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What problem would you solve if
you could do it in a dream? During
sleep our minds can innovate,
create, and solve problems. This
is the same process only in a
different state as a conscious
right brain shift or a left brain
suspension that our minds do while
awake. This is how our mind solves
problems during the day. Research
shows that this sleep time mental
processing is essential to mental
health and contributes to physical
health. Here's the good news.
The problem solving power during
sleep is readily available to
those who have total recall. Why
can some remember and others not
at all? What can help you to have
total recall? How can you learn
to tap into dreams to problem
solve? Can this process be learned
and used while awake? Perhaps
you feel as did my wife who would
say she never dreams because she
cannot recall them. Contrast this
with those who remember every
detail, some of which are elaborate.
One surgeon I worked with actually
rehearsed his major surgeries
in his sleep each night prior
to operating. He did this on purpose.
One day he called first thing
in the morning asking about an
overlooked question in the pre-surgery
work up. It was something he realized
in his sleep. Almost anyone can
have total recall by doing one
thing. If you want to use dreaming
to problem solve, there are six
additional steps to take. For
Total Dream Recall Follow These
Seven Steps. 1) Get a thermal
insulated mug and fill with ice
and enough water for a drink.
Unless you have a medical contraindication,
upon going to bed and once ready
for sleep, take a drink of the
ice water. Place a lid over the
remaining ice to preserve it as
best as possible. In the morning
upon waking up, take a drink of
the ice cold water. You will have
an instant and total recall of
the dreams from the night before.
You will need to wake naturally.
It works best if you gently get
up to drink the water. No sudden
movements. 2) Keep a journal or
diary and write down what you
dreamed about. For some, they
may fade away as fast as they
come back. Make this a routine.
Keep a pencil and paper at the
bedside. Better yet, keep a tape
recorder. Record them as soon
as remembered. 3) Discuss them
with others. This reinforces the
consciousness or awareness of
your thoughts during sleep. It
also creates a neural pathway
to reinforce future recall. 4)
Talk to yourself. Before going
to sleep, have an internal conversation
about your desire for total recall.
Talk about your desire to pay
careful attention and that you
want to recall the dream in the
morning. Do this just before dozing
off. 5) When you awake naturally,
don’t get up or sit up. Review
the dream with your eyes still
closed. Then slowly reach for
your pen and paper and record
your memories. 6) Validate the
value of having the right brain
deliver up the memory. Give an
acknowledgement for getting them
in vivid color, full recall of
the action, and details. 7) Find
a partner to discuss dreaming
with. The goal is to have two
different people to discuss your
thoughts with during the day.
These processes create a neural
pathway that improves the chance
of future recall. There are numerous
books on the subject. Dreaming
on Purpose to Problem Solve. First
Navigate the negative thoughts
of your sleep into positive ones.
In my youth, I used to constantly
dream of falling. I would wake
up as I landed in my bed. I even
felt the bounce. It wasn’t scary
to my recollection. However to
stop the falling I started grabbing
on things such as a kite and eventually
I realized it was possible to
fly with just my arms. I learned
at a young age to make sleep an
adventure. You can do the same.
When ready for sleep, have the
inner conversation that says if
you fall, you will fly. You will
choose to go and see places everywhere.
The same can be done with fears
like death. Have the internal
conversation that the death is
only a part of your personality
that is passing in favor of growth
and development. Deal with Monsters
and Demons the same way. Resolve
that you will ask why they are
bothering you. Ask if you can
help them. You can even choose
not to believe the monsters exist.
You will see them but you can
decide they cannot see you. Learn
that you can take control. Second
Direct and Delegate. In the pre-sleep
preparation you will pose the
problem to be solved. Don’t make
it specific at first. It is important
that you have the pencil and paper
or recorder at hand. You may find
yourself waking in the middle
of the night with the epiphany.
Don’t lose it. As your abilities
grow, you can get more specific
with the problem. Finally Focus
and Funnel. In this last stage
you will be able to load the Left
brain with the details, analyze
the situation, and define the
challenge or problem to be resolved.
Then have the internal conversation
where you identify what you hope
to accomplish during your sleep
and that you will wake in the
morning and your right brain will
share it with you. Beyond... Once
you master these skills move beyond
them. It is possible to in waking
moments create the same mental
solution of problems. In creating
my art, I often rely on this ability
to solve creative problems when
painting. Called lucid or daydreaming,
it is a powerful tool to use in
creating. Likewise when creating
sculptures, I try to create exclusively
in the Right brain. When I start
to use the Left brain the process
gets bogged down. You can read
more on the psychology of dreaming
if you look under the heading
lucid or daydreaming. Whatever
dreams may be, may they be productive
and happy. Know that you can have
control over them and even make
them useful in solving your problems.
© 2006 Jonathan Steele, RN. Jonathan
Steele is a nurse, artist, freelance
public speaker and web host. To
teach, persuade, or motivate requires
understanding how the mind works
and delivering the message so
it will be easily received. Learn
more about reaching an audience
and the minds of those you speak
to at http://www.speechmastery.com/mind.html
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