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#1
05-27-2009, 07:10 AM
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Natural Oneirogenics (Dream Enhancing Substances)
I was hoping to find more on this topic in the forums here, but I'm not greatly surprised since I've hardly found much about these things anywhere else on the internet. I've read on here that poor diet, alcoholism, and even eating too soon before going to sleep can all impair your ability to remember dreams though I also saw someone post something about eating cheese soon before sleep may actually help you have crazy dreams. Anyone know if this is true, or of other foods/drinks?. I've also seen comments from people saying they have crazy dreams all the time from medications and pills they're taking, as well as a vague reference or 2 about cannabis helping, while 2 different people I know that quit smoking it made remarks about "dreaming all the time again". Pills I don't need (or trust), and cannabis is illegal in my country so I'm not really concerned with those, but are there any other natural foods or drinks that help improve dream recollection, control, and/or the chance of a lucid?
These I found a year or 2 ago, described on sites that had everything from Ginseng to Salvia. I purchased the first 2, but have only tried the second so far, and only on 2 occasions (3 nights in a row each time). The first time I still didn't seem to have crazier dreams or remember any better until the night I stopped. When I tried it again months later, I dreamed more on the nights I drank the tea. "Silene capensis" or ("Xhosa Dream Herb") "Calea zacatechichi" (or "Dream Herb") "Entada Rheedii" (or "African Dream Herb") I think Xhosa was hard to find info about b/c it seems like a recent discovery, and "Dream Herb" is probably little known because most people couldn't handle how bitter the tea you make from it is. Has anyone heard of or tried these before? Or has anyone noticed a particular food or drink that has a positive effect on dreams?     
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#2
05-27-2009, 10:56 PM
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The most predominant herbs used in dream pillows are lavender and mugwort. If you go to
HTML Code:
www.mountainroseherbs.com
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#3
06-02-2009, 08:34 PM
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Thanks, Iris. I've seen many of your posts on various threads, & they all seem to be intuitive and helpful (even forgiving in the 1 mild disagreement I saw), and I greatly appreciate your feedback. I checked out the site, but couldn't find a category for the stuff you mentioned (probably because there's so much on there), so I'll request a catalog as you suggested.
Tucking something in my pillow seems like a much easier approach, & I've heard of some cultures doing this with different plants, but never understood why, or heard much about whether or not it works. In the General Chit-Chat page I saw you telling Zulu_Dawn how auroma-therapy really helped you recover faster when you had a broken collar bone & other injuries in the past, so maybe I should give this concept a bit more consideration. Has anyone else noticed, discovered, or heard of anything else (natural) that helps improve your ability to remember more of your dream(s), dream more often, and/or be more lucid in them. The website on which I found the plants I mentioned before is <HTML>http://www.bouncingbearbotanicals.com</HTML> The things I've re-searched and price checked on other sites, were almost always cheaper here, but after reading the info on the site, I continued to look for further info on the ones I was considering, so for any inquiring minds, here's some of what I know so far about each: -~The "African Dream Herb" is a large seed pod that washes onto the shores of many tropical coastal regions (often made into necklaces). It seemed to be the least effective (or potent) of the 3, so I didn't read much, just that they break open the seed, toss out the husk/shell, grind up the inside part, &... I forget. -~The "dream herb" was originally introduced to Chontal Indians of Mexico by a man that wasn't sure whether you smoke it or make a tea out of it, so he would roll a cigarette out of it, and smoke it while sipping on the tea. The tea is made from a small handful of the dried foliage, & is typically drank 1 or 2 hours before sleep, and it actually smells quite good as you brewing it, but it will light up every bitter taste bud on your tongue, when you take a sip (though after toughing it out a few times, it's not so bad.. an acquired taste, IMHO), so I recommend keeping a spoonful of sugar handy & gulping it down quickly (Next time a curious friend of mine tries it, I must remember to videotape it & post it on Youtube. You have NEVER tasted something so bitter!). There have been VERY few reports of mild auditory hallucinations before going to sleep, so it's worth mentioning, just not to anyone that would drink it hoping for a hallucination (unless of course, you have a video camera handy) The most informative page I read also said the tradition now also includes tucking leaves under the pillow. -~"Xhosa Dream Herb" is the root of a plant that is traditionally finely ground into a powder, & mixed with water until a foam/froth forms at the top. Then you eat the foam until your stomach feels full & you feel like you might burp up bubbles. This is done in the morning on an empty stomach (and the person is instructed to wait an hour or 2 before eating their morning meal) and done every morning for 3 consecutive days. One thing I read was a study conducted with a mix of people that dream often as well as people that claim to rarely ever remember a dream, and by the 3rd night even the non-dreamers had experienced a vivid, memorable dream. The natives where it was discovered, consume this as an initiation ceremony (for their tribal shamans I think), and there's a very elaborate story that accompanies this tradition in that culture that I found interesting, but I don't remember it completely. Something about the initiate walking into the water, and passing through an underwater cavern/tunnel, guarded by a sleeping snake that wakes up and strikes any that are un-fit to enter. Last edited by NfoJunkie : 06-02-2009 at 09:18 PM.
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#4
06-02-2009, 08:41 PM
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Just a thought.
