Dreaming of dead people can be an upsetting experience to say the least, but there’s a reason your subconscious chose this theme, and it’s not something you want to ignore.
A dream involving the dead is fairly common, but it’s not always talked about, as people can react in wildly different ways!
Read on to discover the meaning behind your dream of the dead.
What Does A Dream About The Dead Mean?
It’s important to note that while dreams about the deceased may be a message from those who have passed on, which is often what people usually assume when they’ve had a dream like this, this is rarely the case.
Of course, it’s not impossible (and whether you regard it as possible or not depends on your beliefs), but there are more likely explanations than this.
The dead that appear in our dreams often embody any hang-ups you have or guilt that you carry around with you, the kind that you feel cannot be forgiven or actions undone.
The deceased can also represent frustration with yourself, and self-disappointment. Maybe you’ve not got as far as you’d hoped, or life just isn’t going the way you pictured it.
They may also come as a warning, and this is especially true if you feel a great deal of dread when you see them in your dream.
It could be that you’ve picked up on a potential disaster subconsciously, and it’s manifesting this way in your dream.
But dreaming about the dead isn’t always a bad sign, like it might seem.
Sometimes dreaming of the deceased can indicate an end to a long trial in waking life, or finally reaching a goal you’ve been working towards for so long.
If you dream of a dead person (see also Seeing A Dead Person Alive In Your Dream) who you had a lot of time for when they were alive, this denotes that you’ll enjoy a period of time when everything will go your way.
Dreams Of Loved Ones Who Have Passed
Dreaming of dead loved ones (see also Dream Symbols Beginning With D) can rock you to your core emotionally, and while they can cause upset, they are usually good dreams.
If you dream that a dead loved one has come to visit you, this can mean that you will soon embody some of their best traits in waking life to enrich your life, but this isn’t the only reason.
The meaning of your dream of the deceased also depends on your relationship with them.
Dreaming Of Deceased Mother
Mothers in dreams largely represent gentle guidance, emotional comfort, and power.
If you’re dreaming of your mother who has passed on, this may be because a sort of stability in your waking life has become threatened.
She can also appear when waking life has gotten very difficult.
Her presence serves as a reminder that perhaps you need to embody some of her traits in order to push past difficulties.
Dreaming Of A Deceased Father
Fathers in dreams symbolize protection and authority.
If you’re dreaming of your deceased father, you may be looking for reassurance or comfort due to waking life’s problems.
If your relationship with your father was less than ideal, you may be subconsciously exploring how your experiences have shaped you into the person you are today.
Maybe you wonder if he would approve of who you are, or not.
Dreaming Of Deceased Relatives
Dreaming of relatives who have died suggests that there are huge changes in store for you in the near future, if they haven’t already come to pass.
Alternatively, this dream can be symbolic of keeping their memory alive in different ways, such as doing the things they used to enjoy, or living your life in a way that you think they would approve of.
Sometimes, dreaming of deceased family can bring a message that you need to hear, or knowledge that you need to accept.
Pay attention to these dreams, especially if you talk with the dead within them.
Visitation Dreams
A dream of a deceased loved one is also known as a visitation dream, which is more or less what it sounds like, rather than symbolizing something else entirely.
These dreams are very common when you miss the deceased. You may or may not have come to terms with their death, and this is your subconscious giving you what you want: to see them again.
Dreaming of a dead loved one visiting you can be a dream of guidance.
Somewhere along the way you may have forgotten something important, or a reason for doing something, and this dream serves to remind you.
It can also symbolize the need for guidance. Try to think of how your loved one would advise you if they were still here, and this may help set you on the right path.
If you feel nervous during a visitation dream, this may be a call to change a recent decision or behavior. You know that you can do better.
What Does It Mean To Dream Of The Deceased Being Alive Again?
Dreaming of a dead person being alive represents the hole they have left behind, and how much you miss them.
It can also occur when you’re in the middle of a tricky situation, which calls for you to adopt the traits or qualities of your dead loved ones.
Hugging Dead Loved Ones In Your Dream
Dreaming of hugging someone who has passed on can be an unsettling thought.
You might think that you’re subconsciously ready for death, or that you might die soon.
Fortunately, this isn’t the meaning behind this particular dream, but largely, there are two ways this dream can be interpreted.
Hugging dead loved ones in dreams can be a sign of great relief in the near future.
