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BEING HYPNOTIZED TONIGHT TO STREAMLINE THE DREAM-FICTION LINK
[Everyone, please welcome our new contributor Nick Antosca, author of Midnight Picnic [Word Riot] and Fires [Impetus]. We’re lucky to have him. — Ed.]
Somebody told me if you eat bananas before you go to sleep, it’ll cause wild dreams. Actually the point was any food eaten in meal quantity right before bed will have this effect–bananas were just the example. Now I love to eat before I go to bed. My dreams tend to be vivid and madcap anyway (something I apparently get from my mother, who was always telling me when I was a small child about dreams where she was in an ocean full of sharks or a mansion full of panthers, things of that nature) but food further enhances them.
I like to nurture the ornate & complicated dreams because I think they’re good for fiction. Sometimes they produce useful images, concepts, landscapes, emotions, yes… obviously. But on occasion I’ve also had dreams which were fully formed, traditionally structured narratives. Like, formed enough to be written down basically as is, plot-wise, and considered a story. But still employing dream imagery/logic. (This story and this story were dreams. They’re old but lately I’ve been having a lot more.) Would my brain be doing this if I weren’t spending large portions of nearly every day consuming narratives via books, movies, and TV? Would it be doing this if I didn’t often concern myself with how to construct a compelling narrative? (Yes, I am a writer who prizes “plot” and “story”.)
My feeling is, if my subconscious spontaneously writes stories by itself on random nights, then it can be trained to do so on a regular basis. Or at least more frequently. This seems like a rich untapped resource in my skull.
Tonight I’m being hypnotized. Hypnotherapy. The fellow who’s doing it has asked me to come up with some suggestions I’d like him to give me. Here they are:
1) I’d like to be able to remember my dreams better & in extreme detail.
2) I’d to have more frequent dreams that are full formed, coherent narratives.
3) I’d like to stop reading blogs so fucking much (unrelated to the rest of this post, obvs)
We’ll see if anything happens with my subconscious afterward.
So what’s your take? Are dreams a vein of ore… or distracting brain-clutter? Nabokov thought dreams were shit… useless, obnoxious, annoying. (One reason for the Freud-hate.) Do you have stories you’ve written from dreams? Do they suck or are they good?
Tags: hypnotherapy
Awesome. Welcome, Nick. I loved Midnight Picnic.
Awesome. Welcome, Nick. I loved Midnight Picnic.
I’ve had a number of dreams that seemed like they would be great stories. When I write them down they always suck. There’s something really creepy about my dreams that I haven’t learned to communicate to other people, I think.
I’ve had a number of dreams that seemed like they would be great stories. When I write them down they always suck. There’s something really creepy about my dreams that I haven’t learned to communicate to other people, I think.
there’s a radiolab episode that’s pretty cool (if i remember correctly.. it’s been a long time) where it talks about the relationship between robert louis stevenson’s dreams and his fiction.. it’s the first link if you google ‘radiolab robert louis stevenson’ – i think it’s toward the end of the episode
i used to write down my dreams, using the writing process to give them narrative frames when they lacked them, embellishing things when i didn’t remember exact details, etc – and this seemed to give me more detailed, memorable dreams that unfolded more like stories without my control – like my conscious writing life exerting formal pressure on my unconscious writing life
but that was a long time ago, back before i had stories i (consciously) knew i wanted to (have to) tell. now that i am burdened with those i dont feel a need to mine dreams – but that’s just me
one of the best things i’ve ever seen on youtube that is perhaps tangentially related is this clip from a documentary on derrida where he’s talking about the writing process’ relationship to conscious vs. unconscious etc – youtube search ‘derrida fear of writing’ – it’s beautiful
there’s a radiolab episode that’s pretty cool (if i remember correctly.. it’s been a long time) where it talks about the relationship between robert louis stevenson’s dreams and his fiction.. it’s the first link if you google ‘radiolab robert louis stevenson’ – i think it’s toward the end of the episode
i used to write down my dreams, using the writing process to give them narrative frames when they lacked them, embellishing things when i didn’t remember exact details, etc – and this seemed to give me more detailed, memorable dreams that unfolded more like stories without my control – like my conscious writing life exerting formal pressure on my unconscious writing life
but that was a long time ago, back before i had stories i (consciously) knew i wanted to (have to) tell. now that i am burdened with those i dont feel a need to mine dreams – but that’s just me
one of the best things i’ve ever seen on youtube that is perhaps tangentially related is this clip from a documentary on derrida where he’s talking about the writing process’ relationship to conscious vs. unconscious etc – youtube search ‘derrida fear of writing’ – it’s beautiful
nick, do you see any difference in tone or structure or other of dreams depending on the specific thing you eat? i’d be curious to see someone in an investigation of how you can directly manipulate in this way…
nick, do you see any difference in tone or structure or other of dreams depending on the specific thing you eat? i’d be curious to see someone in an investigation of how you can directly manipulate in this way…
Thanks, David ~N
Thanks, David ~N
I feel guilty when I have a dream that particularly interests me and I don’t write it down. My brain generated this… gave it to me for free… I should show that I appreciate it or maybe I won’t get any more free gifts…
I feel guilty when I have a dream that particularly interests me and I don’t write it down. My brain generated this… gave it to me for free… I should show that I appreciate it or maybe I won’t get any more free gifts…
I’ve wondered, although I’ve never systematically tried to find out by creating a chart. Anecdotally it does seem that maybe sugary and/or spicy foods lead to dreams more filled with incident. I find that sleeping in new places, actually, causes more insane/eventful dreams. At least for the first few nights.
