It must be made clear from the start that anyone who is interested in remembering their dreams, and understanding them, is free to do so. You are not required to possess any psychic abilities, or prestigious degrees! Interpreting dreams can be done by anyone willing to simply learn how. It is not very hard to do and does not require much of your time, nor is there any really intense study to do. The method I am about to outline for you is perhaps one of the easiest and effective ways to remember and analyze your own dreams. As you follow this outline you will grow more effective in time, as practice increases your success rate rather dramatically. There is nothing spooky or ritualistic to do, in fact I believe you will find it quite logical!

Just like learning to drive a car, or tying your shoes hangs with you, this too will be something that in time you will be able to do quite naturally. Dreams are a vehicle in which your mind communicates ideas, warnings and health issues. Sometimes they even communicate the future! By using this technique and following a few simple rules, even the most stubborn "I never dream (grumble grumble)" types can do it. Just bear in mind that your own perceptions take precedence over any definitions in dream dictionaries. The dream dictionary that I have wrote and is now on line, contains only the most common generic definitions. Your own perceptions are always better.

Dreams are not a way avoid facing your difficulties, in fact you hit them head on. You can choose how you want to use this new tool anyway you wish. You can use your dreams as a passing sort of entertainment, or you can elect to use them regularly as an aid to you in your journey through life.

If you are seasoned at dream interpretation I know you heard this before... Get a notebook! (groan) Lots of you do not like the idea of writing down everything you dream about, but unfortunately it is necessary. No this is not unique, but I have never found a system of remembering or analysing dreams that did not include this step. There IS an alternative, and it is what I use. Get a small mini cassette recorder know as a dictaphone. This you keep by your bed like the notebook, only you speak into it instead of writing them down. This takes some getting used to, and may disorient users of notebooks, but it is superior in this regard.

• You can speak faster then you can write.
• More detail, less work scrawling in the dark, so you can say more.
• You can analysis your own tone of voice.
• Speaking requires less concentration so your recall is better.

Keeping a notebook beside your bed, or the handy recorder, is not enough. You must give yourself the suggestion that you will remember your dreams when you wake up. I would not be too terribly concerned about recording unimportant dreams when you occasionally wake up in the middle of the night. Dreams are like plays. They go through several rehearsals then in the end give you a finished product. When a dream is important enough to write down from a middle of the night awakening, you will feel it in your bones and you will know to record it. Now, with notebook by the bed, (or recorder) you are ready for the next step.

As with everything else in life, there is a right way and wrong way to go about sleeping in a manner that is productive in dream recall. Relaxation is a must. And following good, steady sleeping habits is also a must. There is a thing called "sleep debt" that occurs when you regularly do not get enough sleep. When you build up your sleep debt, you sleep so deep it is almost impossible to remember your dreams, so follow regular habits. Before you leap into bed, hell bent on remembering your dreams, take a moment and review these preliminary steps:

• Relax yourself completely. This can be done with nothing more then peace and quiet. If you choose, use your favorite relaxation tapes, or just some peaceful music. (pre-set to turn off)
• Pay attention to the main issues on your mind. As you start to go to sleep, pay attention to the main theme, or train of thought running through your mind. This will give you a clue as to what your dream may end up being based on. Also, by keeping your mind on what you want to dream about is a good way to dream about one particular issue. Don't over concentrate though, or it will keep you awake.
• Give yourself a suggestion to remember your dream. You must want to remember your dreams in order to do so. Giving yourself a suggestion is simple. Just keep in mind, and randomly bring to surface a little thought like "I will remember my dream". Don't just think the words like a child reciting "I will not write on the wall", but mean it, and feel the conviction.
• Plan on waking up slowly and peacefully. Being rocketed out of bed by a big dog landing in the middle of your chest and licking your face is NOT the stuff that dreams are made of! (I speak from experience) :) Try to wake up naturally. Regardless what anyone may have told you, it is a fact that adult human beings NEED a minimum of eight hours sleep in order to be fully rested. Some, in fact most really need more. Not getting enough sleep is the number one reason for not remembering your dreams! Don't overdo it either, or the reverse will be true. A good rule of thumb is you should wake up naturally without an alarm clock, and without someone (or something) waking you.
• Your health is very important! Take your vitamins, and chelated minerals every day! Eat a well balanced diet. Poor nutrition is also an extremely common cause for failure to recall dreams.

I hope this phase of Dream Central has provided you with some useful information. Keep visiting, we will be adding more chapters later!