When you wake up crying

When you wake up crying Jane Teresa Anderson Dreams

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When you wake up crying real tears, or simply feeling profoundly sad for no apparent reason, it’s because you have finally touched upon some buried grief through a dream.

You may have released all the grief, or there may be more to come. Either way, when you wake up crying, it is good and healing. (Don’t you always feel much better after a cry?) Even if you don’t remember the dream, rest assured that tears are better out than in, and although you may become more aware, in the next few days, of a past event that caused you grief, you are well on the way to finally letting it go and moving on.

There will be times, in your past, where you were unable to express your grief, or where you felt you should try to hide it. Perhaps ‘boys don’t cry’, or you were advised to ‘keep a stiff upper lip’, or you accepted a hurtful situation as normal or something to be endured, so you packed grief away, out of sight. Or perhaps the only way to get through a situation was to pretend to yourself that it wasn’t happening, or wasn’t important, or that you were coping wonderfully, or needed to smile for others, or that you had already healed.

These, and other forms of denial, are like bandaids. They work on the surface, but the deeper wound still hurts, affecting how you live your life.

One day the grief finally breaks through – perhaps accompanied by a dream of a dam bursting, or a tsunami breaking – and you wake up crying.

If you can remember your dream, look for clues about your grief, as understanding the past will help you to accelerate your healing.

Look for a young child or younger person who seems sad, or hurt, or trying to cover up his or her feelings.

What age is the child?

Ask what happened for you at that age, or that number of years ago. It doesn’t matter whether the child or person looks like you. He or she most likely symbolises the event or your hurt.

Also look for historical markers in your dream, perhaps cars, houses, clothes, or numbers that help to give you a time period to explore.

When you have found the source of your grief, do this dream alchemy practice:

Close your eyes, and visualise hugging and comforting yourself as you were back then, or hugging and comforting the child in the dream. Let her cry all her tears dry, then let her smile and laugh and grow strong and happy. Tell her how wonderful her life will be now that her tears have washed it all away, and see her growing, before your eyes, changing and becoming a strong, happy, powerful, and relieved new you. Merge with her in your mind’s eye, and take her, fully healed, into your heart.

 

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182 comments on “When you wake up crying”

  1. roudy

    thats very much true and realistic analysis for crying while sleeping issues.
    thanks again Jane 🙂

  2. Jessica

    This website is going to help me…I just know it.
    Thanks
    jessica

  3. Jazz

    Last night I dreamed of the sickness portion of my grandfather’s life before he died, also I dreamed of a huge tsunami that was coming towards me, and finally woke up crying (which have never happened to me before) I am kind of freaking out, and have spent big part of my day crying, but as soon as I read this it helped me understand it a little.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jazz,

      Good to know that this article helped you to understand that your dream was processing – and releasing – your grief around your grandfather’s sickness and death. Since dreams reflect the 24-48 hours beforehand, you might like to contemplate what came up for you during that time to trigger this issue/release.

      Jane Teresa

  4. J

    I had a dream where I physically abused someone I loved. my family. I would never ever do such a thing. specially since me and this family of mine went through domestic violence years ago. The dream was so horrible and real. I felt depressed about it for a while. I didn’t feel good afterwards. And I more than cried when I woke up, I was short of breath and shocked and then I cried. I was bawling and I scared everybody in the house. That was probably the worst dream I’ve ever had. Because I was the monster in the nightmare.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi J,

      Thank you for your contribution. It’s really frightening when you wake up and contemplate your feelings and actions in such a dream, isn’t it? The important thing to remember is that everyone in a dream represents something about you, so those negative feelings and actions in your dream were directed at a part of yourself. Here’s another post to explain this more: https://www.janeteresa.com/dreaming-of-people-you-know-a-checklist/

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  5. Anamika

    Hi.
    its long before three or four years back i wokeup in middle of my sleep crying uncontrably calling my mom. I don’ t remember anything nbut just dat my mom was dead. But thnx god she is still wid me.. i don’ t know why i always have such horrible dreams..

  6. Vincent

    Today, I woke up from my dream in tears. I’m only 15. I remember bit’s a pieces of my dream, I was watching a movie in a theater by myself, the movie about me when I was younger. Then the next part that I remember was, I was in a room with my Mom and someone else, we all layed on a bed togeather. That’s when I started to cry, in my dream my mom was saying something and it felt like she was leaving me behind, saying “sorry. I know…” I was saying something back and everyword I said was being type out onto a paper within a picture frame not reaching her. Then I woke up in tears,I know this sounds wierd I know, but I wanted to tell my story becuase I think it’s time for me to let my feelings out. My mom and dad had been devorced when I was really young, I don’t remember the age but I was still a child, and my brother and sister I don’t know if they cried or just tried bottle it up like I did, I pretended it was no big deal but in the last 2 years I have been longing for a mothely figure to help me though my life at the most important times, when only a mother can help their child though the pain and suffering their going though.I wish I had a mom that cared for me.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Vincent, I’m so glad you decided to post your dream here and that you’ve realised it’s time to let your feelings out. It’s wonderful that you have shared this publicly, and I know many people reading this will feel and share some of your pain and wish you comfort. Acknowledging the pain, instead of bottling it up, is an important step, Vincent, and it is wonderful that at 15 you have the courage to do this. Many people wait a lifetime and still hold onto their pain, missing out on the opportunity for healing.

      I encourage you to write a letter to your mom – whether or not she will ever be able to receive it and read it. On some level, just writing the words is healing. In your dream your words were trapped in a picture frame; though you don’t know what the words were there was a terrible feeling of not being able to reach out and communicate. So it’s time to change the picture in the frame, the feeling that your words are bottled up in the picture frame. So write a letter and let your feelings flow, then add more words to paint a fresh new picture of how you would like your life to be. You could post the letter or go to a beautiful place, read the letter aloud, and perhaps bury it at the foot of a tree or flowering plant so the paper – and your words – will help the tree or plant to flourish.

      Whether or not you can ever have your mom back in your life, there are many special women in the world, and I’m sure there are some close to where you live, who can care for you in a motherly way. If you’re still at school, a starting point might be a chat with a school counseller who can point you in the best direction.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  7. Emma

    I just woke up crying which is something I haven’t done for many years, since I was a child probably. I am only 21 now though. I dreamt my mam and dad were both dead and I was talking to them, they were in heaven with my Grandad. All 3 of these relatives are still alive :S I could see them and I was hugging my mam crying saying I wanted her to take me with them. I was also disturbed that my sister wasn’t crying in my dream. Any ideas what this could mean? I was very shaken up and crying quite hard! Xx

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Emma, Dreams always reflect the last 24-48 hours, so the grief you felt in your dream was triggered during the day or two before. Have a think about what your mam, dad, and grandad mean to you, and why you might be sad about losing touch with that now. There’s a part of you (represented by your sister in your dream), that doesn’t express grief. That’s the part that hasn’t cried in many years. Deep down inside you find this bottling up of tears disturbing. You can cry now, it’s ok.

      Jane Teresa

  8. Tyler

    I just woke up from and horriibly sad dream that is quite odd as well. I remember every single aspect of the dream. All of it. The smell of the city, the grey sky, everything. I dreamt that I was at a store, and I had met a girl, and we quickly became friends. Then, during a fight with gang memebers, she died. I started crying in the dream, but not hard. Other people she worked/lived with seemed fine. Nobody was sad, but I was. Later on, (I’m guessing days in dream-time) my aunt decides to take me to a spa to relax. I’m waiting for her to get done with her session, when I hear this person coughing. They sound really sick and they sound next door. I go outside and in the room to see. The room is my grandfather’s room. There my grandpa is on the bed, horribly sick and about to die. It was his cough I heard. He saw me and smiled, and acted like it was all okay, even though he looked so frail and sick. Something in me just snapped and I started crying like I never ever would have in real life. I started to sob, and I promised him, because I knew he was dying, that I would see him in paradise. Here comes the weird part. I look back at him, and you know those little cheap animations of stick figures? Like when they walk, it’s shaky? I look back at my grandfather, and he’s one of those, but he’s silently crying. Little tear drops fall from his face, and I can’t take it. I hug him hard, and the dream ends. I wake up and it feels like I’m dying. There’s this overwhelming sadness I feel, and I cried. Hard. Harder than I’ve cried since I was a small child. Like I’m being torn in two. I’ve never felt this way before. This feeling is completely foreign to me. I’m still sobbing and crying and I can’t really stop. It’s been hours, and I’ve just been in my room, crying my eyes and heart out. I was crying while typing this post. :-/ I think the dream touched on my friend earlier, only in real life he was a guy. I quickly became his friend through my dad’s work, and he died in a car accident. My grandfather also comes across to me as himself and my great-grandmother, who I think/know is dying, but nobody will tell me. She’s 94 years old and she’s really bedridden sick. I haven’t seen her in a few months. As for my grandfather, he’s sick too, but not like her. He can still move and is lively. He went through a lot of heart surgery and was close to complete kidney failure, but he’s way better now. Sorry for my long post, but I had type this out. Thanks for your help.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Tyler,

      Thank you for your contribution to this post about crying in dreams and waking up crying. You certainly opened up and began to release a lot of grief there, given that you haven’t cried that hard since you were a small child. On the one hand, as you say, some of this grief has been opened up since your friend died in the car accident and that, in turn, has opened up other locked-up grief about other family members, but, as with all dreams, there is a deeper side.

      Notice how, on waking up, you feel like you’re being torn in two. Notice also your reference to animations/stick figures. What’s happening here is that at some time in your past you buried some feelings so deep that it was as if you were being torn in two. You probably became quite cool, keeping your emotions down. Your dream represents that through the figure of your grandfather, a living feeling person representing as an animation.

      Dreams reflect the last 24-48 hours. Something in the last two days before your dream triggered those deep feelings, and they’ve come up in your dream. You are getting back in touch with what you had buried, and this is good. Cry it all away. Then, instead of feeling torn in two, you will begin to feel a new sense of wholeness, your beautiful self plus being able to really let the warmth of your heart and feelings show.

      Hope this helps. If you want to explore this more deeply and find ways through, you might like to book a session with me.

      Jane Teresa

  9. Emily

    hi, my dad died just over 2 years ago, and was very unexpected, he just didn’t wake up. i often wake up crying real tears. What can i do to stop it?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Emily,

      It’s better to let your tears flow than to hold them back. Tears are a sign of the grief you feel, and the more you allow yourself to feel the grief, the sooner you’ll feel more at peace with the situation. You might like to explore the dreams that bring you tears as they will help you to get clearer on your painful emotions. You might also like to talk with a grief counsellor who can help you to understand more about the stages of grieving and how understanding these can help you to feel better.

      Jane Teresa

  10. Ness

    I had a dream my brother was abusing me physically, I fought him and got away, next I remember telling my mom about it and she became angry not that he hurt me but that I was telling her wat happend, she began hitting me hard wit an umbrella in my back, the final hit, and hardest hit shocked me, I looked at my mom she looked at me she said quickly, your ok, in my mind I felt she mite of been sory for doin that, I began to cry, I cried so hard I started to relize It was a dream and I was asleep but I let out a big long cry but awacould not control crying, almost like I wanted to let out my cry even tho I was awake, I did but not for long, my pillow was soaked wit tears, my eyes were swollen, I was in shocked as I sat up thinking how I herd myself crying in my sleep, waking up and cryin still as I was about to stand up I feel pain in my back exactly where I got hit in my dream, I was so confused because I knew it was a dream but tha physical pain was definantly there, I wen to tha mirror to see if there were marks on my back, there was none but tha pain was there n was real. this happened on oct 5th I woke up around 1230 am I still feel lil sore in my back not intense like yesterday but feels like it really happened. Im so confused about it still.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Ness,

      When you wake up from a dream suddenly – as you did – your brain ‘feels’ the dream pain for real. But that pain only belonged in your dream. It’s the same when people wake up suddenly from a scary dream of seeing a scary person, and when they open their eyes they see the scary person in their bedroom. Only the scary person is not in the bedroom, it is a leftover visual from the dream, and the brain gets confused and tells you the person is in the room. Another way to understand this is to say that the brain experiences a dream and as long as you keep your eyes closed the brain knows these experiences are a dream. But if you suddenly open your eyes (instead of waking up in the usual slower way), your brain thinks “Oh, she’s got her eyes open, so this thing that I’m seeing or feeling must not be a dream, it must be happening in waking life.”.

      You were shocked awake suddenly, which is why the dream pain felt real.

      You felt pain in your dream when there was an issue of telling the truth about something. The truth can be shocking and very painful. Dreams always reflect the 24-48 hours beforehand, so have a think about what happened in those two days to release this shock and associated tears.

      Jane Teresa

  11. DC

    Hi, I woke up crying last night, and can’t fully remember my dream, but I think I was hugging my son. I have 2 boys, ages 4 & 2, and I’m pretty sure I was hugging the older one. He, as I am learning that I did as a child, has a lot of anxiety and social phobias and has selective mutism and possibly a mood disorder. My wife and I have been doing alot of work with him as far as getting him services, he has an IEP and receives speech therapy as well as psychotherapy to help with toileting, etc (my wife and I do couples counseling to help us because we’ve had such a hard time with him). After he was born, I was with him most of the time, we were always together and very close. So i was with him while my wife worked up until he was 2. Thats when I started medical school, where I’ve been for the past 2 years, with 2 more and then a residency to go. Since I started school he has had a really difficult time. At that same time his younger brother was born, and he started going to a daycare that we’ve since changed him from, but which was horrible. These events brought alot of changes to his life, and kind of all at once. Knowing that he has such a hard time getting though the day kills me. I would rather still be home with him but I try to tell him that daddy goes to school so we can have a yard, go on vacations, have fun, help people, etc. I think I feel so guilty for not being around as much as I need to be, and as much as I want to be. I had to fight tooth and nail to be able to get out of seeing patients in clinic on Halloween so I could go out with them. But I don’t cry enough in life, I would like to cry more. I feel a lump in my throat now as I type this, but nothing is coming out. I felt great and horrible at the same time last night – I feel like I would like it to happen more often. I tell him all the time how much I love him, I give him a kiss every night when I come home, they’re already in bed asleep, and then I see them for maybe 20 min in the AM before I have to leave for school. I have no real outlet for emotions. I miss them terribly, I just want to be home with them. I want to cry more. Is there any way to jump start those emotions before I goto bed? Thanks for a great post!

