Death Dream Interpretation

Death in Dreams: A Symbol of Change, Transition, and Reflection on One’s Life

In a dream, death signifies religious failure, corruption, and rising in status in the world. This interpretation applies if one is carried on a bier or litter, and his funeral is accompanied by crying and lamentation, except if he is buried in the dream. If one witnesses their own burial in a dream, it means hopelessness, and that the person will be seized by the world. The number of people attending the funeral symbolizes the person's followers in life.

Death Without Burial

If one dies in the dream but does not have the appearance of a dead person, and there is no crying or a funeral, it means the destruction of property, collapse of a room, or breakdown of a structure. This dream also suggests weakness in religious faith or blindness of the heart. Despite this, it often indicates a long life.

Death with Burial

If one dies and appears as a dead person, with their body washed and wrapped in a shroud, it symbolizes religious weakness. However, the crying and sorrow seen in this case represent the person rising in rank and status in the world. Death also indicates travel or poverty.

Rising from the Grave

If one is buried and rises from the grave in a dream, it means repentance for one’s sins before death. Death can also represent marriage, as both the deceased and the bridegroom undergo rituals of cleansing and preparation.

Symbolism of Death and Status

If a person dies and is carried on the shoulders of others without burial, it means conquering enemies and attaining leadership if eligible. Coming back to life after death means becoming rich or finding redemption from sins.

Death of an Unknown Woman

The death of an unknown woman represents drought or lack of rain, while her return to life symbolizes rain. Generally, the death of a woman in a dream indicates the loss of a child in waking life, and vice versa.

Conversations with the Deceased

When a deceased person tells someone that they did not die, it signifies blessings in the afterlife. Carrying a deceased person means bearing the burdens or provisions of an ungodly individual. However, if the carrying differs from that of a funeral procession, it indicates acquiring unlawful wealth.

Deceased Person's Health

Seeing a deceased person sick in a dream implies they are being questioned about their religious duties in life. If they are well-dressed and happy, it means they are content in the afterlife.

Conditions of the Deceased

In a dream, if the deceased person looks unkempt or unhappy, it reflects their state in the hereafter. A dark or opaque face indicates they died an unbeliever. If one sees a deceased person happy and well-dressed, it may simply be a hallucination or disturbed dream.

Family and Death in Dreams

The death of family members, such as a brother, indicates triumph over enemies. Walking with dead people suggests either associating with hypocrites or undertaking long journeys. Dreaming of a deceased parent brings relief and removes fears.

Repentance and Sin

If a living person gives food to a deceased person in a dream, it indicates loss of money. If the deceased gives something valuable, it indicates receiving blessings, knowledge, or wealth.

Marriage and Death

If a married person dies and is buried, it may indicate divorce or separation. The death of one's spouse can signify the end of prosperity or livelihood. The marriage of a sick person in a dream often symbolizes impending death.

Signs of Forgiveness

If the deceased person in the dream asks for their clothes to be washed, it suggests that they need prayers or forgiveness. Washing the clothes in the dream indicates that the deceased will be relieved of their burdens in the afterlife.

Returning to Life

If a deceased person comes back to life in a dream, it indicates that the dreamer will recover something they thought lost, or that their adversities will fade away.

Death as a Symbol of Transition

Death in dreams can represent separation from loved ones or the suffering of intense emotional struggles. It may also symbolize transitioning from one stage of life to another, whether in love, career, or personal growth.

See Also: Agony of death, Funeral prayers, Giving up the ghost, Izra’il, Relaxation, Robbery.

Universal Landscape: Change at a transformational level.

Dreaming Lens: Who died in your dream? Was it you? Was it someone known to you or a stranger? If known, were they alive or dead in life? What was your reaction to their death? Was it sudden? Was there violence? Was there illness? Were you responsible for the death?

Personal Focus: Death is about change. All change involves the cycle of something dying to be reborn again. This applies to all of life, from the changing of the seasons to the coming and going of relationships and the process of birth and death itself. Death in a dream signifies that an enormous shift is occurring in your life. An accurate interpretation depends on exploring who died in your dream and how and why it occurred.

