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Thanks for the response.
I think that has given me quite a few things which would help.
I haven`t done any recapitulation to start with - so I will get on with that as soon as possible.

I have been using several buddhist meditations to help focus and to stop internal dialogue for the past couple of years. This has been quite successful and I have seen improvements in my dreaming practices when my meditation practice seems to be going well.

I have tried doing zen "just sitting" (pure awareness) meditations while dreaming and they seem to have a similar feel to the better states I get too when trying to follow castanedas dreaming techniques. How are the 2 related?

Blacksand mentioned using mantras in dreams. I have found this very pleasurable and it tends to help the visual dialogue from becoming too intense but after a while I did loose focus and forget what I was doing.

I think I get the idea of what I need to be doing - I need to work on my daytime practice before my dreaming`s going to improve.

esonar- I have read "The Art of Dreaming" but not the other books you mentioned I have got a copy of "Journey to Ixtlan" so maybe that will give me some more guidance.

Thanks again for all the advice I really appreciate this forum.