Adream diary ordream journal is adiary in whichdream experiences are recorded. A dream diary might include a record of nightly dreams, personal reflections andwaking dream experiences. It is often used in the study of dreams andpsychology. Dream diaries are also used by some people as a way to help inducelucid dreams, and are regarded as a useful tool in improving dream recall. Keeping a dream diary conditions a person to view remembering dreams as important. Dreams can be recorded in a paper diary (as text, drawings, paintings, etc.), or via an audio recording device (as narrative, music or imitations of other auditory experiences from the dream). Many websites offer the ability to create a digital dream diary. The use of a dream diary was recommended byAnn Faraday inThe Dream Game (1974) as an aid to memory and a way to preserve details, many of which are otherwise rapidly forgotten no matter how memorable the dream originally seemed.[1]
Using a dream diary not only enhances recall but can also offer fascinating insights into thesubconscious mind, providing a unique introspective tool.[opinion] People who consistently use dream journals report better understanding theiremotions and thought patterns, which can contribute topersonal growth andself-awareness. Furthermore, tracking dreams over time allows individuals to recognize recurring themes or symbols that may be significant in their waking lives. This practice can lead to a deeper understanding of one's inner self and possibly reveal underlying desires or concerns that might not be immediately apparent in conscious thought.[2]
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Dream diaries are often kept by people[clarification needed] striving to induce and rememberlucid dreams. Writing down dreams increases what is calleddream recall, or the ability to remember dreams. When writing down dreams, the dreamer often searches fordream signs, or recurring themes that have been detected between dreams.[why?] Dream recall can vary from day to day[how?], but keeping a diary tends to regulate waking dream memory.[citation needed]
It is important to record the dreams in the diary immediately after waking up, as individuals forget the details of their dreams very quickly.[3] Writing the next day's date in the dream diary asserts a conscious thought to remember dreams, which communicates intention to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind then responds (hopefully) by fulfilling that desire. This mental action causes the conscious and subconscious minds to work together toward the common goal of remembering the dream.[4]
The discipline of waking up to record a dream in a diary sometimes leads to afalse awakening where the dreamer records the previous dream while still in a dream. Some dream diarists report writing down the same dream one or two times in a dream before actually waking up, and recording it in a physical dream diary.[5]
Followers ofEckankar frequently keep dream diaries, since they view dreams as important teaching tools and as a gateway to "Soul Travel,"[6] or the shifting of one'sconsciousness to ever-higher states of being.[7]