Fathers play an essential role in the upbringing of children. They are often associated with providing support, guidance, love, protection, and even criticism.
Like mothers, fathers in dreams can embody several meanings. However, the interpretation of the dream will heavily depend on the relationship you have with your father, your relationship with other father figures, or whether you are a dad yourself.
Dreaming of your deceased father often reveals your need for security, support, and guidance. That’s because, fathers are the authority figure in our lives and usually when things get out of hand, we turn to them for help and advice.
They also help us cope with reality, especially when dealing with problems or challenges that won’t go away easily.
If lately, you’ve been dreaming of your deceased father, and you want to figure out the meaning of the dream, you’ve come to the right place.
Below, we will dive deeper into dreams about a deceased father, their meanings, and possible interpretations.
Dreaming of Dead Father Meaning
1. You Have Unresolved Issues
Dreaming about your deceased father implies you have unresolved issues concerning him, and this is affecting you.
Perhaps he did something or said something that hurt you and you never had time to clear the air between you two.
This dream could symbolize your hidden feelings toward him. You might feel guilty that you never got to express your love and respect for him while he was still here.
It was probably difficult for you to approach your father with the intent of a heart-to-heart conversation.
Alternatively, dreaming of your dead father could signify your emotional turmoil. You probably shared a powerful bond with him.
He was always there to help you work through your emotions. Now that he’s no longer there, there is no one with whom you can share this.
When you dream of him, it points to all these emotions you hold inside that you want to express, but can’t.
Your mind is trying to ease your anger and guilt hoping you will forgive yourself for missing out on those opportunities.
2. You Need Advice and Support
Sometimes, dreaming of your deceased father reflects your need for his support and guidance in life.
You might be in a very critical, challenging situation that is making you feel lost. The stress of your waking life will trigger you to dream of him.
Perhaps you have a plan in mind on how to handle the situation, but need support and reassurance.
As a result, your subconscious mind will send you dreams of your supportive father to encourage you to put your plan into action.
These dreams serve as a reminder that even though they’re not with you physically, they’ll always be around supporting and guiding you. You need only calm yourself and listen to the voice within.
3. You Are Still Grieving
Seeing your father in dreams might imply that the wound left by his demise is still fresh.
Your father might have been your pillar, and his death might have come as a shock to you. You miss his presence, as he was your guide, comforter, protector, and advisor.
This dream is a way for your subconscious to comfort you as you grieve. It might show you all the wonderful memories you shared with your dad.
You could also consider going to therapy. This might help you work through your feelings and help you overcome the pain of his death.
This way, you can fully function within society and start taking part in activities that will make him proud of you and your progress.
4. He Represents Your Conscience
Fathers act as teachers. They show you right from wrong and instill in you the values that will guide you in deciding whether something is good or bad.
As such, your father reflects your conscience. Dreaming of your father portrays your ability to choose between what is right and what is wrong.
On the other hand, dreaming of your dead father implies that you have lost your sense of morality. It suggests you have lost the ability to make good choices. You’ve become cold and callous about the decisions you make and their effects. You feel as though doing the right thing doesn’t matter anymore.
This is a cautionary dream. It warns you to get back on the right track before you choose something that will lead to dire consequences.
In a way, it reminds you of your father reprimanding you when you were on the wrong track.
5. You Feel Frustrated
Dreaming of your deceased father might indicate the disappointment you feel in your waking life.
You might be working hard yet failing to get the desired results. It feels like you wasted all your effort on a project and this has left you frustrated.
In such a situation, the best you can do is to get a broader and clearer perspective of things. If your plan toward your goals is not working, change it.
It could help to seek guidance from those you trust, evaluate yourself, and rewrite your plan accordingly.
If your father is sad in a dream, it shows the disappointment you feel in yourself about the horrible turn of events over a decision you made.
Although you wish you could take it all back, it’s best to deal with the consequences and avoid making such mistakes again.
6. Hidden Aspects of Your Personality
If you see your father in a dream, he may portray a part of yourself that you’ve been trying to hide.
He may represent a trait, an emotion, or talent within yourself that you refuse to acknowledge. You’re afraid that people will judge or make fun of you.
