Dreaming of ghosts: what are the possible meanings?

Summary of the definition

Among the most striking situations during sleep, ghost dreams are quite disturbing and can give you the creeps, even several minutes after waking up. We all see a loved one we have lost in our sleep and we all wonder about the meaning of these dreams.

Explained in different ways by specialists, ghost dreams can have several meanings, but can also come from our deepest fears. We suggest that you carefully read the following article to get more information on the subject.

Video meaning of ghost dream

Dreams of ghosts: who is concerned?

When we look at the question of who is affected by these kinds of dreams, we are forced to note that all the studies carried out by specialists lead to one thing. Children and teenagers are more likely to have ghostly dreams. This is due to the fact that these young people still have a lot of fears inside them.

It is their lack of knowledge of the world and the life forms that exist in it that creates in them this fear of unknown things. These manifestations during sleep represent only their deepest fears.

However, although the majority of cases reported by specialists are in the two age groups mentioned above, there are a large number of adults who also have ghost dreams. The situations are a little different from the dreams of children and teenagers, but the impact of such dreams on the dreamers is of equal importance.

It is the inability to explain these dreams that is most frightening to adults. You can go several days and have clear memories of the dream without being able to explain it or decipher it, which is much more disturbing.

However, with a little digging, you can easily find the right answers to your questions, because even though the feelings that ghost dreams bring are quite shocking, they inevitably have an explanation. These dreams can have different meanings depending on the situation in which the ghost appears.

This way you can forget about these nightmares and keep only the clues that will be important in your daily life.

Dreaming of ghosts: the explanation according to Freud

As we mentioned above, many specialists in the field of dreams, but also in psychoanalysis such as Sigmund Freud, have given several explanations for these dreams. However, the Freudian approach is much more interested in the origin of these dreams in children, adolescents and adults.

We are therefore not in an explanatory approach to dreams. It is much more a study that aims at searching deep inside the dreamer for the ideas that scare him the most and that he does not find the necessary strength to face them in waking life. According to him, this is the very source of these dreams.

Indeed, by taking a close look at the child, Sigmund Freud was able to observe that these ghosts are, in fact, only the representation of the parents. As the latter put their children under a certain amount of pressure through a rigorous education, punishments for every mistake and a "negative" motivation to succeed where they have failed, the child feels attacked from everywhere, even when he is sleeping.

This is another form of punishment, but this time it concerns the thoughts of the child that the parents have set a certain limit to through their education and even through society. For example, the idea of parents having sex is one of those ideas that is least comfortable, especially for children. Now, these ideas are perfectly normal and natural, but in the subconscious of children, the ghosts they see in their dreams are a punishment for these kinds of ideas.

According to Freud, ghost dreams come from a deep feeling of guilt for having this fantasy of parental coitus, the image of the ghost in a white sheet always brings him back to the famous bed where everything happens. The child thus has the feeling of being punished for ideas that he should not have thought of.

How do Jungians view ghost dreams?

For Carl Gustav Jung, the famous Swiss psychologist, it is a completely different matter. The majority of his studies do not deal with the origin, but much more with the meaning of these dreams and their impact on the dreamer and his brain.

The Jungians were interested in the psychological activity of dreamers when they see ghosts and what their reactions are to this disconcerting situation. Carl Jung considers that the brain of children and teenagers, just like that of adults, has the capacity to create new ideas and analyze the world even during sleep.

He thus considers that the possibility of the two worlds, conscious and unconscious, to dialogue is quite possible. Moreover, ghost dreams are perceived by Jungians as a rejection by the brain of the limit between the universal and the conscious. This is due to the authenticity of the feelings of the dreamers when they see a ghost in their dreams, these feelings are quite identical to those felt by people who have such experiences in real life.

This is when the barrier between consciousness and unconsciousness collapses, and this is when the brain is most active. Ghost dreams according to Jung are a time of psychic activity, where the dreamer can even push the dialogue between himself and his subconscious further. This phase is known as the OAP (Optimal Activity Phase), the dreamer can even engage in a discussion with the ghost who could represent a loved one who wants to convey a message to him.

This vision is nothing more than the dreamer's subconscious that can tell him important things about himself, his "self" and his deepest fears.

The contemporary vision of ghost dreams

In the analysis of ghost dreams by the great contemporary specialists, such as the famous Georges Romey, we can see that his approach is rather leaning towards Jungian thought. We are always talking about separation, limits, and even borders between two worlds that are crossed each time the dreamer has this kind of image during his sleep.

