remember what I dreamed about, I’ll get a little glimpse of it, and I’ll work out the entire dream from there.

Anyway, whatever your reasons are for keeping a journal (or not keeping one), it’s still a great way to experience one of the best things in the world!

Thanks for the compliment on my avatar Jeff. It took me forever to find one that was the right size. You spelled my name wrong though. No biggie! :grin:

Sorry killaKlown :smile: hehe

yes the avatar suits you fine! :content:

Jeff

Daysong thats true…it doesnt happen often…but sometimes you have great recurring signs or symbols in dreams!

Jeff

You know, of all the dreams I’ve recorded, and for as long as I’ve been trying to lucid dream, I’ve never really given any thought to recurrent scenarios and figures and symbols. I’ve always acknowledged it, but never given it much more thought. I don’t normally have recurring ideas or symbols. However, here lately I’ve been dreaming I am in school again, at least 7 or 8 times in the last 2 weeks. I think I should start to focus on this type of thing more often. Thanks to everyone here for opening my eyes to something I’ve been overlooking far too long!

By the way,today is my birthday too. Oct 25th. Looking forward to plenty of :beer: and maybe a little :tulip: But most important of all, looking forward to some awesome lucid dreams I hope to have afterwards… when I pass out! :devil:

So you dream a lot about school :smile: have fun!

Happy Birthday Killaklown! :grin:

Jeff

I tend to wake up every dream since I began trying to LD, so I write the dream down.