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi DC, Thank you for your post, and I appreciate the layers of frustration and anxiety that you are experiencing. Dreaming of hugging your older son most likely reflects not only embracing some of the issues you’ve outlined here, but at a deeper level, embracing aspects of yourself. These most likely include embracing the ‘part’ of yourself that is also four years old, i.e. the last four years of fatherhood, and also perhaps yourself as a four year old child, given that you experienced similar anxieties including (? I think) selective mutism. In moving through fathering your son, you are also encountering any of your own similar unresolved issues and emotions from your own childhood. Given the nature of selective mutism and social phobias, it’s likely that you may have suppressed some emotions as a child, although I’m sure you have explored and expressed many emotions and issues during your couples therapy. My feeling is that, in your dream, you began to embrace (integrate) childhood emotions, and this opened up some grief, the tears you awoke crying. So this is a good start. Take comfort that you must be doing something right to have begun this process, to have begun to cry in a dream. You ask how you can cry more, how you can jump start those emotions before bed. I suggest, DC, you might like to write a letter to yourself as a child, or perhaps just a few sentences each night before you sleep. Imagine your child self as you remember him, embrace him and comfort him with your words. As you fall asleep, picture and feel yourself hugging yourself as a child. Begin with this. Your dreams will work deeper. You may also like to book a session or two with me: https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  12. Zoey

    Hi, I just woke up from a really wierd but sad and sort of strange dream. This 1 guy, his name is Khanya, he likes starting fights at school. I’m my dream, I was standing up for the kids that were being threatened. The teacher was right in front of him. He hit me a few times(Khanya) but I was ok then he said he was gonna hit one of me friends, I stood up for him and Khanya ended up hitting me, HARD! Next thing I know, I am in a wheelchair. I seemed to be really sick. I still remember how on the day before Khanya hit me, I had planned to go to the arcade with my familia and we were also going to go outside to some carnival. Anyway so I’m in this wheelchair. Its a saturday, the day we were meant 2 b at the arcade. I’m really sad cuz we arnt there, together. Anyway, in my dream it skips Saturday and moves straight to Sunday, the day I am going to die. Its like I know I am about to die becuz I gather my things and I am crying HEAVILY!! So much so that I can’t even see. But I can see my mom and dad standing in the doorway. I can see them crying too. Next thing my little brother(Neo, who is my life and the one that I could never live without, even thought we have arguements) runs in and says,”Are you going?” I nod and I am still crying like mad. He sort of cries but without really using tears. He just moans and basically go’s ‘WAAAAAAAAAAAAH’ without the use of tears which I found sort of strange because wen I visit my fwends, he misses me like crazy. Anyway, I wake up and as I wake up I immediatly start crying. I feel sad and I never want to lose my family. Please give me suggestions of what it could mean… Thanx!!

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Zoey, There’s a lot in your dream and this blog isn’t really about interpreting (interpretation is an in-depth service), but here’s a hint to help you on your way: Notice that in your dream you twice mention “standing up” for people, and then you end up in a wheelchair because you can no longer stand up. When you notice a pair of opposites like this in a dream, it’s a clue to an issue that is bothering you. So your issue is about standing up – or not standing up – for yourself, and when this gets you in trouble (either way). It’s about needing to find a balance, to be able to stand up for what is right, in a gentle way, not in a way that threatens. And it’s about having courage to stand up in this gentle way, not to fear it so much that you end up feeling powerless. Think about the things you value about your family, and about the way that you would like to live your life from this point forward. Stand up gently but firmly for your values.

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  13. Gab

    I was very close with my grandparents and took care of my grandmother
    In deep sickness, and never had a chance to say good bye to her before she past away. Yet my grandfather past away few years before her and the same day years later she past on that same day herself! Greed in the family took over and nothing was how it was suppose to be before she past and how she and grandpa wanted the Will! The oldest ended up changing it in his favour while leaving the rest of the family in dark.
    So where my dream comes in, I was in the setting of my grabdparents house and there was a missing letter and it couldn’t be put together or read so I managed to piece the message together… And it was almost saying its ok and she left me some watch I’ve never seen in my life and my uncle was mad but ended up agreeing upon letting me have it… I held the watch and I could feel my grandfathers presence! It was so moving I could feel and see and smell that home!
    I always dream of being in the same areas Mostlikly as a child! Or a misson, and always sad or pain or surrounded by water!!
    This dream I woke up in dead tears and looking above me and thanking and loving my grandparents! Very moving like they sent a message thru my dream!
    Miss and love them so much the ying and yang to my life!!!

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Gab,

      Thank you for your very moving contribution. What a comforting dream, indicating that you are coming to terms with your grief and loss. I wonder if the watch represents time, reminding you of special times, more valuable than money. If your grandfather were alive today, what advice might he give you? Ah, maybe you’ve already said it here: a way to bring the yin and yang balance into your life.

      By the way, I wonder if those dreams about missions are a play on words. Do you feel you have a mission in life around sadness and pain?

      Jane Teresa

  14. Anthea

    It’s the second time today I have woken up from my dreams crying. First one was with a baby, and the second one was with me dad talking to me and he seemed upset with me. That both made me really sad I could not stop crying. What does this mean? Any one know? I don’t wanna have another one.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Anthea,

      As I mentioned in the blog, waking up crying is good, showing that grief is being released. Think of rainbows: sunshine after rain.

      You are releasing some sadness. Good! Better gone than kept inside. (This site is not really about interpretation. If you wanted to book a consultation with me, I’d be asking for more details of your dream before it could be interpreted.)

      Hope this helps and assures you.

      Jane Teresa

  15. Lupe

    I am extremely glad I found this 🙂 I woke up from a nightmare and just cried because I could still remember the feeling I was having in the dream. It was horrible, lonely,violent, and just full of regret. Never in my life have I had such a dream. Thank you. With the newely learned knowledge I can comfort that little girl with the hurt dog and tell her everything is going to be okay.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Thank you Lupe. I’m glad the article helped. The ‘give back the belief’ dream alchemy is powerful. You will notice some deep changes. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself a bit weepy over the next couple of days. It’s all part of releasing the rest of that grief. Everything is indeed ok.

      Jane Teresa

  16. Sara

    Last night I had a vivid dream that my family and I were standing in a circle around my sick grandmother, (who died over 8 years ago) and were discussing how she wouldn’t be there for my wedding. She suffered and died from ALS, a very dehumanizing disease, and I had only been 12 years old at the time and basically ignored her sick presence in my house, because I never wanted to deal with it. After she passed, I felt sad and relief, but last night I dreamed of writing her a letter maintaining our close relationship while she was still sick, and I remember trying so hard not to cry (making that face that hurts) in my dream, but waking up bawling. I couldn’t stop the rest of the night and I feel off and down today, but this website has made me realize I had been feeling guilt all of this time for basically giving up on her, and I am still just sad. Hopefully now I will stop having nights like this.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Sara,

      Thank you for writing about your dream and the insights you gained form reading this blog. You are certainly releasing the sadness now. Good! Remember to be very kind to yourself and remember that at age 12 most girls are not emotionally mature enough to cope with the situation you faced. It was very traumatic for you, so you naturally distanced yourself. Knowing you were so young, you can let go of that feeling of guilt. You were just 12.

      At the same time, you might want to wonder why you had this dream now. Is there something else in your life you might have been “giving up on” – within yourself – recently?

      Jane Teresa

  17. Ness

    Last night I woke up 4 times and fell asleep into tha same dream it was horrible and each time I was cryin tryin to wake up. In my dream I felt a strong hold, as if I was being held down , there was a tight grip around my wristsand felt heavy weight on my legs, I couldnt, speak,yell, or cry for help, ive had dreams as this before and I usually wake up after screaming out tha words jesus, however this time instead of jus bein in fear of bein held down by evil forces in this dream I indured pain so bad everytime I woke up I still felt pain, everytime I atempted to scream out tha words jesus, I felt pain on my right side right below my ribs felt as someone or something was squeezing or putin great
    pressure to tha point I couldnt scream, everytime I called to tja name of jesus I felt more and more pressure, I would wake up breating fast realizing It was a drea I would fall back asleep in to tha same dream I tried to open my eyes but I couldnt, I woke up and fell asleep 3 more times into tha same dream I m crying and as soon as I compose myself I fall into tha horible dream again, my question is how was I able to go back
    to tha same horrible dream theres time I want to go to sleep to finish a dream its imossible, also tha pain under my ribs remained after waking up tha more I cryied when awake tha more I felt tha pain under my ribs this
    is while awake. Wat is tha reason for such evilness in my dream its ways tha same in a dark humid room, I never see anyone or anything but its like torture to me and its very hard to cry or speak and hard to wake up, now im a christian and I dont invite any evilness in my home or mind or life why such an attack in my sleep. I have had similar dreams before eversince I was 10yrs old im 32 now n tha dreams are gettin more painful after im wake in my real life,can a person die in real life if not able to suceed in waking urself up or gettin out of a evil dream such as tha ones I experience from time to time.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Ness,

      A good question. Plenty of people have woken up very much alive (like you) after such scary dreams, and though we’ll never be able to ask those who die in their sleep what they were dreaming when they passed, my feeling after over 20 years of research and consultations is that our lives are not threatened by our frightening dreams. So let’s look instead at how you can stop having this experience, and start enjoying your dreams and getting good healthy sleep.

      By the way, since you’ve been having this kind of dream since you we’re ten, the waking life situation that causes you to dream this dream first began when you were ten. So that might give you a clue.

      Dreams are symbolic, and not what they seem. Dreams are all about your feelings and how you see the world around you and how you respond to it. Rest assured there’s nothing evil trying to get at you in your sleep. It’s more about you wrestling with your own feelings of good and evil in the world.

      This blog is not about offering interpretation (you can consult me by checking my services on the blog menu). I highly recommend you get my ebook “How to stop bad dreams ….” which outlines many scary dreams (including ones similar to yours), helps you to understand them, and gives you exercises to do to stop them. You can buy it here (instant download so you can start reading right away):
      https://www.janeteresa.com/product/how-to-stop-bad-dreams-and-nightmares/

      Jane Teresa

  18. jay

    4 nights ago I woke up to the worst feeling ever. I was dreaming that my dad was picking me up along with my 3yr old baby brother. My dad was driving a classic mustang (a car that he knows I wan) and I got in the car but instead of putting my brother in his baby seat I sat him next to me,in the front seat. At this point I notice my dad uncomfortable about something and we don’t exchange word, I then put on my seat belt but not on my baby brother just me and just hold him tight. As were driving my brother flies out the window and I see my face like OMG eyes and mouth wide open and look at my dad and all he does is shake his head in disappointment. This makes me go back to my seat with my hands on my mouth like in shock because my dad keeps on driving and that means were not stoping and were certainly not going back for my brother…. I’ve had nightmares were my heart is pounding and I’m scared. I’ve had dreams that make feel sad and happy as well. But after having this dream not only did I wake up crying but also felt worst painful feeling my heart has ever felt and it hurt so bad I just had to take my hand and kinda grave my chest and start asking for it to stop. But this I guess made it worst and just couldn’t stop crying like crazy. I don’t even know for how long this was going on but fell asleep that way,crying and my heart feeling that way. Throughout the day I was just puzzled onto why I woke up like that. Till I told my friend and we talked about it and joking around I told her “maybe my soul was that sad or needed to cry” we both laughed. And then I came across this and I can see that I’m not the only one who’s had an experience like this. :/

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jay,

      Thank you for contributing your dream, and helping other people realise they’re not alone and that these dreams are not what they seem. You were right, weren’t you, about some deep part of yourself being sad and needing to cry? The shock feeling in your dream was also something you needed to release. I wonder what happened for you in the one or two days before your dream to trigger this release.

      Jane Teresa

  19. Jackie

    This morning I woke sobbing and in my dream I was crying my eyes out as well. I was crying over my father. In my dream we were helping my aunt and little cousin pick up their food and ice cream and my mom said see what your dad does for us? And I remember staring at her angry and telling her what she means because he’s never done a single thing in his life for us. And she ignored me! I was sobbing and sobbing over the absence of my father (they were angry resentful tears) and my mom did not care. She thought I was being over dramatic and selfish. Hague thought I was throwing an unnecessary tantrum. In fact my family was even having a party next door and were completely oblivious to my sobbing. I continued to cry over him and continued to yell about him doing nothing for us and I was just completely ignored. My dad left me and my mom when I was about a year old. He came to visit maybe twice, the last time being when I was 4. I haven’t heard from him since. I don’t know where he is or what ever happened to him. I have never expressed any sadness of his absence in my life mainly because I have a very strong single working mother who attempted and succeeded in giving me everything I needed. I also have an uncle who is very strong father figure in my life. All in all I never expressed any grief towards the absence of my father, I simply shrugged it off as something normal that happens everyday to many people and simply I could have a worse situation but I don’t. Perhaps my dream is bringing up any suppressed hurt and helplessness I felt towards my situation. This was very long I know but I just had to talk about what just happened.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jackie,

      Thank you for contributing your experience. It feels good to tell the story and help release the emotions from the dream and from long ago, doesn’t it? Since dreams process the last 24-48 hours, have a think about issues or feelings that came up for you prior to the dream that may have resonated with the unconscious grief. The release of grief will shift your feelings and views about both the past and the recent issues/experiences. You may find some things begin to look quite different to you, in a positive way.

      Jane Teresa

  20. tony

    Last week i was crying in my dream that my brother died and i woke up crying alott of tears coming out. And my father died like 15yrs ago and yesterday i had a crazyyyy dream that i saw him walking in the street smoking a cigarette it was very weird i dont remember all of it but i woke up crying again my pillow was soaked from tears . Its crazyi never cried and woke up crying before in my dream now all of a sudden it happened twice in one week? Thank you for your time and help “Tony “

  21. Chris

    This morning I woke up from a horrible dream. I was with old class mates in an outdoor lecture situation and we weren’t really paying attention. There was a male authority figure and someone who appeared to be like me with a cocky personality not looks (much better looking) suddenly we’re running through a house away from this man and old classmates are acting like nothing’s going on. The male figure kills the man like me and catches me smoking weed and puts me down about it. Then I’m in my grandmothers dining room in a meeting situation, there’s a 3-4 people at the table but I’m only focusing on my exs father dressed in a joke super hero outfi. We discuss how I finished my ex and he says he’s disappointed in me then my ex appearsand were in a place we both know and shes smiling a laughing and we lay on the grass hugging and saying how much we love eachother and then I wake up and cry my eyes out? Does this mean I’m not over her (I am probably not)

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Chris, I think you’ve answered your own question. Crying – releasing the grief – is a key step on the way to letting go. Remember, if you want help with understanding a dream (and help with letting go and moving forward), I offer a range of professional consultations at: https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Jane Teresa

  22. lia

    I had two dreams last night and awoke crying from each. The first one I was being robbed in a library with a gun at my back.
    The man was being so violent I knew he was going to shoot even though i gave him what he asked for. I could feel the gun on my back even after I woke up. The second dream I was trying to protect my nephew from a man I thought was dangerous. He began chasing us. I hid my nephew safely but he still was chasing me and killing other strangers to get to me. Right before he killed me he said i “should have been nicer to him”. Once again I woke up in tears. I thought this would have something to do with the 7 anniversary of my brother being killed.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Lia, Since dreams process our conscious and unconscious experiences of the last 24-48 hours, it is likely that your dreams are processing the anniversary, if that is very much on your mind now. There is more in your dream, elements of protection and emotional boundaries. You might like to consult me at https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/ for further help. It’s good that you’re waking up crying, releasing that grief.