He can thus move with ease from the conscious to the unconscious world and still have those feelings that appear with a disturbing closeness to reality. Dreamers often cannot distinguish between waking and nightmares, even for a long time after waking.

In this approach, the ghost dream, even though it can become quite disturbing when it recurs, is nothing more than a subconscious game. Many people, especially adults, do not take the presence of a ghost in their dreams seriously, they remain aware that they are only dreaming and that this situation will not last more than a few minutes.

However, it is most troubling for children, especially when their brain is slow to give them a signal that it is just a bad dream. The difficulty for them is to express themselves about what they are seeing, as adults can go into great detail in trying to make sense of these dreams.

According to Georges Romey, ghost dreams can be considered as the skin that separates the human body from the real world. However, Romey does not deny the fact that this barrier can be crossed easily, essentially when the dreamer's feeling of fear is very great.

The difference between the real world and the imaginary world that is very easy to identify in waking life can be very subtle during these sleep phases. The psyche of the dreamers being very active, these dreams are the source of a multitude of uncomfortable feelings.

The esoteric approach and its limits

In opposition to the specialists who have dealt with the question of ghostly dreams to find explanations, origins and processes, Rosicrucians propose a completely different explanation to these dreams. Indeed, the latter are not interested in the form of these dreams, but rather in their content and what is the message they carry for the dreamer. It is considered, therefore, that these dreams are very important to decipher, especially for adults, because they can be the source of many indications on the future and the past of the dreamer.

The idea is that these ghosts may be your past, a habit or a person you have not been able to part with for good, even if they are far away from you or perhaps no longer of this world. These ideas may appear in your dreams as ghosts to remind you of their eternal presence in your life. You must take care to analyze each image and each situation to know its exact meaning.

In addition, you can rely on your feelings and instincts to figure out exactly what it is, especially during the first few moments after waking up.

Sometimes also, Rosicrucians explain that some dreamers enter into a real contact with people they have known and who are no longer alive. The ghost is thus the bearer of a message, concerning the dreamer himself or the person he sees in his dream, to give him advice or to ask him to do something he has not had the opportunity to do.

However, critics say that this is very difficult, if not impossible, because before being able to listen to what the ghost has to say, the brain must first come to accept its presence in the dream. However, there are many experiments that prove the contrary.

What can be the meaning of a ghost dream?

In reality, the meanings of ghost dreams can be very varied. There are many elements to take into consideration in order to decipher these dreams and understand the message they carry.

To do this, it is necessary to analyze the difficulties you are going through in your life at the moment, a period of intense stress or family or professional load can make these dreams appear during sleep. These are periods when the person feels vulnerable and tends to fear an event or a bad turn of events. This fear may manifest itself in the form of a ghost.

Moreover, the appearances can be numerous and very different from each other. They are bound to have different meanings. For example, studies have shown that the scenarios are extremely similar in children with only minor differences.

The image of forms dressed in white sheets and without faces is really recurrent. But, in adults, things can be different and the dreams are much clearer and with a lot of details about the face, the creature, the place and the facts.

Each of these elements can be important in the search for the meaning of a ghost dream, as each creature has its own meaning, but also, in relation to the situation in which the figure appears.

You can dream of a person, an animal, a voice (most of the time they are whispers), sometimes even beings that are very difficult to identify. The dreams can seem almost real, especially when you are in front of the ghost of a person you knew in your life and who speaks to you with the same voice and the same intonation.

Some people report receiving requests to look for a person or thing and find them where the ghost has indicated.

Dreaming of a ghost at home: what is the meaning?

Among the most recurrent dreams among children, teenagers and adults, dreams of ghosts in the house are very common. The dreamer often finds himself in a very uncomfortable situation where he is faced with one or more ghosts in the house. When he tries to run away, scream or ask for help, he is surprised by a heaviness and an inability to move or to let out a scream.

In reality, this ghost reflects a feeling of fear and uncertainty about the dreamer's future. He has the feeling that he is about to live a bad situation, but that he does not know with certainty.

Your fears in everyday life, whether personal, relational or professional, can create a certain phobia in you that manifests itself in your dreams as a ghost. If you see a ghost in your house during your dreams, it may be an indication of the fear and uncertainty you feel about something.

It may be due to a lack of self-esteem that hinders your ability to cope with the challenges of everyday life. Your subconscious mind is sending you an alert to remind you of the importance of continuing to persevere and to let go of the idea that your only refuge is your home.

