Dreams of the Dead

Dreams of the Dead

Unlocking the secrets of your night visions

In the dark depths of winter, the month of November is a time for remembrance. The Pagan feast of Samhain (Halloween) is marked this week with pumpkins, costumes and candy. But the meaning behind this most important date in the Pagan calendar is often lost in its lively celebrations. Halloween is about honouring your ancestors - all those family members, friends and people you have loved, who have passed into the next life. So light a candle for you departed loved ones, and spend a moment honouring their memory by thinking of them, throughout this month.

Known as the time when the veil between this world and the spirit world is said to be at its thinnest, Halloween is a moment when the world of the living and the dead intersect. But another time when communication with spirit opens up is when you are dreaming. Dreams link your mind to your subconscious as desires or fears are played out in your sleep state. Dreams have long been associated with prophetic visions, messages or warnings from the world of spirit. What does it mean if a deceased loved one appears in your dream? Seeing a departed loved one in a dream is very common but it can be distressing, comforting, confusing or exciting - depending upon the dream circumstances and your frame of mind. You might also see somebody you recognise but don't know well, or somebody you dislike in your dream and wonder what seeing them might mean. Here we attempt to explain such dreams.

Dreams decoded

Below are some explanations for you dreams of deceased loved ones or people you know who appear in your dreams.

1) Unfinished business

If your loved one died suddenly or unexpectedly you may feel as if there is unfinished business between you. For example, things you wanted to tell them or things you wanted to do together. So you departed loved one appears in your dream to reassure you that all is as it should be. The unfinished business is no longer important because your loved one now knows everything you want them to know. This type of dream is helping you to release the grief you feel at your loss and reassure you that you loved one is still beside you, in spirit.

2) A message

Religious texts are full of messages being delivered in dreams. The person in spirit has knowledge or a different perspective which he/she want to convey to their living relative - so they appear in a dream with a message. Such messages are about the people in spirit wanting to help the living and guide them towards the best course of action. If you are at a crossroads in your life, you can ask the advice of a trusted relative who has passed and if you are fortunate you might dream the response to your question. The meaning of the message may not be apparent at first because dreams are loaded with symbolism from your own subconscious. So have a pen and paper ready beside your bed so you can scribble down the dream as soon as you wake, then take time to think about its meaning.

3) Your subconscious

Your unconscious mind is a wonderful gift, it is the key to innovative ideas and creativity. But it can also hold negative emotions. If you have a bad dream about a departed loved one, it's most likely that this is a product of emotions of guilt held in your subconscious. Understanding this simple fact is very healing. A negative dream is not from your loved one, or from the reality of the situation, but it comes only from your fears. It's normal to feel regret and even guilt when a loved one passes. But you must learn to gently release those feelings - they do not reflect the reality of the situation.

4) An unwelcome visitor

It's not uncommon to see somebody you dislike in your dreams. This person, living, dead or imaginary, is used by your subconscious to symbolise your fears or to warn you against a certain situation. So you're not really seeing that person, your mind is just using them as an archetype. So if you dream about an ex boyfriend or girlfriend who did not treat you well, think about the circumstances in which they appear in the dream. Because the dream is warning you to avoid getting into those circumstances again.

5) Remember me

Memories of your loved ones are precious so to experience being with a loved one in a dream is a privilege. You may dream about being with your loved one, enjoying their company, kissing or hugging or talking or just see them smiling at you. This is your loved one checking in with you to say remember me because I am always with you.