      Jane Teresa

  23. victoria lynn

    OMG…I just woke up crying my eyes out. I thought it was about missing my grandson & gandaughter ( 5 & 3) who I raised for 4 & 2 years, but after reading your sight I believe it’s the healing I’ve been longing for since I was a very very young girl. I am now 51 and just happen to be living in the same house and sleeping in the same bedroom I grew up in. I had an alcoholic father who abused my mom up until I was like 6 or 7. I remember her all bloody, but don’t remember him. he passed away in ’78. He never wanted children, I never got to really know him except he was an addict and very abusive. always went through life feeling unwanted plus I’m a recovering addict myself. thank you for your insight….Victoria

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Victoria,

      Thank you for your reflections on your dream, how it relates, and the healing it reflects. You’re spot on.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  24. Shanice

    Hey ya
    I’m only 18 and my dream that seemed odd was that I was dreaming that I was in the mall looking to buy some glasses and I’m walking with my ‘husband’ and we’re talking about how we’ve been married for a whole year and a half, but the thing is out of the blue he doesn’t seem to remember me and he didn’t love me anymore, he stops but I keep on walking as he tells me that we should go our separate ways and as I carry on walking I’m hiding my face as I can feel tears running down my face, then I tune around and he’s gone, out of sight, I turn the other to find my younger sister waiting for me to run up to her and just cry in her arms, as if she knew what’s happened. As we’re walking to the car he calls out to me from behind and asks me do, I love him? My instant reply was “I said it before, I always have and always will” but I’m shouting it at him and crying so intensely and breathing heavily that I wake up trying to catch my breath as though it actually happened and my pillow soaking with my tears.
    Shanice

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Shanice,

      Thank you for your contribution. You might like to ask yourself what began a year and a half ago in your life, since your dream refers to a sadness around feeling that something that’s been in your life that long is coming to an end.

      Jane Teresa

  25. Kelsey Angel

    Hello,
    A couple days ago I woke up crying when i started to cry in my dream. When I read your artcle it got me thinking, my dream was about something that has never happened, it was focused around the death of my schools chaplaincy leader who i am close with but he isnt dead. It was a very strange dream. But why would i dream about this?

    Thanks 🙂
    Kelsey

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Kelsey,

      People in our dreams are symbols reflecting our own conscious and unconscious beliefs and feelings. Ask yourself how you see your chaplain. What’s his personality? What does he represent to you? Your dream reflects sadness around feeling that you’re losing touch with what he represents. Death in a dream often symbolises a sense of an ending. Endings can be good when they lead us – through change – to something new. Other times our dreams can alert us to what we are not giving energy to, letting die. Think symbols, not real people.

      Here’s an article about dreams, what they are:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/about/about-dreams/

      Jane Teresa

  26. Amanda

    Hi Jane Teresa, My dad’s an alcoholic. The earliest I remember it starting to get abusive was when I was around 14 years old. I’m currently in my 20’s. My dad is still drinking to this day, but I’ve accepted it. I’m not really sure why I had this dream early this morning. I think all of the feelings/stress i’m experiencing now is bringing up the feelings and loss I feel around my dad. I feel sad because my dad is starting to forget things and i’m worried that he will never quit drinking..never finding his happiness in life.
    Here was my dream: I’m trying to talk to my dad on my cellphone, but the signal is really bad, and I can’t hear a lot. My mom is off to the side arguing with me about different types of games? Shes’ getting really stressed and irritable, looking frustrated and sad. It just makes me mad to see her like this. (I used to hate to come home to my mom like this because it would stress me out too..) In this dream, I tell my mom that I know what i’m doing when choosing a game. I say that i’ve been doing it for awhile.. I then try to walk away from my mom and call my dad back. My mom then says “that was 200 years ago. Your dad is long and gone,” meaning he died or disappeared. I get really sad and say “no.” I somehow get a chance to go back to a time when he was still alive. In the dream, I look like i’m in my 20’s (my current age) and I go to a time when he was laying in his bed sleeping. It’s my chance to see him, so I walk into his bedroom and see his pants on a chair wondering if hes not dressed..because I didn’t want him to be nude. I saw that he had pants on, so I climbed into bed with him and cuddled up next to him. He holds me and I start crying hysterically. In the dream, he seems like he understands why i’m crying. He lets me cry.

    Going back to when he wasn’t there anymore, there’s a baby and some other kid. They won’t know my dad unless they get to seem him like I did, going back in time. So after i’m done crying with my dad, I grab them and throw them onto the bed so that they can get a hold of the memory of my Dad. It seemed like the memory was before he became an alcoholic..I then see my dad’s dog laying on the floor and he looks old. I get really sad again, and I wake up crying, feeling like my dad is gone and will never be back. 🙁

    Could this be me letting go of some grief as well?
    I’m wondering if the kids were myself at different ages..?
    If you could comment on this, I’d appreciate it so much!

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Amanda,

      You do indeed seem to be feeling and releasing grief in your dream. That’s wonderful. Consider everyone in a dream as an aspect of yourself. In answer to your question, those children may represent yourself at those ages, or they may refer to more recent times. For example, the baby may represent something new in your life, something that’s been in your life for the same time as the age of the baby (e.g. an attitude, relationship, situation), something new that would benefit from releasing the grief and moving into acceptance.

      If you’d like to honour your dream by exploring it deeply with me, please book a consultation here:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Jane Teresa

  27. Isabella

    Hi Jane,
    I’m so glad I read your article, it gave me more of an understanding of my dream. I just recently woke up crying because in my dream, my family and I just got out of Sunday mass at church. It was my birthday, and all I wanted on my birthday was to eat together with my whole family at a restaurants. All my aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins were there. Suddenly, they all started saying their goodbyes and I asked where was everybody going? A random person’s reply was, “we have a lot of things to do.” Then I started balling or crying a lot. And I said, “that as all I wanted, I just wanted to be with my family.”
    What does this mean?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Isabella, Thank you for contributing your dream. There’s a mention of doing (a lot of things to do) and being (I just want to be), suggesting issues around doing vs being and family expectations. I’m glad my article helped.
      Jane Teresa

  28. albert

    The dream i had last night was i was running from the cops and then i got away and went to my babysmamas house and went to talk to her and told i had to go so i said later to her boyfriend and then as i was gonna say by to my babysmama i started crying saying by and then i went to go say by to my son and told her to take care of my things and ill see u agian sometime… Is it like telling me something.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Albert, You can learn a lot about yourself and your life, and discover solutions to problems, when you know how to understand your dreams. You might like to start by looking at some of my ebooks: https://www.janeteresa.com/books/ebooks-2/
      Jane Teresa

  29. Faye

    Hi Jane,
    i just woke up crying and sobbing like crazy.
    i took a 2 hrs nap from 7 pm to 9 pm.
    my dream started inside a classroom and there’s another room inside that classroom 2 of my friends Mc and Vangie was inside the other room. And then suddenly cops came in our room and told us to go cuz there’s a bomb and the cops were telling me to go but i dont want to cuz my friends are still inside the other room but the cops told me to i really gotta go. so i ran and took my school backpack, my phone and i saw vangie’s phone and took it with me and then i saw Mc’s phone and took it with me too. and i was running out and saw my youngest sister and so i take her with me and i get her backpack and we started running. after we got out of the room, we were under a really big castle like in a basement or something. and the next thing i know is im in this big field. one side is all guys and the other side is all girls. i dont recognize anybody there and i dont know why but they were playing volleyball and i was hit twice with the ball and then i just started crying and then this other girl started crying with me and this one girl just puts on stickers on me and the other girl crying with me i dont know why. and then i woke up sobbing and tears falling. im freaking out why that happened. please help
    -Hillery

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Thank you for contributing your dream Hillery/Faye. The fact that you cried in your dream suggests you are releasing some sad feelings, and that is good. I don’t interpret on this blog (I offer consultation services for a fee), but I do encourage you to read more of my articles on this blog – or perhaps download an ebook – to learn more about dreams. The more you read, the more you will begin to understand dreams such as this one.

      I hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  30. mike

    I need help or at least feel that way. I have not been having bad dreams I rarely dream and even more rare of a occasion I will remember them. These last few weeks I have not been able to sleep more than twice without waking up hysterical and its not like a panic. It is almost like I am too sad not to cry. I usually wake up happy and late. Now I beat the alarm by hours just to sob.I never cry or really have a reason to cry. I am just confused with these emotions and I scared if it get worse.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Mike,

      The sadness you are feeling will be sadness you are not acknowledging in your day to day life. It’s likely that recent events have triggered some sadness and grief you repressed long ago. It’s possible that you are dreaming about this, but because you don’t usually remember your dreams you’re just left with the sadness. Tears are always healing, so even if you don’t understand where they’re coming from it’s worth just letting yourself cry. Picture a rainbow, the beautiful colours that emerge when the sun comes out after the rain. That’s how you can feel when you allow yourself to cry away unexplained sadness.

      Hope this helps. You might like to book a consultation with me to go further into this.

      Jane Teresa

  31. tammy

    Thank you, this helped me tremendously. I woke up this morning crying in my dream. I was crying cause I missed my good friends in highschool. When I woke up I felt empty that I needed them so bad, it made me cry even more. When I read you passage I closed my eyes and tryed remembering my dream, I pictured me about my daughters age, 8 hugging me and I felt my pain and confusion in why I was not conforted, and just told as a child everything is ganna be ok. I could see this pain now that I had relating to when ive seen my kids in sarrow and in pain. It was like I didnt realy ever see how painful my child life was.i didnt know what pain I was feeling when I was a chil, it was normal the. …WOW, WHY DOES A CHILD HAVE TO FEEL PAIN? I tryed to hold my as I cryed telling me it was ok , everything was ok. Rubbing my head, and back, it felt so good ….i tryed to picture her growing up into the person I am now, but only got to my teenage and it faded into seeing my kids and conforting them.the lil girl iny dream was in pain and hurting, looking for her freinds for comfort …..I see why I confort my kids so much…..

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Tammy, Thank you for sharing your experience of doing this dream alchemy practice, and the breakthrough understanding and healing you received as a result. Many blessings.
      Jane Teresa

  32. Michelle

    Hello Jane,

    My daughter is twelve years old and she’s been waking up crying for a while. One dream was about her father selling drugs- which is completely false must I add- and he went jail and woke up crying. Then the next one was about a boy she fell in love with but the thing is that he’s imaginary and he left her. She has also been distant and lately has stopped eating with us and saying she’s not hungry. What do I do and what’s happening?

    Thank you,
    Michelle

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Michelle, Your daughter is clearly comfortable with telling you about her dreams, so she must be feeling safe with you, wishing to share at least that detail. Because she’s ok with talking about her dreams with you, you might like to start by helping her to understand that dreams are not what they seem, that her father is not the man in her dream, that the boyfriend is a dream character, not an actual person. Help her to see these dream people (father, boyfriend) as symbols of her own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about life. Help her to see that the drugs and the jail are also symbols of her own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about life. Ask her what overall feeling she experienced in each dream – it looks like feeling abandoned – but let her come up with the feeling that is right for her. Then help her to relate that feeling to a situation in her waking life. Talk it out.

      At 12, as you will remember if you think back to being that age, there’s a lot going on, body changes (I’m thinking about the eating) included.

      I can help you to understand your daughter’s dreams and give you some suggestions about how to talk about her dreams with her if you’d like to book a consultation with me:

      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      I can also talk with you both if your daughter would like to join you.

      Either way, I hope my suggestions here give you some help.

      Jane Teresa

  33. Romeo

    So i had this dream this morning where i woke up crying. What i was experiencing in the dream was: i was holding my ex girlfriend, holding her tight. I could feel myself sobbing, then reality slowly faded in and i was crying the same cry in my bed. (My ex left me for another guy)
    This tells me that i have great feelings for my ex, right? I was involuntarily crying
    Any help with coping with it?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Romeo, Crying during a dream and when you awake is always a real release of unexpressed grief. (Maybe you’ve already expressed some; this is more.) There’s always grief to be processed when relationships end, and it can take time. Your grief may also be about feelings of rejection and abandonment, maybe even from a time before this relationship.
      Help with coping with it? Allow time to cry, cry, cry, and notice thoughts and feelings that come up. Notice also where you feel this in your body. Be kind to yourself. Remember that rainbows appear after the rain – and sunshine too.
      You can book a consultation with me for more help with your dream and your life here: https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/
      Jane Teresa

  34. Liv

    Before i went to bed my mom yelled at
    Me and slammed her door (idk if this could be a factor) anyways,
    In my dream there was alot
    Of frustrating things going on, and at the end of the dream my friend had past away, there were signs
    Everywhere and i wanted them down..
    I left my dream and woke up while crying to a circle of old friends. When I woke up it was as though I was crying alot..
    My face was drenched in tears and eyes red. Anyways, 2 days ago prior to my dream.. I found out a girl i acted with 5 years ago had passed. Just thought I should share :)!

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Thank you for sharing Liv. Your tears may well have been connected with hearing about the death (especially since dreams process the last 1-2 days).
      Jane Teresa

  35. Liv

    Also in regards to the last post id like to add that i meant in my dream there were a circle of friends i was crying too. Also the past fee months ive been having really bad dreams.
    2 of which possession has taken place to myself and my dog.. The
    One with me was very scary and I still remember it! Also i have such strong dreams that im often scared
    To sleep! Yesterday during the day i had an hour and a half nap and i got hit over the head with something and i couldnt wake up.. I was trying to but its as though im lost and cant.. Eventually i woke up with an extreme headache and woke up half way during my nap from this nightmare.
    This is only a few..
    Like 2 weeks ago i think i had a lucid dream and i couldnt really wake from
    It it seemed.
    Also remember falling through a time warp or something similar.
    It seems that im exhausted
    From my dreams..
    Especially waking up this morning soaked in tears..
    Was shocking! Any input would be awesome 🙂 thankyou so much 🙂

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Liv, you would benefit from listening to The Dream Show (podcasts). Listen to a few episodes, perhaps especially the ones where I have a guest on the show having a dream interpreted. You’ll pick up tips on how to begin to understand your dreams. You can listen to them all here:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/podcasts/
      Jane Teresa

  36. Emily March

    Thanks for posting this. Thank you very much. I had a dream last night where my recently deceased grandpa and I went to some sort of concert thing at the Paladium and all of the stars from harry potter were there to talk to us. He was lying down on a bed instead of sitting in a chair, and his illness that he had in the dream was not what caused his death in real life..it was really odd and scary. I then proceeded to catch it because I kept telling him I loved him and would rub his feet and such to let him know this. So, the physical contact made me catch it. Then, security kicked my grandpa and I out because we were infectious. The next day at mass everyone found out and I told the priest and mass got stopped abruptly because of it and it was all just very real and confusing. I don’t remember much more or know how it ended, but at some point I woke up just sobbing; positively bawling. Anyhoo, thanks for posting this.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Emily,

      Thank you for posting your dream experience. It’s good to know that the dream helped you release grief, whether that grief was connected with losing your grandpa or with something else in your life now or in the past. You might like to book an appointment with me to explore this dream further (click the menu tabs on this site). You might also like to read the following blog, and, at the bottom of that article, you’ll see a thumbnail to another about dreams of the recently departed:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/messages-from-the-other-side/

      Jane Teresa

  37. Marina

    Hi Teresa,

    I recently had a best friend of over 20 years pass away at the age of 57 after a liver transplant that didn’t take. It was a very slow and terrible passing where she wasn’t able to speak for the last 7 weeks and didn’t think she was going to die so she wasn’t able to tell me her final wishes and I had to do what I thought was best. Se has no family here and left me to be her power of attorney on her estate, where she barely had any money to pay the bills let alone a funeral service. After her death we held an estate sale where we sold everything in the house and sent the money to her son back in Russia and then left the house to the mortgage company for good.

