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One of the most common questions I get asked is why a person is having dreams about their own death or the death of a loved one. Most people take such dreams quite literally because they can be so frightening and the fear blocks any further insight into the symbolism of such dreams.

If you have death dreams, put your mind at ease, because they very rarely mean impending doom and death in literal terms. As with nearly all dreams, the literal images are symbols of the self and the way the self sees the world. In the majority of cases, death dreams represent the ending of a phase in one’s life so that another phase of life can begin. Death is the ultimate finality, and therefore represents the final stages of a life event. For example, it can signal a person’s subconscious belief that a marriage or a career is coming to an end. It can also represent various other endings such as the realization that one’s core belief system is radically changing or the nature of a friendship is coming to an end or betrayal within the relationship is coming to light.

Another element in death dreams involves witnessing the death or the funeral of a loved one who has not actually died yet. These can be amongst the most frightening dreams for people because they can suggest some sort of impending death. Rarely is this true. Dreams of impending death are much rarer than people might think. So what do such dreams imply? The question must become what of the dead person in the dream reflects aspects of yourself? One website says:

For example, if you dream of your mother dying could it represent the ‘death’ of the motherly side of your own nature. Perhaps you should try to be more caring and maternal or perhaps plans you have should be nurtured rather than killed off. Alternatively, you may also be expressing your hidden feelings about the person shown. Do you have a secret resentment towards them or desire to be independent of them? Dead animals may also represent aspects of yourself. They indicate that you may be rejecting or repressing your instinctive side.

Almost all dreams of other people whether they are about death or life are representations of aspects of ourselves. The most important thing is to ask yourself what the strongest emotion was in the dream you experienced, whether it was anger, love, hate, etc. Then you must be able to examine your inner self and your life to discover the hidden causes of such strong emotions. The root causes of those emotions, those aspects of your life, are likely what are coming to an end. All of these things are for the betterment of your soul and frightening experiences in the dream state can be tools to improve the quality of your life. Above all, if the dream of a loved one dying frightens you, view it as a reminder from the universe that you need to tell your loved ones how much you appreciate and value their positions in your life.

Sometimes, however, death dreams come in the form of communications from loved ones who have already died. After death communication should not be viewed as frightening or unnatural in the slightest. It is believed by some that such dreams are a natural part of the grieving process and have no real paranormal significance. Others believe that such dreams are literal visitations from loved ones in the afterlife. In either event, there is no need to fear these things. They are helpful to heal our souls from loneliness, anguish, fear and pain.