Dreams can take us anywhere.

We can travel the backroads of our minds and interact with relatives both living and dead, friends and strangers in a world that seems almost familiar.

We can be projected beyond the walls of our minds into the vast unexplored horizons. There is no limit.

Where did you travel in last nights' dreams?

Where do you think you'll journey tonight?

Each dream will lead you to a new, exciting adventure, taking you to so many places you probably never been to before and may never experience again.

Unfortunately, the daily pressures arid demands of our waking lives cause us to miss out on the enjoyment pf these spectacular nocturnal adventures.

Some people call this the dream state. Others know this place as the astral state- a space somewhere between 'here and there.'

Upon awakening, the astral slips from our consciousness as our minds immediately fill up with the meticulous concerns of the coming day. The experiences of our astral journeys become haphazard and incomplete images clouded over by the veils of sleep.

As soon as the alarm jolts us into wakefulness, we lose awareness of our dream world as we begin our activities in another world- the physical or material world. Our journey into the astral fades into an elusive nighttime fantasy.

Observe: Instead of cluttering up your mind with thoughts of things to do as soon as you open your eyes, take five minutes to bring back into awareness the places you saw and the things you experienced just a short time ago.

Your recall will be at its peak during these few minutes after awakening. Don't let them slip away. They'll be lost forever.

Write down as much as you can remember of your Astral excursions as soon as you awaken. Record as much detail as you can. Bring yourself in closer contact with your subconscious mind.

After awhile, you will be able to recall your dreams easier. They will become more vivid as you pay more attention to them.

Some people sleep deeper than others and cannot remember any dreams upon awakening. As soon as their head touches the pillow, they drift into never-never land until blissful sleep is interupted by a blaring alarm clock a quarter day later.

If heavy sleeping causes you to miss out on remembering your dream episodes, bring them nearer by re-setting your alarm clock a couple of hours earlier than normal waking time. Do this a few nights each week and notice how much clearer your dreams appear.

When your alarm startles you at 5:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m., you may be able to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Astral.

Record these dream memories in a dream diary, otherwise, by the time you reawaken at 7:00am you have a few hours before will probably be lost or hazy.

Dreams that are remembered the clearest occur in the morning hours, especially within the few moments before arising. These dreams are the most vivid. Lucid dreaming occurs more frequently during the early morning hours when we're closer to be awake and being deep asleep.

Next: Chapter 4: Dreaming: Stepping into the Astral