According to Rami Gabriel, Ph.D., the purpose of dreams may be to work through unresolved emotional conflicts. Meaning that dreams can be a way for us to process our emotions and can be wishes from the unconscious. But what if you have been seeing certain people in your dreams? What does it mean? Here are some reasons why you may keep seeing these people in your dreams.
Your Ex
Dreaming about your ex doesn’t have to be a bad thing, it can actually be helpful intel into your current life. It can be a reminder from your subconscious about general feelings you’ve shoved down, that you should consider revisiting. According to Beverly Palmer, Ph.D., an ex showing up in your dreams can be due to unfinished business. This business can just be that you’re missing intimacy in your life. It can also mean that you miss curtain qualities that they had, or that your current relationship needs some help. It can also mean you are in the healing phase of that relationship and moving past it. Dreaming about your ex is an opportunity to learn about yourself, about your current relationship, and grow.
A Friend
People that you have regular contact within your waking life can eventually turn up in your dreams, so that is why it can be common to have dreams about our friends. Often seeing a friend in a dream symbolizes some aspect of their personality that you may have avoided or rejected until now but are ready to think about incorporating into your life. Seeing a friend in a dream is more of a reflection on what aspects of yourself you are trying to bring out and reconnect with or change.
Your Coworkers
Dreaming about the people you work with, rarely involves issues at work. The focus is more on traits that the coworker had that mean something to you. “Everybody in your dreams represents a part of you, whether the character is someone known to you or a stranger,” says Michael Lennox, author, and dream interpreter. For example, dreaming about a coworker gossiping, most likely means you don’t trust someone in another are of your life, or you don’t trust yourself. The dream does not have to be about the coworker but your subconscious mind trying to communicate what your conscious mind can’t.
A Celebrity
One of the most common types of dreams people have are related to famous people. It can be your favorite movie star, musician or even television personalities. According to John D. Moore, Ph.D., the reason why you may dream about a celebrity is your connection to the person and it also depends on what type of interaction you had with them in your dream. If the celebrity ignores you in the dream it can mean you are feeling invisible or are struggling with self-esteem in your real life. If you end up together with your celebrity, it can signify your real desire for them or that you need more intimacy in your life.
A Deceased Relative
There are different reasons as to why you could be dreaming about a deceased relative. Psychological reasons can include a feeling of guilt or regret for not having spent time with a loved one before they died or some anxiety about that departed family member. It could also be that the family member is trying to contact the family member who they feel is most likely to do something for them. During the dream or sleep state, the mind is more receptive to these messages and understanding of mourning the loss or feeling that there was still more to be said.