If this is so, this dream tells you it’s time for you to embrace that hidden side of yourself. Don’t let the fear of society’s judgment hinder you from achieving your goals.
The dream encourages you to accept yourself wholly. Nobody’s perfect. Neither are you. Don’t hide your talent. You never know, it might come in handy someday.
Related: Dreaming of Deceased Mother Meaning
16 Common Dream Scenarios Involving a Deceased Father
Dead Father Visiting in a Dream
Visitation dreams are usually a coping mechanism for grief, loss, and sorrow. You’re still coming to terms with your father’s death.
The dreams are usually vivid and recurrent and sometimes you might confuse them with reality. But it’s just your subconscious mind, trying to help you cope with the loss.
Your father visiting you in a dream implies an unsolved problem. Maybe there’s a situation that has been troubling you for some time.
While you may seem to have a solution, you’re still missing a few details. His appearance is telling you not to ignore the minor details, as that is where the answer lies.
Similarly, this dream could signify that you need support and guidance in your waking life. His presence is to reassure you that he’s with you every step of the way.
Usually, you might experience these dreams when dealing with a major shift in life.
Dream Of Dead Father Talking to Me
If you dream of your late father talking to you, you may have been indecisive about your life. You wish you had someone you could trust and depend on to guide you. You hate the idea that any decision you make could hurt someone you truly care for.
Fathers usually give you the confidence and strength to make tough decisions. They always have your back, no matter the outcome. This dream expresses your yearning to have that sort of support in your life.
Sometimes, you feel that the people that you care about are being distant for no good reason. You feel neglected and cast aside by the people who claim you matter to them.
This breeds resentment, as you don’t understand their reasons and they don’t care to explain themselves. This is usually symbolized by talking to your father via a phone rather than face to face.
Related Dream: Dreaming of a Dead Person Talking to You Meaning
Dream Of Dead Father Helping Me
Dreaming of your dead father assisting you with your work or chores implies that you’re going through trying times in your waking life.
You feel overwhelmed by your workload and you’re ready to call it quits. You wish you had someone wiser to help you acclimate to your work.
This dream foretells someone within your vicinity – who has more experience in the field you’re working in – will eventually step up and show you how to get by. It encourages you to persevere until then.
Dream Of Dead Father Coming Back to Life
A dream scenario where your father resurrects is a positive omen. It foretells a period of restoration and rejuvenation. You’re approaching a new phase of life full of opportunities to grow as a person and in business.
Perhaps you’ve been through a difficult period of life and it wore you down. This dream suggests that your strength will be renewed and your spirit re-energized. It is a sign to prepare adequately as your luck is about to turn.
This dream tells you to start laying down your plans for your future businesses or projects. Don’t be afraid to seek counsel from your superiors and be ready to take constructive criticism as well. Make the proper adjustments where need be and don’t cower at the sight of hard work.
Dream Of Dead Father Alive
Seeing your late father alive in a dream is a sign of longing. You miss the time you spent with him. However, there are things you wish he had done before he passed on. Maybe he wasn’t as present as you wished him to be.
This doesn’t mean that he was a terrible father. He might have been trying his hardest, yet circumstances did not allow for him to be as available emotionally and physically as you needed him to be.
If you see your father alive and crying in a dream, it means that you’re about to enter a problematic period in your life. You may have multiple fights with your friends or colleagues. This dream tells you to tread cautiously and avoid getting into arguments.
Related Dream: Seeing a Dead Person Alive in Dream Meaning
Dream Of Dead Father Not Speaking
Dreaming of your father not talking to you foretells you will make a heavy investment to improve your financial stability. However, that attempt will be futile.
Fathers are the main financial providers in a household. Seeing him ignore you in a dream suggests that whatever you’re doing won’t work. This dream means you have no ill will. It only tells you to rethink your financial plans and strategies if you’re ever to improve your fortunes.
Dream Of Dead Father Smiling or Happy
Seeing your father smiling at you in a dream is a good omen. This suggests that you’re on the right track; making the right choices and he is pleased with you.
