Ghost Dream Meanings & How to Respond to Them

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Find out what your ghost dreams may be trying to tell you

Co-authored by Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil. Reviewed by Jason Zuk

Last Updated: July 7, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Dream Meanings
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• Specific Dream Scenarios
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• Are they good or bad?
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• How to Respond
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• Cultural & Religious Folklore
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• FAQs
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• Expert Q&A

|Show more |Show less

Have you recently experienced a ghost dream that stayed with you long after you woke up? Don’t let your latest ghostly dream scare you. Instead, read on to discover multiple ghost dream meanings and interpretations for different dream scenarios. You’ll also find answers to questions about whether dreaming about a ghost is good or bad, along with what to do when you have ghost dreams.

Ghost Dreams: Quick Overview

Ghost dreams can symbolize unresolved emotions, subconscious desires, and past traumas. They're often a reminder of a need for closure when dealing with unfinished business in your life. Dreaming about ghosts also suggests a need for spiritual connection and transformation to move forward with confidence.

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Section 1 of 6:

Possible Ghost Dream Meanings

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   You have unresolved emotions and desires. Dreaming about ghosts often indicates emotions or feelings in your subconscious that you’re not paying enough attention to. Try to focus on what area of your life feels “haunted” and don’t be afraid to meet it head-on. Explore your relationships, work life, or personal goals so you can decide how best to overcome any obstacles that relate to them.

   • Along with unresolved emotions often comes a fear of change. When you’re afraid to think about the future, a ghost dream can pop up to remind you that you have nothing to fear about what’s to come.
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   You are holding onto past traumas and need closure. Dreaming about a ghost often relates to things in your past that have scarred you in some way. It may be guilt, regret, or fear that you feel due to wounds that have never fully healed. Look deeply at the major events in your life, both good and bad. Once you decide to heal, make a conscious effort to move forward while letting go of any negative connotations.

   • Ghost dreams also relate specifically to past emotional baggage you may be carrying around. An apparition that appears in your dreams could be there to help you get over leftover emotional struggles from past relationships or situations.
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   You’re looking for self-reflection. Ghost dreams can signify a need to look deep within yourself at who you are. This can be linked to feelings of inadequacy or anxiety, especially when you keep parts of yourself locked away. Take a long look in the mirror and confront any parts of your inner world that prevent you from living a calm and peaceful life.

   • Psychologist Carl Jung wrote about a person’s shadow, which often manifested as a ghost in a dream. It can represent negative aspects of your personality, desires, or fears you’re afraid to meet head-on.
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   You’re grieving the loss of a loved one. You can often have dreams about ghosts when you’ve recently lost a loved one. It could be due to a friend, partner, or family member passing away or due to a breakup or parting. Dreaming about ghosts can suggest that you have unresolved issues in connection with this person and wish you could speak to them again to find closure.
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   You’re worried about having a disease. Ghost dreams can link to an underlying illness you’re going through or are anxious about. If you’re not aware of the illness, a ghost dream may be warning you about what’s to come. If no disease exists, try to practice calming techniques to alleviate any unfounded fears you may have.
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   You want to connect to deeper spiritual truths. Having ghost dreams can point to a desire to experience a spiritual transformation. This is especially true if your ghost dream feels like a dream within a dream. It can also indicate that you’re about to enter a period of spiritual change or awakening in your life. Pay attention to ways you can open yourself up and better connect to the spiritual world.

   • Other spiritual meanings connected to having dreams about ghosts include the presence of a spirit guide who is looking out for your wellbeing or a specific message from the afterlife.
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Section 2 of 6:

Ghost Dreams Scenarios & Their Meanings

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   Ghost Attacking You Your dreams involve a ghost trying to attack you, hurt you, or kill you. You may fight back in the dream or allow the ghost to attack or defeat you.

   • What it means: You’re insecure or anxious about something in your life; you have a fear of winning and need to create an obstacle so you don’t have to pursue your goals.
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   Becoming a Ghost You see yourself as a ghost in the dream, and recognize that you’re not among the living anymore. You may also haunt a particular location or other people you know.

   • What it means: You have guilt or fear about a past event or need help recognizing your emotions and finding your inner voice.
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   Ghost Visiting Your House You see or feel a ghost in your dream when inside your home. The ghost may be haunting you, speaking to you, or simply being present in the one place you should feel safe.

