Beginning to record and analyze my dreams

[Dragohad]

hey guys/gals, i just got back from my training over at the monostary that a friend of mine owns and opperates. and we do magick and martial arts there and whatnot. but anyways, i'll get straight to the point of this thread.

i've taken it upon myself to study my dreams, to achieve lucid dreaming evenually, and to learn to astral project. those are the criteria for my stage of progress in this order i belong to. and i can get into that some other time if need be. but i was just wondering. where would i begin to look for inforation on dreams/lucid dreaming/astral projection so that i can have a good foundation to begin my studies and training within this stage.
so far i've only started to record down the dreams i've had. and i dont know what any of them mean if anything, and i just would really like some help in this problem i got myself into.

any help is appreciated.

[Xanth]

Oooh, nice
What martial art do they teach there?

As for the dreams...
Just keep recording them down.
Every so often, go back and read them... once a month or so.
You might notice some interesting coincidences between your dreams and 'current' situations. 

One thing recording your dreams does is allows you better access to that subconscious area.
Your mind realizes you're trying to recall these things on a constant basis and it'll open it up a bit more to you as you go along.

[The_One]

 Problem with dreams is the characters in it don't just come up to you and tell you whats wrong. (And most of the time they make no sense). It's all very symbolic. When I'm dreaming I'm on a train, it means I'm getting some where with some thing. Gangs in my dreams represent society, and nukes represent my anger. (I usually detonate it when some one ticks me off).
You will have to work out what things mean to you in your dreams. Dream journal is a good start.

[Xanth]

Problem with dreams is the characters in it don't just come up to you and tell you whats wrong. (And most of the time they make no sense). It's all very symbolic. When I'm dreaming I'm on a train, it means I'm getting some where with some thing. Gangs in my dreams represent society, and nukes represent my anger. (I usually detonate it when some one ticks me off).
You will have to work out what things mean to you in your dreams. Dream journal is a good start.

That's a great point.
I really would like to re-iterate what The_One said.

Dream Symbolism is VERY personal too.
What one symbol means to you could mean something very different to someone else.  You have to take your life experiences and meld that with your symbolism to find the exact meaning.

Personally speaking... I don't believe much in dream symbolism, but to each their own. 

[Dragohad]

what about this one site that i found that has basic meanings to various things?
http://www.dreammoods.com

i went through that site this morning for the dream i had and all of it makes alot of sense but at the same time i really didnt think about what was going on til after i saw the meanings.

i dont know, maybe the site is just right for me. who knows. i sure as hell dont.

[Xanth]

what about this one site that i found that has basic meanings to various things?
http://www.dreammoods.com

i went through that site this morning for the dream i had and all of it makes alot of sense but at the same time i really didnt think about what was going on til after i saw the meanings.

i dont know, maybe the site is just right for me. who knows. i sure as hell dont.

If the explanations ring true to you, then keep going with them.