In my experience in the past the very act of discussing dreams with friends makes me more aware whilst asleep of what is occuring subconsciously. Perhaps this is merely of personal use but try it and see how that works out.
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#5
06-14-2009, 05:32 PM
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Quote:
I found this list I'd saved that someone else had posted on another board awhile back, for making your own dream pillows: Aniseed - calming Balsam fir - relaxing Calendula - prophetic dreams Catnip - eases babies’ troubled sleep, relaxing, induces sleep Chamomile - induces sleep, relaxing, pleasant dreams Cinnamon - exotic & romantic dreams Clary sage - induces sleep Cloves - romantic (use sparingly) Damiana - vivid dreams Hops, sweet - relaxing, peacefulness Jasmine -exotic & romantic dreams Hyssop - anti-nightmare Lavender - relaxing, induces sleep, visioning, vivid dreams, romantic dreams, balances extreme conditions, is transforming Lemon balm herb - calming, induces sleep, visioning, vivid dreams Lemon verbena - lightness and feelings of flying (use sparingly) Lemongrass - mildly exotic feeling Lilac - peaceful dreams (use sparingly), sensuality (use generously) Mandarin - induces sleep Marjoram - induces sleep, promotes restful sleep, comforting dreams Mimosa flowers - exotic feeling (use with lemon balm for peaceful, colorful dreaming) Mint - visioning, vivid dreams, clarity Mugwort - problem solving, prophetic dreams, relaxing, clarity, stimulates dreams, repels bad spirits, symbolizes health & hope, liked by elves, attunes to etheric Neroli - induces sleep Passion flower (leaves or flowers) - calming Patchouli - induces sleep Petitgrain - induces sleep Rose - induces sleep, relaxing, peaceful dreams Rose geranium - visioning Rosemary - keeps bad dreams away, calming, induces sleep Sandalwood - induces sleep Scullcap - visioning Thyme - induces sleep, peaceful dreams Uva ursi - visioning Valerian flowers - calming Vetivert - induces sleep Willow - connection to and power in the Dreamtime Woodruff - induces sleep Wormwood - helps to ingest prana, open the medicine eye, and go between worlds, induces vivid dreams Ylang ylang - induces sleep
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#6
06-15-2009, 06:44 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
However, since posting this thread I've picked up a PDF on "Advanced Lucid Dreaming: The Power of Supplements" & after reading a good bit of the beginning, I followed the books advice & put the whole subject off for another time when I'm more knowledgeable & experienced. I saw no mention of these "Dream Herb"s, probably because it was more talking about the chemicals that affect dreams (Acetylcholine... an active ingredient in Nyquil,Dopamine, & Seratonin), ones that occur naturally in the brain, but also synthetically in many other things (especially these days). Before I start toying with my brain's chemistry I should probably start researching more on what household items are already toying with it. For anyone interested, I'll include a brief summary of how these 3 chemicals are responsible for dreams... -The release of specific neurotransmitters in the brain control which sleep state we are in as well as activate our internal dreaming mechanism. -Foods, medicines, and herbs can impact the levels of specific neurotransmitters in the brain -Most vivid dream experiences occur during REM sleep, but can also occur in stage-1 and stage-2 of non-REM sleep. -The neurotransmitter Acetylcholine has the ability to switch on and maintain REM sleep -The neurotransmitter Seratonin has the ability to switch off and suppress REM sleep. -REM sleep only provides one of the two requirements needed for dreaming to occur. -The second requirement is that the dopaminergic circuit must be engaged. -The neurotransmitter Dopamine can engage the dopaminergic circuit. Still, I hadn't seen these "Dream Herb"s mentioned before, so there's now a thread for such things if anyone has more info for me & any other inquiring minds about these or other things that noticeably affect your dreams.
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#7
06-15-2009, 10:24 AM
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Hi NfoJunkie,
Oh, good... I didn't want to accuse you of using hallucinogens, it was more cautionary. Some people get so into that, and I think it gets them rather screwed up! Kudos to your dad! I stopped taking any prescription medications quite a few years ago, and have worked with dreams and inner guidance on healing things including a bleeding ulcer, iron deficiency anemia, warts and age spots and other weird skin things that others kept telling me *must* be skin cancer, etc. I have osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia pretty much under control using herbal and nutritional healing. It's worth learning about herbs and nutrition, and learning how to recognize and read health advice that comes in dreams. The Holy Spirit is the best at diagnosing and treating disease, imo, and I wouldn't go to a doctor now unless my guides actually suggested it was necessary or I was bleeding to death or something, or needed a bone set, or knew I needed an antibiotic. But then, I'm also allergic to drugs and get all the side-effects that only one percent of the population gets or get something worse from the drugs than what they're intended to cure. Bad history with the medical profession. Robert Moss, well known author about dreams (my favorites of his books are _Dreamgates_ and _Conscious Dreaming_, and his website is <www.mossdreams.com>, where he always has interesting articles) advocates using rhythmic drumming for getting into waking dreams. I think that really works. You can use just plain drumming... I think he sells a tape of it. But I really like the drum CD's by Steve and Dave Gordon when I'm doing my Reiki meditation, or any of the Native American and Peruvian music with drums. They have things other than drums, but they're rhythmic and beautiful and relaxing, and you could easily play them at bedtime as well.
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