I’ve wondered, although I’ve never systematically tried to find out by creating a chart. Anecdotally it does seem that maybe sugary and/or spicy foods lead to dreams more filled with incident. I find that sleeping in new places, actually, causes more insane/eventful dreams. At least for the first few nights.
hey nick
this is a really interesting post and subject. like you i have vivid dreams – i had extremely vivid nightmares all the way through childhood, and still have long, narrative dreams some of which have been turned into to stories, but most of them are just floating around in my head still. the weird thing is, inspired by burroughs, i started trying to keep a dream diary. as soon as i did this (slept with a notebook and pen by my bed) my dreams stopped. it was only after i jacked in the whole idea of writing them down immediately that they came back.
would be very interested to see if the hypnotherapy works for you. i have woke a few times with the impression that i had been dreaming about something extremely interesting, only for the impression to fade immediately.
have you read burrough’s ‘book of dreams’? its well worth checking out if you havent already…
the bananas thing is interesting. people say that eating cheese before you sleep will give you nightmares.
of course the best thing for dreaming is lysergic acid, and you dont even need to sleep for that.
hey nick
this is a really interesting post and subject. like you i have vivid dreams – i had extremely vivid nightmares all the way through childhood, and still have long, narrative dreams some of which have been turned into to stories, but most of them are just floating around in my head still. the weird thing is, inspired by burroughs, i started trying to keep a dream diary. as soon as i did this (slept with a notebook and pen by my bed) my dreams stopped. it was only after i jacked in the whole idea of writing them down immediately that they came back.
would be very interested to see if the hypnotherapy works for you. i have woke a few times with the impression that i had been dreaming about something extremely interesting, only for the impression to fade immediately.
have you read burrough’s ‘book of dreams’? its well worth checking out if you havent already…
the bananas thing is interesting. people say that eating cheese before you sleep will give you nightmares.
of course the best thing for dreaming is lysergic acid, and you dont even need to sleep for that.
Blake, I think the answer may lie in, quite simply, how hard your body has to work to digest the grub while you attempt to sleep. Makes sense that would have proliferated the whole cheese gives you nightmares thing. (I have no scientific basis for any of that.)
Some of my better stuff started out as dreams. But also I’m fairly new to fiction writing and newbies might need to rely more on tangible sources such as dreams, at least to get you started? Also like automatic writing, cut-ups, etc – prompts I guess but not in the traditional way? I don’t know.
Blake, I think the answer may lie in, quite simply, how hard your body has to work to digest the grub while you attempt to sleep. Makes sense that would have proliferated the whole cheese gives you nightmares thing. (I have no scientific basis for any of that.)
Some of my better stuff started out as dreams. But also I’m fairly new to fiction writing and newbies might need to rely more on tangible sources such as dreams, at least to get you started? Also like automatic writing, cut-ups, etc – prompts I guess but not in the traditional way? I don’t know.
Also Nick: welcome! I used to lightly hypnotize myself by repeating ‘i will remember my dream’ over and over before falling asleep (it has a lulling effect). That worked for me and I’ve heard other people do it too. I like repetition a lot though. A lot. A lot. (Sorry, I had to.)
Also Nick: welcome! I used to lightly hypnotize myself by repeating ‘i will remember my dream’ over and over before falling asleep (it has a lulling effect). That worked for me and I’ve heard other people do it too. I like repetition a lot though. A lot. A lot. (Sorry, I had to.)
I like this idea of “pushing yourself” for writerly purposes outside beyond the actual writing. I fell asleep with a nicotine patch on every day for a week when I had to write a “dream poem” for a class. Helped with vivid dreaming, but the poem ended up being about fighting Glenn Beck to the death, so…that might line up under the “shit” category. I’m not sure how I feel about dreams. ANYTHING can be useful, right?
