Spirit Communication: Dreams

Dreams can be a powerful tool in your spiritual practice. They can reveal what is happening in your subconscious, bring attention to emotions you may be ignoring, and even serve as a space for spiritual communication.

As always, everything in this post is based on my own experience. Let this post guide you, but don’t let it rule you. If you find that something else works better for you, that is a wonderful reminder that everyone experiences the metaphysical in their own unique way.

Dreams as a Spiritual Tool

Dreams have long been seen as a way to dive into the subconscious. Through dreams, you may uncover more about your mundane life, including what stresses you, what problems you may be ignoring, what emotions need attention, or what patterns you’re stuck in.

However, dreams can also be used to explore more spiritual matters. You can receive spiritual messages through dreams, encounter your spirit companions or guides, or even experience dreams where you are interacting with the astral realm.

Dreams can be a powerful spiritual tool, but like any spiritual tool, they require practice and discernment. Not every dream needs to be taken literally, and not every dream has a spiritual origin. Learning how to tell the difference is an important part of developing your dream work practice.

Mundane Dreams vs. Spiritual Dreams

Before diving too deeply into dream interpretation, it is important to understand that not every dream is a spiritual one.

Some dreams are caused by stress, memories, emotions, recent events, or completely random thoughts. These are mundane dreams. Mundane dreams offer a look into your subconscious. Your subconscious may be asking you to reflect on these dreams for your mental, emotional, or even physical well-being, but that does not necessarily mean they have spiritual origins.

On the other hand, spiritual dreams are more than your subconscious bringing something to your attention. What separates spiritual dreams from mundane dreams is their origin. A spiritual dream may come from metaphysical beings such as a spirit companion, spirit guide, deity, etc. It may also involve direct interaction with the metaphysical, such as astral dreams.

This is why discernment is important. A dream can be meaningful without being spiritual, and a dream can even mean nothing at all.

Types of Spiritual Dreams

These are some of the types of spiritual dreams I’ve experienced. There can be more types according to your practice, and the categories can absolutely overlap as well.

Message Dreams

Message dreams are dreams that contain messages from spirit companions, guides, deities, etc. These messages do not always appear as a being standing in front of you and speaking directly to you. Sometimes, the message comes through the story of the dream itself. A spirit may use symbolism, repeated themes, emotions, or specific events to communicate what they want you to understand. These dreams may require interpretation. The message may not always be obvious right away.

Visitation Dreams

Visitation dreams are dreams where a being appears to you more directly, instead of crafting an entire dream narrative around a message. They will normally visit and interact with you directly. However, it is still important to use discernment. A being appearing in your dream does not always mean that being was truly present or is who they claim to be. Confirmation can help you determine if it was an actual visitation.

Prophetic or Premonition Dreams

Prophetic or premonition dreams are dreams that appear to be about a future event, warning, or possibility. They may show the energy of a situation rather than the exact event. It may also show a possible outcome rather than something fated. If you believe you had a prophetic dream, take time to write it down and confirm what you can. If the dream was intense or frightening, try not to assume the worst and confirm first.

Past Life Dreams

Past life dreams may show memories, places, people, or themes connected to a past life. Past life dreams can be helpful for understanding patterns and spiritual connections, but as always, approach these dreams with discernment.

Astral Travel Dreams

Astral travel dreams are dreams where you are interacting with the astral, rather than having a simple dream. You may visit astral realms, interact with your spirit companions, meet other beings, etc. The best way to confirm whether you were having an astral dream is to confirm.

Involving Spirit Companions in Your Dreams

Dreams can be a beautiful way to connect with spirit companions. If your companion is well-versed in dream walking, they may be more readily able to give you dream messages or appear in your dreams. However, remember that communication is still a two-way street. Even a companion skilled in dream work may have trouble entering your dreams if you are not ready or simply not in the right state to receive their messages.

To involve your spirit companion, ask them to enter your dream and/or send a message through your dreams. From there, let your companion take control. Don’t be disappointed if your dream was not what you expected. You can always write down your dream when you wake up, then debrief with your companion. Ask what they were trying to show you, whether they were present or able to manipulate your dream at all, and what parts of the dream are most important for you to focus on.

Confirmation Method

I’ve spoken a lot about how confirmation is key to understanding your dreams. For the confirmation method that I used to gain confidence in my abilities and one that I still use to this day, please look at our post, Spirit Communication: Telepathy

Common Mistakes When Interpreting Dreams

Dream interpretation is a skill, and it is normal to make mistakes while learning. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for.

Taking Everything Literally

Not every dream is literal. A dream about death does not always mean physical death. A dream about conflict does not always mean someone is going to attack you or that you’re being spiritually attacked. A dream about a companion acting strangely does not mean they are upset with you. Dreams often speak through symbolism and metaphor.

Assuming Every Dream is Spiritual

Not every dream has a spiritual origin. Some dreams are mundane. This does not make them useless. Mundane dreams can still be meaningful, but it is important not to force spiritual meanings onto every dream.

Ignoring Mundane Causes

Before a dream is spiritual, consider mundane influences. Were you stressed? Did you watch something before bed? Are you anxious about something? Mundane causes do not automatically cancel out spiritual meaning, but they should be considered.

Relying Too Heavily on Dream Dictionaries

Dream dictionaries can be helpful, but they should not replace your intuition. A symbol’s meaning can change depending on the person, context, culture, etc. Use dream dictionaries as a starting point, not the final answer.

Letting Fear Lead the Interpretation

Intense dreams can be unsettling, but fear can distort interpretation. If you wake up scared, try to ground yourself before deciding what the dream meant. Then, write it down. Cleanse. Ask for confirmation. Give yourself time before jumping to the worst possible conclusion.

Final Thoughts

Dream work is a skill, just like any other communication method. The more you track, confirm, and reflect, the easier it becomes to use that skill in a way that is uniquely yours.

Do not let other people’s methods overshadow your own feelings or make you think you’re doing it wrong. Any metaphysical practice is personal. What works for someone else may not work for you, and what works for you may not look like what others expect. Use discernment, trust your intuition, confirm what you can, and allow your practice to grow in the way that feels most aligned for you.