Begin with the person who died in your dream. If you know this person from life, decide what Character Aspect of yourself he or she represents. How they operate in life is what is changing within your own psyche. The change is so great that it is being expressed by the ultimate of changes—death. If the person is a stranger, then use whatever information you can remember about them from the dream to explore what elements of your personality are undergoing a transformation. The quality that is being shifted could be about behaviors, habits, or character traits. It will always be illuminated by the person who dies and what he or she represents to you. Very often, we are not aware of what needs to die in order for something new to emerge. If your dream offers you very little information to work with, it is very likely that dreams with the same theme will appear in the near future.

The manner of the death can provide additional information to add to your interpretation. The more violent and sudden the death, the more combustive and intense the process that you are going through is likely to be. A death that has already occurred could signal that you are in a later phase of change, rather than at the beginning.

Certain people dying in dreams can also carry specific themes. Death of a parent, for example, could be about needing to let go of ways you parent yourself that no longer serve you. Death of a friend could mean the letting go of their energetic quality as it lives in you or even a behavior that doesn’t serve you that is carried by that person. If it is you who dies, the transformation may be so complete that it involves your entire life or lifestyle (i.e., a move, changing jobs, a breakup, a new relationship, an end to destructive behaviors). Before wonderful new life experiences can be fully embraced, a death of the past is required.

There is an amusing myth that you can never die in a dream, because if you did, you would simultaneously die in the real world as well. Obviously this can never truly be substantiated due to the fact that anyone who could actually prove the point would be dead. I have heard many dreams of death, dying, and rebirth over the years. Death is an ending, which must always be followed by a new beginning. This is symbolic and never literal. As a dreamer, trust that you are safe from dying a dream-related death. But, of course, we’ll never know for sure.

Example: My son comes in and I see he is unwashed and seems preoccupied and as if he has not cared for himself for some days. I ask him what is wrong. He tells me his mother is dead. I then seem to know she has been dead for days, and my two sons have not told anyone. In fact my other son has not even accepted the fact’ (Anthony). Anthony is a divorcee. Processing the dream he realised the two sons are ways he is relating to the death of his marriage to the chil­dren’s mother.

A dead body, death of someone we know: very often, as in the example, the death of some aspect of our outer or inner life. Our drive to achieve something might die, and be shown as a death in our dreams. Lost opportunities or unexpressed potentials in ourselves are frequently shown as dead bodies. All of us unconsciously leam attitudes or survival skills from parents and others. Often these are unrecognised and may be shown as dead.

Example: ‘During my teens I was engaged to be married, when I found a more attractive panner and was in consider­able conflict. Consistently I dreamt I was at my fiance’s fu­neral until it dawned on me the dream was telling me I wanted to be free of him. When I gave him up the dreams ceased1 (Mrs D).

If the death is of someone we know: fre­quently, as in the example, desire to be free of the person, or unexpressed aggression; perhaps one’s love for that person has ‘died’. We often ‘kill’ our partners in dreams as we move towards independence. Or we may want someone ‘out of the way so we do not have to compete for attention and love.

Death of oneself: exploration of feelings about death; re­treat from the challenge of life; split between mind and body.

The experience of leaving the body is frequently an expression of this schism between the ego and life processes. Also death of old patterns of living—one’s ‘old self.

The walking dead, rigor mortis: aspects of the dreamer which are denied, per­haps through fear. Dancing with, meeting death or dark fig­ure: facing up to death.

Example: ‘I dream I have a weak heart which will be fatal.

It is the practice of doctors in such cases to administer a tablet causing one painlessly to go to sleep—die. I am completely calm and accepting of my fate. I suddenly realise I must leave notes for my parents and children. I must let them know how much I love them, must do this quickly before my time runs out’ (Mrs M). This is a frequent type of ‘death* dream.

It is a way of reminding ourselves to do now what we want to, espe­cially regarding love. Although the unconscious has a very real sense of its eternal nature and continuance after physical death, the ego seldom shares this. We have an unconscious realisation that collective humanity carries the living experi­ence from the life of the dead.

