We all experience the loss of a loved one at some point in our lives. Such a loss can have a deep, long-lasting effect on us in ways we never imagined.
Dreams about the departed are a regular occurrence after losing a loved one. Since our subconscious mind takes over when we are asleep, these dreams might have significance we hadn’t even considered. Dreaming about a loved one who has passed away can be both reassuring and perplexing.
Each person’s route to coping with loss is particular to them and special to them. While some people may openly cry, others may withdraw into themselves or refrain from talking about their emotions. However, having dreams about deceased family members is a common occurrence that can shed light on our emotional condition and serve as a reminder of the close bonds we formed with them.
Visitation dreams are a phenomenon when messages from loved ones who have passed on occasionally appear in dreams. Associate professor at Boston University Patrick McNamara has thoroughly investigated this idea. He clarifies that visitation dreams take place when the dreamer sees a deceased person as though they were still living.
Under the pen name “Dream Catcher,” McNamara contributes to Psychology Today and has provided his thoughts on dreams and their significance. He thinks that the dreamer usually has a purpose in mind when they have a visitation dream.
These dreams are supposed to aid people in overcoming feelings of loss, sadness, and grief. People may find solace and a sense of connection to their deceased loved ones by having visitation dreams.
McNamara writes about a dream he had following the death of his parents in a blog post. He thought that the dream—known as a visitation dream—might be proof that there is life after death. Despite having a scientific education that made him dubious, McNamara was unable to discount the idea that he had spoken to his deceased parents, which, in his opinion, would be an even greater conviction for someone who was not as skeptical of dreams.
There have been numerous studies that have looked more closely at this phenomenon, so McNamara is not alone in his interest in these dreams. The impacts of mourning dreams were the subject of one study that was published in 2014 by the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care. The results of the study showed that dreams about the deceased are frequent, frequently significant, and can help people recover from a loss.
Themes in the dreams included memories of the person’s illness or death, prior occurrences, others who have died without disease, the person appearing healthy and at peace in the afterlife, and the person giving a message.
Our brains and our dreams have also been investigated by psychologist Jennifer E. Shorter of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California.
She notes in her study, “Visitation Dreams in Grieving Individuals: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Relationship Between Dreams and the Grieving,” that it is difficult to estimate how many people experience visitation dreams.
These visions may appear quickly after a person has passed away or years afterwards. She discovered that visitation dreams typically have four elements:
1.The persons in the dream have the same appearance as they did in life, frequently younger or healthier.
2.Usually, the person who has passed away mentions something about how they are doing right now.
3.The dream’s message is perceived more as a cerebral connection than as a tangible presence.
4.The dream is often calm, organized, and harmonious.
