Dreaming- we all do it every night, so why is the world of dreams such a mystery to us & why do people shrug off their experiences with 'it’s only a dream?' Here we look at basic techniques to improve dream recall and to begin to interpret our adventures in the subconscious realm.

Our dreams are a window into our subconscious mind. Sometimes they stir up things that we’d rather blot out of our everyday consciousness and sometimes they take us soaring high, beyond the restraints that keep us confined in time & place. In our dreams we can solve problems, gain inspiration & insight and heal ourselves…if we could only remember them!

So if you are someone who has difficulty with dream recall what can you do?

My best advice for anyone wishing to explore their dreams is to purchase a little journal to write them down in & then put this right by your bed along with a pen. Why by your bed? Well dreams can fade very rapidly & you will capture them best if you write them down straight away. When you wake reach for the journal & scribble down anything you can remember before you get up…you may want to set your alarm ten minutes earlier so that you give yourself time.

What if you just vaguely know you’ve been dreaming but can’t remember them when you open your eyes?

Try an affirmation such as ‘I will remember my dreams clearly and in detail’ before you go to sleep. Repeat it several times before dropping off- nine times is particularly good for reaching through to your subconscious mind.

Programme a ‘dream crystal’. Choose a crystal that helps you relax & sleep, such as an amethyst. Sit with it & ask clearly for it to help you dream and remember your dreams. You can hold it to your third eye & visualise your intention floating into the crystal. Repeating this exercise over a number of days will make the programme stronger. Once programmed place the crystal beneath your pillow at night. Remember to cleanse it now & again.

So assuming you now have some dreams to examine how do you go about interpreting them?

The first thing to remember is that the subconscious mind communicates through symbolism, so whilst you might have a realistic dream often the craziest, most surreal things will happen. You are the best interpreter for your dream- after all it is the product of your own subconscious mind. What do the things in the dream mean to you & what was the context & emotion around them? For example a key in a dream may mean freedom to one person & being trapped or locked in to another. It may represent an answer to a problem being found, or a new house. If you are stuck you will find a superb resource in the Bellaonline Dreams site. In addition the Dreams Forum is a place where members can post dreams for the rest of us to give interpretations.

Sweet dreams everyone!