    I had to tell you the backstory before I tell you the dream that I had 40 days after her death. She was russian orthodox so at 40 days is when the soul finally makes it into heaven. My dream was that I saw her and she got better and was out of the hospital. She told me that she wanted to go home and I was happy that she was alive in my dream and knew that it couldn’t be. Se kept telling me that she wanted to go to her house and I didn’t know how to tell her that we sold the house and everything in it. (She really loved her house when she was alive). I didn’t know how to tell her that she had nowhere to go.

    I woke up extremely upset and didn’t know why I had this dream at is particular time. Maybe you can help?

    Thanks,
    Marina

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Marina,

      Thank you for your dream. I’m sure your friend felt your love and support, and appreciated everything you did for her, and I can understand how devastated you must have felt during your dream, and how confused you felt upon wakening. You might like to start by reading this article about dreaming of people who have died: https://www.janeteresa.com/dreams-of-death-dying-and-the-departed/ That said, though, our dreams are always about ourselves, and this dream is very much about you and your own vitality and connection to what you love. A consultation will help you to understand this, and bring you more joy: https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  38. Lim Lynn

    Thanks for writing the article Jane Teresa Anderson. It really help a lot helping me out figuring why age 9 and now 22 when I wake up early morning realizing I had wet my pillow with tears. Have anyone have a weird dream about the future where it’s a message where every single dreamer had to prepare themselves with the future events? I been dream at age 9 about death and funerals before it happened. Then, today I woke up from my sleep with a weird dream where every single one who was a cannibal became possessed. Can’t seem to figure that dream out.

  39. Jessica

    Hello Jane! I came to ask a question because i seem to can’t think of an answer myself!
    I uncontrollably woke up in tears. I just couldn’t stop myself! Earlier that evening i had a really big argument with my fiancé! Something so deep that we almost broke up that night! I was still angry and hurt when we went to bed but he wasn’t. I dreamed that same night that he convinced my whole family to try to kill me and while i was fighting against my family he was just standing there watching me. Then he said If you argue with men tonight then i wouldn’t have to do this! Next thing you know i woke up crying for like an half an hour! I know my fiancé would never hurt me or plot to have anyone else to hurt me but why i just couldn’t shake this feeling of emotional hurt and pain! I never done this before! Can you maybe help me understand why i had such a horrible dream about him

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jessica,

      Always remember that dreams are symbolic, and that what people do and say in a dream are not at all related to how those people think about you in waking life. Everyone and everything in a dream represents something about the dreamer. In dreams you are processing the last two days. The killing referred to in your dream represents your thoughts and feelings (conscious or unconscious) that a part of yourself is being ‘killed’, (for example, the way you express yourself, an attitude). To really help you understand your dream, and help you with this conflict and your relationship, book a session with my by phone or skype so we can set aside the time to devote to this.

      Jane Teresa

  40. Melissa

    Hi! My dream involved two things one my cat molly and the other my wiener dog rosey who died a week before her and I turned 13 I am 19 now. The dream started with me standing around my families kitchen table yet I dont think it was my family we had everyone mother father grandparents and all 8 sisters well we were having pork chops and suddenly they were being mean to my dog and cat told me to get rid of it take them away I said they’re just hungry well I ended up going outside and feeding my dog and cat my dinner instead I than had this weird thought that a explosion would kill them or something bad would happen to them yet we lived in the country I tried to keep them near me so I started panicking looking for them with the only nice sister I had which was one of the youngest crying I ended up taking them inside and the dream ended is this telling me something? Because when my dog rosey died she was in Houston with my grandmother because it was hers and I couldnt move with her…my cat molly is still with me and she is perfectly fine

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Melissa,

      Your dream is about your feelings of losing touch with your younger self (feelings, attitudes, hopes you had back then). Rosey represents you being 13 (and loss), and your dream refers to protecting your youngest sister, another reference to your younger self. Hope this helps point the way for you. To properly understand your dream and see how it can help you in your life today, you’d need to book a session with me so we can spend an hour on this – as it and you deserve.

      Jane Teresa

  41. lama

    i really needed to this article , i had this wired dream today i wake up on tears and i just couldn’t stop my self from crying at all and even though i clam down i still have this heavy feeling in my chest i started with me and sister and her school friends trying to cross a road but it was so crowded and a lot of people was standing waiting for their turn then some guys was bullying people to crosses to the other side so i jumped to them and i ask if they could take me with them i went with them alone they turn to be bad or dangerous men so they toke me with them then some how i fall inlove with one of them i could still clearly see his face big blue eyes dark hair he loved me back we kind off had a baby but then because of his activates and chooses to leave me so i wont be harmed this was the part where i some how breakdown and start crying asking him to stay but he didn’t he just left then i woke up crying really bad , am not in relationship in fact my last one was like 3 to 4 years ago sorry but i really felt the need to let this out thank you so much

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Lama,

      Thank you for your dream. It does feel better writing it down, doesn’t it? It looks like you have made a break with something that wasn’t healthy for you, and your tears are part of the letting go.

      Jane Teresa

  42. Kate

    Hey this message is from my 13 year old daughter:)

    I keep waking up crying for years as long as I can remember and I recently read your article. When I did I tried you method of shutting my eyes and it was if I suddenly fell into a dream I tried to imagine myself standing there but when I did it wasn’t me it was a horrible looking person all alone… I had to force myself out the dream and I woke up crying again?
    I’m so confused could you explain what this means?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Kate,

      This is for your daughter:

      Do you sometimes feel alone, even when surrounded by loving family and friends? Or do you feel alone in a particular situation in your life? Or do you fear being alone so much that you make sure you’re always surrounded by people? From what you say, seeing this “horrible looking person all alone” pictures either a feeling or a fear that you have: that it’s horrible to be alone. This is what I suggest: close your eyes and picture yourself going up to that horrible-looking person and hugging her. As you hug her, notice her become very beautiful. Tell her – in your imagination – that she’ll never be alone because she will ways feel your love for her.

      After you do this, have a chat with your mum and with friends about spending quality time with people you love and also spending quality time alone (but not lonely). Go for balance in life.

      I hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  43. yasmine

    I had a dream there was a fostor mom she would leave a kid inside the house lock up and took the other children out . One time they had left to some place and the kid wasnt acting good so she left him alone at the house and when she came back she saw him sitting down crying and she just let everything out and start crying . It woke me up crying . I dont know what this dream trying to tell me .

  44. Desi

    Hello Jane,
    I just woke up crying about 15 minutes ago and this has been the most helpful thing I’ve found. I hope maybe I could get your opinion on my dream. In my dream I was in a party setting and my inter family was there including my dad (my parents got divorced when I was around five or six and my dad has never really been in my life so he usually is not at these family gatherings) And in this party setting we were all having a good time until my dad said something to me along the lines of how much he cares about me, and I snapped at him and told him off basically. I was yelling at him about how much he’s hurt me by not being around when I needed him and in the dream it was like I was watching it from another persons point of view of myself not my own. And my dad just gave me a look and left in my dream slamming the door, and that’s when I woke up crying I was soaked with tears. I honestly thought I was over this and that it wasn’t an issue with me any more so I’m honestly surprised about this dream. I hope you can shine some light on this Jane.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hello Desi,

      Thank you for your contribution to this article. Dreams reflect the last couple of days, so look back two days before your dream to see where this feeling – of being hurt or unsupported yourself, or worrying about how much support you give others (too much?) or how much support you don’t give yourself – came up. Although you feel you’ve healed issues around your father, the unconscious beliefs about life such issues leave us with can still drive the way we live life today, until they are identified and transformed. At some level, in your dream, you have released anger, and it would be good to identify what that repressed anger has been trying to hold back/hide.

      You might like to book a Skype or phone consultation to discuss this more deeply with me and work through it.

      Jane Teresa

  45. Melisa

    why did I dream about this boy and I told him I was going to miss him and that he is moving somewhere place and He gave me a hug and said going to miss you and I hug him and I started to cry and then I wake up started to cry simply feeling profoundly sad. I dont know what this dream trying to tell me.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Melisa,

      Dreams reflect the last 24-48 hours. What happened to connect you with a feeling of something missing in your life, or a fear of something missing? Once you’ve identified that, you’ll understand the sadness and can look at feeling more whole in your life. Check around my blog to read and learn more about dreams, how interpret them, and how to do dream alchemy.

      Jane Teresa

  46. J

    First off, I’m 23, and my younger brother passed away the end of May. We both have a lung disease so we were very close. He didn’t make it through a double lung transplant due to some wild complications. I woke up crying from a dream that involved my brother, where he got frustrated with me because I didn’t want him to do a drug. I told him how I was tired and I wasn’t going to be awake when he did it to watch him and be sure he’s okay. He ran around to the side of the house, and asked me why. I told him that I loved him, and suddenly I could no longer speak… We then hugged, and as soon as we hugged, I knew he was going to die soon. But it wasn’t from the lung transplant, he was apparently deciding not to get it and just go naturally. I then woke up, sobbing.

    To be honest, when the doctors came in and talked about the procedure, and how there is a tiny chance something could go wrong, I felt uneasy. I really didn’t want him to take this set of lungs, but I said nothing at the time. I think that I have a little bit of guilt, but I just really miss him.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hello J,

      Thank you for sharing your dream. These are such early days in your loss, and my heart goes out to you. It’s good to know that dreams such as this one are helping you to process and release your grief with real tears. You’ve already identified feeling a little bit of guilt, so some tears may be for that. I’m sure you gave your brother the best advice and love: you wanted him to enjoy extra years of quality health with the transplant.

      Your dream brings up responsibility (in the dream for the drug issue), so you were dreaming through your feelings about your perceived responsibilities for your brother and your deep care for him at the time. But of course you’re also dreaming about your own health issue, and perhaps the conclusion you draw in the dream is more about the conclusion you have drawn for yourself.

      You might like to book an hour’s consultation to talk through all of this – the dream and the grief – at a much deeper level.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  47. eunice

    Today I woke up in a really strange dream when I was in a jail then when my friend came to visit she gave a paper where my friends wrote some notes for me and saying how much they miss me then I told her not to give me notes from my parents so I wont be more depressed and sad then while reading the notes from my friends I cried so much until I woke up I was really crying for real, for me I think that was really weird having that dream in a jail?! ,im only 13 so is it like a sign of something or a lesson in life? And is it normal to cry in dreams and ending up crying in real?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Eunice,

      Yes, it is normal to wake up crying for real after crying in a dream. Whether or not you understand a dream, you are crying because you are feeling grief. It’s a good thing. Too often in life we hold back our tears and that can only make things worse for us. Better to cry, because tears are healing, they help get the pain out of our mind as well as out of our body.

      This article will help you to understand dreams:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/about/about-dreams/

      Also look through some of the many articles on my blog to get a better idea of how to look at and understand your dreams.

      Jane Teresa

      • eunice

        Thanks for the reply it helped me to understand my dream more 🙂

  48. Talana

    I had a dream and i swear i kept trying to wake up from it but something held me back and i had to deal with the “nightmare”. It was about my boyfriend and i. I saw him leaving me for another female driving away. When i confronted him about it he acted like he did not love me. Told me he has never been attracted to me, that he doesn’t even love me, he’s never been happy with me, and that he loves this other girl. He had the MOST serious face but the face wasn’t his, i don’t know who this person was. I was crying in my dream and then my aunt (whom i haven’t seen for at least 7 yrs) appeared and i started hugging her and couldn’t let go. My boyfriend woke me up because i was shaking really bad and i immediately went to the bathroom (don’t like to cry in front of people) and let loose. I can’t get this event out of my head. I don’t know what i can pull from it. My relationship is very good with my BF, but now i am having second thoughts.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Tahana,

      Don’t base those second thoughts on this dream! Here’s an article I wrote about ‘cheating dreams’ to help you understand what these kind of dreams can mean – and what they definitely don’t mean:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/cheating-dreams/

      Dreams are always about ourselves, never about the people who appear in our dreams. The people who appear in our dreams are symbols, representing something about our own beliefs, experiences, and ways of seeing the world.

      If you’d like to really understand your dream, see how it relates to your life, and discover what you can pull from it, you can book a phone or skype consultation with me here to sort it all out:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  49. Anita

    Thank you for your article.

    It’s been just over 4 years since my beloved husband died suddenly of heart failure in May 2009. He was 47 fit & well, there was no warning. It was an unexplained death in hospital, a coroners case. I was 42 and our son was an 8 month old baby.

    I’ve just woken sobbing again at 3.30am (this has been happening intermittently over the last 2 months).

    We’ve just celebrated my sons 5th birthday and the dream had nothing to do with my husband but rather my new partner criticising me.

    I dreamt I heard him talking in his sleep to me, saying horrible things to me so I was crying out (with that awful forcing of voice to speak through sleep) “wake up wake up!” to him, when I was the one asleep all along!

    Once I woke the tears came and I’ve been up ever since. Often I can’t specifically recall a dream but will just wake up crying.

    Lately even if I sleep through the night I wake up feeling as though something is terribly wrong. It’s a hard way to start the day.

    I’ve never had the chance to lose myself in grief at the devastation of what happened. I had a baby to look after. I know I’m far from coming go terms with it – I haven’t even packed up his clothes. 🙁

    But why is it spilling out of me now? And how can I deal with it? I still don’t know how to give myself the space to devote to the grief/loss I feel.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hello Anita,

      Such a tragic loss, and I can understand how having your baby son to look after drove you forward (and helped you to live each day). What a blessing your son delivered, and now here he is, just about to start school – I imagine – and perhaps you now see many years ahead where he will gradually become independent as all children do. I wonder if “why now” is connected with this. This may be the time you promised yourself – when he was a baby – that you would deal with the grief perhaps.