I also go on bouts of induced instability for more or less the same purpose. THAT’s extremely useful, I think.
I like this idea of “pushing yourself” for writerly purposes outside beyond the actual writing. I fell asleep with a nicotine patch on every day for a week when I had to write a “dream poem” for a class. Helped with vivid dreaming, but the poem ended up being about fighting Glenn Beck to the death, so…that might line up under the “shit” category. I’m not sure how I feel about dreams. ANYTHING can be useful, right?
I also go on bouts of induced instability for more or less the same purpose. THAT’s extremely useful, I think.
Hey Nick. This is great. I’m glad one of my favorite bloggers is now writing for one of my favorite blogs. Besides that, we need all the Assasination of Jesse James fans we can get. Have you seen Andrew Dominik’s Chopper?
Hey Nick. This is great. I’m glad one of my favorite bloggers is now writing for one of my favorite blogs. Besides that, we need all the Assasination of Jesse James fans we can get. Have you seen Andrew Dominik’s Chopper?
I have seen it–liked it a lot, but didn’t see any sign in it of the superior brilliance to come. I thought, you know… good movie! I had no idea what I was in for when I went to see Assassination. I wonder when he’ll make another movie.
I have seen it–liked it a lot, but didn’t see any sign in it of the superior brilliance to come. I thought, you know… good movie! I had no idea what I was in for when I went to see Assassination. I wonder when he’ll make another movie.
I have very vivid, elaborate dreams and about half of them translate well into stories. Other times, I have these crazy dreams and then I write them down and realize that some things are better left in dreams alone.
I haven’t read ‘book of dreams’–actually haven’t read any burroughs in a while just because he was one of those writers i read a lot of in my late teens and haven’t had a chance to get back into since, though i’m sure it’d be worth the time.
Hoping the hypnosis thing will have some effect. Ideal case would be I train myself to have certain kinds of dreams. I want to move just having the vivid/intense dreams to dreams that contain narrative that is structured and meaningful in a comprehensible way. I wrote a story called ‘Rat Beast’ for j.a. tyler’s Mud Luscious Press chapbooks that was also taken directly from a dream… I just streamlined it a little and wrote it down, and it’s one of my favorite stories. I’d like that to happen with more frequency.
I have very vivid, elaborate dreams and about half of them translate well into stories. Other times, I have these crazy dreams and then I write them down and realize that some things are better left in dreams alone.
I haven’t read ‘book of dreams’–actually haven’t read any burroughs in a while just because he was one of those writers i read a lot of in my late teens and haven’t had a chance to get back into since, though i’m sure it’d be worth the time.
Hoping the hypnosis thing will have some effect. Ideal case would be I train myself to have certain kinds of dreams. I want to move just having the vivid/intense dreams to dreams that contain narrative that is structured and meaningful in a comprehensible way. I wrote a story called ‘Rat Beast’ for j.a. tyler’s Mud Luscious Press chapbooks that was also taken directly from a dream… I just streamlined it a little and wrote it down, and it’s one of my favorite stories. I’d like that to happen with more frequency.
What’s induced instability?
What’s induced instability?
“how hard your body has to work to digest the grub while you attempt to sleep”
I think that’s exactly right.
“how hard your body has to work to digest the grub while you attempt to sleep”
I think that’s exactly right.
After Jesse James he was in pre-production on a film about the aborigines that Heath Ledger was going to star in. I guess Ledger’s death put an end to that. I don’t think imdb has any projects listed for him. Anyway, great post and good to see you here at html giant.
After Jesse James he was in pre-production on a film about the aborigines that Heath Ledger was going to star in. I guess Ledger’s death put an end to that. I don’t think imdb has any projects listed for him. Anyway, great post and good to see you here at html giant.
book of dreams is really cool. like a photo into his mouth.
tony, weird that writing them down for you caused them to dry up: i don’t think i’ve ever heard that before. usually the reinforcement and showing the brain you want to remember has the opposite effect, in that it strengthens the recall. is it similar to when you try to write coming out of periods of acid other other drugs?
i am excited to hear the results of the hypnosis, please report back nick.
book of dreams is really cool. like a photo into his mouth.
tony, weird that writing them down for you caused them to dry up: i don’t think i’ve ever heard that before. usually the reinforcement and showing the brain you want to remember has the opposite effect, in that it strengthens the recall. is it similar to when you try to write coming out of periods of acid other other drugs?
i am excited to hear the results of the hypnosis, please report back nick.
self*-induced. Lo siento.
