This is my first post in the forum and the first time I've actually spent any length reading the posts of others. I'm glad I finally got started.

Before stating the purpose of my discussion I'd like to make aware my situation in the field of LD. I'm 25 and came upon the topic in a bookstore around 8 years ago. The book which caught my eye was Stephen LaBerge's Lucid Dreaming and ever since then I've remained enthralled with the subject. As of yet I've only had 2 successful and memorable lucid dreams. I've gone through ups and downs in my attempt to remember what I dream ' which appears to be my significant most issue with dreams and lucid dreaming. I've read countless articles and books on the subject and I've come to the realization that I'm simply not putting enough effort as I scarcely find myself able to muster the morning energy to write anything down. I'd like that to change, though that's something I've spent years now telling myself I will do and haven't.

My questions are as follows:

What is the significance to writing in present tense in a dream journal? How many people document their dreams in this fashion and how many believe it beneficial or more beneficial than if one were to write in the past tense (since that is technically the reality of it ' we're writing something which already took place)?

I'm also curious what some think about documenting one's dreams in a computer file versus hand written. At present I have a roughly 4-5 month old dream journal (no more than a spiral note book) which I've gone through phases where I write in. I'm contemplating having a bedside scrap book to immediately jot what I've dreamt down, then later revise the draft on my computer for actual storage. Some of the dream journal programs out there look appealing to me and so I've wondered if there are some, perhaps old school LDers, who swear by hand written documentation.

Lastly, it seems to me that many adept lucid dreamers, or even those simply adept at dream recall, eventually shed their use of a dream journal altogether. Wouldn't this cause one to digress back to a shorter dream recall? Every time I get out of the routine I find my dream recall lessens ' almost like physical exercise, where if I take too long a break I have to start back at day 1, or close enough to the bottom anyway.

Thanks, Fenrir

Hi, Fenrir

Welcome to the forum!

And thanks for telling your history of lucid dreams.

I would call myself a medium dream recaller. For me it is the same, as for you: I have to work continuous to recall many dreams. I keep a note book by my bed to write down some keywords on the dreams I had. I think, this is essential, otherwise I would loose much more. When I have to work early, I take short notes and work them out after job. I write the dreams on PC, because it is so much easier to work on them, once written down. It is easier to share them, too. You are absolutely right, that lucid dreaming needs dream recall. Writing dream in the present tense: That is important. It is one of the keys to realising, that I'm dreaming. Recalling a dream means in the extreme to re - enter it! All the emotional load, all the detail gains life, if I revive them. Using present tense is helpful. Past tense creates (amplifies) the wall between myself and the dream. Using present tense is a kind of simulation of an LD. For further details please refer to the topic: "Learning Lucid Dreaming; Importance of Keeping a Dream Journal". You'll certainly find a lot of hints there. And try "...; Discussion of Primary Techniques; Fishing", too. I think, it is important to have a ritual re the onset of night and day. Mine includes setting affirmations regarding dream recall and tasks for (lucid) dreams. And it includes writing down dreams and discussing in the Forum.

Hope, that helps

I'm looking forward for your lucid dream - postings!

Ralf

As a blind person, I cannot use a notebook and pencil, the quiet way of dream documentation. The Perkins Brailler and the slate and stylus are both relatively noisy mechanical apparatuses for recording. I use a PC. Boot up time is a bit annoying. Sometimes I think I should leave my laptop on when I go to sleep so I can just grab it and start writing. Anyone have any advice about that? Would that be bad for the laptop? Also, reading one's journal before sleep is a good thing, too. Another thing I do is write in the present tense, because in a dream, there is no past. Scenes may change, but each scene happens without necessarily referring to the one just ended. Dreaming takes place in present tense for me. Another trick is to read the LI emails and forums before sleep so it'll be the last thing on your mind before you drift off. Aloha. Thea.laptop on when I go to sleep.

Dear Thea I also have been reading the forum at night before I go to sleep, but actually I have not had any lucid dreams in about 5 days or so. However, my memory of non lucid dreams has been very consistent. I am wondering, have you always been blind? I can't give any advice about having your PC by the bed, because I have no clue!! But I do think its a great idea! Tracy

Hi, Fenrir -

I write dreams in past tense - just a personal preference in story-telling style - I don't think it makes any difference for me. I tell what happened in last night's dream the same way I tell what happened yesterday in waking life.

If I'm at home, the computer's on and no one else is using it when I wake up from a dream, I use it. Otherwise I make notes on scrap paper and put the full story in the computer later.

