A 10-step guide to starting your own spiritual practice. (No church required.)

#4. Have a dream practice.

Dreams give you strong hints about what’s going on and how you can adjust. Without them you have no guidance but your own consciousness, which is too limited.

For two decades now, I have kept a keep a dream journal next to my head where I jot down the thoughts that come to me in my dreams. Some seem like pure nonsense, but others give me a glimpse into a deeper part of myself, illuminating my hopes and concerns. Can’t remember your dreams? The key is simple: Before your head hits the pillow, hold a pen and pad in your hands and declare “I will remember and write down my dreams the moment I wake up.” Put the pen and pad down in an easy to reach place. Somehow, someway it usually works.