      That critical voice (the dream) is your own, not your partner’s. It’s helpful to look at everyone and everything in a dream as reflecting something about your own beliefs, thoughts, feelings. Maybe it’s time to “wake up” to your own harsh self-judgement. It must be difficult to have a relationship with a new partner while your husband’s clothes are still in the closet (the physical closet and the closet of your mind). The grief is beginning to spill out of you because the time has come to feel it, to move through it, to find acceptance and more. There are many ways to give yourself the space (you seek) to do this. You might like to start by booking to see a grief and loss counsellor (ask around in your neighbourhood for recommendations), or you might like to book a Skype or phone session with me to look at the self-judgement side and to move from there into readiness to explore the grief (which you can also do with my help and support).

      Jane Teresa

  50. Erika

    Hello Jane,
    I’m 13 years old and I have been doing some research because this has been one of the first times ever I cried in a dream as well as crying when I have woken up. I was first very scared but when I read your article I thought about my dream but the dream was about me trying to impress the teachers so hard that it broke me. It also included some of my friends that have bullied me in the past being friends with me and hanging out with me, is that the grief i’m letting go? or is it a sign that something else is going to happen. I can 100% understand if this has happened because I’ve been stressed out because I have. I just need to understand whats going to happen from here, like will I get this again? Is this a sign something bad is going to happen? or is this just me letting out some grief? Thankyou Erika

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Erika,

      It’s about you letting out some grief, and it’s good that you are taking the time to explore this some more. No, it’s not a sign that something bad is going to happen. Here are the good things I see: You are beginning to understand why you have felt it’s important to impress your teachers, and it’s suddenly looking like the wrong reason to study and do well at school. (Better reasons to study might be: to learn more about yourself and the world, to give yourself better chances at getting good work or to get into college, to sharpen your mind, to enjoy learning new and exciting skills, to see new ways to be in the world, to feel that you will be able to make a difference in the world … Can you list some more?) Make it about you, not about impressing anyone else. In your dream you kind of see this, and so your tears may be the sadness you feel when you realise that you’ve put more into impressing the teachers than working for your own rewards. Dreaming of being friends with the bullies (as long as you were feeling good about yourself) suggests you may be coming to terms with what they’ve done in the past (letting it go) and finding new ways to feel good about yourself and move on with your life. If the bullying is still an issue, make sure you talk with a counsellor about it.

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  51. Jenn

    Hi Jane,
    I had a dream last night where my mother who recently passed from breast cancer called me. My mother and I were very close, we talked every day saw each other regularly. She hid the fact she had cancer from my sister and I so it was a very tragic loss when we took her to the hospital and six days later she died. I have been grieving since her death and feel I have come to understand why she chose this way and I respect her decision although I would not chose the same for myself. I recently started going through the medical process to make sure with her history all is ok with me. We are still waiting on test results so there has been a lot on my mind at times. In my dream my mother called me while I was in the car and she asked if I forgot about her and my response was, “Never, I just miss you so much and wish we could talk and see other.” The part that I remember waking crying out loud to and actually woke my husband was when she told me her brother was sick with cancer too that nobody knew about and that he was afraid to tell anyone because he thought we would be mad at him. I am very close to my uncle and now fear something is going on with him since my mother presented this through the dream. I don’t know how to process this and was hoping you could offer some insight.
    Jenn

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jenn, Sorry to hear about your loss, and it must have been deeply upsetting to discover your mother’s decision not to tell you about her cancer. While you have worked your way, consciously, to understanding and respecting her decision, there will be deeper responses reverberating within you, some of which are being processed in this dream. At the same time, your dream is processing your grief, as well as your thoughts and feelings around anticipating the results of your test.

      While there is a small chance that you received (or tuned into) information about your uncle, it is most likely that the dream is symbolic, dealing with issues around your mother’s non-disclosure. It’s easy enough to check on your uncle – ask him!

      If you’d like to look more deeply into this dream, how it relates on a deeper level to your life, and how it can help you with the emotions and issues you are facing now, you can book a consultation:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

    • chantelle

      Hi jane I’ve been haveing counciling sessions with a lad called gary. I had a dream last night about the past with what’s happend and it has been repeating with everythink what happend to me when I was young I don’t reali understand why am having these dream its decterbing my sleep am waking up throw the night. I woke up at 12 then fell back a sleep then woke up at 3 crying? Could you tell me why am having all these dreams what happend to me in the past? X

      • Jane Teresa Anderson

        Hi Chantelle,

        Are you finding your counselling sessions with Gary helpful? What’s likely to be happening is that your dreams are helping you to process the things you’ve been talking about in your sessions. Our dreams reflect the last 24-48 hours, and are our mind’s way of updating our picture of the world. This can mean updating our view of the past (changing the picture, changing the way we look at the past and changing the way we think about ourselves), and it can also mean updating our feelings. When we experience trauma, we often try to bury our feelings, or bury our memories of the pain. If Gary has been helping you to get in touch with those feelings, then your dreams are probably following through and allowing you to shed some tears. When you get in touch with these painful feelings you can let them go and move forward with your life in happier more peaceful ways.

        Here’s an article about dreams to help you understand how they reflect what’s going on for us:
        https://www.janeteresa.com/about/about-dreams/

        I hope this helps,
        Many blessings,
        Jane Teresa

  52. Patty Dilling

    Hi Jane, my Mother recently passed away on September 18, 2013. I just woke up from a dream where there was a party, everyone was having a good time . Part of the dream then was in my Mom’s bedroom at home and I could see my one sister In a beautiful outfit and everyone talking about my Mom. I could see myself crying in the dream and my sister saying to me, have you not cried enough about Mom to show her that you love her. I actually woke up sobbing which I haven’t really done and I’m feeling so sad. In the dream My parents had gone on a trip and I was so sad because I didn’t say goodbye. I come from a large family and we were all with my Mom when she passed away. Thank you for letting me share this with you. Patty

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Thank you for sharing your dream with everyone here Patty, and I am sorry to hear of your loss. Your dream helped bring those sobbing tears to the surface, and that’s such a good thing. You’re feeling the pain of the sadness, and touching that pain will help you to release it and begin your deeper goodbyes. How wonderful that you were able to be with your Mom when she passed.

      Jane Teresa

  53. Jana

    A week ago i woke up from a dream where i was crying and calling out ‘mom’. I dont remember what happened in my dream. Today i woke up when i was crying in my dream during my granfathers funeral. They were transporting his casket from sea to land right in front of our house. Our whole family is preparing and organizing everything for the funeral. I could only recall my mom and my aunty in this dream and also our church members awaiting for my grandfathers body transported from the ship in front of our house to land. I really dont know what these dreams mean and i really want to know what they mean please. My granpa died 11 years ago and my mom is living. As a matter of fact she just stopped here for a day on her trip to see my nieces surgery in another state. Could you please help me out with telling me about the meaning of these dreams? Thanks in advance

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jana, Our dreams reflect the last 24-48 hours, so your dream was most likely processing something that you felt or discussed with your mom when she stopped over with you (or afterwards, when you were thinking back over her visit.) The part about your grandfather may reflect some new understanding about the family, or progress with grieving and loss even after all this time. However, dreams are always about us – not about the people in the dream – so your dream is about letting go of some grief, preparing to lay something (not someone) to rest in your own life.
      If you’d like me to look into your dream, you can consult me here: https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  54. Griffin

    dream started kool but woke me up weird. I was chill in wit friends in like a group home living and then I get call sayin I have to be moved to different facility but I always had my dog I loved and raised since 2months. Now all of sudden in dream I’m in tha facilities ice rink and I hear over monitor “Griffin if your comming to tha door to say goodbye to your dog one last tyme” I started balling in tears but I woke up in tears. Cause history that my pup was takein from me or had to release her wit force. But why do I cry when that was about your ago I had her. Yes im always going to miss her but I thought I was healed from it.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Griffin, Although you feel healed from the loss of your pup, your dream brings up a similar feeling of loss that you felt (or feared) in the day or two before your dream. There is a positive in your dream, as you are required to say goodbye ‘one last time’ and I feel you may be ready to ‘say goodbye’ – or close a chapter – in your life at the moment so that you can move on to something better. When we let go (say goodbye) we may feel the pain of the loss, or we may simply be releasing all the old pain that we’re ready to let go. Either way, once you’ve felt and released the pain of letting go, you can welcome the new.

      I hope this helps.
      Jane Teresa

  55. Edward

    Hi Jane, I have been troubled today about a vivid dream I had, and I wanted to counsel with you. I scheduled a power-nap of 15 minutes but ended up sleeping for an hour. I woke up totally disoriented not knowing the date and thought it was morning. This dream today bothered me soooo much that I’m lost and even angry because it is something I can’t find. It started with my family on a island getaway only for the richest and really nice, but suddenly I’m walking with a “made up” cousin accompanying her to her car (this person doesn’t exist in real life) and she grabs my hand and I felt so much love, protection and ease with her that I started crying and told her “I always wanted a sister like you”, she comfort me and got to her car which is a classic sports car hatchback where she jumps in through the trunk to go off to a party. I woke up by the phone ringing all desoriented. Writing this now I have my eyes in tears because I always wanted a person like this in my life and I feel I don’t have it or atleast not supportive like this the way I felt her. I’m trying to search for a person that I made me feel like this in the dream and I get frustrated because there’s no one that ever made me feel like this (that big brother protection and always have your back)

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Edward, It’s important to remember that everyone in a dream represents something about you (or a part of yourself that you’ve buried deep or feel unacquainted with). So the cousin represents “love, protection, and ease” that you connected with momentarily in the day or two before your dream. Rather than look in the outer world for someone like this, focus on connecting with and building this energy within yourself, so you can draw on it whenever you need. (Amazingly, once you do this, the waking life counterpart will often appear in life.) I can help you to understand your dream more deeply, and give you a dream alchemy exercise to do to help you make that connection:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many Blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  56. Carolyn

    Hi jane, I had a dream last night and woke up sobbing. I dream of my papa who passed away 10 yrs ago. We were talking about Easter and my grandma who is living, and his truck was there, he told me he had to go and I woke up crying and couldn’t stop. I pretty much still crying as I think about it. I have only ever dreamed of him one time before and it wasn’t like this. I was like he was truly here and I didn’t want him to go. I was reading ur other articles and u were saying a dream reflects the last 24 to 48 hour. I haven’t spoke or thought of him in that period.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Carolyn, It’s so amazing when a dream feels so real, isn’t it? Did your papa pass away close to Easter or Christmas ten years ago? It’s just a possibility that with Christmas so close you may be going through ‘family stuff’ that is bringing back memories and it may be this that triggered your dream. Otherwise, look back over that 24-48 hour period before your dream for feelings of ‘letting something go’ or ‘not wanting to go’ or ‘not wanting to let go’ of a feeling in your life. Somehow your papa represents something you don’t want to let go, but are also ready to let go. The tears are part of the letting go, the grief we always feel when we are ready to say goodbye to something in our lives in order to move ahead. What would your papa advise you if he were around now? Would that be good advice or not such good advice?
      If you’d like me to explore your dream deeply, you can book a consultation, but I hope this gives you a bit of help for now.
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  57. kushal

    hello jane..
    it happened with me second time today,i saw a dream where m in a temple..praying of well bieing of my family and suddendy i start crying looking at god and left the temple..and at the same time i open my eyes..its5:30 in the morning and i cried badly..please tell me what does this means..something good or bad ?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Kushal, The dream is symbolic, so it’s not about the wellbeing of your family. Why did you cry in the dream? What thought made you sad in the dream? Tears – in a dream or on waking – are always good. Crying is a release of grief, of sadness. Sometimes tears simply come when understand something about ourselves, or when we’re ready to let go of a belief, a situation, or a person. Is your dream good or bad? You’d need to consult me to understand your dream (we would need to look at the details), but I can tell you that your dream is good, because it’s always good to cry a heavy burden into the lightness of sunshine after the rain.
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  58. Anna

    hi jane ok well a couple nights ago i had a dream about a boy my age (13) in a meadow he was waiting for me he took my hand and led me over to a tree i looked down and saw my school all burnt down his friends saw him and i holding hands so we ran away and they were chasing us yelling stop or something we ran into the school and into the chapel we stopped to take a breath as soon as our hands parted these men in white (they looked like docters) grabbed us and threw us into this bus and we drove all the way to my house were they through me out of the bus i only managed to say i love- when the threw me to the ground and slit my throat in my dream i opened my eyes and i was in the meadow with my kitten in my arms.Then i woke up with tears streaming down my face that day my kitten wasnt at the door my mum told me she had been found limp on the ground outside my house,dead also the boy looked so familiar and i was sure i was in love please what does this mean? it feels like a big empty hole in my heart
    Thanks

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Anna, Sorry to hear that your kitten has died. Sometimes we ‘tune in’ while we are dreaming to something that is happening at the same time, so it’s possible that you did tune in to your kitten’s death. That said, most of our dreams are NOT the result of tuning in, most dreams are symbolic, so people – and pets – are symbols of what is going on for us emotionally. The rest of your dream reflects feelings you’ve had about not being able to speak out about something. Have you been feeling a bit burned out (like the school in your dream) too? Make sure you’ve got someone to talk to about your feelings.

      To understand more about dreams and what they mean you might like to listen to some of the podcasts at this link:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/podcasts/

      Many Blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  59. Sydney

    Hello Jane ,

    Christmas day I took a nap while napping . I had a dream that I was in a store being tortured by people . The funny thing is in my dream I couldn’t see the peoples faces . However , what stood out to me was the fact my cousin was in the dream . In my dream she was fighting the same people who were torturing me . In the dream I seen them hitting her in the throat and her coughing . I wanted to save her but I couldn’t . Later on in my dream my mother and little sister came and got me from this store . While on my way out I’m being torched as I leave . However , my mom or sister can not see any of this happening to me . Once I finally get out the store I drop to my knees and start crying . While asleep I heard myself whimpering but all of a sudden my crying got intense but I couldn’t wake myself up. My mom and sister woke me up . I have never cried that intense in any of my dreams or even in my waking life .
    What could this mean ?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Sydney, Our emotions are more intense in our dreams when we tend to repress them in waking life. So the more we try not to show – or not to talk about – our sadness or our anger, for example, the more we will feel intense sadness or anger in our dreams. It’s good to release these emotions while we are dreaming, but it’s also important to become more aware of these emotions while we are awake, so that we can understand ourselves more clearly (understand why we respond to certain situations in the way that we do).

      Christmas, with all the family together (or with some noticeably absent) can be emotionally challenging. Your dream shows you see yourself in your cousin. At some level you both feel ‘tortured’ (emotionally). An example is being so shy to speak up that you feel ‘tortured’ when required to do so. Look back over the day and ask yourself where you felt ’emotionally tortured’. It is to do with speaking out as the pain is felt in the dream in the throat.

