Sooner or later, everyone experiences the loss of someone close – it’s an unfortunate part of life. Yet, the passing of certain loved ones can impact us far more deeply than we ever imagined.
For instance, have you ever dreamt of someone who has passed away? The meaning behind their appearance in your dreams might surprise you.
Grieving a loved one is never easy, and everyone processes it differently. Some shed many tears, while others withdraw into themselves. Some try to avoid the topic entirely or act outwardly unaffected. But one common experience many share is dreaming about the loved ones who have passed. Since our subconscious governs dreams, seeing a deceased person in a dream can carry significance.
So, can dreams convey messages from those who have died?
Patrick McNamara, Associate Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Boston University, has a term for these dreams: visitation dreams. These occur when the deceased appear alive in the dreams of the bereaved. McNamara explains: “Dreams of the bereaved where the dead appear to the bereaved in dreams and look to be very much alive.”
The 67-year-old neuroscientist, who blogs at Psychology Today under the name Dream Catcher, says visitation dreams usually have a logical explanation—they help people cope with grief, loss, and sorrow.
In one blog post, McNamara shared a visitation dream he had after his parents passed away. The experience led him to consider these dreams as signs of life after death. “Now if I, a scientist studying dreams with a skeptical mind, could not shake the conviction that I had just communicated with my dead parents, how much stronger must be the conviction of someone less skeptical?” he writes.
McNamara isn’t alone in studying these dreams. Research has explored their meaning and impact on the grieving process.
In 2014, the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care published a study on grief dreams, finding that “dreams of the deceased occur frequently, can be highly meaningful, and can aid healing from loss.” Common themes included past memories, seeing the deceased healthy and free of illness, and messages communicated from the afterlife.
A 2016 Canadian study surveyed 76 bereaved middle-aged participants. It found that 67.1% felt their dreams of the deceased strengthened their belief in an afterlife. About 70% described their dreams as “visitations,” and 71% said these dreams helped them feel more connected to the deceased.
Psychologist Jennifer E. Shorter from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto has also researched visitation dreams in grieving individuals. Her study, “Visitation Dreams in Grieving Individuals: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Relationship Between Dreams and the Grieving,” concluded that such dreams can occur shortly after or long after a person’s death. She identified four key characteristics of visitation dreams:
- The deceased appear as they did in life, often healthier or younger.
- The deceased may communicate that they are well.
- Messages are experienced more telepathically than through physical interaction.
- The dream often feels calm, organized, and harmonious.
Have you ever dreamed of a loved one who passed away? What did it mean to you? Share your experience in the comments, and spread this article on Facebook if you believe dreams can hold meaning!