   • What it means: You’re experiencing an internal conflict, which causes you to lose your sense of safety and security. It can also indicate low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in your abilities.
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   Being Chased by a Ghost A ghost is chasing you in your dream, which can occur in any setting. It may feel like they are haunting you or want to overcome you and/or harm you in some way.

   • What it means: You’re overwhelmed with emotion about something in your life; you’re trying to outrun whatever is troubling you, but cannot.
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   Communicating With a Ghost You speak to a ghost in your dream, either verbally or via thoughts in your mind. The conversation may be thoughtful or shallow and can feel either positive or negative.

   • What it means: You have regrets about someone in your past who you’d like to speak to again. It could involve a failed relationship or a need to reconnect with an old friend.
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   Seeing a Ghost in a Mirror You notice a ghost in the mirror. The ghost you see isn’t you, but another entity or being that stands next to, near, or behind you. You may only be able to see the ghost when looking directly into the mirror.

   • What it means: You are trying to find the solution to a problem you’ve been experiencing for a very long time.
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   Being Possessed by an Evil Spirit It’s possible to interpret your dreams about evil or dark entities or spirits trying to take over your body. These spirits may possess you completely or cause you to feel powerless and experience a loss of control.

   • What it means: You may be experiencing sleep paralysis; try to practice healthy bedtime habits and a regular sleep schedule.
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   Seeing the Ghost of a Deceased Loved One When you see a dead person alive in your dream, it can leave you feeling grief-stricken or upset. These dreams can feel either positive or negative, depending on the circumstances in the dream.

   • What it means: You have unresolved feelings about the person who passed away, which can involve emotions like regret, grief, or feeling abandoned or concerned about how they’d view your life.
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   Where you dream about a ghost also matters. Dreaming about a haunted house may involve a particular room, building, or location with uniquely specific meanings attached to it. They include memories, unconscious feelings, and even blocked chakras. More location-specific meanings in ghost dreams are as follows:

   • Bedroom: Love and intimacy relating to the unconscious.
   • Bathroom: Blocked root chakra; unable to let go of emotions.
   • Kitchen: Inability to experience transformation.
   • Attic: Forgotten about memories.
   • Dining room: Familial structure.
   • Closet: Something you’re trying to hide.
   • Basement: Repressed memories within the unconscious.
   • Building: About ideas, principles, and systems of belief.
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Section 3 of 6:

Is dreaming about ghosts good or bad?

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   Ghost dreams are not always all positive or all negative. The dream scenario you experience matters, as does whatever is going on in your waking life.

   • Positive associations: Making an emotional connection to a loved one, experiencing a spiritual awakening, or receiving a reminder about something that needs your attention.
   • Negative associations: Needing closure about past issues or experiencing fear or anxiety about an aspect of your life.

Section 4 of 6:

What to Do After Dreaming About Ghosts

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   Pay attention to any unfinished issues in your life. Think about past relationships, traumas, or shadow parts of yourself that need looking at. Consider starting a dream journal or writing down your feelings. If your dreams involve unresolved issues with another person, try to make amends if possible so your psyche can find clarity and move on with confidence.
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Section 5 of 6:

Ghost Dreams in Cultural & Religious Folklore

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   Biblical tradition views ghost dreams as a communication from God. While Christianity views ghosts as part of the occult, ghost-like figures have appeared in dreams throughout the Bible. In the Book of Matthew, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream to offer him a message about his wife Mary giving birth to a son called Jesus. In the Book of Genesis, another figure named Joseph states that God spoke to the Egyptian pharaoh through a dream.
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   In Hinduism, bhoots are ghosts that appear in dreams as a warning. Bhoots represent the soul of a deceased person that often shows up in dreams as symbols. They can represent fear and anxiety, unresolved issues, trauma, or feelings of guilt or regret. Seeing bhoots in a dream means you’re fighting with negative influences in your life that need to be dealt with directly.
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   Buddhist folklore speaks of hungry ghosts, demi-gods, or gods. Hungry ghosts (called pretas) who appear in dreams are beings who carry resentment and are the cause of nightmares. Gods (asuras) or demi-gods (devas) can also cause nightmares as a warning to you about an upcoming illness or accident.
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   Islamic teachings believe in a jinn who can haunt dreams. Jinn is a term to describe a spirit who is lower than an angel but is also able to possess humans. Jinns appearing in dreams are nothing to be afraid of, which is illustrated by the following Quranic verse:

