One of the most common experiences people have with spirits is visitation dreams. While many people are quick to brush off any visitation dream as the result of the grieving process and not an actual communication from a departed soul, we tend to think otherwise. Visitation dreams occur more than you may realize. There are several common traits to visitation dreams that greatly differ than your average dream of showing up to work or school without pants.
What is a Visitation Dream?
Simply stated, a visitation dream is a dream in which a paranormal entity interacts or communicates with a person. Most visitation dreams are the result of a deceased human being. Some claims involve angelic or demonic entities - albeit much less common.
Why are Visitation Dreams so Prominent?
We stated earlier that visitation dreams are very common - why is that? It is much easier for a spirit to interact with us through our dreams. When we sleep our minds shift from real-life tasks, concerns, and distractions to a state that is more open to communication. The state of the brain is similar to the mind-set of a medium who can communicate with a spirit. While our other five senses are resting, the so-called sixth sense takes over.
Common Traits of Visitation Dreams
There are several common elements of a visitation dream that usually makes them easy to identify. Most dreams are a mixture of images that do not make sense. We think we only remember bits and pieces (if any) of our dream - but they are just garbled up scenes with little logic. The perceived senses are also a bit muted.
With visitation dreams the following traits usually apply:
Dream very vivid - Nothing about the dream seems muted. It feels like reality. The dreams are nothing like you experienced before.
Important message derived from encounter - Usually the message is loud and clear.
Strong feeling that the person was real - and not just a memory. The deceased looks younger or healthier than their final moments or days. They may appear relaxed or at peace.
Physical touch - Most encounters have a sense of a comforting touch - be it a hug, a touch on the shoulder, or the person reaching out. Some encounters however, are far from comforting.
Sense of intense emotion - There is often overwhelming happiness, sorrow, angst, or any other emotion.
Very few distractions - The emphasis of the dream revolves around the interaction between the dreamer and the spirit. The dreamer usually remembers any conversation verbatim.
Reasons for Dream Visitation
Every spirit is an individual; they all have some reason as to why they visit. We believe that most spirits that utilize dream visitation as a method to communicate have passed over to the other side and are not trapped in this realm. It is thought that dream communication is the easiest for those that have crossed into Heaven.
Most visitations can be broken down into these categories:
Deliver a warning - Usually a warning to change one's ways.
Forgiveness - Either to ask for forgiveness or to forgive.
Deliver a message - It could be as simple as a "Hello" to a very complicated message.
Deliver a message for another person - If another person is incapable or subconsciously blocks communication attempts, the spirit may pick an easier receiver.
Spirit needs help - These are spirits that we associate with being trapped in this world as spirits that have moved on are quite content. This is a form of communication that can occur at a haunted location.
Malicious intent - While rare, these types do happen. This is an attack in order to lower one's psyche. These are caused by malevolent spirits or demons.
What Evidence Can We Gather?
Since it is impossible at this point to tap into one's dreams, there really is no scientific method to provide any tangible evidence of visitation dreams. We do feel strongly that there is enough empirical evidence to state that they really do happen. In other words, in a court of law, it may be classified as circumstantial evidence.
We are aware of several claims where one person experienced a dream visitation then wake up and experience a secondary sign that sometimes accompanies the dream. They will wake up their spouse and he/she will also witness the experience. In many cases, there is actually more than one witness.
For example, after the dreamer awakes, they may be overwhelmed with a fragrance that was associated with the deceased - for example, a perfume/cologne, tobacco smoke, even food. We call such unexplained odors olfactory apparitions and they are quite common in active locations. Other claims can consist of an item appearing that was not there before or a piece of unknown information being confirmed through further research.
Other reported claims may include someone else seeing a bright light as their partner is sleeping. Then there are many claims where two or more people who live great distances all have the same person visit on the same night with the exact or similar message.
Can One Summon the Dead?
It is plausible that one can attempt to reach out in order to have a loved one appear in a dream. Some claim that if you ask a departed soul to visit you via your dream before you fall asleep, they may.
While doing this will open up a little skepticism for some on the validity of your claims. Sometimes if you think about something or someone before you sleep, it has the tendency to appear in your dream. You are putting things in your subconscious mind and it is that part that is responsible for dreaming. You would need to rely on the characteristics to determine whether or not it was plausible that it was a real visit and not a figment from your memory.
It may be an interesting experiment to see if this works. If you wish to try it, do not hesitate to let us know if it really works.
Prayer for Protection
One thing we encounter during our communications with people are images in dreams that cause a bit of concern for the victims. We are often asked what type of spiritual protection one can take in an effort to stave off any negative energy from infiltrating our dreams. Below are a couple of prayers one can recite. Please note that the prayers are Christian, but can be altered to satisfy your particular belief system. Remember that it is the thought that counts, not exact wording. The key is asking for help and having faith that it will work.
Bedtime Prayer
In Jesus’ name, I cover myself and all my property with the blood of Jesus. I take authority over all demons of the night, bad dreams, nightmares, and anyone or anything trying to get into my dreams, and I command them to stay away. I ask for giant warrior angels to protect me, my family and my property as I sleep, through the night and the day. I ask for a fiery wall of protection around me (and my family). Amen.
Bedtime Protection Prayer (Alternate Prayer)
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of the name, His name, I subject my mind and my dreams only to the work of the Holy Spirit. I ask you Lord to bind up all powers of darkness and forbid them to work in my dreams or any part of my subconscious while I sleep. Amen.
Non-Paranormal Ghosts in Dreams
While we certainly believe spirits can visit us in our dreams (we even had it happen to us), we realize that not all “spirits” or “ghosts” that appear in our dreams are actual paranormal events. Some of these images may be the result of our subconscious minds. So what does this figure represent – fear. Fear of your own death or dying, everyone has that fear in varying amounts. Some more pronounced than others. Another subconscious feeling which may create an image is the feeling of guilt. If someone feels that they have not adequately said goodbye or feel guilty about what they did or said to someone who passed (or even regret not forgiving the person) the subconscious mind can impact a dream.
Another reason for a shadowy figure that instills fear or sadness in dreams are those skeletons in the closet. Those little (or big) actions, words, or thoughts that make us feel guilty can come back to haunt us as our subconscious mind can create a bad dream.
So how does one tell if a dream is a true visitation dream or just the action of your subconscious? In a real visitation dream, there is no doubt (see traits above) and there is a feeling or a delivered message. A figment of one’s subconscious can relay fear, our own fear. Shadowy figures in dreams are often said to be the figment of our subconscious. Real visitation dreams (even negative ones) there is vivid detail of the spirit or ghost. Many psychologists claim that the vague or shadowy figures in our dreams are our own fears that we do not want to see and they are the fears that we do not like.
So why do our fears or regret takes the form of ghosts in our dreams? Because all that we are bombarded with from childhood to adulthood is that “ghosts are pure evil” and to be afraid of. Your subconscious takes this scary image and relays them as the vessel of your real fears or regrets. As with all paranormal events, dreams too need to be analyzed and rationalized to see if the event was truly paranormal or another explanation.
The subconscious mind taking your fear and regret and turning it into something that scares you further is a vicious cycle. One that needs to be broken. That’s why we must learn to forgive and forget (and hope others do as well), need to let people know how we feel about them, learn what is truly important in life, and have faith in yourself and in a higher power.
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