The farmer roday uncon­sciously uses the collective experience of humanity in farming. What innovation he does today his children or others will learn and carry into the future. Idioms: dead and buried, dead from the neck up/down; dead to the world, play dead.

See Also: death, rebirth under archetypes.

To dream of seeing any of your people dead, warns you of coming dissolution or sorrow. Disappointments always follow dreams of this nature.

To hear of any friend or relative being dead, you will soon have bad news from some of them. Dreams relating to death or dying, unless they are due to spiritual causes, are misleading and very confusing to the novice in dream lore when he attempts to interpret them.

A man who thinks intensely fills his aura with thought or subjective images active with the passions that gave them birth; by thinking and acting on other lines, he may supplant these images with others possessed of a different form and nature. In his dreams he may see these images dying, dead or their burial, and mistake them for friends or enemies. In this way he may, while asleep, see himself or a relative die, when in reality he has been warned that some good thought or deed is to be supplanted by an evil one.

To illustrate: If it is a dear friend or relative whom he sees in the agony of death, he is warned against immoral or other improper thought and action, but if it is an enemy or some repulsive object dismantled in death, he may overcome his evil ways and thus give himself or friends cause for joy. Often the end or beginning of suspense or trials are foretold by dreams of this nature. They also frequently occur when the dreamer is controlled by imaginary states of evil or good.

A man in that state is not himself, but is what the dominating influences make him. He may be warned of approaching conditions or his extrication from the same. In our dreams we are closer to our real self than in waking life.

The hideous or pleasing incidents seen and heard about us in our dreams are all of our own making, they reflect the true state of our soul and body, and we cannot flee from them unless we drive them out of our being by the use of good thoughts and deeds, by the power of the spirit within us.

See Also: Corpse.

Death is the final change we all must face and also the most mysterious and frightening, so it is small wonder that anxieties concerning it are pushed to the back of your conscious mind during waking hours. You cannot banish them completely though and when your unconscious forces you to experience dreams of death and dying, it does so for a purpose. For example, if you know someone who is ill or mature in years, your unconscious may be preparing you for the actual event.

If you dream of a deceased loved one, this may be to comfort or enlighten you. Dreams of your own death, or the death or execution of loved ones are extremely frightening but also extremely common. Such dreams rarely signify death. Sad or traumatic losses in dreams typically signify change, a fresh start and new beginnings. A dream in which you attended your own funeral or the funeral of someone else, or walked through a cemetery or crematorium does not mean that you or someone you know will die soon; your dreaming mind is simply preparing you for change.

So if you have dreams about death, try to think about which change or changes in waking life might have triggered them. Death signifies the end of one phase but also rebirth and the beginning of another; these types of dream typically occur at major turning points in your life, such as leaving home or getting married. Another interpretation suggests that these dreams are exploring your feelings about death and dying, or else they mirror waking feelings of oppression and depression. Try not to be frightened when you have dreams of death, for, as Jung put it, ‘when it is a dream of death, the dream speaks another language’.

Such dreams do not have to be premonitory or have any relation to physical death, but rather should be interpreted as a sign of the end of an era.

It is the beginning of something new, because every death implies a change, a transformation, or rebirth. Thus, dreams in which you die indicate radical changes in your life or in your personality. To see other people or animals die may reflect those parts of yourself that are transformed. For example, if it is your mother who dies, you may be rejecting your maternal instinct. And dreaming of death is primarily a signal change, perhaps a deep-seated psychological change your unconscious has noticed before you did. To dream that a loved one dies means you will lend valuable support at a crucial and difficult moment in that person’s life, while also reflecting your fear of losing them. (See Also: ACCIDENT, DROWNING, MURDER, SCYTHE, MOON)

To encounter someone who has died in real life in your dream is part of the painful process of healing. Sometimes, this loss is also represented oneirically through a divorce, an attack, or a rejection by the person you so loved. All this comes from the overcoming and acceptance of the death. Other cases cannot be explained by metaphors or allegories, but rather depend on the beliefs of each individual. These are those in which the dreamer claims have communicated with deceased persons.

