When we’re going somewhere, we’re usually pretty thoughtful about preparing for the trip.

We don’t take swimsuits to go mountain skiing. We don’t pack a parka for a beach vacation. We think about where we’re going. What is the environment like? What might we encounter there? What do we like to take with us when we travel? What makes us feel comfortable? What makes us feel safe?

And then there are all the little things.

Do I need my other shoes? My curling iron? How much makeup should I take? Should I color my hair before I go? Should I trim my beard?

We prepare.

Even if it’s a one-day trip or a staycation, we think about what we want to have with us and what we need to do to get ready.

Even the spontaneous person who wakes up one morning and decides to drive across the country is probably going to put gas in the car before leaving. They may not plan every mile of the journey, but they probably don’t want to discover on a long stretch of highway that the fuel tank was almost empty when they started.

But how often do we think about preparing ourselves for dreaming in the same way?

We Already Know We’re Going

When we plan a trip, there comes a point when the ticket is purchased, the dates are set, and the hotel is booked. We already know we’re going.

Dreaming doesn’t require a ticket or a hotel reservation. But there can still be a decision that says, I already know I’m going.

That’s what makes the preparation work. It’s simply the noticing that you already know you’re going.

What we’re talking about is having conscious attention to dreaming. Adding a little self-direction. Having a willingness to decide that your dream world is important to you. That it’s somewhere you want to go. Somewhere you get to explore.

The idea isn’t really about what you put in the suitcase. It’s that you took the time to pack it to begin with.

Think about a plane filled with 130 people. Maybe a hundred of them checked luggage and another thirty packed everything they needed into a bag that fits in the overhead compartment. Every suitcase is different. And everyone has decided what they need to be ready for the trip.

Preparing for dreams can be personal in the same way.

Only you will know what makes you feel settled enough to dream. What makes you comfortable? What allows your mind to soften, your breath to change? What environment feels good to your body as you fall asleep?

One way to begin noticing might be to look at the dreams you already remember.

When you wake and remember that you were dreaming, what was it like before you fell asleep? What is there to notice about your natural preparation?

• Maybe the room matters.
• Maybe the way you settle matters.
• Maybe the way you arrive at sleep matters.

Not because there is a perfect way to do any of it. It’s your trip.

Don’t Pack Eighteen Outfits

Some of us will pack eighteen outfits for a four-day trip. We get home and thirteen of them have never been touched.

We can make a routine so elaborate that preparing to dream becomes more difficult than dreaming requires of us. So if there were one small bit of guidance I would give, it would be: don’t make it too hard.

The idea is to give a little conscious attention to the fact that you’re going. The intentional choice of “going dreaming” can begin to show you what preparation looks like for you.

Maybe it’s simply beginning to notice what helps you prepare. Maybe it does become a tiny routine. Maybe it’s different every time. Maybe it’s a conscious thought. Like:

• I’m dreaming tonight. 
• I wonder what dreams are waiting for me.
• Dreaming is my destination.

It’s not about deciding where the dream will take you or what you’re supposed to find when you get there. It’s about preparing the space for arrival.

The date is set. Anytime you close your eyes and allow yourself to fall asleep, dreaming is there. And since you know you’re going, take a moment to prepare in the ways that show up for you. And then you’re ready to take off into the flight of dreams. 

Your destination awaits.