   • “If anyone of you sees a dream that he likes, then it is from Allah, and he should thank Allah for it and narrate it to others; but if he sees something else, i.e., a dream that he dislikes, then it is from Satan, and he should seek refuge with Allah from its evil, and he should not mention it to anybody, for it will not harm him.” — Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 87, Hadith number 114.
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   In ancient Greece and Rome, sleep and death were seen as twins. When you went to sleep, you joined the realm of ghosts in a land between life and death. You are seen as meeting a ghost in a dream halfway, which allows you to commune with them to gain a deeper understanding about life.
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   Chinese tradition believes that ghosts are shadows of ourselves. Ghosts are called the “black box of the soul”; to see them in dreams helps humans reflect on their otherworld consciousness. They are seen as souls who drift between the world of the living and the dead. Seeing a ghost in a dream can also point to a message from a deceased ancestor or exist as a warning of misfortune.

   • Qiyue is the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar and is called “ghost month,” when, as on Halloween, the gate between the spirit and human worlds opens to allow ghosts to enter the realm of the living. It usually falls between July and August 23rd.
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   Aztec beliefs view ghosts in dreams with negative connotations. They were looked upon with fear as unwelcome spirits from the underworld who brought messages of doom and bad news. Even when a woman died in childbirth, her spirit was not viewed as benevolent. They were called Cihuātēteoh in Nahuatl and returned to earth on 5 specific days each year to steal children and cause both insanity and adultery in males.

   • The Mexican legend of La Llorona is believed to be an evil spirit of a woman who murdered her children; it’s considered bad luck or a warning to see her in your dreams.
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   Native Americans saw ghosts as ancestral spirits paying a visit. These spirits of deceased loved ones would show up in a dream to communicate with the living, offer spiritual guidance, or a warning. They were seen as reminders of the past appearing in dreams, which existed as a sacred space where the living could commune with the dead.
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   German folklore believed in an “alp” who sat on a sleeper’s chest. The alp was a type of imp or demon who mostly attacked women while they slept. The ghost-like creature was said to cause nightmares by draining the life force from the sleeper or, in some cases, crushing them to death by sitting on their chest.

   • Many believe that the alp was a way to personify the experience of sleep paralysis, which many describe as feeling like someone or something is putting pressure on their chest while they sleep.
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    In Norse mythology, a fylgja is a spirit who appears in dreams. They typically took the form of animals to appear in people’s dreams as guardian spirits who warned sleepers about future events. Fylgja were said to follow a person throughout their life and were sometimes looked upon as a bad omen.
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Section 6 of 6:

Ghost Dream Meanings FAQs

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   Why do I keep seeing ghosts in my sleep? Having the same dream twice that involves ghosts can mean you’re experiencing sleep paralysis. It’s a condition that causes hallucinations of ghosts or ghost-like figures while asleep. During the experience, sleepers feel like they’re part-awake, but usually cannot move their body. Everything from a sleep schedule and certain medications to mental health issues and substance abuse are possible causes of sleep paralysis.
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   Are ghost dreams a sign of paranormal encounters? While ghost dreams may not automatically indicate a paranormal encounter, they often act as a metaphor for a problem your psyche is going through. This may involve issues you’re grappling with, like fear, anxiety, or jealousy. It can also suggest you’re not at peace with any internal “demons” you’re facing; take a deeper look at yourself and try to resolve any obstacles you find.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  What does a ghost represent in a dream?

  

  Lisa Marchiano
  Dream Interpreter and Certified Jungian Analyst

  Lisa Marchiano is a dream interpreter, certified Jungian analyst, licensed clinical social worker, and author based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She trained at the Inter-regional Society of Jungian Analysts and is on the faculty of C. G. Jung Institute of Philadelphia. Lisa is the co-host and co-creator of the popular depth psychology podcast This Jungian Life. She is also the author of "Dream Wise: Unlocking the Meaning of Your Dreams", "Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself", and "The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire". She has developed an approach to psychotherapy that is practical, creative and interactive to help people going through difficult times or life transitions. Lisa has a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Master of Social Work from New York University.

  

  Lisa Marchiano

  Dream Interpreter and Certified Jungian Analyst

  Expert Answer

  A ghost could be an aspect of yourself that you have not allowed into consciousness. Ghosts have to exist in an intermediary form, because they aren't allowed in the world as living entities. So, a ghost would make me think that there's some aspect of you that has been disallowed or disavowed that's trying to get your attention.

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