This is the ultimate symbol of change at a transformational level. All change involves the cycle of something dying to be reborn again. This applies to all of life, from the changing of the seasons to the coming and going of relationships and the process of birth and death itself. Death in a dream signifies that an enormous shift is occurring in your life.

If you know the person from life, decide what character aspect of yourself he or she is representing. How that person operates in life is what is changing within your own psyche.

The change is so great that it is being expressed by the ultimate of changes—death.

If the person is a stranger, then use whatever information you can remember about him or her from the dream to explore what elements of your personality are undergoing a transformation.

The quality that is being shifted could be about behaviors, habits, or character traits.

The more violent and sudden the death, the more combustive and intense the process you are going through is likely to be.

A death that has already occurred could signal that you are in a later phase of change rather than at the beginning.

If it is you who dies, the transformation may be so complete that it involves your entire life or lifestyle—e.g., moving, changing jobs, a breakup, a new relationship, ending destructive behaviors, etc.

Symbol: A skull is a symbol of repentance and mortality.

Vision: If a woman dreams about her deceased husband: she has come to terms with his death. Dream-psychology has proven that we only dream about a loved one who has passed away when we have accepted the loss. In other words, when a deceased loved one appears in a dream, the grief process is complete. Seeing a dead stranger: you are thinking about a separation or you have dealt successfully with a difficult situation. Seeing an open grave: you have suffered a loss, but still hope that you can recover from it. Dreaming that it is getting progressively darker, and you are going (or want) to die, usually means that a particular phase in your life (children leaving home, menopause, etc.) is coming to an end. Seeing the “grim reaper” in your dream means a great burden is lifted from vour shoulder.

See Also: Sickle.

Depth Psychology: Maybe something in you has died (your love for someone, an emotion, an old attitude) even if you are not even aware of it yourself.

See Also: Cadaver, Cemetery, Dying, Grave.

1- Traditionally to dream of death indicated the possibility of a birth or a change in circumstances in one’s own life or that of people around. Because in the past death held great fear, it also represented calamity, in the sense that nothing would ever be the same again. It was something that had to be experienced and endured rather than understood. In these present times, as peoples’ attitudes change, death in a dream indicates a challenge we must confront. We need to adjust our approach to life and to accept that there can be a new beginning if we have courage.

2- On an intellectual level we are becoming conscious of potentials we may have missed or not expressed fully and because of this we are no longer able to make use of them. We need to be sensitive to our ability to resurrect these talents.

A change of awareness is taking place, and we may be going through some ‘rite of passage’ such as puberty to adulthood, maturity to old age and so on.

3- The unseen aspect of life; omniscience, spiritual rebirth; resurrection and reintegration.

Dreams of death are very common in that it is the job of our subconscious mind to keep us alive, so your dreams are assisting you to process your fears of death and dying.

If you dream of your own death, then you are contemplating the value and impact of your life.

Dreaming of someone else dying is about transformation and change in your relationship with then, not necessarily a forecast of a literal death (though sometimes it does). You might also be venting out your fears of losing someone that you love. Often the dream of death represents the ending of chapter in a person’s life, and that a new cycle is about to begin. Keep in mind that the Native Americans believe that the most powerful way to live is as if death were always just over your shoulder. This dream is suggesting that you consider what aspect of your life is ending, how can you harmoniously participate in completing this cycle, and what new beginning is wanting to come into your life.

See Also: Fire, Transformation.

Death in the dream symbolises corruption of a person’s Deen while there will be glory, rank and honour for him in the world if such death is not accompanied by mourning, weeping, the carrying of a bier or corpse or the act of burying.

If the corpse is seen as buried, it means there is no more hope for the improvement of his Deeni matters: the devil will take charge of his life and he will be overwhelmed by the quest of material wealth. Also the same number of people will be influence by the dreamer who number he had seen following his bier. He will dominated and subjugates them.

On the contrary, if death is not accompanied by anything that suggest burial, mourning, weeping, giving of ghusl, takfeen, the carrying of the bier or corpse, it may mean that a portion of his house will be destroyed, or its wall or its timber will fall down. Some interpreters have said that perhaps he will weaken in the matter of his Deen and he will lose his insight and prudence.