      To understand more about dreams and what they mean, listen to some of my podcasts:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/podcasts/

      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  60. elton

    In a dream I saw myself explaining my condition to my elder brother how things were hard for me so he gave Me some money and I played my music for him… When I woke up from the dream I started crying…

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Elton, I’d need to know more about your dream to comment. It looks like you’ve recently started to value yourself and your skills (your music?) more highly, and the crying is the release you feel in acknowledging this.
      Jane Teresa

  61. bee

    Hi, Jane!
    I’ve been having bad dreams for a few months, but last night I woke up from crying in my sleep. Their all different dreams but basically about the same person. 4 years ago I broke up with my ex, he was a great person but had a cheating problem,I finally couldn’t take it any more so I decided to walk away.we had taken my brother in temporarily, so I begged him to not kick him out and I left the apt.. I couldn’t stay there with out him because I was still very much in love with him.. to my surprise he didn’t change like I thought he would. The following two years my brother and him went about like best friends, dating girls, going on vacations as if I never existed. It took a toll. Then out of no where we found each other again began working it out. Until I found out he was still talking to other women. I ignored him for a month and n heard he’s had a girlfriend. Now, two years after that I heard he’s engaged and b having a baby.. I still love him very much and I feel lost with out him in my life. I dream about him all the time and now I’m crying in my sleep to the point where I wake myself up. I don’t know how to forget him or emotionally move on.. it’s becoming such a problem that I’m considering taking medication for my depression. What should I do?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Bee, I hear your pain, and I think it’s important for you to explore why you are finding it difficult to let go when it seems clear (from what you say here) that he wasn’t a suitable partner for you. You feel a sense of loss, and depression can be the emotion you feel when you feel that something is missing. The important thing is for you to explore that sense of loss, to validate it, to discover why you feel it so deeply (you may be very surprised to discover the real reason), and to ‘find’ what needs to be found to give you a sense of fulfillment. At one level you’re grieving the loss of the future you envisaged (marriage, baby? with this man), so it’s time to work through that grief so you can move forward. At another level it’s all about understanding why you’re attracted to this man (why you still feel you love him), and that’s the key that will set you free. Whether or not you decide to take medication, do choose a therapist who can help you heal your heart and mind. You might want to book an appointment with me:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many Blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  62. Connor

    Maybe you can help me. I recently had my heart broken (about 2 weeks ago). As you can imagine I have been extremely sad lately. I would wake up crying and I assumed that was because of all the relationship stuff. But that stopped and now my dreams are… weird. Now a large number of my dreams are just replays of old memories. Good and bad. Not all of them relate to my recent relationship although many of them do. But they are so vivid and everything happens just like it did in real life, no crazy dreamland stuff. So now waking up back to reality is a struggle. If it’s a good memory I don’t want to let go. If it’s a bad memory of the girl I love I still don’t want to let go. Maybe it’s because I miss her. Please tell me what you think. I feel like I’m going crazy and I just don’t want to wake up and face reality. Thanks.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Connor, You’ve diagnosed your own condition: not wanting to let go and not wanting to wake up and face reality, and that gives you something to begin working with. It’s good that your dreams are helping you to review the good and the bad memories. Perhaps you can begin by drawing up a list of the good things you’d like in your next relationship. Your dreams will be helping with processing the grief, showing you what you’re hanging onto (and why), so that you can move on to let go. If you’d like my professional help with understanding your dreams and letting go, you can consult me here:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  63. Connor

    Oh and just for some background info, she dumped me for her ex because she still had feelings for him. Meanwhile I’m over here helpless and heartbroken

  64. John

    I had a dream where no one in my family would play with me when I was young. Then when I went outside I was walking alone. I saw more kids who were feeling my pain of not having anyone to play with. Not even our parents. After I saw other kids I woke up crying

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi John, Thank you for your contribution to this thread. It sounds like you’re getting more in touch with painful feelings around being alone, or around feeling there’s not enough playfulness in your life today. Can you let more playfulness into your life now?
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  65. Hannah Wolverson

    Hi Jane

    I lost my Mother to cancer 18 years ago when I was 13 years old. I think I have dealt with it pretty well and I don’t think of her as often as used to and I don’t get upset when I talk about her. However, approx 3-4 times a year I have completely overwhelming dreams of her and i sob uncontrollably to the point where it wakes me up. The dreams are different but usually my Mom is alive and there is no pattern to the dreams, she is just there. Like I said I only get them a few times a year but I wake up crying. Have I not dealt with her death? I feel I have dealt with it quite well but now I’m wondering?

    Kind regards

    Hannah

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Hannah,

      The key is to look back over the last 24-48 hours each time you have this dream, as dreams reflect what has come up for us – consciously and unconsciously – during the two days before. My feeling is that you have dealt with her death, but not with missing having a mother, but I would have to look at your dreams and the details. Your mother may also be in your dreams to represent something about your own mothering, and any grief you feel around that. I’d really need to have a deep look into your dreams to help you. There are several ways you can consult me professionally:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/
      Many Blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  66. Aimee

    I woke up crying last night from a very vivid dream. My husband and I were having a terrible fight where I suspected he was cheating on me. Throughout the dream I discovered he was cheating and when I confronted him he began to say horrible hurtful things that brought me to tears. I began to cry so hard that it woke me up in which I was still crying. I was so disoriented I couldn’t decipher reality from the dream for a few minutes. I haven’t experienced a recent trauma in fact I found out I am pregnant. Is this somehow related?

    • Aimee

      I forgot to add that this is not the first time I have dreamt this over the years. The details vary slightly but the plot remains the same and I always wake up crying and disoriented. Can you shed some light on these dreams?

      • Jane Teresa Anderson

        Hi Aimee, I have just replied to the first part of your post (see below). Dreams reflect the last 24-48 hours, so as this theme is recurring for you, it’s reflecting the same general issue that keeps coming up in waking life. If you have the dream again, look back over the last two days for extra clues. I think the article I suggested you read (in my reply to the first part of your post) will enlighten you about the basics.
        Many blessings,
        Jane Teresa

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Aimee, Congratulations on your pregnancy! You’ll find this article I wrote about cheating dreams reassuring and helpful: https://www.janeteresa.com/cheating-dreams/ Once you’ve read the article, you may be able to see a connection to your pregnancy yourself. You might want to book a consultation with me to discover more about your unique situation.
      Jane Teresa

  67. stonney

    Hi Jane. I found myself crying when I woke up today. I was so disturbed that I really had to google it, on what it means. Well, I dreamed about my mother. It was supposed to be a romantic dream. I was flirting with this cute guy. We were talking and he was about to give me a ride on a motorcycle cause I think I was living. Then I noticed my mother sitting in a corner. Her face was blank. She was just sitting there like she can’t see or hear anything. Well, I noticed her a while ago, but I didn’t give her my attention (I was surprised. I didn’t go to her directly) because I was busy flirting. So before my departure, I went to her and hugged her. And there is when I started crying. Was saying I miss her so much and that someday all of this will be over and we will be together again. And then I woke up. Crying.

    I understood my dream. It made me realize something cause I can relate it in my real life. I’ve never seen my mom since 4th grade (I’m in 3rd year college now) and we had an LDR for almost 9 years already. And sometimes, I get tired of talking with her on the phone/laptop via Skype maybe because I’ve been doing it for 9 years already. But then when I hugged her on my dream, it made me realize that she’s always been waiting for my attention all this time while I was so busy with other stuffs. I sent her a message right after I woke up. Telling her about my dream & how I miss her so much.

    I just hope this dream doesn’t mean anything about losing her or something like that. I’m scared & sad.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Stonney,

      Thank you for sharing your dream and experience, your insight, and the action you took. What a wonderful outcome!

      No need to be scared and sad. Your dream isn’t a portent of losing your mother. It reflected that other sense of loss, the sense of losing touch with important people and feelings in life when your attention is on other stuff. Also make sure you ‘mother’ yourself: nurture and look after your own needs, especially when you are otherwise busy.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  68. felicia b

    Hi. my name is felicia iv lived with my boyfriend for a year and last night he woke upcrying in tears doesnt remember his dream abd that has happend before also a few other times. our relatiobship is normal we each hurt eachother one time but its the past. i dont know why he wud be waking up in tears. Were both 19 . What cud be some reasons for this. i hate worrying aboit whats going on in his head. were both very happy together

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Felicia,

      He is crying because he is releasing sadness in his dreams. If he remembered these dreams, they would give some insight. For yourself, stop worrying about what’s ‘going on in his head’ if you’re very happy together. Just make sure he knows that you’re there for him if ever he wants to talk about what’s on his mind and in his heart: that’s what a good relationship is all about, don’t you think?

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  69. Houston

    Hey Jan,

    So last night I woke up crying like crazy. I couldn’t stop. I can’t even remember the dream. But later that night when I fell back to sleep I dreamt that my best friend had died. I woke up feeling horrible this morning. I’m just confused. Me an him are so close. I would be lost if he died. I was just trying to see if you could help me figure this out ASAP.?! Thank You.

  70. Evelyn

    I was my same age as now, in the dream but my look, dress, hair, was in the past, Edwardian? turn of 19th into 20th century? early 20th? I looked a bit like a modified Gibson girl. I had returned to my parents’ house with was large, beautiful porch with windows on the seaside. still Greek family. lol I think I had not been there in a very long time since my fiance had died.
    My parents set me up in my room, suggested I go to the beach, I saw the beach and I remembered and broke out into weeping. I remembered chasing my fiance through the neighborhood, slipping in and out of places…we were laughing…having fun…and then we went to the seaside. He dove into the water and I went in after him (but I’m not a diver, more cautious). near some rocks/reef…he did not come up again. I couldn’t find him or save him.

    I don’t know what happened, the dream didn’t show me exactly but he died even though he was a great swimmer. Being there, looking at the sea brought it all back. My parents, my mom, my uncle Paul, tried to make me feel better. I put on an old robe I wore years ago, I remembered how it used to be more voluminous but now is more tight on my figure…I gained weight since then although I was not fat in the present of the dream.

    I opened the door of the porch and looked at the birds outside in the garden, a kind of strange fluffy chicken which was cream with spots…I saw an attractive man down at the beach with some friends…I thought it was time for me to go and see if I could meet him.
    My parents encouraged me to go out there, to the sea, and I decided to go…I dont’ remember why, maybe just to catch attention or to move on, I went to where my engagement ring and wedding ring where stored and I put the engagement ring (which was beautiful) on my middle finger. I accidentally put on the wedding ring as well and I turned to go put it back but heard these twin men show up at our door looking for me to go out with them, my parents motioned me to stop and hide. I should note their friends were trying to test out my situation to see if they should send any eligible sons my way.

    I dropped to the floor, of the foyer to the outside door (the other was a side door), beautiful glass windows along the foyer with rich wood trim. They left thank goodness. I put the ring back and headed out.

    I woke up with some tears in my eyes but I actually feel pretty good emotionally. I’ve been out of a long term relationship for coming on to 2 years now and am single. Kind of a dream out of nowhere for me.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Evelyn,

      Thank you for sharing your dream, which I think you already know is about coming to terms with the past (that reference to the past, to the 19th or 20th century may refer to when you were 19 or 20) letting go and moving on, but with a sense of freedom. There’s a lot more in your dream that I can help you with if you’d like to book a consultation (given that this is a ‘dream out of nowhere’ for you).

      You might also enjoy this blog about past life dreams:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/can-you-dream-of-past-lives/

      Consultations:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  71. Ricardo

    Hi Jane

    I had this dream when I was a child that I will never forget to this day and I cant find a meaning for it , i hope u could help me. All I remember is I was crying heavily, because I could feel what was going to happen, and my father was smoking in front of me very relaxed. He then takes a puff and blows out the smoke and throws his cigarette at me and sets me completely in flames I was screaming and jumping around trying to put it out. I remember thinking why are u doing this to me. I woke up screaming, crying and I was having a panic attack before my mother ran into the room. i was around 5 at the time.

    Hope u can help 🙂

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Ricardo, Thank you for contributing your dream. It must have been a very frightening experience for you as a five year old as you would have been too young to appreciate that dreams are symbolic. It looks like you were feeling “burned” emotionally by something in the day or two before the dream. Perhaps someone – maybe your father – got angry with you. In your dream you were crying because you had a feeling that something painful was going to happen. As a five year old you were probably pretty good at anticipating people losing their temper around you.

      Jane Teresa

  72. unanimous j

    I woke up crying today for the first time in y life. I remember dreaming. I was sitting at a table in my house with a few people (not relatives) who kept saying things like ‘yeah and I forgot to buy shampoo’ then after a long pause id hear my fathers voice sturnly saying ‘ yeah like when I tell u the washer is dirty and u forget to put ur dishes in it’ and the girls at the table would talk some more saying something like ‘ I can’t believe this person yada yada yada’ and again id hear my dad say ‘i can’t believe imm the only one that does sh** around here’ . In my dream I felt angry, I felt like crying. But I don’t cry infront of people so naturally (even in the dream) I held back but the next second I was awake and could tell I had been crying and still was uncontrollably. But why would this dream cause such a reaction. Iv had far worse dreams, actual nightmares but this is the first time iv woke up in the midst of sobbing. .

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Unanimous,

      A good question. Your nightmares probably focus more on fear and related emotions (helplessness, despair etc), rather than anger and grief. In this dream there’s such a contrast between the everyday mundane chit-chat (keeping the conversation light and superficial) and the deep resentment and hurt (voiced by the father character in the dream). As you say, you don’t cry in front of people, so it’s possible you tend to hold your emotions – anger, grief among them – deep inside where they may fester into resentment if left unaddressed. Your crying is coming from a deep place, so deep you didn’t even really know it was there (but it would have been festering and affecting your life). It’s good to release it. Sometimes it’s ok to go beyond superficial. Here’s a podcast that may help:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/episode-148-the-dream-show-intense-emotions-in-dreams/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  73. KT

    I dreamt that I was driving a car on the highway and missed my exit so I went on to get of on the next exit and it was a bridge and there was a break in the bridge and I couldn’t stop in time and I fell and crashed to the road below and before I died I saw two ladies in another car that I’ve never seen before and I was looking at them wanting them to help me out of the car and they just looked at me with disgust and then the car blew up and I died and then I was in my house crying looking for my mom but it was a different house but when I found my mom I woke up and I was sobbing and couldn’t stop crying for about 20 min and everytime I think about it I start to cry but I don’t know why.. My boyfriend is going to prison next month on the 9th I thought maybe that could be the trigger but I also thought maybe it’s because I have a drug problem and i am suppose to enter into a program to get clean in a couple days… But I don’t know how any of that ties to my dream? Any insight would be appreciated because this was not normal for me. Thank you

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi KT,

      Thank you for posting your dream. It can be most helpful to look at everyone and everything (and every feeling) in a dream as being about you – the dreamer. Remember too that dreams process your experiences of the last couple of days. In the dream you wanted help (from the two ladies) but all you got was disgust. At some level, you may (wrongly) judge yourself as being not worthy of help. You may (wrongly) judge yourself with disgust for missing an opportunity (missing the exit). Have you missed a previous opportunity to ‘exit’ drugs? Could you be holding back from going through the program because you (wrongly) feel disgust for your situation? You’re experiencing some major challenges in your life right now – the program and your boyfriend’s prison sentence. Your dream has put you in touch with your grief (your sobbing and crying), and although that is painful for you, it’s a good place to start. Crying, working through the grief, is the beginning of the way up and through. It’s never too late to ‘take the right road’, to allow your tears, and to give yourself the love and help you deserve.

