How to Use Your Dreams For Problem Solving

June 30th, 2007

This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming.

As described in the article Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming, there are many ways to utilize conscious dreaming for personal growth and improvement. In this article and the next few articles in the series, I'll provide methods of applying lucid dreaming techniques for problem solving, creativity, healing, and more.

Using Your Dreams For Problem Solving

Before going to bed, formulate a question or statement about the problem you would like to solve. Make the question or statement as brief and concise as possible. It should be specific enough to direct your unconscious mind toward the appropriate topic, but not so specific that it leaves no room for your mind to be flexible in presenting potential solutions.

For example, if you're encountering difficulties at work, try asking "How can I resolve the dispute with (insert your coworker's name)?"

If your concern is of a family or relationship nature, you could use a question such as, "How can I improve my relationship with so-and-so?"

You also can opt to use all-encompassing questions that can be applied in nearly any situation, such as, "What steps should I take to improve such-and-such situation?" or "How can I improve such-and-such aspect of my life?"

Instead of questions, you can also use statements such as, "I will dream of a solution to my problem with _________", filling in the blank with the name or term of your choice.

Don't focus on all the intricate details of the problem. Simply present an overall picture of the problem and give your unconscious mind the freedom to come up with a solution. You may be surprised at how clever, creative, and resourceful your unconscious mind can be.

Once you've formulated a question or statement related to your problem, set your intent to dream about a solution. Use the dream incubation technique to program your mind to dream about the solution to your problem. Be sure to include an affirmation stating you will become lucid within the dream.

Here is another approach to the problem solving method:

Before you go to sleep, visualize the situation as it would appear if the problem was already resolved. Imagine the problem has been taken care of and everything worked out in your favor. See yourself within your dream experiencing the positive aftereffects of the resolution. Imagine the feelings that would accompany the resolution of the problem — joy, excitement, relief, satisfaction.

After you have vividly imagined the dream scene, affirm your intent to become lucid within the dream. When you awaken the next morning and write in your dream journal, mentally review the "memories" of your dream self to determine how you successfully resolved the problem in your dream, and then apply those same steps in waking life.

For example, let's say you have a problem with a coworker who tries to steal credit for all the work you've done on a specific group project. If the problem isn't resolved, your coworker is going to get the raise and promotion you really deserve. You don't want to appear to be the office tattle-tale by whining to your boss about it, and so far your coworker seems too dense to get the hints you've been throwing his way for the past few weeks. You also don't want a confrontation that turns out badly. You decide to turn the problem over to your dreaming mind for a few nights.

You visualize yourself in a scene occurring after the problem has been resolved. You imagine the project wrapping up in a successful way and your boss personally congratulating you on a job well done. You imagine yourself feeling extremely pleased and satisfied with how everything turned out.

Notice how you haven't visualized exactly how the problem was resolved? That's because if you already knew how to resolve the problem, you wouldn't need to bother your dreaming mind for a solution in the first place. The idea is to offer the problem to your dreaming self and let your unconscious mind get creative about the actual steps needed to resolve the problem. Leave those details empty and let your dreaming mind fill in the blanks.

Present the problem to your mind in a simple, straightforward way, and visualize how you'd like the situation to turn out in the end. Focus your intent on dreaming about a solution to the problem, and then simply go to sleep and let your dreaming mind handle the rest.