Dreams about death are not necessarily bad omens, but they usually represent anxious or angry feelings.

To dream of your own death is actually positive - it means renewal and letting go of an old stage of life. This is also a common dream when you are getting over an illness - and it’s a good sign that you are getting better. However, if you dream that you are dying slowly, you need to drastically change your routine and reenergize your life.

To dream about the death of a loved one, suggests that you are lacking a certain quality that the loved one represents. Ask yourself what makes this person special or what do you like about him.

It is that very quality that you are lacking in your own relationship or circumstances.

To dream of a death frequently signifies news of a birth.

To be aware of a dead person you cannot identify foretells an inheritance which may not be personal, but could be indirectly beneficial to you.

Dreaming about death is very common and it can be interpreted in many different ways. Death is usually a symbol of some type of closure or end. It implies an end to one thing and a beginning of another. Death dreams usually have positive symbolism.

If you are the dead person in your dream, it could imply that you would like to leave all of your worries and struggles behind and begin anew. Dreaming about someone that you care about may express your fear about losing them. Dreaming that one of your parents died may express fear of loss, but it also may be an unconscious valve through which you release anger and other negative feelings. In some cultures dreaming about death and dying is a very good omen that represents longevity and prosperity.

See Also: Coffin, Zombie, Smothering Ending followed by a beginning.

(See Also: Bones, Burials, Butterfly, Cemetery, Ghost, Tomb)

Endings and beginnings of a literal or figurative nature. This may indicate death of the “old self,” or a relationship, for example.

A wish for, or fear of, death.

An awareness of your mortality.

Closing off your feelings from someone, thereby killing the relationship. Also, becoming reclusive or introverted.

Repressed hostility or wrath, especially if someone living is presented as dying in the dream. Note that this includes anger toward yourself.

Paracelsus felt that dreaming of people who have been dead for 50 years was a way of receiving knowledge from the other world, and that any messages received in these dreams should be closely heeded (See Also: Ghost).

Death in a dream is frightening to most dreamers because they lack an understanding of the nature of physical life and death. For the philosopher, the physical life is known as a temporary existence for the soul. In the universal language of mind, death signifies a change from one state of being to another. One myth about dreaming is that if you die in your dream, you die in life. This is not true, of course, but dream deaths do occur. They involve deaths of famous people, your parents or children, a lover and even yourself. It is generally accepted that when you dream about an accidental death of any person, that person’s death symbolizes something in you that is no longer functioning.

While dreaming of your death can be disturbing, it is not an ill omen. Death comes in many forms, and it’s likely that you’re getting ready to close a door and move on to a new chapter in your life. There will be an ending of sorts, but it is expected and there will be a sense of satisfaction that you are now able to move forwards. If your dream is of a loved one passing away, then this suggests something may be lost between you. The relationship you have is changing, or it could literally mean that there is physical distance between you, i.e. they have moved away or are planning on living elsewhere.

Psychological / emotional perspective: On an intellectual level we are becoming conscious of potentials we may have missed or not expressed fully and because of this we are no longer able to make use of them. We need to be sensitive to our ability to resurrect these talents.

A change of awareness is taking place, and we may be going through some ‘rite of passage’ such as puberty to adulthood, maturity to old age and so on. Our own death can often be used in dreams to explore our perception of others’ feelings about us.

Death is a transition from an awareness of the gross physical to the more spiritual self. It signifies the unseen aspect of life; omniscience, spiritual rebirth; resurrection and reintegration.

To dream of our own death suggests that we are exploring our own feelings about death or our retreat from the challenge of life.

The sensation of leaving the body is an aspect of the changes in consciousness necessary for a fuller understanding of the spiritual dimension.

To dream about the death of a loved one indicates that you are missing certain traits that your loved one possessed. You should consider what separated this person from you as far as quality and what you enjoyed about him or her.

It is usually this aspect that you are missing that is void from your current relationships or situations. This dream may also indicate that the attributes that defined this person have no bearing on your own life.

If you dreamed of being dead yourself, it indicates an approaching release from all your worries and/or a recovery from illness.

If you spoke with someone who is dead, you will soon hear very good news.

