Dream recall by smell?

[AstralCB]

This morning when I woke up, I did my typical dream recall routine. The last dream I had came quickly (as it usually does). A few dreams in though I hit a 'roadblock' and couldn't recall the dream. After a minute or so I got an actual smell (something like Amaretto or vanilla) that came to me and that smell made me recall a dream.

If I had more time I would detail the dream out here (If anyones really interested I can add to this later). I will say the dream seemed quite real (I can remember some emotions in the dream also).

Has anyone else ever had recall from smell? This is the first time I've ever had this.

[Neil Templar]

I've had that before, a smell during the day bringing memory of a dream back to me. Cool huh?!
Btw, can i ask, what is your usual dream recall routine?

[AstralCB]

Hey there Neil!

Most nights I like to turn on a fan, lay on top of the bed covers with just one light blanket on me. This allows me to wake up once or twice in the middle of the night (usually because I get slightly cold) and then I'm able to recall more dreams that way. I probably average about 4 or 5 dream recalls a night this way. I've had as many as 8 (my best night).

If I sleep under the covers like a normal person my average recall is 2.5 dreams a night.

I keep my dream journal on a shelf by my bedside, pen at the ready. I have my ipod next to me (which is what I use at night for binaurals/isocronic tones) which I use for a light source to jot down either key words or the basics of the dreams in complete sentences. I'm not sure why, but for many dreams I really like detailing out the dream right there.

If I wake up because I need to use the bathroom, I just take the dream journal and pen with me. When I've done my business, I'll write down what I remember already and either recall at the sink what I can or go back and lay in bed in the position I woke up in and that usually works great to recall my other dreams.

[Neil Templar]

Cool. I'm quite fortunate (depending on your perspective) in that i wake during the night naturally after dream cycles. I don't record every one tho, maybe i should record more... but i get a feeling about certain dreams that feel more significant, that i'm gonna want to come back and look at later, or ones that are clearly simulations or initiations or what-have-you. i make sure to record all those ones..

[AstralCB]

I know this is slightly off subject, but I had a dream about a month ago (I'm positive it was a lucid dream) that was quite amazing compared to my other dreams.

I was going into a small room with 2 cots. This room reminded me of a room on a train. It was small with little else in the room other than the cots (make-shift bed). When I entered the room there was a man sitting on one of the cots. I didn't pay much attention to him at first and I sat down on the other cot across from him.

We finally acknowledged each other with a nod and smile. The guy looked a lot like a younger version of Robin Williams (pretty similar but not exactly like him). We started talking about astral travel and lucid dreams. A bit into the conversation I remember sitting back up (as I was lying on my side by this time) when the guy told me he thought I had been in a few of his dreams before.

Something clicked in my head like a lightswitch and I remembered this guy from some of my past dreams also. This is where the dream became lucid and I actually remember taking control in the dream. I was focusing on him intently and I knew he had been in 4 (at least) other dreams in my lifetime that I had over the past years (but had forgot about). I now recalled some of them like I had just had the dreams and a few others I recalled a bit more vaguely (maybe these were from a lot farther back). I remember looking at the man and saying to him, "I know for a fact we were in multiple dreams together!"

It was like breaking out of some kind of amnesia and staring a good friend in the face for the first time in many years. One of my personal favorite dreams that I remember.

I recalled 6 or 7 other dreams that night, but I'm pretty sure the rest were more typical dreams.

[Beekeeper]

I can't recall ever having had your smell experience for dream recall but I certainly recognise people in my dreams turning up time and again and often when I'm lucid I "remember" things from Otherwhere that I didn't know I knew.

[AstralCB]

The dream with the man in it was quite fascinating to me as it not only made me recall other dreams I had long forgotten about, but while I was 'lucid', it was like I knew the man was a good friend of mine, but no one I know of in this physical life.

[CFTraveler]

Prob. a member of your soul group or something like that.
.02

[AstralCB]

What is a soul group? It sounds wonderful, but I don't recall ever hearing of something like that.

[Beekeeper]

Basically, these are the souls you hang with between lives and go to lessons with. Often they'll incarnate with you as a partner, best friend, sibling, teacher, etc. Some of your soul group may remain behind while you incarnate or catch up with you later in your life. The theory goes that you only ever bring a certain amount of your full energy to earth when you incarnate and that there's always a portion of your self left behind, still learning and interacting with your soul group and guides.