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Most dreams are a fraud, but as soon as you dream about a person from your past, it seems a little too realistic. Perhaps you are horrified by the thought of dreams about your ex, for example; but does it also have a meaning? What if a person from your past suddenly shows up in your dream? We looked it up for you.
Also read: Lucid dreaming: what is it and can anyone do it?
Dreaming about people from the past
Your ex, an old girlfriend, or maybe your dance teacher from when you were six years old. It is quite a shock if they suddenly appear during your sleep (in your head that is). If you expected or hoped that you would never see these people again, it seems more like a nightmare than a dream. But why does this actually happen? Is there a meant to be reason behind this? Or is it just what it is? We have sorted it out for you.
Desires and feelings
It could be that you are still a bit sad about that one break-up from years ago, or you would like to take lessons from that dance teacher again. According to sleep expert Therese Cheung – author of the book The Dream Dictionary from A to Z – dreaming about people you are close to has mainly to do with your own desires and feelings. “Their appearance in your dream is a metaphor for a neglected or forgotten aspect of yourself that you would like to revisit.” Ah!
Specific characteristics
To better understand why a certain person suddenly appears in your dream, take a trip down memory lane by recalling your time together. Maybe you miss various qualities of that person in your own life, or you really want to do what you always did with that person again. “Certain specific qualities that you admire in that person may be character traits that you would like to have yourself,” says Cheung. So it is not that you really miss a bad girlfriend or ex, but several qualities may.
Unknown people
Even vague acquaintances can make a comeback in your brain. You may not even know these people very well, but there is still something about them that appeals to you. Were they always confident or very outspoken, for example? Then it is only possible that you would actually want to apply this in your own life. Think about what characteristics this concerns and try to fill it in for yourself – then you really never have to see these people from the past again.