      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

      • KT

        Hi its KT again, thank you for replying. All of that makes so much sense now. I have tried previous times to get off drugs but failed and disappointed many people in the process. The next day or technically the same day march 13th, U.S. marshalls came and arrested my boyfriend on another crime and arrested me for questioning, they let me go 12 hrs later but kept him so no I will never see him again besides behind a glass window.. and tonight I woke up crying again(2nd time in a week, andthis has never happened before) mmaking me feel like something bad is going to happen today just like it did the other day.. but in this dream I was with my mom and dad and brother(my dad died when I was 11 and my brother was shot when I was 16 but is still alive with many problems) and I was young(I’m 21 now) I was in my car seat and my brother was being mean to me so I started to cry and then woke up crying, my dad visits me in my dreams once a month but I’ve never been young in them and woke up crying.. what could all this mean? Sorry if it is a bit confusing.. it sure confused me.

        • Jane Teresa Anderson

          Hi KT, Thank you for replying, and sorry to hear about the tough stuff you’re experiencing right now. Please be assured that your crying dream is NOT a prediction of another difficult day. Take a deep breath and remember that your dream – like all dreams – is all about you, just wrapped in symbolic language. You related to my previous reply, so focus on that: it’s never to late to be kind to yourself and get clean because you deserve to have a fresh start. My feeling is that this second dream is already onto this: your brother was being mean to you in the dream (and you cried). Everyone in a dream represents something about you: a part of yourself is being mean to you, and you’re ready to release your grief about this. There’s a lot of healing about to begin, isn’t there – your dad, what happened to your brother, your boyfriend? In the first dream, all you needed to do (to stop the calamities) was take the right road. When you’re ready KT, isn’t that right road getting clean? You say that you’ve tried previous times to get off drugs and failed and “disappointed many people” in the process. I wouldn’t be worrying about how other people felt, or about disappointing other people. Getting clean to make other people happy sounds like a recipe for failure to me. Do this – when you’re ready – for yourself, not for anyone else. I have a feeling that if you do this for yourself – and out of kindness for yourself – you’ll get a different result this time. Worth a try?

          Many blessings,

          Jane Teresa

  74. Jeffrey Sharp

    Ms. Jane…

    This morning, without any clues on why, i woke up crying. It has really disturbed me through out my day mainly because I have no clue or reason on why I would wake up this way. I dont recall anything in my dreams last nite, nor do I have any ideas on why this would happen. This is the first time in almost 6 years that this has happened to me. I know there have been personal issues with my wife I been trying to deal with about her on-line ‘girlfriend’ but I dont know if that has any effect on what happened. Please let me know what you think. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you for your time Ms. Jane.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jeffrey,

      Everyone dreams every night, it’s just that we don’t always remember them. My thought is that the crying was a result of the emotion you felt in a dream, but you haven’t remembered the dream. Dreams reflect our conscious and unconscious experiences of the last day or two (our dreams are processing our experiences, trying to solve issues, sort through emotions and so on: https://www.janeteresa.com/about/about-dreams/). You mention personal issues (which sound upsetting) so my feeling is that your dreams were processing these issues, and releasing some grief (the tears). The most helpful thing I can suggest is that dreams can help us trace back an emotion to an earlier event in our lives, and it can be very healing to explore this. For example, if you take the main feeling you have about your wife’s online activity (betrayal, abandonment, something else?), then your dream may have been taking you back to the first time this emotion came up for you, and your tears may be the beginning of your release of that long ago hurt. Once we can find that original hurt, understand it, put it in context, and be kind to ourselves, we gain new perspective on the current day issue (wife’s online activity) and become clearer on how to handle it.

      I hope this helps.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  75. Jane

    Hello Jane, i just woke up profusely crying in my dream to my real life with tears and shouting that called my husband’s attention. I got admission into the university, after paying my acceptance fee, we couldn’t raise the money i needed to pay my registration fee. So i decided that i wil forget the admission, but it was the hardest decision to take, i cried everyday for accepting to forget the admssion. Just when i’m trying to overcome it, i had a dream that i was in the school, lectures are going on but i couldn’t participate because i didn’t do registration, i saw myself walking in front different departments just shedding tears. When i was asked, i told the people that i couldn’t do my registration, so they suggested that i should go and see the officials incharge and write undertaken, they will allow me to go on with my studies until i’m able to pay the fee. But when i explained to my husband in the presence of my sister, both of them started making fun of me. It pained me so much that i cried in my dream till i woke still crying profusely with tears all over my face. Even as i type i still feel like crying more. What do i do?

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jane,

      Thank you for contributing your dream and the background. You may not have been able to raise the registration fee this time round, but I’m sure you will find a way because this disappointment has shown you just how much you want to do this university course. And that’s where I believe your dream comes in. In waking life you cried your grief and began the process of letting go, which is the best thing to do. Only after letting go can you sometimes see a new way forward, and your dream begins to bring up some insights about some unconscious negative beliefs that may otherwise block your way. In the dream, your husband and sister were making fun of your intention. Dreams are never what they seem, and your dream is not about your husband and sister themselves, it’s all about you. This article will help you to understand what they represent in your dream https://www.janeteresa.com/dreaming-of-people-you-know-a-checklist/

      You were processing some deeper grief about not being taken seriously in your dream.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  76. Derek

    Hello Jane,
    I have been having dreams where I have been waking up crying. The most recent one was I was standing in a room filled with people, it took place in the middvil times. It was loud in the room but I noticed a small child, a child who was dressed in a little white robe. The child seemed to have progeria. He started to speak but I couldn’t understand him. I picked him up and he continued to speak but I couldn’t understand. His eyes began to look sad and I began to feel sad too. I then felt the urge to hug the child and tell them I love you. When I hugged the child and told them that I love them they buried their head into my neck and said in the cutest voice “I love you.” I began to cry and than woke up. Even sharing this dream brings tears to my eyes and I couldn’t stop crying when I was remembering the dream.

    Surprisingly, I looked online for some explanation and came across this article. I still can’t figure out when and what may have happened to me at a young age. But I have had many other dreams where I woke up crying. Its been happening a lot more frequently after my 2nd divorce.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Derek,

      Thank you for contributing your poignant dream. Dreams reflect the last 1-2 days, so noticing that crying has been happening more frequently since your second divorce suggests that you may be working through grief triggered by your second divorce but most likely originating in childhood.

      I notice that you say you can’t figure out what may have happened to you at a young age, and sometimes it’s not so much what happened to us as how we felt at the time. You saw your dream child as possibly having progeria, so he may symbolise a part of yourself that had to grow up fast (be responsible, not much play) – and you’re now reaching down into your being (into your past) and connected with this part that has been stunted, in a way. As a child there may have been a time when you couldn’t communicate your emotions (had to be responsible), so you learned not to. Until now. In your dream you connect with this aspect and extend love – loving yourself back then and today, letting go of your grief over past losses.

      Medieval may be symbolic of your own ‘middle ages’, but if you’d like to explore all of this you might like to book a consultation so we can go deep.

      Hope this helps.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  77. Caitlynnn

    Hello!
    Last night I woke up crying from a dream. I remember finding a puppy in the city lost so I picked it up and we had a nice time! Then I found the owner and I had to give her away and I know she wanted to come back to me because she was wriggling to jump back to me.
    Recently I just bought a puppy with my boyfriend, would this relate? I’m worried that it’s just a dream and I started crying and woke up (it’s happened a few times throughout my life). Could it also relate to how my mother would give away dogs when I was younger so I was never attached? Could it just be my emotions from trauma when I was younger? I had a tough childhood.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Caitlyn, I think you’re onto it. Dreams reflect your experiences of the last 1-2 days, and these often resonate with similar experiences from the past. I probably wouldn’t say your crying was “just” from the emotions you experienced when you were younger. They were big and powerful emotions, and although I’m sure you’ve done some work on healing some of the trauma from your childhood, your dream suggests you may still be processing feelings of loss. So yes, having the puppy in your life now may be calling up your fears that you’ll have to give up (the love the puppy inspires), that it’s somehow wrong to allow yourself to be attached, or that love (and being loved) has been confused with attachment.

      It’s good that you cried in the dream, as this suggests you are in touch with the sense of loss in your childhood, and that is step one in letting it go. Once the grief is acknowledged (more than “just”) and released, you are free to know that you can keep your new puppy – and enjoy the love you’ve found – for keeps.

      These are my responses to your post, to really comment on your dream I would need to know the full details and talk with you. If you’d like to do that, you can book a consultation here:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/dream-consultations/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  78. Shruthi

    Hi Jane,

    I had this dream where i was crying. It was so painful that I used to wake up because of my own sobs as I was crying out loud while sleeping. I could feel that I was crying out loud but I used to slip back to that very dream every time I thought i would wake up and cry more. Does this mean something? I don’t want anyone to know that I’m crying in my dreams. How to stop it from coming out loud?

    Thank you.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Shruthi,

      I wonder why you don’t want anyone to know you’re crying in your dreams. It could be that your anxiety about crying aloud in your dreams is actually causing the repeats. The way to stop crying out loud is to first try to understand your dream. Remember that dreams reflect the last day or two, so whenever this happens, think back over the last two days and ask yourself if you felt sad (if you felt some emotional pain), or if you tried to hold back on showing your upset. If you can identify that situation – even if you find it difficult to interpret the dream – find someone you trust to share your feelings. (If you don’t feel comfortable talking with friends or family, look for a counselor or guidance figure, someone you can trust.) Simply talking about your feelings with someone you trust will begin to lighten your heart and this will probably stop you from crying aloud in your dreams. Or consider booking a consultation with me so that I can help you to understand the dream and give you an exercise to help change the dream and stop the crying. (The exercise depends on the dream which is why you’d need to book so we can go into it properly.)

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  79. Shai

    Hi jane
    I had a dream about my new boyfriend that has left me hurt sad and slightly heart broken, I remember all of it and remember being angry in my dream but maybe you can understand it a bit better. I was walking home and when I got there I went to go to my room but my boyfriend was sitting on the stairs outside of my door with and ex best friend and he said “I haven’t have the chance to grive for Olivia and I don’t know what to do” the girl said to him “don’t worry about it if you need to grive you can come to mine for a couple of days” hearing this I got annoyed so I put in my headphones and walked up to them then it flashes forward a couple of days and we was at the hospital and he came up to me and asked what’s wrong but I snapped and said “we are going to hospital of I knew what was wrong we wouldn’t be here” he could see I was upset and angry so he hugged me and gave me a kiss so I asked him if he could tell me anything or did he have something to tell me good or bad but he said no and called me silly but I knew he was lying because I heard he talk to Jodie and then I shouted at him and asked for the truth but I could feel my heart breaking as I shouted and he again denied it so I told him I knew about Olivia but I woke up before he answer and just burst into tears as he was leaving for work but I want to talk to him about he but he won’t listen he will just say it’s a dream and that it means nothing.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Shai,

      Dreams are not what they seem, they’re symbolic. When you dream about your boyfriend (or anyone), your dreaming mind makes up the storyline, speaks the words. So your boyfriend is not responsible for how you see him in a dream or for what he says or does in a dream. You’re not tuning into him and dreaming about what’s actually happening for him. It can be so difficult to understand this, especially when you feel such strong emotions in a dream.

      Each person’s dream is unique, but here’s an article I wrote about ‘cheating dreams’ that will help you to understand:
      https://www.janeteresa.com/cheating-dreams/

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  80. Mark

    Hi Jane,

    I usually never discuss my dreams with anyone; exploration and meaning I search for within. However, last night I had a dream so vivid,emotional,and unlike any other in my 25 years in this life, that I will compelled to share it; to ask your opinion of it…

    My dream started in a bowling alley;a game I’ve loved since age 2. I used to call it “knock em’s” and would play with my grandmother-she had passed in 1998 following a bout with cancer. She always used to tell me that thunder was the angels bowling in heaven.

    Anyway,my cousins and I were bowling and my aunt asked me for a copy of a book which I said I could try to get but could not promise her; an answer to which she freaked out and left. Since I was incredibly frustrated by the situation, I ran out and disappeared.

    Now comes the compelling part. I sat down on a bench and started to read the news. There was a story about some machine being able to bring a lost loved one back for a little while. Then, as I look to my left, my grandfather was sitting next to me (my grandfather died in 1998 when I was 12. My heart sunk; I was completely speechless; lost in a whirlwind of emotion. All I could do was give him the most intense hug I had ever given anyone. There was so much I wanted to say to him but I didn’t know what to say; where to begin. He looked at me and smiled. But what I noticed was that it was a smile so beautiful that it was one I had never seen in this life; a smile which calmed every negative fear I had ever had; that I will ever have. With gentle eyes he held out his hand and said, “Come with me; I want to show you something…”

    Next thing I know, we are in my grandfather’s house (which had been knocked down over a decade ago). It was exactly how I remembered it with one exception. Again, it didn’t seem of this world and to describe it as “perfect” would be an incredible understatement. Everything had perfect color; a perfect atmosphere. Here there was no judgment, no negativity, no wrong. Everything had a sparkling goldish tint to it. It was a place I had been a thousand times but Also had never been before; something inside told me I was not in the world I had been before. My grandfather and I walked around his house and, honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to do much of anything but hug him.

    We didn’t say too much physically, but in this place, everything was said simply by touch and smile. Then, I stated sobbing, telling my grandfather I was so sorry for everything I ever did; that I loved him beyond words. But it bothered me when he just looked at me confused with a smirk on his face. Again, I became frusterated. He asked me what was wrong? I began to sob saying you’re here now and I don’t wasn’t you to go again. I want this to last forever. He gently smiled and hugged me; a feeling for which I cannot seem to find the words; a warmth that (no lie) I had NEVER EVER felt before. Then he looked at me and said, “I am here always, I never really left. This place is perfect. I love you. We will see each other again soon; you have to go back for now. But I love you, Mark. I’ll be here waiting. Soon. Very soon.”

    Next thing I know, Im waking up sobbing. I’m sobbing just thinking about the dream. It sounds stupid but it was so real; unlike anything I had ever experienced; a visit to a place I would return to I. A heartbeat if I could.

    What could this mean?

    -Mark

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Mark,

      Thank you for contributing your beautiful dream, so compellingly told.

      On the one hand, we can, at times, connect with the greater sense of all that is (whether you call that the greater sense of yourself, heaven, all-that-is, the divine), and find that words cannot convey the experience. When this happens while we are dreaming, our dreaming mind makes its best effort at describing the sensation, drawing on past experiences such as loved ones we have lost, or our explorations of spirituality. Yours may have been such a dream, particularly because you experienced a love beyond words, and words seemed insufficient. You may have stepped beyond the issues you mention such as forgiveness, and everything being perfect when viewed from a spiritual perspective.

