Have you ever had a dream in which you died? I have… several times. While some people believe that it is “impossible” to survive after such a dream (due to cardiac shock, heart attack, or a variety of other nonsensical reasons), I’m living proof that it is certainly possible.
While the visual experiences have certainly been “interesting”, they definitely did not follow the traditional, known (i.e. what near death experiencers have reported) symbology.
There was no floating out of my body, no tunnel, no white light, and certainly no angelic, robed beings. However… just because I didn’t experience those things doesn’t mean that the experiences haven’t changed me. They have. Quite profoundly, in fact.
Without going into the specifics of my own dreams, I would be willing to bet that many of you have also had similar experiences. If so, have you ever wondered what these types of dreams might mean? Do they portend ones early demise? Are these experiences simply based upon hypnagogia? Or, are they simply the product of an overactive imagination?
According to the popular dream interpretation website dreammoods.com, dreams involving death often require a deeper look into the current events in your waking life which may been responsible for triggering these dreams. “Dreaming of your own death symbolizes inner changes, transformation, self-discovery and positive development that is happening within you or your life. You are undergoing a transitional phase and are becoming more enlightened or spiritual. Big changes are ahead for you where you are making a new start and leaving the past behind.”
Much like those who experience repetitive number sequences (i.e. seeing 11:11), the dreams have served as a wake-up call of sorts for me. With the loss of both of my parents in 2012, my world was literally turned upside down. My dreams of dying have helped to focus and channel my energy into what life itself is ultimately about: living and experiencing it to the fullest.
In addition, the dreams have served to help reinforce my own belief in “De Brevitate Vitae.” The tome, a moral essay written by Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, expounded on the idea that nature provides man with enough time to do what is really important, and it is up to the individual to allot it properly.
Because of my dreams of dying, I have changed. And I have fully committed myself to using my allotted time properly.
I no longer view life as a race to be end. It is no longer about keeping up with the Joneses. Life is now far from repetitive and mundane. I finally have come to appreciate the subtlety and magnificent beauty of nature and all of it’s resplendent glory.
Even beyond simple perceptual changes, the dreams have caused an even more significant personal change though.
I absolutely no longer take my loved ones for granted. Trust me… and learn from my own regrets – never leave anything unsaid. And never, ever simply assume that you will “see them later.”
