Difficulty remembering dreams

[javalinar]

I started doing the MAP program a few weeks ago. I've been trying to remember my dreams every time I wake up, but most of the time, I either don't remember anything or I have a vague shadow memory that I did dream about something but can't remember what. I'd go about my day and maybe a thought or something would trigger that part of my brain that says "hey, I think I ...." and then the memory of whatever-that-was wouldn't come to mind. It's a bit frustrating.

Actually, I noticed that the more I meditate, the less I remember my dreams. I think I remembered my dreams much more so before I started the MAP program, but now that I spend 1-2 hours at night listening to the BrainWave presets, meditating/silencing the mind, and doing energy work, I fall asleep so fast that I don't remember falling asleep and when I wake up, I can't remember anything.

Any tips on dream recall?
- I have pen/paper ready near my bed
- every time I wake up, the first thing I do is to recall my dream

[CFTraveler]

The program shows you to use keywords the minute you wake up- not whole sentences, just three keywords for whatever was happening just before wakeup.
Even though this wasn't stated in the program (I have the impression it was not expected when it was developed, because in its inception, the people using the schedules had some experience and were putting all of it together), it is normal for someone to start forgetting dreams and even become less lucid than before you began- that's because you are stressing your system with all the changes to how your mind/brain stores and processes information- this can and will become exhausting- you may find yourself unable to continue after about three weeks to a month due to exhaustion.
Do not be alarmed and do not give up- give yourself time off to recuperate- I took off around two weeks (I wish I could remember, it was a long long time ago), kept the affirmations going, and the reality checks, but just slept and slept and came back to where I was, and had amazing success after coming back from the time off.
In the years I've been participating in the forums I've seen this so many times that I now consider it a part of the program, and nothing to worry about; I found that when I came back to it all the exhaustion disappeared and I was able to project at day 30. Obviously my results are not typical, but it is how it was for me.

[susan]

Javalinar you say the first thing you do when you wake is record your dreams.
The only advice I can give which you may already do is to say .
At the point of wakening we seem to know( be slowly alert to being alert and wakening up. )
Keep your eyes closed, think to your self " I've just woken up ,I've just been thinking of something What was it? What picture did I see and what was it?
DO NOT open your eyes till you have a memory coming back.
The point of wakening is the crucial time for me rather than through the day.
Maybe you can set your alarm clock for 2 hours before you need to get up so you can go back to sleep but be in a lighter sleep therefore remember
This is the only advice I can give you

[SiriusTraveler]

Affirmations as Robert Bruce suggests is very good. If you affirm, lets say "I remember my dreams perfectly" 30 - 100 times or so before you go to bed or anytime during the day it will help you. No doubts about it. Combine this with your daily dreamjournal and you will have incresed dreamrecall.
Also for me, energy work increases dream recall. And finally getting enough sleep increses it.

[Tenacity]

The hardest time for me to remember my dreams is after wakeing up of several hours asleep when i wake up on my own. I think this is mainly because theres more time between your REM cycle (dreaming state) and NREM (non dreaming) until you wake up. In short if your in NREM for awhile then wake up, alot of time has already passed since your dream ended but if you abrubtly wake someone up in the middle of a REM cycle they will useally remember there dream vividly since they were just in it two seconds again.

What i found works best not just for dream recall but greatly increses the chance of having a Lucid Dream is wake up a little bit earlier then you do and make sure you have plently of time before you have to go to work or whatever. Walk around your place get a drink of water then go back to bad and try to fall back asleep. If you do fall back asleep it will only be for about an hour and i alsmot always remember my dreams in this state and makes having Luicd dreams much more likely. This is also similar advice as to what to do to increase your chances to have a OBE.

[Lionheart]

Nightly affirmations are extremely important, especially if you wish "continued" or long term success with this. I have always seen it as positive "Brain Entrainment". I have used affirmations in every aspect of my live. I learned this very early in my life as a "door to door magazine salesman". It's a fantastic way to achieve goals of any kind!

Here is one I use EVERY night, no matter what. It may seem a bit long, but it voices my full intentions.

"By my act of will, I RELEASE my focus over my physical body. PLEASE TAKE ME to your desired destinations. SHOW ME what I need too SEE. PLEASE TEACH ME what I need to LEARN. I am CONSCIOUSLY AWARE in my Dreams, KNOWING I am Dreaming. Because of this I LEARN FROM and ENJOY them, I also retain FULL MEMORY of them.

I visualize the capitalized words as fading into the "abyss/darkness" before my eyes. This works VERY good. I have almost filled to the max 4 Dream Log/Journal books from using this. Some people say, "you have already trained yourself,so you don't need the affirmations anymore. My motto in life has always been "If something ain't broken, don't fix it"!

I use manners (PLEASE) when I say this, just because I feel respect is given where respect is deserved!

[dontco]

Dear javalinar,
I can see you got very good advice from very wise people and the only thing I can add is- do not get too stressed out about not remembering your dreams! if you are, you're just making a prediction waiting to happen. And when you are stressed out- it's much harder to remember things, it's way easier to recall experiences whilst relaxed.
It seems like your saying to yourself throught the day: "I can't remember my dreams!" a lot and convincing yourself it's true. The thing is- doing that is just like saying to yourself- giving yourself affirmations- that dream recall is impossible for you. You're making yourself believe this is the case.
Namaste!

[CFTraveler]

I agree. The author Kurt Leland says that if you can't remember your dream today, chances are, your subby is going to help you remember the next time you "need" to know. I find this very liberating.

[robbo]

I'm currently having the same problem since starting energy work two months ago. My dreams are less lucid and as per CFTraveller's comment my mind feels a bit exhausted (energy work sends me into a deep sleep at night and next thing I know my morning alarm is waking me up!).

Guess we must either persevere or take a rest as per above recommendation.

[arcant]

I found focusing on energy in the so-called third eye center (in particular, making it lighter) definitely helps both, memories and the quaility of dreams being significantly increased. It's just worth to keep in mind that this way shouldn't be overused, as the general energy balance should be kept.