This dream usually occurs when you’ve achieved something that would have earned your father’s approval and pride. It heralds the start of a joyous chapter in your life.
Most likely, you have worked so hard to better yourself. Now, you’re more confident, assertive, brave, and have become a positive influence on society.
Seeing your father happy also implies that your principles have finally aligned with his and you have earned his respect.
Dream Of Dead Father Calling Me
If you hear your father calling out your name in a dream, watch yourself. It means that you’re about to do something or take part in an activity that you will instantly regret. Your father is trying to draw your attention to something amiss.
The dream warns you to take a step back and analyze your choices. What are you doing that will ultimately lead you to harm or cause your ruin?
Dream Of Dead Father Being Sick
Usually, when parents appear in your dreams, they look healthy and happy.
However, dreaming of them looking sickly might be connected to a suppressed memory. Perhaps the emotions you felt when your father was on his deathbed are coming back to you.
Dreaming of your father being sick is also a sign of unhealed psychological trauma. You did not get to process his death and what you felt. Therefore, your feelings are resurfacing as dreams.
Furthermore, the dream might indicate financial problems. This will most likely affect your businesses or your access to medical or educational facilities.
Dream Of Dead Father Driving a Car
Seeing your dead father driving a car in your dream means you feel like he could have done more to prepare you for life ahead.
You feel as though you’ve had to figure out a lot of things on your own. Probably you’re anxious about the decisions you make because you didn’t receive the guidance you needed while growing up.
If he’s the one driving and you’re the front passenger, it means you feel safe within your space. Even though you might hit some turbulent times, you will endure.
It could also mean that someone reliable, perhaps an older relative or a mentor, is guiding you through life.
Related: Dreams About Driving Meaning
Dream Of Dead Father Giving Me Money
Seeing your deceased father give you money in a dream means you need to venture out more and stop relying on handouts.
Fathers are providers and receiving money from them in a dream symbolizes a lack of independence. This dream encourages you to rely on yourself.
Conversely, the dream is a sign that you should start investing the little you have into a project that will have long-term returns.
Dream Of Dead Father Dying Again
It’s no secret! Losing a father is devastating. Therefore, a dream about losing your father again can be very disturbing.
Nevertheless, this dream is not a sign of a bad omen, but positive news. It symbolizes acceptance. You’re finally at peace since you’ve finally processed your grief and loss.
The dream represents the end of your pain, grief, and denial. It signals the beginning of a period of healing.
It could also mean you will soon come to terms with the losses you have made in the past, whether it’s in your relationships or business.
Dream Of Dead Father’s Funeral
Attending your father’s funeral in a dream implies you’ve been having a difficult time in your waking life.
Probably the difficulties result from your own mistakes or poor decisions. No matter the reason, this dream can help you identify where you went wrong.
Furthermore, it suggests that your morals and actions do not align with the values instilled in you by your old man.
Chances are your father is disappointed in you. So, take a step back, re-examine your decisions and make the changes for a better life.
Arguing With My Dead Father
Arguing with your dead father in a dream suggests that you have unresolved issues with someone dear to you, and it bothers you immensely.
Sometimes you wish you could speak to them and clear the air, but it’s impossible since the other party doesn’t want to talk to you.
Ideally, it could mean you lack self-discipline. You’re struggling with your identity and you seem to have lost sight of your values.
Arguing with your father could also imply a lack of proper structure in your life. As such, you need to create some order in your life before everything spirals out of control.
Dream Of Dead Father Hugging You
Hugs are a show of love and affection. Dreaming of your deceased father hugging you might mean that a time is coming when you will crave the feeling of being loved unconditionally.
It might also mean that you miss feeling protected and comforted. So, your subconscious mind is trying to remind you how it feels to be loved.
But remember, you’re always surrounded by your loved ones. That means you can always find comfort and happiness with them whenever you feel sad and alone.
Dream Of Dead Father-In-Law
To dream of your deceased father-in-law symbolizes your problematic relationship with authority figures and your constant need for approval.
You try so hard to please other people you forget to be your own person. You get easily manipulated and lack a moral compass. Also, you don’t want to be held responsible for your actions.
