5 Types of Spiritual Dreams & What They Mean
What if your dreams were messages from your soul?
When a Dream Feels More Real Than Life
Even as you wake up, the spiritual dream won't let go. It lingers, vivid, emotional, impossible to ignore. You know it wasn’t just any dream.
You wake up feeling something - grief, peace, nostalgia, wonder. It's like you lived it, or remembered something real.
Maybe you saw a loved one who's passed. You felt their hug, smelled their scent, saw them, vibrant and glowing—maybe younger than you remember. You felt loved. Safe. And then it hits you: they're no longer here. Because now...you're awake.
Scientists say we forget 95% of our dreams within minutes of opening our eyes. But not these dreams. These are the 5% that refuse to disappear—the ones that stir deep emotion, repeat night after night, or feel more real than waking life. They’re messages, from your soul, your guides, and the universe itself.
And once you learn to decode them, everything changes. Because what if it wasn't just a dream?
📌 Save this guide - it's comprehensive and meant to be referenced whenever a powerful dream lingers and you're wondering what it meant.
What if that loved one really visited you on the astral plane - and this time, you simply remembered? What if they want you to know they're still with you?
You wouldn't be alone in that belief.
There are other dreams like this too.
Dreams of the future that later unfold exactly as you saw it.
Dreams that solve problems your waking mind couldn't crack.
Dreams where a guide appears and says the one thing you needed to hear.
Those dreams don’t just linger—they open something in you. They’re messages.
Dreams as Sacred Portals
Across many cultures, dreams have always been seen as sacred.
In Native American traditions, they are messages from the spirit world—a place where ancestors, animal spirits, and guides speak directly to the soul.
In Mãori belief, dreams offer insight from the spirit realm to the living. In Australian Aboriginal culture, Dreamtime refers to a spiritual dimension where past, present, and future coexist.
In these traditions, dreams are not random. They are portals—offering healing, wisdom, and connection.
They remind us that dreams aren't just nighttime stories—they carry deep spiritual significance as sacred messages. Doorways into spirit, memory, and meaning—especially when we learn to listen.
Meet Your Guide
I'm Janet Rae Orth. As an intuitive and energy healer, I've spent over 30 years helping clients decode the patterns and messages their soul is trying to send—especially through dreams. The ones that feel more real than waking life often carry the deepest wisdom.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the five distinct types of spiritual dreams and decode their dream meanings to help you recognize the messages they're trying to give you.
Scroll down to discover which type you've been experiencing.
📋 The 5 Types at a Glance:
- Prophetic Dreams - Future glimpses - Symbolic Dreams - Metaphor messages - Visitation Dreams - Departed loved ones - Recurring Dreams - Unresolved lessons - Astral Dreams - Soul travel experiences
📧 Want to understand what your dreams are telling you? Join my newsletter for dream interpretation tips, spiritual guidance, and exclusive session discounts. [Subscribe →]
🌙 This post is Part 1 of my Dream series...
🤔 Are You Having Spiritual Dreams?
Ask yourself: - Do certain dreams feel more "real" than others? - Have you ever woken up with emotions that lasted all day? - Do some dreams repeat or continue across multiple nights? - Have you dreamed of something that later happened?
If you answered yes to any of these, keep reading.
🧭 The Hidden Meaning Behind Strange Dreams
There are dreams that deliver messages in ordinary—even odd—ways. They might feel mundane, bizarre, or emotionally off. But they often reveal something your conscious mind has been ignoring.
Last night, I dreamed of a beautiful home…with pet rats running freely through the rooms. Clean, cared for, fluffy and cute—like actual pets rather than pests. And yes, I love animals, but not that much. It was bizarre. But I woke up knowing exactly what it meant: Check the shed. (The desert packrats might be back). 🐀
These dreams bring to the surface what we’ve sensed in our waking life but brushed aside. Maybe my dogs have been acting strange, trying to tell me something smells off out there. Maybe the owl that nests in the tree outside the shed is back—watching, waiting. Hoping for a meal. Maybe I’d even noticed these signs, but hadn’t consciously registered them.
Spirit speaks through dreams using symbols and messengers like this—animals, numbers that stand out, images that seem random but won’t leave you. Even the oddest images hold meaning, if you know how to listen.
As you grow spiritually and become more energetically aligned, your dreams often shift too. They become more vivid, symbolic, and intuitive. Spirit speaks to you more clearly, and your inner guidance sharpens. It's not your imagination—your soul is learning a new language, and dreams are one of the first places it begins to share this knowing with you.
I didn’t know it then, but one of the dreams I share in the next section—the Bay Bridge dream—was one of those moments. I was just beginning to wake up to my own intuitive gifts, and that dream was one of the first signs something in me was changing.
Now let’s break down the five most common dream types—and what your soul might be saying through each.
Type 1: Prophetic Dreams
When Your Soul Shows You What's Coming
These prophetic dreams have a different texture—the colors are brighter, the emotions more intense and lingering. They stand out, carrying a certain weight that leaves a lasting impression.