      On the other hand, your dream may have been simply reflecting the last couple of days – as all dreams do – and exploring these same themes. Look back over the last couple of days: did these same questions of forgiveness, non-judgement, and so on come up for you? Before the compelling part, your aunt wanted something from you that you couldn’t promise, which left you frustrated. Was there a similar situation (from your perspective) around the time of both your grandparents’ deaths? And was there a similar situation – perhaps on a lighter level – in the day or two before the dream?

      These are some starting points Mark. You might like to book a consultation to explore this deeply with me. Either way, you can always return – within your mind/soul – to touch this dream experience whenever you need to connect with it. It’s always there, a part of your heartbeat, when you know how to look.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  81. nate

    Hi. I’m 15 and about 30 minutes ago, I woke up crying about my Guido (grandpa). Our relationship is exactly how it is said on this website. I am grieving a lot but not showing it. And in my dream, I broke my finger and went to the doctors. The doctor was all weird and so just left then my Guido came in the room. He said “why haven’t you called me yet?” in real life, that’s what’s going on with me and him, then I said “I’ll call monday” today is Saturday. Then he kept going on about it then I had no answer left “in the dream”. So all my family members came in and they seemed like ghosts like they didn’t even care or hear what me and my Guido was talking about to me (sorta in real life too) so I started crying in the dream and flipped a table in front of me.Then I woke up crying thinking about it. Then I looked at my Jesus icon and said “see.see. This is how hard I have it. This is why I’m always so stressed.” and things along the line of that. Then I had an immediate thought. That he died. And I said “no.no.it can’t be.” and it felt so real and I started crying even harder. What does this mean. I really hope it is not what I think happend.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Nate, Maybe your waking thought (that your Guido had died) was a natural reaction to thinking about him after having your dream. You must have been thinking about how, in the storyline of the dream, you keep avoiding calling him, and feeling the grief around this, and it’s natural to then maybe think ‘what if he died and I never had the opportunity to call?’ So maybe you can call him anyway?

      My feeling is that the dream did not occur because your Guido died. In your dream you released some of your grief and perhaps also some of your anger (in flipping that table), and that’s a good thing (to do in the dream). You know you’re stressed, and stress is not good! In the very least, find yourself some space and quiet time to cry, to grieve, and to think about finding someone you can trust to talk about the things that get you angry and stress you – this will help reduce your stress. What is the most positive thing your Guido would advise you to do? Would his advice be good and worth following, or not so good?

      Another thing you might like to do is to write your Guido a letter – (an old fashioned letter). You don’t have to mail it, but it will help you feel a lot better and you might be quite surprised at what you write.

      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  82. Hannah

    Hi Jane

    Thanks for your helpful website, my dream seems to echo others in that it’s also centred on my relationship with my mum, which disintegrated when I was 16 and moved out of home, and again when I was 20 and moved back in for a month before she drove me away again (she has severe bipolar disorder and has extreme 2 hr episodes of yelling, saying absolutely horrible things about the people she claims to love to the point where she called the police on me when I was moving my belongings for no reason)

    Unfortunately none of my other family members have maintained any contact with her because it is near impossible if you wish to live a healthy life but she does live with her partner of 5 years. I am now nearing 21 and having navigated the world by myself for the past 6 years have had to put on a brave face. I have started seeing guy who is older than me and shows me a love that I havnt experienced since before I left home.

    In my dream I was confronting my mum and her partner over their selfish materialistic lives and I was incredibly angry and keen to escape again, I was desperately trying to wake up from the nap because I had to go to uni but I couldn’t, and woke up crying and miserable.

    In dream I kept telling them to let me go, stop connecting me etc because in real life they stalk me and let me know in subtle ways like through social networks that they are watching me. I want to move on completely with my life and let love back in but I don’t want to dream about such a painful time in my life just because someone mentions my mum 🙁

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Hannah,

      I understand, and thank you for contributing your experience. Life has led you along a path of building courage and determination, and making good decisions for yourself. How wonderful that you are now experiencing a love that you haven’t received before. How can you learn from this love and give yourself deep unconditional love and approval?

      In your dream you witnessed more of the anger you have held back from expressing over the years, but think deeper: ask yourself if you have been berating and judging yourself for materialistic yearnings. Do you sometimes hold back from allowing yourself materialistic pleasures, considering them to be “selfish” because of what you see as your mum’s selfishness? It’s going to be important for you to ‘divorce’ yourself from your mum’s issues so you don’t limit your world. Yes, love is the priority, but you can let other good things into your life too.

      In your dream you told them to let you go, and I can understand that this reflects the feelings you have about their stalking. To really break free, think of it the other way round: think of YOU letting them (and all the bad stuff) go. It begins with you. You say you want to move on with your life and let love back in, so do!!! I understand that when someone mentions your mum you end up dreaming painful dreams, but this is because there is still healing and letting go for you to do. (The healing is not about healing your mum, it’s all about you healing you.) Then, when people mention your mum, there are no remaining issues for your dreaming mind to process.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  83. jenny

    Hello. I have a friend who wakes up every single night for the last week at the exact same time everytime wih tears running dkwn ber face. She claims she never remembers dreaming of anything yet continues to wake at the same time and seeming to be crying. She curious what this might mean.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Jenny,

      We all dream, but we don’t always remember our dreams, and this is what may be happening for your friend. Although we dream throughout the night, our vivid and emotional dreams tend to come up during our REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep phases, the first one begins around 90 minutes after falling asleep and they repeat at roughly regular intervals during the night, so my guess is that she’s been falling asleep about the same time each night and waking with tears from a dream that occurs about the same time each night. Without the dream, we have nothing to analyse, but here’s a clue for her: dreams reflect the previous 1-2 days, so if she thinks back to 1-2 days before that first night time awakening, and thinks about what was upsetting for her, or what emotional issue seems to be coming up for resolution (for her recognition), then she might work out what her tears are related to.

      Hope this helps,

      Jane Teresa

  84. Larisa

    Hello, I had this dream where my stepdad was doing cocaine right next to My little brother. (He quit drinking a few years ago in real life) I kept telling him to not do that right next to his own son and that he shouldn’t do that because he had stopped drinking.He was hearing me talk but he would just laugh. Then, I told him the same thing again, and this time he told me that I wasn’t his real daughter so I should keep out of his life. I woke up, and I was going to go back to sleep but the tears came out suddenly and I couldn’t stop them. What does this mean?Thank you.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Larisa,

      What made you cry: being told your weren’t the daughter, being laughed at, not being able to control what your stepdad was doing, or the fact that he was doing cocaine? Your dream is symbolic – it’s not about your stepdad – but to offer you a little help I need to know which of those (or another) affected you the most in the dream.

      Jane Teresa

      • Larisa

        The thing that hurt the most was that he told me that i wasn’t his real daughter.

        • Jane Teresa Anderson

          Hi Larisa,
          At the beginning of the dream you referred to your brother as your stepdad’s “own son”, so it was you that made that distinction, as if it would have been less important if your brother had been his stepson. Your dream is not really about your stepdad or your brother – it’s all about you. You’re judging yourself as less worthy than others, and hurting yourself in the process. Its time to love and value yourself more.
          Many blessings,
          Jane Teresa

  85. Niamh

    Hi there,

    I had an awfully disturbing dream where I saw my father shouting and screaming at my mother. I remember she was trying to bring the groceries in from the car and I was helping her. It was getting really bad so I stepped in to protect my mother.
    I felt he would hit her but thanks to me, he didn’t. I got my mother out of the way and I started screaming right back at my dad to intimidate him. I think it helped but then he tried to stab or cut me. I ended up killing him. I sat beside his body and cried heavily. I woke up crying. I love my father in waking life though.
    Why would I have had such a horrific dream?
    I should probably mention that I have a closer relationship to my mother than my father.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hi Niamh,

      Dreams are symbolic, and I know it’s frightening to have a dream like this when you love your father. You don’t mention how old you are, but dreams of killing either parent are quite common for teenagers as they begin the process of ‘killing off’ some of the attitudes or beliefs of the parents (within their own minds) in order to grow and develop their own beliefs. Did you try to protect yourself by intimidating someone in the day or two before your dream? If so, this dream may be about you ‘killing off’ this attitude of intimidation, looking for a better way to protect and nurture yourself.
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  86. Kayode

    Hello, I’m a 24 year old male who has just woke up and had about a 30 minute cry, triggered by a dream that I couldn’t really understand no matter how hard I tried. There was some death and I was helping to find out what had caused this death of a sickly old man who may/or may not have been a family member. There was a parent searching for a missing child who I knew when he was about 12 years old in high school, I said I knew him, gave his age to confirm, but she said he was in fact 21 (all the more confusing because everyone including me was dressed in high school clothing at this point). Finally, there was a house with an open veranda in the middle with loads of people playing in there all dressed in white I think, the dream made it seem like they were considered mentally inept or some kind of crazy and I was one of them. There were ‘sane’ people on the top floor of the building, but it felt like they had never been seen. Being the sane me, I asked for a ball but was denied because it was too hard and the dream feeling was that this crazy people could hurt someone with one. Hence I asked for a soft ball, and a cook came in with loads of buns which were round and soft. Everyone was happy and played football with the round buns. The feeling of happiness greatly increased as the dream progressed. I stopped to take a cheeky bite from the bun I had been playing with. At some point the happy crowd could not be controlled and someone from the crowd screamed “Attack”. It then turned out to be a plan (not sure if I was a main instigator but it felt like it) and everyone of these ‘crazy’ people ran up the stairs to mix with the people at the top. I stopped briefly to take it all in and watch the people run up the stairs, and at that point, she came downstairs. Who was she? Pretty young girl in white, about 5’4 long flowing hair and it seemed like she was going somewhere. I knew her. Hadn’t seen her in a long time. And then it seemed like I had instigated it all for her. I ran to her, hugged her, fell on my knees and cried hard because I had missed her so much. She held me tight and smiled. But I kept crying, trying to gather into words all that I had been through to get to that moment with her. I then woke up, and 5 seconds after burst into real tears. I didn’t call for it, my face suddenly just got a mind of it’s own and started crying.

    Obviously, the fragmented nature of the story is somewhat characteristical of dreams. However, I haven’t had to cry for about 8 months now. The only background I can draw from it all, was a break-up I went through in January of 2013. The only girl I’ve ever truly been attached to got married off to some cousin of hers. She was Pakistani and I’m Nigerian, we were together as a couple for the best part of 3 years and friends for 5 years. It ended really abruptly, and I think her religion made her a bit cold to what we had. Anyways, I just thought to pack it all in and move on. It worked for like a month after that, but I was quite an emotional wreck for the first time in my life between April 2013 a and November 2013. I had a major final cry on some night in October 2013 and I’d been fine since then. Stopped talking or contacting her and I believed I was genuinely alright.
    She’s the only reason I’ve ever cried intensely in recent memory, and that’s why I alluded the dream to her.

    I also have family issues, but trust me you don’t want to be burdened with that..lol. But yh, it’s even more so why I cherished what I had with her, she was my only true friend. Now that she’s gone, I’ve got new friends, but nothing like what I had with her. Still single since her obviously. But do help me look into the dream and tell me if there’s something I might be missing, or if there’s a recognisable pattern based on your expertise.

    Really grateful.

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hello Kayode,

      I’m sorry, I seem to have missed replying to your dream. There’s a reference to the missing boy being 21, and, since you are now 24, there’s a three year difference. It suggests a part of yourself feels like it’s “missing”, back from when you were 21. I notice your relationship lasted about 3 years, so there’s also a connection there.

      The first part of your dream reflects your feelings of “am I crazy or sane?” and looks at your feelings about attack/defense. Th soft buns is a lovely metaphor for being kinder/softer in dealing with conflict. Later in your dream you say “it seemed like I had instigated it all for her”: she may represent the reason for the ‘fight’, the craziness, the search for a softer way to deal with the situation.

      Hope that helps as a starting point for you. Keep reading around my blog and listening to the podcasts to learn how to get further insight from your dream, or book a consultation so we can go into it fully and give it the time and space it – and you – deserve.

      A good cry is always healing and beneficial.

      Many blessings,

      Jane Teresa

  87. Enrique Flores

    Hello twice now I’ve had a dream where I am coming to a family gathering and all my family is there eating, laughing kids running around its always set in the past everyone is younger and thinner lol in both dreams i walk up to everyone to say hello which is customary in my family we used to all get together alot and each one of us would always say hello and hug as we showed up. But in both dreams as I am greeting my aunts and uncles and parents im crying, im sad, im getting emotional just writing this.. and in both dreams when my mother sees me she says “hello my boy!” With the biggest smile… im not sure what to make of this dream.. I have some ideas but would love to hear your opinion. I can go into more detail if needed

    • Jane Teresa Anderson

      Hello Enrique,

      Your ideas are probably leading you in the right direction. At one level your dream is about being nourished (not just physically with food as in the dream, but emotionally). You may have lost touch with this, not giving yourself enough love. Your tears are grief over this.
      What can you do to bring more of the good feelings from the past into your life now?
      Try writing about your sadness on paper – perhaps a letter to your mum, whether or not you post it – and see what comes up. Let your tears flow: very healing!
      If you’d like deeper help, you might like to book a consultation.
      Many blessings,
      Jane Teresa

  88. JETAIME

    HI JANE,

    I OFTEN HAVE DREAMS WHERE SOMETHING IS GOING ON THAT HAS ME CRYING & IM CRYING SO MUCH IT WAKES ME OUT OF THE DREAM & IM TRULY CRYING… THIS PAST WEEKEND I HAD A DREAM MY FAMILY WAS A SOMETYPE OF SHOW & WE WERE SEATED HIGH UP IN LIKE A BLEACHER TYPE SETTING & SOME LADIES STARTED WHISPERING RACIST SLURS & SUCH & I FINALLY GOT FED UP GRABBED ONE OF THEM BY THEIR JACKET & THREW HER OFF THE BLEACHERS WHERE SHE FELL HEAD FIRST DOWN…I RAN TO FIND SOMEONE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR ACTIONS & WHEN WE FOUND SECURITY THERE WAS ALREADY A LADY IN A BODY BAG AS SOON AS I SAW HER I CRIED HYSTERICALLY & IT WOKE ME UP! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IM NOT A FIGHTER & IVE NEVER BEEN OFFENDED ABOUT RACISM BECAUSE EVERY RACE HAS ITS TRASH SO IM VERY CONFUSED…

  89. Jane Teresa Anderson

    Hi Jetaime,
    To interpret your dream we’d need to delve into it during a consultation session, but as a general guide you released some pent up feelings in your dream, and that is a good thing. Our unconscious mind can hold quite different beliefs and feelings than our conscious mind. You can learn more about how to interpret your own dreams by enrolling in my course or by listening to podcast episodes of The Dream Show: you’ll find links to the courses and The Dream Show on my site. Or sign up for my newsletter to receive regular tips to help you understand your dreams.

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