Spiritual Nightmares

Waking Up Startled

We’ve all experienced good dreams and nightmares. Sometimes we wish that we never had awakened from a pleasant dream. Other times, we wake up terrified and afraid to go back to sleep. But what are the meaning of dreams and should we take them seriously? Freud once said, “dreams are the royal road to the unconscious.”

In that case, are spiritual nightmares related to the unconscious mind as well? A spiritual nightmare is exactly what it sounds like: a dream related to the supernatural that wakes you up from sleep because of its frightening and unpleasant nature. Sometimes a nightmare feels like reality!

How many of you have felt the presence of a spirit in your room upon awakening from a nightmare? How many of you have felt your back touched or bed cover pulled on and then suddenly waking up startled? I believe quite a few people can attest to the above experiences.

The best way to go about analyzing these spiritual experiences is to talk about them in therapy with a psychoanalyst who is interested in dream interpretation. The chances are slim that you will find meaning from these spiritual nightmares on your own; guidance will always serve you better.

Sometimes the experience can be so frightening that you become scared to go to bed the following night. But you cannot allow these nightmares or spiritual experiences to control your life. Whether or not you discover the reason for their appearance, you have to continue to live your life without fear.

You may wake up startled from a nightmare, but don’t allow that experience to turn into a living nightmare!

Are you Ready? (This is Defeating Stigma Mindfully)