To dream of a death frequently signifies news of a birth.

To be aware of a dead person you cannot identify portends an inheritance which may not be personal but could be indirectly beneficial.

If you are the dead person in your dream it suggests that you world like to leave all of your worries and struggles behind and start a new. Dreaming about someone that you care about dying may express your fear about losing that individual and having to live your life without them. Death in general in a dream symbolizes the end of something and the start of opportunities for new beginnings.

An imminent transition, perhaps a move, or change of job or lover.

An impending death in the world of the dreamer - usually a relative, friend, or admired public figure.

The dreamer’s death, however, is never shown.

The need for change in some department of the dreamer’s life. As to what: Watch for other symbols in the dream. Astrological parallel: Scorpio Tarot parallel: Death

The old is dying; make way for new beginnings. Life is a process of death and regeneration into higher awareness, the old dying off in order for one to continue to grow. As blossoms die and fall from a tree, the tree continues to grow and change. Each little death actually strengthens the tree, for these are essential to total life unfoldment.

For years in our family it has meant that someone in the family would soon be wed and the wedding would be beautiful. In some circles it means a birth, the opposite of death.

To be unable to identify the dead person means a windfall of money for you, To talk to a dead relative is a sign of great good luck.

You die or witness someone’s death: a new era of great fortune and success is dawn • You kill yourself with a knife: you’ll achieve the goal of your life • You’re killed by someone: your goal will be achieved • You kill s

1. Feelings of renewal after loss, changes.

2. Release of unde­sirable personality traits (death of self ).

3. Repressed hostility (another person).

4. Reverse: good health (death of self ).

To dream of someone dying may be a warning of impending physical death. Death may also symbolize a person’s need for a spiritual awakening, Eph. 2:5.

Dreaming of death may also be caused by demonic influences

This indicates long life. But a sick person dreaming of death has the positive results.

1. Final;

2. The end;

3. Completion;

4. A church without life. 1 Cor. 15:31.

See “dead”

See Also: Corpse.

To dream of death signifies a wedding; for death and marriage represent one another. For the sick to dream they are married, or that they celebrate their weddings, is a sign of death, it signifies separation from her or his companions, friends, or parents; for the dead keep not company with the living. To him who is at home, it signifieth that he shall go abroad; it is a good dream to fathers, poets, orators, and philosophers; the first shall have children which shall live, the others shall compose works worthy of memory. To dream you see another person dead, denotes ill usage from friends. If you are in love, your sweetheart will prove false. If you are in trade, sharpers will take you in. If you are a farmer, you will lose money by horses, and be waylaid as you return from market. To dream you see death sink into the ground, de)fotes certain death of a near relation. To vanish in smoke, sickness. The married to dream of death, implies a loss or a second union.

lucky numbers: 01-07-35-40-43-46

accidental: a vital element breaks away to synthesize with sperm of the new.

adult, of an intimate: reactivate missing qualities in yourself you admire.

not: weed out last remnants of quality in yourself you dislike.

announcing a: existing experience regroups, realizing new possibilities.

criminal before execution, being with a: innate qualities move into expression.

decapitation, by: mind feels body has betrayed it by feeling.

decay after: blackening phase destroys before wholeness can be created.

Doomsday: another wil stop at nothing to gain your material and emotional possessions.

dying relative, being with a: wish to mourn the loss of one you secretly hope dies.

going to your: this phase of your life is over; an inheritance wil transform your life.

grim reaper: great burden is lifted from your shoulders.

hearing a, march played: good luck for one for whom you care.

playing the: are spreading equal y your vengeful stress and upheaval.

military people: mortal wounds transformed into renewal.

keeping a, watch: the eleventh hour wil arrive before you are ready.

pregnant woman, of a: wil be released from unpleasant, manipulated bonds.

several people, of: social breakdown leading to social development.

someone coming to life after: death of old form leads to production of new ones.

wanting: wil have good health unless you wish another’s accidental death.

warrant, a: the need to reactivate the cycle of change and explore difficult passages.

young girl or boy, of a: don’t get lost in despair; rewrite your project and resubmit it.