I only document my lucid dreams, and that's for two reasons: 1) I've been doing the LI sleep position experiment for several months and the protocol requires reporting lucid dreams in full, while just rating various aspects of non-lucid ones. 2) I recall a lot of dreams and tend to write long, detailed reports. If I wrote down all my dreams I'd be spending all my waking time writing.

Beware anyone who states that what works for them is essential for everyone! Fortunately no one in this forum seems to have that tendency to try to turn personal experience into dogma!

Joy

Yes, I've always been blind. Actually, I've had problems remembering lately, though I read my journal and write in it every time I remember a dream. I had some beginner's luck with lucidity, but I seem not only to have gone backwards in lucidity, but suddenly I don't remember my dreams anymore. What's up with that, I wonder? As long as I don't try to recapture my dreams for posterity--lol--they're content to stay with me. Now that I'm writing them down religiously and praying for lucidity, smiles, I seem to be batting zero.

Thearamsay,

You may be trying too hard. Having always had to battle with my own dream recall I find that, at times, when I focus greatly on my dreaming in hopes to acquire more memory, I fail miserably. I'm sure hormones, foods, weather, mood and any number of both external and internal elements can cause our dream recall to fluxuate -- sometimes dramatically. You might also try an alternate method for dream recall from any previous ones which you've employed. Jayfootah had a good point in indicating that what works for one person doesn't always work for the next. Intent, however, seems a universal tool.

Fenrir

The method that I use to improve dream recall requires the use of a digital voice recorder. These are similar to hand-held microcassette recorders except that they don't require a microcassette and one can completely erase the recordings at a later time. The one I use can record up to 150 minutes worth of dreams or whatever else I decide to record. It cost me about $55.

Whenever I awaken from a dream, I reach over, grab my digital voice recorder, and spend about ten seconds gathering my thoughts and settling back into the position I was in during the dream. Then I close my eyes and record the dream, pressing the pause button when necessary. Before going to sleep the following night I play back the recording, write it up on my computer, read posts on the forum, and prepare for a night full of lucid dream adventures. It's really worked wonders for my dream recall and it's also easy. Plus, this method is especially useful for people who don't have very good handwriting, like myself.

I have to second Andrew's approach. I've got an IPAQ PDA with a handy voice recorder on it. Granted, it's a little pricy but most have a lot of the basics.

Now here's the bonus of using a PDA:

You can set multiple alarms. In the case of IPAQ which is running PocketPC 2002, you've got about 10 different chimes. That means you can use it as a rough way of trying to determine when you're in REM.

Since you're keeping your notes on the PDA, just use the timestamp - 10 minutes and you get pretty close. Essentially, your dream journal is synchronized to your alarms.

Because you can synchronize, it makes it easy to transport the sound files to your PC for data entry. (You don't want to try to "type" on an ipaq in the middle of the night!)

Lastly, you take whatever chime/alarm sound you like and upload it to your PC. Use it as a sound for critical errors. Whenever the sound fires off, do a reality test.

If you're a developer you can write a little application to fire it off once every 30-50 minutes. If you're not, let me know and I can package up this very limited little tool and put it on my site for downloading.

I'm kicking around writing a PocketPC app that gives more control over the alarms and so I can use my own sound files, but I have to dig deeper before I go off willy-nilly writing it. If it becomes a reality, I'll post something.

Now as far as tense, I -always- use first person, present tense. I find that touch and sight are my most powerful dream senses and by using present tense, I can often grab hold of a smells every now and then. Hearing is rare since conversations are more "known" than spoken/heard but once again, present tense helps shake loose what might have been said. And taste...well, good luck with that one, because I never taste anything in my dreams. :D

Hello, Kerry (& others)-- hopefully you won't mind this parenthetical comment. I love reading the word "never" because it feels like a challenge, doesn't it? :D I can just see you having a real zinger of a taste dream now that you've mentioned it, Kerry. (Wouldn't that be fun?)

I don't want to possibly sway your experience too much ahead of time, but I must say for me, things usually don't taste quite like I'd expect them to in my dreams, on those rare occasions when tasting actually occurs. Flavors seem either flat, or unrelated to the food.

But I have had a few L dreams where the foods tasted realistic and appropriate to what they were-- a moist chocolate cake with Kahlua flavor, once, and another time, some popcorn shrimp with a kind of spicy remoulade sauce.

Bon Appetit, reverie

Dreamers:

If you were looking here for the intriguing thread about using lucid dreams to assist in areas like quitting smoking, it has been moved (per Ralph's wise suggestion) to the Miscellaneous/Healing Through Lucid dreams forum.

Best of dreams!