I don’t know. It involves making poor lifestyle choices, mostly.
self*-induced. Lo siento.
I don’t know. It involves making poor lifestyle choices, mostly.
Welcome, Nick! Very excited to share the HTMLG space with ya.
Great first post.
Welcome, Nick! Very excited to share the HTMLG space with ya.
Great first post.
hey nick, this is a cool subject, looking forward to more.
i’ve only written one story that began as a dream (since i began to take writing seriously, i used to write them all the time but all that’s lost). no one has accepted the story yet but i think it’s pretty good. when i was like 16 i taught myself how to lucid dream after reading about it on the internet. the images of the first time i did it are still eerily clear in my mind. i did that for a long time and it started to seem like i was never sleeping so i waned myself off that kick. when i was 17, before i shot my first short film i could control my dreams so that i viewed the whole movie i had written. i could even do things like rewind it and stuff. really wish that were still possible.
this is sort of weird to say publicly but i did heroin for like a month and a half when i was like 18. it was literally like living in a dream, which is what i liked about it, i guess. i had a notebook full of crazy shit that i burned when i was in self-imposed detox and pissed at the world. after that i couldn’t remember any of my dreams anymore. and it’s still very rare for me to remember one. but when i do they’re incredibly vivid, have a narrative, and seem very meaningful to me.
i’m really interested in the function of how the brain chooses to selectively remember certain dreams and images, while forgetting others, which seems like that’s what it’s really about because everyone dreams. i would like to read more about that.
hey nick, this is a cool subject, looking forward to more.
i’ve only written one story that began as a dream (since i began to take writing seriously, i used to write them all the time but all that’s lost). no one has accepted the story yet but i think it’s pretty good. when i was like 16 i taught myself how to lucid dream after reading about it on the internet. the images of the first time i did it are still eerily clear in my mind. i did that for a long time and it started to seem like i was never sleeping so i waned myself off that kick. when i was 17, before i shot my first short film i could control my dreams so that i viewed the whole movie i had written. i could even do things like rewind it and stuff. really wish that were still possible.
this is sort of weird to say publicly but i did heroin for like a month and a half when i was like 18. it was literally like living in a dream, which is what i liked about it, i guess. i had a notebook full of crazy shit that i burned when i was in self-imposed detox and pissed at the world. after that i couldn’t remember any of my dreams anymore. and it’s still very rare for me to remember one. but when i do they’re incredibly vivid, have a narrative, and seem very meaningful to me.
i’m really interested in the function of how the brain chooses to selectively remember certain dreams and images, while forgetting others, which seems like that’s what it’s really about because everyone dreams. i would like to read more about that.
You taught yourself to lucid dream–how? I’ve tried to do that, but never really done it on a consistent basis.
You taught yourself to lucid dream–how? I’ve tried to do that, but never really done it on a consistent basis.
Hey Nick.
I taught myself, too, and kept it up for about three months… A similar method: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/09/21/how-to-lucid-dream/
Hey Nick.
I taught myself, too, and kept it up for about three months… A similar method: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/09/21/how-to-lucid-dream/
that’s pretty much how i did it too. the main thing was recording the dreams and waking periodically with the intention of having more rem cycles. as you gain awareness of your dreams there will come a time when you will realize you are dreaming, and that you can do and see whatever you want.
that’s pretty much how i did it too. the main thing was recording the dreams and waking periodically with the intention of having more rem cycles. as you gain awareness of your dreams there will come a time when you will realize you are dreaming, and that you can do and see whatever you want.
hypno might actually make your dreams less ‘cluttered.’ before, when i’ve done concentrated amounts of work in that vein, i tend to find my dreams end up clearer, and i better remember them.
if i’ve meditated before i’ve gone to bed, i sometimes seem to wake with one single clear thought from my dream in my head. less brain-clutter or something, maybe.
a ‘dream diary’ by the bed is a good way to get them scribbled down upon waking, before you forget them.
i like dreams. it always strikes me as a good thing to pay attention to what’s going on in my subconscious.
pieces written actually based upon them? i think what i write is largely dream-like, but i can’t remember if any are actually directly based on dreams. there’s that sad reality that other people’s dreams are often largely uninteresting. which is a bugger. it can be like being forced to look at holiday photos dredged from inside somebody’s head.
i guess the skill is hanging a piece off specific elements from them, without a temptation to literally retell them.
there’s a few films, books, and pieces of art i love that seem to capture that precise feeling of being locked inside a dream, and operating on dream logic. i’m always slightly awed by the ability to render that so well.
