Is it possible to influence your dreams the next night?
Not referring to lucid dreaming, which is simply controlling your dream. I'd like to know how to control what I dream the next night, regardless if it ends up as a lucid dream.
I remember reading a portion of a book then dreaming about it the day later. I am also aware of the "shifting" community (though they want to go to an entire alternate universe) in which they script throughout the day and sometimes get dreams related to it. Is there an actual practice for this sort of thing? Or is this something that happens only randomly?
With a dream journal, and setting intentions before sleep, you likely can increase the likelihood of influencing your dreams the following night.
I kept a dream journal as a requirement for an undergrad class. Really interesting thing to do --- and it helped me to lucid dream a few times.
Cool! Can you elaborate? What was the class? Do you remember the lucid dreams? What was the journaling process?
It was a class on sleeping+dreaming, an "easy A" class that was actually really interesting. Taught by William Dement, an old timer who helped pioneer the field of sleep research. As I recall there wasn't much emphasis on what dreams mean --- it was fairly matter-of-fact in that regard, which I liked.
The journal process, from what I recall, was just to write down every detail. In doing so you may realize patterns in your dream --- recurring objects or themes, or anything really.
Another thing, especially for lucid dreaming, is to do "reality checks" throughout your (waking) day. This can be something like looking at a watch. Get in the habit of this --- just randomly looking down and verifying that your watch is reading a valid time, and ask yourself if this makes sense, and if you're dreaming. Most of the time you'll look at your watch, say "yup 11:42, and I don't think I'm dreaming." The idea though is that this will be a habit that you perform in your dream, too --- and hopefully, in your dream, your watch won't make sense, you'll ask yourself if you're dreaming and boom! Lucid dream.
For me, lucid dreams were usually pretty short --- as soon as I realized I was dreaming, I'd only have a little time before waking up. I also found it frustrating that I couldn't always control my dreams, so I'd try to fly, and... nothing. Even though I knew I was dreaming.
That's so cool, and sounds like a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing!
Very nice if we improve on this, but... :
https://xkcd.com/430/
Dreams are at least somewhat influenced by your recent thoughts and experiences. For example, many studies found that people dreamed more about disease and confinement during the pandemic (here's a medical journal article about it). You probably have a higher chance of influencing the subject of your dreams if you focus on the desired subject enough during the day.
This explains why I had a dream about this person from work who is trying to take my job but pretending to be my friend.
I wasn't feeling well yesterday and spent 8 hours on the couch, binge watching a trashy reality TV show that included a lot of jealousy and betrayal in a confined environment.
I eat lots of cheese if want really weird/surreal dreams.
I read that in Wallace's voice.
Couple McChickens used to do the trick for me
I view dreams as your minds way of prepping you for varying circumstances. If you preoccupy your brain with something before you go to bed maybe that would help get you in a mind space you want?
When my kids have trouble falling asleep, we play a game where I’ll ask them what they want to dream about. I then whisper the words in their ear and place their hand on their ear.
I tell them if they sit up, the dream will fall out of their ear.
Anyway, they’ve never once told me it doesn’t work, so if you want to come round tonight I’ll tuck you in!
Please teach me all of your wisdom.
That's so sweet!
YMMV, but as the other commenter said, you can influence it. It never worked for me but I know people who can condition what they are going to dream about by thinking about it before falling asleep. It's not infallible and you would definitely need to practice a lot.
I never heard about the shifting community, time to suss them out for me I guess
Make sure to need the toilet before you wake up... although those dreams won't be fun