I had a dream a few months ago that my father had died, I awoke in a tizzy, sweaty, terrified, and on the verge of sobbing, I thought it had to be a nightmare, but I still called my father at 5.30 a.m. his time to check on him. He sounded grumpy when he answered the phone, but hearing his voice that morning was more comforting than any Beatles song.
When someone dies in your dream, whether it’s a loved one or a stranger, it’s almost always upsetting, according to Eleanor Marshall, a dream analyst for the popular psychic website Kasamba. You could be asking if that was a foreshadowing. Marshall believes it is unlikely.
Dreams are symbolic – you can’t take them literally or you’ll stress out,
…she explains. “Death in dreams indicates that something is changing or ending in your life.” The subconscious mind interprets this as the end of life “as you presently know it.”
The details of your dream can provide greater insight into what’s truly going on in your mind. The person you see dying is particularly significant.
In her article Dream Interpretation According to Psychology, Cynthia Vinney, a dream specialist and psychologist, explains, “You are usually utilizing them to reflect a characteristic, or personal attribute of your own.”
“In your dream, the death of a loved one implies that this particular characteristic that you possess is being modified in some way.” The shift is frequently the outcome of a significant adjustment in your waking life in which you must let go of old habits and embrace new ways of doing things.”
My mother, for example, is really kind and nurturing. I am, too, but I am concerned that it makes others take me less seriously, so I try to keep that side of myself to a minimum in work settings. Perhaps my subconscious caught up on that conflict.
The same can be said about celebrity death dreams. “I had a client who had repeated dreams about being best friends with Madonna… but she died,” Marshall recalls. “I collaborated with her and we determined that Madonna signified motherhood, not just because her name means mother, but also because Madonna has a large number of children.”
My client was considering having her tubes shut, which resulted in the ‘death’ of her potential to become a mother again. Her dreams were telling her that it was alright to let go of that part of herself.”
The manner of death is also important.
A natural death represents a transformation or termination that occurs organically.
A murder will symbolize a forced change or ending, such as when you cut someone out of your life… If you are trying to quit smoking or drinking, you may have dreams about being murdered since a part of you is being killed off.”
Vinney adds that if the dream takes place in a hospital, it could indicate that you have a “unhealthy dependency on your loved one” and that you need to be more responsible and self-reliant in your waking life. A graveyard setting, on the other hand, suggests that you’re subconsciously burying the past.
The final factor to consider? What you feel like when you wake up. “The joyous revelation that your loved one is still alive underscores that your connection with them is being recreated and rejuvenated,” Vinney explains.
That was certainly true for me. I could have talked to my mum for hours after my nightmare, but she gently asked a somewhat later call time.
Some examples of death-related dreams
If you have had a dream about a loved one dying:
If you’ve ever had a dream about a loved one dying, you know how painful it can be. You wake up wondering if it was a dream, a forewarning of an impending accident, or whatever. When this panic kicks in, it becomes incredibly difficult to remain objective.
So, if I have a dream about someone I know dying, the first thing I would do is ask myself if I am terrified of losing that person. If the answer is yes, this dream may have served as a reminder of how important this relationship is to me.
Begin there and see whether your body relaxes and you stop stressing over that dream.
Your Scariest, Naughtiest and Freakiest Dreams Explained
Put your dreams in the best hands possible: get your interpretation from a certified dream analyst at Kasamba, member of the International Association of Dream Studies.
A global organization whose purpose, among other things, is to conduct and encourage research into the nature, function, and significance of dreaming.
If you have a dream concerning your own death:
Depending on the nature of the dream, it can be both frightening and relaxing. I’ve heard of folks who have dreamed of dying and being greeted by spirits, angels, ancestors, or guides, and then experiencing calm. I’ve also heard from people who dream of horrible deaths under terrifying circumstances.
So it’s complicated, and ultimately, you’re the only one who can decipher the meaning of this dream. However, here is an example of how I would approach such a dream:
Assume I had a dream in which I perished after falling into the sea.
If I felt at peace and tranquil in my dream, as if my spirit was at rest, I might conclude that this dream was about a previous life.
If I had the same dream but was struggling for air, feeling alone and despondent, this would certainly be a dreadful death. In this scenario, I would try to recall more information about the dream. What happened that caused me to tumble overboard? Was I pressed? Were big waves sweeping me away?
I’d look for more hints about what the message might be and how this dream might represent a different form of “drowning” in my real life.
If you have a bizarre dream about death:
When we are experiencing multiple emotions at the same time—fear, sadness, loss, frustration, want, longing, and so on—our dreams frequently become massive mashup scenarios.
They don’t make a lot of logical sense. The next thing you know, you’re in the 1980s and wearing the jeans you ordered online last week. Then your ex from five years ago appears, and you see your death fall.
When timeframes collide, people from the past and present collide, and you can’t place the dream in any logical sequence, your subconscious is digesting your waking life.
That one belongs on the analyst’s couch or in the dream books. Its message is always personal and only becomes obvious after much inward reflection. If you die in this type of dream, it’s most likely because you’re afraid of change or loss.
The same requirements apply if you dream of someone you care about dying in a similarly random manner. This is not a predictive dream if the tale is complicated and the steps are mixed up in time and space—especially if you wake up immediately emotional and bewildered. You can simply be afraid of losing this individual, either physically or emotionally.
(I believe that certain extremely intuitive people can have predictive dreams, but they are usually matter-of-fact, detailed, and organized.) You wake up with a clear, crisp, flowing story that doesn’t make you feel upset.)
If you had a dream about someone who has died in real life:
If the dream is unclear, has jumbled timeframes, and leads you to wake up upset or bewildered, you are most likely processing their loss.
If that person is joyful and at peace in your dream, perhaps chatting to you or showing you something, and you wake up feeling peaceful, it could be a visitation from them.
And those are the most wonderful dreams of all.
Finally, the bottom line.
Dreams are a frequent way for us to process the events of our waking lives. So, most dreams about death are not about literal death, but rather the obstacles and unknowns we face. Pay attention to the specifics of your death dreams and how they make you feel in order to gain additional insights into their contents.
Your Scariest, Naughtiest and Freakiest Dreams Explained
Put your dreams in the best hands possible: get your interpretation from a certified dream analyst at Kasamba, member of the International Association of Dream Studies.
A global organization whose purpose, among other things, is to conduct and encourage research into the nature, function, and significance of dreaming.