Therefore, having these kinds of dreams can be an opportunity for you to revisit yourself and make peace with your deepest fears. To do this, you need to gather your courage and face your fears, because being afraid of everything is not a normal thing.

All you have to do is analyze things, see what really scares you and try to face it once to know that it is not as difficult as you thought before. So take this dream as a signal towards a positive change that will push you to progress in your life and overcome the challenges you face in life.

What about the dreams of people you know?

Another very frequent dream is that of an ex. Sometimes we see a person we knew, loved and with whom we spent long and good times reincarnated as a ghost. Generally, these dreams appear in people who are coming out of a relationship that lasted a long time, especially during the first year of separation.

The most romantic will say that these are souls that miss each other and want to have one more moment of pleasure and pure tenderness, but the meanings of these ghost dreams are quite different from that.

In fact, when you see an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend as a ghost in your dreams, it is a sign that you are holding on to the fear of that person's judgment of you. You are always afraid of what he/she will say about you.

This is often the case for couples who have been very close. The fact that you have divulged certain secrets about yourself and your personality to the person you loved is something you deeply regret, to the point where the idea scares you so much that you can't get rid of it. You keep the image of your ex in your brain.

In most cases, this dream may also be about making a promise to someone close to you that you have not been able to keep. Even if this is not always the case, this feeling of guilt can be felt towards the person you see in your dreams.

If not, you may want to check with your family members, as they are often the ones affected. In both cases, this feeling of guilt can be a heavy burden that you need to get rid of in order to have calmer nights without ghosts appearing.

What are the most common ghost dreams?

The list of ghostly dreams is very long, ranging from dreams of castles and creatures dressed in white to people we have known in waking life. However, studies conducted by specialists have shown that there are indeed a large number of dreams that are really frequent, both among young and old.

Among the most common ghost dreams, you have:

• The dream of a funeral or a death: the most famous are the dreams of the death of parents. It is often a sign that the dreamer feels lonely and is unable to set goals in life;
• dreaming of a dead person: although these are the most disturbing ghost dreams, they mean that the person you saw considered you a good person and that you have properly grieved;
• seeing the ghost of a living person: be aware that it is not always right, but the person you see in your dream may be up to something bad. Stay on guard and try to talk to them;
• Seeing yourself as a ghost: there is a simple explanation for this type of dream. You are going through a difficult period and you can't find the solution anymore. You have to put an end to everything that hurts you in real life, have courage and get rid of it;
• dreaming of a white or black ghost: in both cases it is a problem, but the ghost dressed in black means that the burden you carry is too heavy. The problems of the past are still tormenting you, you must quickly find solutions;
• dreaming of the ghost of an animal: the meaning of the dream differs depending on the animal you see. A cat can be synonymous of a bad life hygiene, a black dog of death and an owl of your good deeds in everyday life.

It is important to note that even if these explanations are quite precise, they remain very general. It is important to ask a connoisseur, to read a book on the meanings of dreams, because each situation induces a different meaning of the dream.

Still, keep in mind that even though these dreams are very uncomfortable, they may be nothing more than a call or a game from your subconscious to encourage you to move forward or to warn you about a possible risk.

Dreaming of a ghost attack: what does it mean?

To bring a true meaning to ghost attack dreams, you really need to focus on the situation and the behavior of the ghost. Indeed, ghost attack dreams are very different and can take many turns, for example:

The pursuit

Seeing one or more ghosts chasing you may be a clue to the many fears you have not been able to overcome for a long time. This escape represents the escape you make in real life from your problems.

The attack

If you happen to see a ghost attacking you while you sleep, you can be sure that you have enemies who want to harm you in real life. They could be your pockets, friends or co-workers.

The crush

Uncommon, the dream of being crushed by a ghost often means that you have too much desire for the past. You are unable to mature because you are too attached to your childhood or your past in general. You need to let go of that and move on.

The desire to kill you

This dream can have many meanings, but it is said that the ghost that wants to kill you in your dream is a symbol of the strength of your subconscious mind to push you to overcome even the most difficult obstacles.

In summary

Ghost dreams are more common in children and teenagers, but that doesn't mean that many adults don't have these dreams on a daily basis. Ghost dreams can have many different meanings, but they are usually your inner fears that manifest themselves as scary creatures that represent how you feel about certain things in your life.

It's also a call from your subconscious to remind you that it's time to change things, let go of the past and move forward to the best version of yourself.