The Dream Journal is one of most important tools for the lucid dreaming. It’s your personal log of the the dream world. Keep it close (within reach) of your bed and make an effort to write in it immediately after you wake up.
I saw a tweet that said a your dream journal should be the first and last thing you see every day. I completely agree with this. A dream journal reinforces the fact that you want to have a lucid dream. I go to sleep with the intention that I will record that night’s dream when I awake. The process of using a journal will help you to naturally remember your dreams.
Experts say that people typically forget more than 50 percent of their dreams within 5 minutes of waking up. Within ten minutes, 90 percent is lost. This is why it’s important not only for you to write down your dreams, but also to do so as soon as you wake up. “
–From the book A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming. Buy it on Amazon.
Here are the things I typically note in my dream journal:
1. Date of the dream
2. Was the dream lucid?
3. Dream Signs
4. Emotion of the dream
5. Description of the dream
6. Dream Title – This is something new I’m trying to help me search through my journal and label my dreams.
Q: How descriptive should the dream journal be?
A: A good idea is to capture keywords…especially when you are first starting out. This isn’t about creative writing, it’s about capturing the essence of the dream. Over time your entries will become more descriptive.
Q: What are Dream Signs?
Dream signs are recurring dream elements that show up in your dreams. Soon you’ll recognize these signs that they will become triggers that alert you that you are dreaming.
Q: Should I use a regular journal or a computer or tablet?
Do what works for you, but my preference is to use pen and paper.
What tips do you have when using a dream journal?
References in this post:
Book: A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming.