Keeping a dream journal is a wonderful exercise that can be used for sheer entertainment value or for delving deep within your subconscious to gain insight into personal issues, personal growth and the universe itself. Firstly forget all the dream dictionaries that you come across. As useful as they might perhaps be the idea is to create your own dream journal filled with wondrous images and landscapes that mean something to you personally. You will be able to see patterns form in your entries and regular occurrences that can offer you much insight.
The next step is to keep a notepad by your bedside, with pen ready, so that as soon as you awake you can record your dreams. As one starts to drift off to sleep make a conscious affirmation that you will awake and be able to recall your dreams. This may sound simple yet it can yield great results. You will actually be training your mind to recall your dreams and the more that you practice you will then start to find that your dreams will become more vivid and will have greater detail.
So what is the point of all this and can a dream journal really hold any benefit? Let us look at some uses.
Personal Growth
Dreams can show you how your subconscious mind is operating and can offer much information into deep rooted beliefs and habits. Often these beliefs will be so deeply hidden that we cannot understand why certain areas of our life are having difficulties. The dream journal can expose these thoughts and allow us to change and grow.
Problem Solving
Personally I have experienced the power of this method. As you fall asleep you focus on an issue that you have. What is important though is to focus on having the issue resolved. In other words you focus on solution not problem. Imagine that your situation has changed. Feel the release, the relief, the joy and the sense of accomplishment. Now allow yourself to dissolve into rest and a state of peace and affirm that your dreams that night will show the steps that lead to this result. This author has had some fascinating dreams that have shown solutions that might not have otherwise been made evident.
Knowledge
In a similar fashion to the idea of problem solving, the acquisition of knowledge and universal insight can be gained from your dream journal. If you wish to know about a particular subject or metaphysical idea then merely ask. Again this might sound over simplified but sometimes when we are searching for answers we do sometimes forget to ask. Again as you drift off to sleep ask for answers to these important questions and be prepared for the dreams to come through to offer you their secrets.
These are just three uses for a dream journal. Combined with other exercises such as building an astral temple, daily meditation, and positive thinking it can provide much insight and reveal much wisdom. The majority of the time the exercise will have to be carried out over a few days or possibly weeks although it is usually best to let it be after three days and allow the answers or solutions to then naturally flow through.
Once you start a dream journal you will soon become hooked. You will find many more uses for the journal and you will really look forward to a good nights sleep!
John Hewitt is a full time freelance writer. I have worked in many fields including music, the restaurant industry, film work and as an RSPCA animal welfare officer. If you would like to see more of my articles and poetry then please visit http://www.john-hewitt.com and feel free to sign up to the RSS feed. |