I’ve had many over the years—glimpses of places I’ll travel, things I’ll do, people I’ll meet. Sometimes the dream arrives years before the event. But I remember it. Because when I wake up, I know: That was one of those dreams.
I wake up from one of these dreams with clarity: I’m going to learn to scuba dive, or I’m going to move, or I’ll travel to a city I’ve never been to.
And months or years later, I did. Just as the dream showed me. I know these are prophetic dreams that will come true. I recognize their signature.
They don’t fade—they unfold. You glimpse something before it happens. These dreams prepare you for what’s to come, showing you a soul-level preview of your path before you walk it.
These dream visions have a visceral clarity; a sense of “this is real” that you feel in your bones.
You might have a conversation, see a person, a place, or an event…and later, it unfolds in waking life just as you dreamed it.
Sometimes you will consciously remember it from your dreams. Other times, it arrives as a feeling of deja vu. But either way, you know. These dreams are vivid, emotionally charged, and energetically different from everyday dream static. Watch for:
A sense of urgency, peace, or deep knowing.
Vivid visuals, emotionally charged moments, rich with detail.
A signature energy that makes them stand apart from “everyday” dreams.
A strong afterglow or lingering clarity upon waking.
I dreamt of the bay bridge collapse, before the San Francisco earthquake, for months. It was a recurring dream: Throwing life rafts in the water, jumping, swimming, trying different ways to survive. It felt like a fire drill, repetitive but important. A kind of preparation, not panic. Boring, redundant, but necessary.
I lived in San Francisco during the earthquake. Afterward, I often thought of that dream. On any ordinary day, it would have been full of thousands of cars. But that day was different. The final number was far lower than expected. Many who normally would've been there...weren’t.
What happened? Where was everyone? Was there a collective dream that warned so many, not to be there that day? I left work early that day, like almost everyone in my office, I was unable to sit still from 3 pm on. The earthquake struck right around 5 pm.
We create the future on the astral plane—long before it arrives in waking life. When you learn to do this consciously, your heart’s desires begin to manifest with ease.
Have you ever had a dream like this? One that felt like preparation for what was to come?
💫 Are your dreams trying to tell you something? In an Intuitive Reading, I can help you decode the deeper meanings and messages your soul is sending through your dreams. [Book Your Intuitive Reading →]
Type 2: Symbolic Dreams
What Your Soul Is Trying to Tell You
Some dreams aren’t literal at all. They’re metaphors. A flooded house might mean emotional overwhelm. A bus you keep missing could point to a fear of being left behind, or feeling like you can’t catch up. These symbols aren’t random. They’re mirrors. They reflect something deeper stirring inside you.
These are the dreams where something feels off —a familiar place filled with strange objects, or something beautiful marred by a small but powerful detail. They may be weird, emotional, or downright wild, but they always mean something.
A snake in your dream might represent transformation or healing. Being chased could reflect avoiding something in your waking life. Your soul speaks in pictures, and once you learn the language of dream interpretation, these 'weird' dreams become profound guidance. They don’t just entertain—they reveal, bringing the unconscious to the surface—so you can feel it, face it, and heal it. The dreams you're tempted to dismiss as "just weird" are often hiding an important message.
Common Symbolic Dream Themes:
Drowning = Emotional overwhelm
Losing teeth = Vulnerability or fear of change
Locked door = Resistance to truth or personal growth
Imagine dreaming of walking through a lush garden—everything vibrant, alive. Except one corner, where a single flower is wilted, dry, and dark. And you can’t stop staring at it.
This dream might be showing you that your life, on the surface, looks beautiful. But underneath something is being neglected. Something in your life is crying for help, and your soul won't let you ignore it anymore.
These dreams mirror what you’re processing emotionally or spiritually—often things you haven’t yet admitted to yourself. Understanding dream symbolism and its spiritual significance requires reflection. But once you recognize that the symbol is the message, everything starts to make sense.
So how do you know when it wasn't just a dream - but a dream message?
“The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul.” —Carl Jung
Sound familiar?
The next type might be even more powerful.
Type 3: Visitation Dreams
When a Departed Loved One Comes Through
A departed loved one appears, not as a memory, but as a presence.
These dreams aren’t vague or symbolic—they feel real. You might hug, talk, walk together, or simply feel their presence, and when you wake, the emotion lingers. You might not remember every word, but you’ll remember the feeling.
These dreams bring comfort, closure, reassurance—or sometimes a message you feel more than hear.
The person may appear younger, healthier, or more radiant than they were at the end of their life.
They stay with you for years.
They are impossible to forget.
I’ve had dreams like this about my Mother—dreams that are still crystal clear, decades later. Sometimes I wake up sad, when I realize she isn’t here. Other times, happy that I’ve seen her again. Sometimes I feel like she said something…even if I don’t consciously know what it was. But I always feel certain, it was her.
Visitation dreams are among the most powerful and healing dreams we can have.