oh, and fwiw, i tend to take a lot of dreams as ‘translations.’ in terms of one’s own self, i think that is absolutely interesting because … well, having a whole different landscape communicating to you feelings that you may be having anyway, but of which you may not be consciously aware? i figure it’s worth paying attention to.
hypno might actually make your dreams less ‘cluttered.’ before, when i’ve done concentrated amounts of work in that vein, i tend to find my dreams end up clearer, and i better remember them.
if i’ve meditated before i’ve gone to bed, i sometimes seem to wake with one single clear thought from my dream in my head. less brain-clutter or something, maybe.
a ‘dream diary’ by the bed is a good way to get them scribbled down upon waking, before you forget them.
i like dreams. it always strikes me as a good thing to pay attention to what’s going on in my subconscious.
pieces written actually based upon them? i think what i write is largely dream-like, but i can’t remember if any are actually directly based on dreams. there’s that sad reality that other people’s dreams are often largely uninteresting. which is a bugger. it can be like being forced to look at holiday photos dredged from inside somebody’s head.
i guess the skill is hanging a piece off specific elements from them, without a temptation to literally retell them.
there’s a few films, books, and pieces of art i love that seem to capture that precise feeling of being locked inside a dream, and operating on dream logic. i’m always slightly awed by the ability to render that so well.
oh, and fwiw, i tend to take a lot of dreams as ‘translations.’ in terms of one’s own self, i think that is absolutely interesting because … well, having a whole different landscape communicating to you feelings that you may be having anyway, but of which you may not be consciously aware? i figure it’s worth paying attention to.
nick, i thought i would let you know that i found this in my ‘forward march’ folder the other day. apparently i wrote it in the middle of the night after waking from a dream. the creation date was around two days after i read your post:
I know you don’t like being photographed but I read your book and really like it and now that that has been said I really want to take a photograph of you.
Which one is your favorite poem.
I like Titles a lot.
Okay I’ll read it to you.
lajfsd
al;sdfj;s
als;dfj;sdj
lasjdf;
Movie Titles
Now let’s walk around saying movie titles together. I’ll start.
She took his hand.
;wjffa;
Smash mouth.
Haha, that’s good.
(Alarm clock)
I have to go now.
Why?
Well, I have to wake up.
Okay. Will you come back? I get lonely here.
Sure, I’ll come back.
Okay then, I’ll see you later.
He wakes up and turns off his alarm clock. He goes to breakfast. His brother asks him, What’s going on, squirt.
He gets some cereal and sits down. Says, I met a girl last night.
In your dreams, squirt.
He smiles.
(He has a growth deficiency and is a “child” forever, so no girl will give him the time of day. Goes to meet his dream girl every night.)
nick, i thought i would let you know that i found this in my ‘forward march’ folder the other day. apparently i wrote it in the middle of the night after waking from a dream. the creation date was around two days after i read your post:
I know you don’t like being photographed but I read your book and really like it and now that that has been said I really want to take a photograph of you.
Which one is your favorite poem.
I like Titles a lot.
Okay I’ll read it to you.
lajfsd
al;sdfj;s
als;dfj;sdj
lasjdf;
Movie Titles
Now let’s walk around saying movie titles together. I’ll start.
She took his hand.
;wjffa;
Smash mouth.
Haha, that’s good.
(Alarm clock)
I have to go now.
Why?
Well, I have to wake up.
Okay. Will you come back? I get lonely here.
Sure, I’ll come back.
Okay then, I’ll see you later.
He wakes up and turns off his alarm clock. He goes to breakfast. His brother asks him, What’s going on, squirt.
He gets some cereal and sits down. Says, I met a girl last night.
In your dreams, squirt.
He smiles.
(He has a growth deficiency and is a “child” forever, so no girl will give him the time of day. Goes to meet his dream girl every night.)
“(He has a growth deficiency and is a “child” forever, so no girl will give him the time of day. Goes to meet his dream girl every night.)”
Whoa, I like it.
“(He has a growth deficiency and is a “child” forever, so no girl will give him the time of day. Goes to meet his dream girl every night.)”
Whoa, I like it.
perhaps because of this i had a dream last night involving several characters from the sopranos, featuring a story-in-story ending which made the dream into a fully formed narrative with abstract meaning – i now have hope for the future, thanks nick, thinking about starting a dream journal blog and begin exploring dreamspace again
perhaps because of this i had a dream last night involving several characters from the sopranos, featuring a story-in-story ending which made the dream into a fully formed narrative with abstract meaning – i now have hope for the future, thanks nick, thinking about starting a dream journal blog and begin exploring dreamspace again