What does this dream mean?

Question

I have recurrent nightmares of being found floating in a canal but still being conscious in my dead body. I can see shopping trolleys and car tires through the murky, oily water as I float face-down. Then someone drags me from the water and I see their face against shocking daylight. I can hear officials talking about what they're going to do with me and they always come to the same conclusion: bury me. It sort of ends with the horror of being buried conscious.

In my real life I live alone with my cat that has a neurological disorder and I have no real friends, only the people I speak to at work. I've always had massive trouble communicating with people and I also have a chronic abdominal illness, which I won't go into. But, it often makes me feel like I'm confused as to whether I'm supposed to be asleep or awake. I've never learnt to drive because of this. My family also live a couple of hundred miles away. I really love them, though.

I've never tried therapy, but my GP keeps recommending it. Yes, my cat has a neurological disorder. Its rather like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saqI4RMtLtA

Its not drunk, by the way.

Answer 1

Death in a dream is typically symbolic of the end of something in your life - but it isn't literally death! Dreams usually reflect subconscious wishes & desires or fears. Yours sounds more like the fear variety. So in short, there is something you are fearing that is going to end. But only you can determine what it is you are afraid of that is going to end.

The type of death in a dream also has some signifigance. The fact that you are in a canal and that you are later buried "alive" is also significant. Although it isn't really clear from your description as to what exactly this may mean for you. However, both are "enclosed" spaces - a canal is a type of enclosed space, and of course, being buried is an enclosed space. Do you have any tendencies towards Agoraphobia?

It's also interesting, that the people that find you in the canal, you describe as "officials." They are not family members or even your co-workers or famous people (which often appear in these types of dreams). "Officials" of course are symbolic of your lack of personal relationships in your life. "Officials" represent distance and structure and authority.

Answer 2

Drowning means you are being overwhelmed with emotions (water =emotions). The water being murky would suggest your confusion over these emotions, nothing is clear to you, and the debris you see as you are floating could be representative of the problems in your life which you feel are too much to deal with, hence you're floating past them, observing them. You say you are dead but aware of it - death is always the ending of something, you are aware you've come to a point in your life where you have to take action and you will survive this!! Being buried is also part of the turmoil you are facing in your life, where you feel buried, suffocated by your problems. The 'officials' are authority figures who perhaps you feel are responsible either for where you are at the moment, or helping you deal with the issues you face.

Answer 3

Your question is very hard to answer, but I feel that I should say something. First of all, the answers posted by others seem like they could hurt you more than help you. Many people have dreams like this, I have them myself, and I have no illness...The one thing I can suggest to you is that you find a Dream Dictionary or Guide, which you can find in any library or bookstore. They don't completely explain your dream to you but pin-point what certain events mean in relation to your sub-conscience mind, like being buried, or drowning...It will help explain the way you feel and hopefully bring some comfort to you. Definitely try to find some way to get together with your family more, family is the most precious thing we have in life...And in time you will come out of your shell and become a social butterfly I'm sure, maybe try to get together with the people from work. They are your friends, and if they are your only friends for now, make the bond with them lifelong...Good Luck, and hope everything turns out well!

Answer 4

because you are floating, not swimming, i would say that signifies that you feel that your life is not within your control. you feel like no matter what you do, you'll still end up in the same spot. and because you're conscious, but no one else can see that, means that you feel like it doesn't matter if you talk at all, because no one is listening to you. your dream manifests the fact that you don't think any one cares what you do or say ( or where you go, since you wind up "put away" in a dark room ( aka: buried ) anyway. don't worry that you think that being buried is horrifying, that just means you're not okay with not being in control - fight it! fight them! find people who listen to you ( support groups for ... animal lovers or something ) find people who care what you do ( volunteer at an old folks home, or a veterinary clinic or a day care... ) and then maybe you'll feel that your life has more meaning and you can take pride in the fact that you are in control of _____ in your life.

Answer 5

Your dream sounds like an expression by your subconscious of a feeling of not being in control of your life, and your life slipping by. It sounds like you need to start getting out there, get some kind of social life, and enjoyment out of life. If you get involved with charity work, or an evening course, pursuing something you enjoy and meeting others with similar interests, you'll start to get a pattern in your life, and feel that you're really living! Maybe you feel you don't matter to anyone around you, and you CAN change this. If you're helping others, or taking a course, you've instantly got a topic of conversation, which will take you out of the mindset of worrying about how you'll come across, or feeling awkward. You've made the first step by acknowledging that something's wrong, and now you need to start being decisive. Life throws obstacles at us, but we CAN get past them, and even turn them into positive growing experiences. The only person who can get you through life is YOU, and with so much to enjoy and experience, you should grab onto life with both hands, and start living! If you take control of your own destiny, then your nightmares should stop.

Answer 6

I play an mmo. all of the time. called Eudemons on line. maximum of my targets are based off of that activity. I dream i'm playing the activity. what's unhappy is people placed way too plenty into the targets they have. i'm 21 years previous. while i replaced into around thirteen or so, I had a dream that made me sense while i replaced into 33 i might die in a vehicle crash. no one else in touch, lifeted up 4x4. T street. some years off, yet i do no longer think of that what I dreamed then, will come actual. regardless of if I had an identical dream a million time each 6 years. issues exchange. you adjust. it is not your targets that make your destiny. it is your destiny that'll make your targets. do no longer concentration on a dream you have. If something, they're extra of an emblem of something that has happend, or by no skill will ensue. A warning, something that might assist you evade a disaster you on your life. stay the life you have, the way you %, and not by skill of any targets.

Answer 7

something in your life is smothering you so it is like you can see everything around you and things happen but you cant do anything about it. it may be something to do with your social lifestyle as it seems you are quite lonely, the fact you mentioned it enhances the likelyhood that it is that. you may be feeling that you know your social life isnt quite normal and you want to do that but your self confidence and self esteem is too little to allow you to do this. maybe you should become more friendly with the people you have at work in order for you to make friends. i know it is hard to trust people as i went like this after i had an accident and i only would be friends with people i was friends with before the accident. i still find it hard to trust people but i can control it a bit more now. just build up on your self confidence and slef esteem with some boosting exercises. i think it may help you to talk to a psychologist or someone like that, it is hard to get through these things alone and you shouldnt be ashamed of asking for help

Answer 8

Your question has made me quite sad, I think that maybe you need to have some therapy to work out your obvious issues. Don't let your illness get in the way of getting out there and living life. I too have been quite ill so I can relate although I'm much better now.
If you love your family, maybe you should be with them when you are so obviously in need of some company.

Answer 9

Well the canal portends sickness and disorders of the stomach. Being buried alive denotes that you're about to make a big mistake. Not sure about the trolley but to see tyres (broken wheels) proclaims death in the family or absence of someone in your household.

Do you have any colour in your dreams?

Answer 10

canal = social life
floating = being drafted away, not respected
dead body = give up
official talking = denial, helpless conscience, seek for support

Yes, it has something to to with your illness and your personality. Projecting yourself being dead often means there is something in life that you feel like giving up. It could be your social life. basically, you are seeking for support for the moment and to you you are under stressed and have heavy denial as well.
whativer it is, you should know better, perhaps you subconsciously think that you are not being respected in many aspects and that is why you vent this out in dream