Probably the most important technique is to verbalize, orally
or in writing, anything that you remember, as soon as possible on waking. Often
memories which are vivid at the moment of waking will fade and disappear very
quickly--especially as soon as you get up and move around. Keep a pencil and
paper or a voice recording device near your bed, and if necessary a small source of
light so that you won't have to disturb your partner. At first, do not worry
about the quality or meaning of what you remember and record. If you wake
during the night too drowsy to record a dream at length, often a few jotted
words or doodled images will be enough to trigger your memory later. In fact,
it is generally helpful to start recording each dream with just a few key
phrases or devices immediately on waking, and then use these as notes as you
write out the dream in its entirety. If you prefer to record your voice, be
aware that if you want to use the material in any systematic way at a later
time, you will probably have to take time to transcribe it into written form.
For most purposes of magic and self-exploration, you need the dreams recorded
in a form which you can easily browse through, sort, classify and retrieve.
Do not ignore what at first appear to be meaningless fragments.
Usually the process of verbalizing or recording them will trigger a more
complete memory. Often a puzzling segment will, on closer examination, turn out
to be a sort of telegram from your unconscious--a small but potent message
which summarizes a longer dream.
Use the present tense and not the past tense when you record
your dreams. You will find that this triggers more complete dream memories.
Treat your dream recording materials with respect; choose
aesthetically pleasing ones, consecrate them and guard them carefully.
Incenses are used in many cultures for purposes of dream
incubation. The dream-inducing properties of mugwort are well known in European
and Native American folklore alike. In the Far East, jasmine is credited with
dream-inducing powers. Bay is also known as psychotropic incenses; bay laurel
was the incense used in ancient Greece for healing dream incubation, and by the
seeresses at Delphi. California bay is somewhat less effective for these
purposes than the Mediterranean variety, but is still worth trying. Probably
any scent that you choose to use for dream incubation will work well once you
have established that association for yourself in private ritual. Ideally, of
course, the incubation incense burns, tended by someone else for you while you
are sleeping. But if there is no way to do this, (household slaves being a rare
luxury nowadays), at least use the desired incense or oil before retiring.
Ritual baths were an essential part of ancient Greek incubation
ritual. Before retiring, the incubant was bathed in order to cleanse away all
influences which could interfere with the dream, and leave a clean, open place
for the Deity to do its work.
Deities who can help you with your dream work should be invoked
prior to retiring. I have good luck with Hermes, Lord of Words and Guide
Between the Worlds--although the dreams I get by invoking Him sometimes bear
the mark of the Trickster as well.
Experiment with ways of focusing yourself mentally as you go to
sleep. It may be helpful to induce a trance, using drums or music on a tape or sound file
which will play to the end and then shut itself off. In the trance, give
yourself the suggestion that you will dream and remember what you have dreamed;
if you like, you can narrow it down to a specific subject. Then pass from
trance into dream. Another technique is to focus your attention, as you fall
asleep, on an image which you know to be of great psychological or spiritual
importance to you.
If you have trouble remembering dreams, try increasing your
intake of B vitamins. For many people, this seems to affect body chemistry in
such a way as to improve dream retrieval. If you take a B vitamin supplement,
use one which provides a balanced complement of all the B vitamins since
increasing one of them to the exclusion of the others may induce deficiencies
of those which are neglected.
If you awake with no dream memory, try moving your body into
its sleep habitual sleep position(s); often this kinesthetic cue will trigger
dream recall.
Find ways to give creative expression to your dreams. You can
do this with poetry, art, movement. The creative process will often trigger
memory of forgotten parts of the dream.
Dreams are best remembered from daytime naps, or from periods
of morning sleep when you wake and then fall asleep again for a few hours. In
the latter case, a dream may summarize other dreams which you have had during
the night. Try to arrange opportunities for this kind of sleep.
Women tend to crave more sleep and have more vivid and
important dreams just before or during their menstrual periods. Try to allow
time for sleep and dream work at this time of the month, if you can.
