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co-ter-ie

noun :: An intimate and often exclusive group of persons with a unifying common interest or purpose.

"The Quilting Coterie got together every Sunday evening to make quilts."

One of the most successful ways of achieving lucid dreaming is to keep a dream journal and look for dreamsigns. A dreamsign is something recognizable to the dream world that can trigger you to become aware that you are dreaming.

A dreamsign can be something that occurs frequently in your dreams. By recording and analyzing your dreams, you will be able to identify recurring objects and themes. For example, you may find that your dreams frequently contain a bicycle. With this knowledge, you can begin to question your state whenever you see one of your dreamsigns. Anytime you see a bicycle you should stop and ask yourself, "Am I dreaming?" Asking this question while dreaming is usually enough to make you become lucid. If you develop this habit while awake, then it is likely to carry over into the dream state.

A dreamsign does not need to be something that occurs frequently in your dreams. Dreamsigns can also be things that are highly unusual. For example, having dinner with a celebrity, or having your hair suddenly turn blue. Anything that is unusual should make you stop and think about whether you are dreaming. With practice you will become adept at identifying dreamsigns while dreaming, and using them to question your state and become lucid.

Dementia is a general term that refers to an abnormal decline in cognitive function due to disease or damage. Dementia can affect most parts of the brain, but areas that are particularly affected are memory, attention, language, problem solving, and orientation. Dementia is sometimes confused with delirium, which has similar symptoms but is caused in elderly people by a disruption in their lifestyle (surgery, poor sleep, change in environment, etc). Delirium can be reversed, but dementia rarely gets better.

The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease, but there are many other conditions that can cause dementia. For example, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, AIDS, hypothyroidism, alcoholism or cancer.

Stress can cause all sorts of problems for us in our daily lives. Not the least of which is a decreased ability to think productively and creatively. Autogenic relaxation works by influencing the autonomic nervous system through self-suggestion. The goal is to learn how to relax your limbs, heart and breathing.

Start by sitting in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Concentrate on your legs and arms. Feel them getting heavy. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My arms are getting heavy. My legs are getting heavy."

Now feel your arms and legs getting warmer. Repeat to yourself, "My arms are getting warm. My legs are getting warm." Try to really feel them getting warmer.

Now, concentrate on your pulse. Feel it beating calmly. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My heart rate is calm and regular."

Now, focus on your breathing. Take deep and regular breaths. Repeat, "My breathing is calm and regular."

Focus on your abdomen and feel it getting warmer. Repeat, "My abdomen is feeling warmer."

Lastly, pay attention to your forehead. Feel it getting cooler. Repeat to yourself, "My forehead is pleasantly cool."

Repeat as many times as you desire. A feeling of peacefulness and relaxation should come over you as you progress through this exercise.