Dreaming about death symbolizes change and growth. It is the end of “life as you know it” and the beginning of a new chapter. It can also be your subconscious or Inner Self telling you to let go of something that is holding you back.
Since mothers can have deep metaphorical meanings—on a personal, cultural and spiritual level—your dream can have different possible interpretations.
Dream interpretation is subjective, unscientific, and highly personal. The below information is some possible symbolic interpretations people have had – but there’s no evidence that your dream determines your future and no one can say exactly what the dream means. The ultimate interpretation is up to you!
Dreaming that your Mom Died Meanings
1. You’re Feeling Anxious about aChange
The death of a mother may mean that you have to find your own way. You may be going through a time of great change or uncertainty.
For most of our young lives, we depend on our mothers for food, comfort, and wisdom. That’s why mothers are associated with safety and providence: as long as they’re around, we have everything we need.
Your subconscious is “grieving” the loss of your old life and the feeling of control, and expressing your fear of the future.
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2. Start Putting Yourself First
The dream may be a sign that you’re being too maternalistic and need to not only care for others, but also care for yourself.
The maternal instinct symbolizes caring for others and putting their needs over our own. However, being too nurturing and selfless can backfire. You may neglect your own needs, or struggle with setting boundaries and saying “No.”
So, a dream about your mother dying may actually be you Inner Self reminding you to stop being a doormat. It is rebelling against the maternal instinct (or social expectations to please others) because it already has a negative effect on your life.
Think about what relationships may need more boundaries or give-and-take, and find ways to nurture yourself and take care of your needs.
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3. You Desire Independence
If a mother indicates control or restrictions to you, then a dream of your mother dying may be a sign that you want to escape from those restrictions.
The mother-child relationship can be nurturing, but it can also be controlling. After all, mothers are often the disciplinarian who set rules and tell a child what to do.
As you probably recall from your adolescent years, you will have moments when you want to “just be my own person.”
So, dreams of your mother dying may be a sign that you want more independence and control over your life.
You may be in a situation where you feel trapped, or you may be in a relationship where the other person doesn’t listen to you or respect you.
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4. Time for Growth
It is part of the natural cycle of life for a child to grow up, leave home, and go out into the bigger world. The dream may be that it’s time to escape your home and go out into the world to achieve personal growth.
Since you no longer need protection, the mother’s role ends. She may still be an important presence in your life, but your relationship has changed. You are no longer “her baby.”
From this perspective, this dream can symbolize taking on bigger responsibilities, and having more confidence in your abilities.
That’s why it often occurs when you are entering a new chapter in your life (i.e, a new job, or a deeper stage in a relationship) that demands personal growth.
On the other hand, the dream can also be a sign that you are stuck in your comfort zone. People often stay in a boring job or an unhappy relationship simply because it is familiar.
Perhaps it was fulfilling at the beginning, but you’ve outgrown it. The death of the mother is the catalyst for change.
Related Article: Dream Of A White Horse
5. Repressed Resentment
While some dreams can be symbolic, other dreams are cathartic. It releases strong emotions that have been suppressed, and provides a psychological relief.
You may have strong resentment or anger towards your mother, or someone else who is close to you that you expected would give unconditional love and care. However, you are unable to express this honestly to that person—or even if you do, the person continue to anger or disappoint you.
The subconscious uses dreams to release and process hidden and built-up emotions. Sometimes, the dream can be very vivid and violent: your mother is killed, or the circumstances of the death are painful.
If that happens, don’t feel guilty. Expressing and processing your emotions in dreams is far healthier than ignoring them to the point you actually act it out in real life.
However, a very violent dream may indicate that you need to address the problem causing resentment and anger. It can be a wake-up call that something has to change.
6. Fear of losing someone
This can literally be fear of losing your mother, but it can also mean any important relationship or anything of value (i.e, like losing a job, or missing an opportunity).
The dream can also be a way of processing a recent loss or disappointment, especially if it is ambiguous in nature and difficult to grieve in real life.
For example, if you were passed up for a promotion that you felt you deserved, the death of your mother can symbolize how your career goal was “killed” and you were unable to do anything about it.
How to analyze the Mother Symbol in Dreams
When your mother appears in your dreams, it can have different meanings based on what you are going through at that time, and your personal associations with the word “Mother.”
So, use the possible interpretations given above as a starting point. Ask yourself if it is about change, independence, and emotional needs and boundaries. Then, look at which aspect of your life needs your attention or “mothering.”
You can also analyze the specific details of the dream: the circumstances of the death, how you found out about it and reacted to it, the consequences of the death or the events that followed. These can all give clues to what your subconscious is telling you.
Conclusion
Dreams have many different possible interpretations. And in fact, the above interpretations may not even be the right ones for you! It’s really hard to actually tell what the dream means. And really, it may not mean anything – it could just be a random dream! If you want to know more about your dreams, you could talk to a dream interpreter, spiritual advisor, or even a therapist.
I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.