Here's why certain people show up in our dreams.
Dreaming about a complete stranger again?
When you wake up from a dream about someone out of the blue, you're likely going to want answers. What does it mean when you dream about someone? Especially when you don't find yourself consciously thinking about them in waking life.
Dreams are a way for us to reflect and better understand the things happening in our lives. And the people in your dreams can highlight certain areas of your life that you're either excited about or looking to change. From dreaming about an ex you haven't seen in years to waking up from sex dreams involving a certain celebrity, we asked the experts what does it mean when you dream about someone?
If you dream about an ex
Chances are, when you parted ways with an ex the last thing you planned for, or wanted, was seeing them again in your sleep. If you left off on good terms and haven't thought about them in months, even years, why are they showing up now?
Dream interpreter Lauri Loewenberg says that if your ex just so happened to be your first love, that could explain the sudden appearance. “The ex we dream about the most is our first love, and, believe it or not, our first love will continue to show up in our dreams from time to time for decades!”
But what if you've moved on and are even dating someone new? “First love is a powerful emotion and the person we first experience it with gets imprinted into our subconscious and becomes a symbol for those feelings,” Loewenberg says, “even if you are in a current, healthy relationship.”
That's not to say you should just chalk this dream up as a your brain going nostalgic. Loewenberg does think that there's a sign worth unpacking if you're in a healthy relationship and your mind is wandering about an old flame. “The first love could be a gentle reminder that your current relationship may be getting a bit too routine and it is time to bring back the passion,” she says.
If you dream about a famous person
Talk about a dream come true. Your celebrity crush for countless years has finally decided to knock on your door and sweep you away for a romantic evening—at least in your dreams. While coming back to reality may be a bit of a bummer in this situation, your brief affair might hint towards your own passions and frustrations. “Celebrities are often seen as brave and successful so dreaming about one might suggest something about your own drive and determination, or the pressures you are feeling to perform," writes Louise Carter, found of the Sleep Bubble. Maybe you relate to the strong work ethic of this celeb and want to surround yourself with people that continue to inspire and uplift you. On the flip side, maybe you've been feeling like you're putting on a one-person performance over the last few months and need to create a space to let your true self reign free.
If you dream about someone who passed away
Dreaming about a loved one that is no longer with us can be bittersweet. While the loss of them still lingers on our hearts, our minds are given the opportunity to recreate them, allowing us the chance to remember all the qualities we loved about them.
If a person who passed away is showing up in your dreams, your mind may also be signaling that you are in need of qualities that person possessed. “Sometimes people from our past may appear in a dream as a symbol of something they represented," writes Stephen Klein. "If your grandfather used to give you advice about your life, your dream could indicate your desire to seek advice on a particular issue.”
If you dream about a stranger
Ok, so you've never even had a conversation with this person but you see them every morning you grab your coffee to-go. All of a sudden, you're found yourself having an extremely vivid dream about a stranger you maybe come across for five minutes max a day. What's that about?
Dream analysts will often tell you that elements of a dream, including people, are rarely to be taken literally. Instead they're reflections of our own hidden passions and insecurities. “To dream of strangers might suggest that you feel a ‘stranger’ to yourself,” writes Carter. “This might indicate that, in your daily life, you are suppressing or hiding part of your identity.” Try thinking back to those brief encounters with the stranger in mind—is there anything about them that you find (maybe subconsciously at first) appealing? Off-putting? Answering these questions could help you figure out what they person represents about yourself.
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Michella Oré
