Dreaming Of Dead People – Was It A Visit From A Spirit?

When we lose loved ones, we all crave the ability to be able to see them or speak to them one more time.

Whilst the majority of us will have to live without those we have lost for the rest of our lives, some say they have received contact. 

One way people say they have been contacted by dead people is through their dreams. Whilst dreams are normally manifestations of our own subconscious, such as our most intimate desires and thoughts – there may be more to it. 

Many experts believe that dreaming can be a way to contact those in other realms and dimensions, including the spirit world.

Those that can master this craft along with tapping into the past and future using dreams are often known as performing oneiromancy. 

If you’ve recently had a dream about a dead person, read our guide to discover if it was from a spirit, or a simple dream.

Was The Dream A Spirit?

It is not possible to explicitly tell you if the dream you had about a dead person, or with a dead person in it, was a spirit or whether or not it was simply a visitation dream. 

However, what we can do is explain how you can interpret your dream and why the dream may have occurred in the first place. 

Let’s take a look at visitation dreams first. 

What Is A Visitation Dream?

Visitation dreams tend to feel a lot more “real” than your typical dreams. They are vivid and lively and you may have difficulty distinguishing your own reality from the one you are experiencing within the dream. 

Visitation dreams are usually well remembered too, unlike other dreams which typically are forgotten within seconds or minutes. 

Normally, a visitation dream is a type of dream that has someone “visit” you within it. Contrary to its implied name, this person does not necessarily have to be deceased, but many people claim this is the case. 

One common element of visitation dreams is that the person wakes up mid-dream and experiences sleep paralysis, where they cannot move but may still have sensory reactions – including seeing people in the room. 

It’s also common for people to report that these dreams are incredibly lucid and you have a lot more control over what you say and do, rather than your usual dream.

As a result, many believe that this is a connection to other worlds. 

There is more supporting evidence to this that people report smells and sounds being different in the area, or may even notice things out of place – despite being the only one in their room.

You may even feel as if you’re not alone. 

The one element that has the largest difference and impact when compared with a usual dream is the ability to recall what happened, what was said etc. in thorough detail as much as decades later. 

But might there be a reason for these types of dreams?

Possible Reasons For Visitation Dreams 

Let’s now look at possible reasons why you may have experienced a visitation dream. 

Recent Loss 

You have recently lost a loved one and you’re still experiencing the grief and pain of their absence. In some subconscious way, you’re trying to keep them with you. 

It’s also entirely possible that during this time, you have not been sleeping properly and your quality of sleep may be impaired. As a result, your dreams may feel different to normal. 

It’s A Psychological Coping Mechanism

Our brains are highly complex. We are able to manifest things on a subconscious level that we may not have thought possible. 

When we want to deal with loss, we may create a situation in our dreams where we are back in contact with the ones we have lost. It allows us to stay in contact with our loved ones when they are not around. 

Could My Loved Ones Have Been Contacting Me?

It’s entirely possible that your dream was a spirit trying to contact you. They may have literally given you explicit instructions or told you something directly, however they may have simply told you they loved you. 

Some people have reported receiving guidelines, where they have gone through a spiritual journey to find something, whether that is physical or spiritual. 

It’s a good idea to leave a notepad near your bed for times when this happens so you are able to write down exactly what you saw, heard and experienced and try to interpret what it all means. 

What About Non-Visitation Dreams?

If you have experienced a dream where a dead person is in the dream but not necessarily the “main subject” of the dream – and it felt as normal as any other dream you may have had, it could still have significance. 

Learning how to interpret these types of dreams is as critical as knowing how to interpret a visitation dream. 

Let’s look at what these might mean. 

You’re Not Fulfilling Your Obligations 

Some psychologists believe that seeing dead people in their dreams might signify that you are not fulfilling your own obligations, or what is expected of you personally. 

This might be because you are linking a person who died young to your own personal goals, or maybe seeing someone that you did not make enough time for in the past. 

Something Extraordinary Happened To You 

Those that have experienced things out of the ordinary have said they later had dreams about their loved ones who had passed, even years ago. 

Subconsciously, you might be manifesting a deceased person’s likeness to connect amazing experiences. This may happen to you many times throughout your life. 

The Bottom Line 

There is no definitive way to say if your dream was a spirit or simply a psychological manifestation. However, it is entirely possible to be either or even both. 

Consider learning how to interpret your dreams and always try to note down any other future dreams you have to see any patterns or similarities.