

That’s a ten-dollar term used to describe how the mind bridges conscious and subconscious material. If it’s a Jungian therapist, the interpretation will mostly draw upon symbolism and employ aspects of the active imagination. Moreover, the theories are largely shaped by the analyst’s theoretical framework.Įxample: If someone is classically trained in Freudian psychoanalysis, they will likely look for hidden meanings that go back to early childhood. There are more viewpoints about what dreams mean than I can shake a stick at. Psychological perspectives Psychology of Dying Dreams Now that we have a basis to work from, let’s look at deadly dreams through the lens of psychology.

The veracity of their claims, like the one involving Mr.

I’m mentioning this because there have been recorded cases where people have experienced predictive dreams. Lincoln apparently shared this dream with a close friend just days before he was shot on on April 14, 1865. He was killed by an assassin.” (History Channel, 2012). When the sixteenth president asked a mourner “Who died?”, a solider replied “The president. Surrounding it were Lincoln’s family members and several soldiers. What’s interesting is that in more contemporary times, President Abraham Lincoln may very well have predicted his own death.Īs the story goes, Lincoln had a strange dream where he saw a coffin sitting in the center of the White House East Room. Oral traditions dating back to the 476 AD tell us when a person dreamed of their own death (or the loss of a loved one), it was a literal sign of a reality that would soon unfold. Specifically, the sacrophagus was the womb that nurtured and transformed the deceased into something new (Mark, 2017).īut not all death focused dreams were considered positive.ĭuring the Medieval ages, some philosophers thought morbid dream content was a prophecy of bad things to come. The Egyptians believed that when a person dreamed of coffins, the casket itself represented rebirth. The ancients believed when you dreamed about your own death, it was a sign of good fortune.įor example, Hellenistic era Greeks suggested dreams about the loss of a loved one were symbolic of prosperity, bestowed upon the dreamer by the Gods (Shushan, 2006). Historical perspectives of death dreams Historical Meaningsĭreams about death and the interpretation of thier meaning have been going on since recorded history. The role of medication and drugs in dreams.Psycho-spiritual interpretations of dreams.How grief and loss impact dream material.Four common types of dreams about death.Dreams about death through the lens of history.Moreover, the content often serves as an emotional metaphor. What I’ve learned is that nocturnal imagery is usually symbolic of something deeper. Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve studied the meaning of dreams. While I primarily identify myself as a cognitive behavioral therapist, I do believe the subconscious mind reveals material to us that’s insightful. in psychology and am a licensed psychotherapist.Īdditionally, I’m a board certified clinical hypnotherapist.Īpart from my work as a counselor, I also teach college courses in psychology that touch upon dream content and symbolism. Four Types of Death Dreams Four types of death dreams and what they may mean psychologically, symbolically and spiritually Dream Typeīefore we dive too far in, you have a right to know about the person authoring this piece. The biggest question people have after sharing their story is: What does it mean?īecause I know many people are interested in learning more about these topics, I decided to write this piece.

More: Dreams about someone you like interpreted In others, the dreamers were traumatized. In some cases, patients were moved to tears. In my work as a counselor, I’ve worked with dozens of clients who have shared their personal dream experiences. Have you ever had one of those? It’s enough to freak anyone out. These types of dreams can be disturbing, too.įinally, there are haunting dreams where a dead family member suddenly “shows up” out of the blue. Some people have dreams about a celebrity dying, like an actor, musician or famous public figure. If you’ve ever had a dream where you suddenly die, you know how scary it can be. The same holds true when your dream is about a loved one dying, like a parent, child, sibling or grandparent.
