How to Use Your Dreams for Junk Journaling

Our subconscious minds are a boundless source of creative material. Sometimes, dreams feel like a jumbled mess, but with a little practice, they can become a powerful, unveiling look at our deepest thoughts and creative instincts. Using your dreams in your journal is a perfect way to practice profound self-discovery and turn your subconscious into a tangible project.

Here’s how to start.

Step 1: Capture the Core Symbols

As soon as you can after waking, jot down the main images, feelings, and events from your dream. Don’t worry about a perfect narrative—focus on the standout symbols. Was there a recurring color? A strange object? A powerful emotion? This is the raw material.

Step 2: Decode the Metaphor

Now, turn those symbols into a personal metaphor for your creative life. This is a discerning process of introspection. What does the symbol represent for you?

3: Journal with the Metaphor

Take a spread in your journal and dedicate it to the dream’s metaphor. Physically represent the dream’s elements using your chosen materials.

Step 4: Find Your Superpower

Every dream, no matter how scary, has a part of you that survives. Find that element in your dream and honor it in your journal. This is your “superpower.”