Any current sources of stress will soon fall away, and you’ll be able to enjoy a slower pace of life for a while, where you will be present in every moment.
If the deceased returns your hug, this indicates that any problems you currently have are up to you to solve, but you have the power to do so.
Alternatively, dreaming of hugging a deceased loved one isn’t a great sign. It can suggest that someone intends to betray you, if they haven’t already.
Maybe you have had a huge argument with someone who is like the mirror of you, and this has rocked your sense of stability.
This dream also draws your attention to your choices, as they can have a ripple effect, and you don’t want them to have any detrimental effects on your life or on anyone else.
This dream may also be a representation of regret, for the things you cannot let go of. It’s time to learn how.
Other Common Dreams About The Dead And What They Mean
Dreaming Of Dead Strangers
This can be a difficult one. Dreaming of dead people that you don’t know can just be a way of your brain using the faces of strangers you’ve encountered throughout your life.
Or, they can represent your fears and anxieties, especially those which are from the past, and you still carry them with you.
If you dream of attending the funeral of a stranger (see also Dreaming Of Your Own Funeral Meaning), this indicates that you need to let go of something.
This may be a relationship, a person, or an outlook, something that you didn’t expect you needed to remove from your life.
What Does It Mean To Dream About Someone Alive Being Dead?
There is a saying that if you tell someone about your dream, it won’t come true.
Perhaps it may be time to tell someone about it, to relieve any anxiety this dream may have caused.
It will be a relief to know that this is a positive dream. Someone that was dead in your dream does not mean they are about to die in the near future.
Instead, this dream can be drawing your attention to the great effect that they have on your life, and your anxiety about something bad happening to them.
This dream is a testament to the bond between you.
Alternatively, dreaming of this person implies that if you or they have been going through a tough time lately, this will soon subside.
Seeing A Dead Person In A Coffin In Your Dream
A coffin appearing in your dreams is directly linked to how you feel about death.
Seeing a corpse in a coffin within your dream does not necessarily mean that you will soon need to go to a funeral in waking life, but this is one interpretation.
Another is that you’re about to go through a turbulent period in your life, and you may struggle to handle this on your own.
If the corpse in your dream (see also Zombie Dream Meaning) is someone alive and well in waking life, it may be time to strengthen the connection between you, and ask them for help when you need it.
If you dream of being in a coffin, this can indicate that you’re suffering from depression, or you’re on the road to it.
Ensure to take some time for yourself to improve your wellbeing, do something you enjoy, and spend time with the people you love.
Dreaming Of The Dead Hugging
Dreaming of the dead hugging each other can make you wake up feeling confused. This can be a sign that they have let go of all ties on earth, and have moved on.
It’s also a dream that calls on you to accept anything that’s out of your control. You cannot solve everything yourself.
The Dead Asking For Food In Your Dream
If you dream of the dead asking for food, this can be a confusing dream.
It can indicate your desire to help others, or a sign that you’re being overwhelmed by your responsibilities in waking life.
You may feel that something that someone has asked of you is entirely impossible, but they want it anyway. Try your best, as it is all that you can do.
Seeing A Dead Person Smile In Your Dream
There are positive and negative meanings to dreaming of a dead person smiling.
For example, if you dream of someone that has recently died, and they are smiling in your dream, you should remember that you are still grieving for them.
Be gentle with yourself, and allow yourself to come to terms with the situation.
Dreaming of a deceased loved one smiling at you when it has been a while since they died can symbolize that you’re living in a way that they would be proud of.
If you dream of a deceased person whose smile is false or difficult to hold, this points to feelings of guilt you have not resolved.
Maybe you fell out with them before they died, and you never got a chance to make up.
If you dream of a dead person smiling, but in waking life they are alive and well, this is an embodiment of your fear of losing them, and how you might react.
If you dream of a stranger smiling at you, and you know in the dream that they are dead, this can either point to a positive shift in your life, or things taking a turn for the worse.
The way you can tell the difference is in how you reacted to them within the dream. If your emotions were positive, then this will mirror future events, and vice versa.
Final Thoughts
Dreaming of dead people can be an unsettling experience, but it rarely means that there will be physical death somewhere in your future.
The dead appearing in dreams is connected to change, and the ending of a situation, relationship, or cycle.
It’s also linked to learning to let go of what you cannot change, and anything which might still plague you from the past.
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