How to start a dreamwork practice
What’s the greatest obstacle that keeps you from writing a daily dream journal? Share it in a comment below.
Start a dream journal
If you want to start working with your dreams, you have to start writing them down. So keep a dream journal by your bed or simply start a new note on your phone. Sometimes turning on the light to write something down is too disruptive, so you may prefer to just type up the dream quickly and return to sleep.
Write it down asap
Write your dreams down as soon as you wake up. Don't think about it, just write down whatever your remember.
If you don't wake up throughout the night to remember your dreams, try drinking a little water or tea before bed–your body will wake you up to use the toilet, so there's a higher chance you'll remember your dream.
Write down everything and anything
Start small. You may not remember a lot at the start, but do your best to include every detail you remember, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Colours, directions, even the words used are very important.
Who, what, where
Dreams are like a drama. Write down where the dream was happening, who was there, and what happened. Pay attention to conflicts, crises, and how the dream concludes.
Emotions
Make sure to also note your feelings during the dream and upon waking. Emotions are a crucial part of understanding the context of your dreams. If you don't have an image, just journal how you feel upon waking: is your body tense? Do you feel a bit scared? Are you excited? Do you feel like a weight has been lifted?
Identify symbols
Identify symbols in your dreams. They can be objects, people, animals, or places.
Don't judge or assume what the dream means
Dreams speak in symbols; they don't always obey the rules of consciousness; they rarely make sense logically. So don't judge your dream material or discard it because it doesn't make sense in the moment.
Also, don't assume you know what a dream means right away. Dreams always tell you something you don't know and it often takes a while to decode the dream's message. Nightmares aren't bad dreams, even though they feel unpleasant.
Stay grounded
It's not uncommon to become fascinated with dreams and forget about the real world and become ungrounded. It's important to keep your dreamwork practice contained: be aware of who you share your dreams with, set time aside when you journal or work on them; and notice when an obsession with symbols starts to feel like dissociation. If that happens, come back to your routines, eat hearty foods, and reconnect with friends.
Patience and commitment
Dedicate yourself to your dreamwork practice. It might be challenging at first, but with time and commitment, it can become an enriching part of your routine. Be patient with yourself as you remember more and more of your dreams–soon there will be a time when you'll remember 2-3 dreams from each night.
Ask for help
As you begin your dreamwork journey, you will likely become aware of unconscious patterns and difficulties that you never noticed before. If you find it difficult to interpret your dreams or feel overwhelmed by the process, seek help from a therapist trained in Jungian analysis or Gestalt.