One of life’s most difficult situations is losing a loved one. Each person experiences loss differently; some cry, some retreat, and some attempt to avoid talking about it at all. However, many people exhibit a common behavior where they dream about deceased individuals. Have you ever had a dream about a loved one who has passed away? If so, you may wonder what meaning these dreams have.
Neurologist and psychiatrist Patrick McNamara refers to dreams about deceased individuals as visitation dreams. Your dream shows the deceased coming to visit you alive. According to dream expert McNamara, there is a reasonable explanation for these visitation dreams: they provide us comfort in our loss and help us deal with sadness.
McNamara wrote about his own experience of having a visitation dream following the death of his parents in a blog post. As a result of this experience, he thought about the possibility that visitation dreams could be an indication of life beyond death. He was much more convinced of the relevance of these dreams because he addressed them with a scientific approach. Imagine the effect it could have on others if a skeptic could connect with his deceased parents so strongly through a dream.
Not everyone is as fascinated by the concept of visitation dreams as McNamara is. Numerous studies have examined this subject in an effort to comprehend how these dreams affect the bereaved. According to a study that was published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, dreams about the departed can be very significant, happen often, and help people get past their loss. Dreams about memories or experiences, visions of the deceased looking well and at peace in the hereafter, or even messages are common.
A second study by Canadian psychologists examined 76 people who had just suffered a loss. The results showed that most individuals believed more strongly in a hereafter and found solace in dreams of the departed. People frequently referred to these dreams as visits, providing comfort and a sense of connection.
Jennifer E. Shorter, a psychologist, has also studied the connection between mourners and dreams. During her research, she discovered four essential elements of a visitation dream. First of all, the deceased look much like they did in life—often younger and healthier. Second, they could communicate their status and reassure the dreamer. Thirdly, these dreams convey their messages telepathically, instead of physically. Finally, these dreams are frequently orderly, peaceful, and peaceful.