I Keep Have the Same Recurring Dream

Question: Last night I had a dream that I have experienced before. It was pretty scary and it woke me from my sleep at 3 a.m. It was so frightening that I was afraid to go back to sleep, lest the dream return. However, when I finally did fall asleep, my dream continued and to my surprise, it had a positive ending. This dream varied slightly from the first – it took place in a different location. The scary part occurred at the precise moment I was talking to someone I would love to meet one day – a certain famous talk show host – so much so that it is one of my life goals. So I have two questions. First, what does it mean when I have the same dream multiple times? Second, why would the scary part come at the exact moment that I was talking to someone who I long to meet in person? -Alison

Patti's Answer: Thanks for your questions Alison. What you have described is known as a “recurring dream.” Once you get the message your subconscious is sending, and understand what it means to you, the dreams will either stop or change in some way. Recurring dreams are those dreams that repeat and will either be identical in their narrative and details or they may share a similar theme with varying details.

The key to understanding recurring dreams is to do a little detective work. If you can remember the first time you had that dream, what was going on in your life at that time (including any feelings you were experiencing) try and compare those details with the subsequent instances in which you experienced the dream. Examining your mental state and what was going on in your life whenever you have the dream will allow you to start to see patterns emerge.

Recurring dreams are trying to get your attention. If you don’t get the message the first time, they will continue as if to say to the dreamer: “Pay attention!”

To answer your second question, ask yourself if meeting that famous talk show host, may be a frightening prospect for you on some level. Perhaps there is something about the dream scenario which is frightening that can also be connected to a waking fear. Dreams are usually quite precise in the images and story lines they choose for us.

So if the scary part comes at that exact moment when you meet this person, perhaps it is the idea of that meeting, which you described as your “goal,” that the dream really wants to bring to your attention. Perhaps you have a real fear that goes beyond the actual encounter with this person.

Remember that everything in the dream is an aspect of your self. Think of ways in which you are similar to that person. What traits do you have in common? How does the prospect of becoming your own ‘goal’ or your own hero frighten you? That should give you plenty to chew on. In the meantime, sweet dreams!

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