💌 Don’t miss Part 2 of the Dream series coming soon: How to Intentionally Meet Departed Loved Ones on the Astral Plane. Get the next guide when it's ready [newsletter]
Type 4: Recurring Dreams
When the Message Keeps Repeating
A theme, image, or experience shows up again and again. No matter how much time passes, the dream returns—sometimes slightly different, but always with the same emotional charge.
These are spiritual loops, that show up because something hasn’t been integrated yet—until you fully face what your soul is trying to reveal, the dream may persist.
The repetition is the message.
Recurring dreams often signal that you’re on the edge of a breakthrough—but something within you still needs to shift before you can move forward.
When you acknowledge the truth or take aligned action, the dream often shifts, or stops.
Maybe you are always running after a bus you can’t catch. Or falling endlessly, reaching for something to hold. Or you are back at an old job that once drained the life out of you. These dreams can be frustrating and even exhausting.
You wake up feeling like you actually ran after the bus. Or feel like you did at the job that drained the life out of you, or like your stomach dropped from that endless fall. These are dreams in which we’re processing something emotionally, or working through a lesson that is still unfolding.
Pay attention. Once you take aligned action or acknowledge the truth, the loop begins to break.
One caveat:
If your recurring dreams involve being chased, trapped, or stuck in places that feel dark, dense, or unlike anywhere you'd consciously go (like a smoky bar or strange basement), you may be looping through a lower level astral pattern.
This isn't your fault—but it can keep you energetically tethered to fear, anxiety, or old programming.
🌙 If this feels true for you, schedule a session with me and we’ll gently clear the pattern so your dreams can start guiding you forward again. [Book Your Reading]
Type 5: Lucid or Astral Dreams
The Dreams That Take You Beyond The Body
You become aware that you’re dreaming—or feel like you’re leaving your body entirely.
This type of dream feels cosmic. Expansive. Sometimes disorienting. You may be flying, floating, or visiting “otherworldly” realms.
Many intuitives report experiences like these —some even meet their guides or departed loved ones on astral planes. You might also experience this kind of dream after surgery, during deep healing, or in moments of spiritual activation.
The first time I went to the Akashic records, it was in a night-time dream like this. You may wake up:
With a deep knowing you were somewhere else.
Feeling different, emotional, or unusually calm - without knowing why.
With a heightened sense of clarity, or intuitive insight.
Can't remember your dreams? Sometimes it's as simple as a B6 deficiency—check my [Amazon Store] for my go-to B6 supplement. If it runs deeper, let's explore what your soul may be holding back…
Unlike typical flying dreams that feel playful or symbolic, these experiences have a profound quality. There’s a sense that you've actually traveled - even if you can't quite explain where.
These are astral-travel dreams, and they’re more common than you think.
🔮 How to Know If Your Dream Was a Spiritual Message: Dream Interpretation Signs
Not every dream is a message. Some are just energetic static—your mind releasing the stress, stimulation, or stories of the day.
But when Spirit is trying to reach you, it feels different. The dream lands deeper. It leaves a mark. And even if the details fade, (though often they don’t) the feeling doesn’t.
These are dreams that linger long after you wake.
So how do you know when it wasn’t just a dream - but a message?
Look for these signs:
You wake up with a strong emotion
Peace, love, urgency, sorrow…and the emotion lingers, even if the dream details blur.The dream repeats
It returns in cycles, or continues over several nights, picking up where it left off. Like chapters in a story your soul is telling you.It feels more real than waking life
The colors. The clarity. The energy. It has a vividness that feels beyond normal dreaming.You just know it meant something
There’s a soul-level recognition. You feel it in your body, even if you can’t explain why.You get confirmation later
Something from the dream happens, synchronicity, a sign. A moment that echos the dream.
“Dreams are private myths; myths are public dreams.”-Joseph Campbell
Some dreams carry emotion. Others, clarity. But the ones that change you—the ones that stay with you—are almost always more than dreams.
And sometimes?
It’s just a rat. 🐀
Now that you know the 5 types, here's how to decode what your dreams are really telling you…
💫 Final Thought
Your dreams are not random. They are messages, mirrors, memories. Sometimes they’re visitations from something greater.
Whether symbolic, prophetic, or deeply emotional, they’re part of your soul’s ongoing conversation with the unseen.
Some dreams heal, some wake you up and some show you what’s coming or what’s still unresolved.
But all of them carry meaning. And you don’t have to decode them alone.
Ready to Unlock Your Psychic Potential?
Start by booking a private Intuitive Reading, where we'll identify your natural psychic gifts—your dominant Clair—and help you understand how your intuition already speaks to you.
🔮 [Book Your Intuitive Reading →]
"Working with Janet helped me realize I wasn't 'too sensitive' - I was intuitive. Everything makes sense now." — Sarah M “The guidance was exactly what I needed to hear at the perfect time." - Lisa K.
📬 Don't Miss Part 2: [Join My Newsletter →] Get dream interpretation tips, spiritual guidance, and a discount on your first reading. This is Part 1 in the series on Dreams.
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🌙 Your dreams are part of your soul’s language. May you feel held, guided, and validated—both in sleep and in waking life.