Similarly, this dream shows you have a penchant for self-indulgence and this is hindering your path to self-discovery.
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Final Thoughts
Your deceased father can show up in your dreams to offer you comfort, guidance, or even reprimand you when going down the wrong path.
As you can see, dreams of a deceased father don’t necessarily symbolize bad omens, but offer a chance to evaluate the various aspects of your life.
But just like any other dream, it’s crucial to pay attention to every detail. This way, you can figure out the right interpretation of your dream.
Keep in mind, a little shift in the dream’s context or environment could result in a totally different interpretation.
What does it mean when I dream about my past father we were outside sitting on a couch that was outside like in a park and he was happy and he was laughing right next to me sitting next to me and then all of a sudden two people walk by and he tried hiding from them he tried burying his face in my shoulder so that they couldn’t see him
I dreamt my dead father came through my door, I touched his face, I can still feel the stubble on my hand, I hugged him and he disappeared
Fathers offer us support, guidance, and a sense of security. That said, your father pops up in your dream because you miss him and the comfort he offered.
If you had a strained relationship with your father, the vision means you want to reconnect with him and work out any unresolved issues.
And since you touched his face and hugged him, it could mean you are still holding on to his memory and trying to keep him as close to you as possible.
I had a dream that my father wasn’t my real dad and my mom had kept this secret my whole life and my mom introduced me to him when I was grown. I have no idea who this man would have been. This dream really upset me because obviously it is not true so why would I dream something so upsetting?
Dreams have a unique way of shifting our attention toward distressing or emotionally charged situations.
In your situation, the vision highlights deeper concerns you might have relating to your identity, trust, or family relationships.
It also reflects your insecurities and uncertainty about your family history or secrets.
I keep dreaming my late father wants to go home with me… He faked his death and is alive and he wants to live with me in my house… In this dream we spent a whole day together until it’s fully dark. And as we are about to leave for my house I wake up
Your dream reflects the complex nature of your relationship with your deceased dad.
The dream symbolizes a sense of longing for the love, support, and comfort your father offered. It also shows your desire to reconnect with him.
Additionally, the vision could point to unfinished business or unresolved issues. This hold, considering your father faked his death, only to come and live with you.
I had a dream about my dead father in a coffin and I was trying to take him back to his state for burial… I don’t really understand
Although you’re still grieving the loss of your father, your dream shows that you’re finally learning to let go of him.
In the dream, you try taking him to his home state for burial. This means you want to respect his last wishes or lay your memories of him to rest (in a place that feels like home).
Your vision could also reflect your desire to take care of his unfinished business.
My husband had a dream of him seeing his late dad that he doesn’t know, only see him on pictures because the mother was pregnant when he died. It barely aboved 40yrs he died. But my husband said, he saw the father with a white singlet stained with blood trying to speak to him but, he couldn’t. What does that means
One simple explanation for this dream is that your husband desires or is curious to know his father better. He never got the chance to meet him, which means he might be feeling incomplete in some ways. The father appearing with a white shirt stained with blood implies that his father wants to reach out to him.
However, your husband might be having some difficulty understanding him or expressing his emotions about his father’s absence.
I have a dream about my late father taking everything from my home including my bed, plates, clothes and even trees saying he is taking everything home and I was crying in the dreaming because I was left with nothing
This dream relates more to the emotions surrounding your loss. Fathers bring a sense of security, authority, and completeness into one’s life. Therefore, losing a father could leave you feeling empty, alone, and insecure.
Your dream captures these feelings when your father took everything from your home. Speaking of homes, they symbolize security and stability, especially in the dream world.
Seeing your home empty takes us back to our earlier point that you feel insecure in your waking life after losing your dad.
Alternatively, this dream could be your mind’s way of dealing with the sadness or guilt of not having your parent around. Or it’s your subconscious mind asking you to accept or close the chapter on the loss and move forward.
Dreamt my late father was alive in a car and so thirsty. I kept trying to feed him water but de of it poured to the ground..an old friend of his was sitting at the back of the car
The death of our loved ones can weigh heavily on our subconscious mind, leading to dreams where they make an appearance.
The first explanation for such dreams is that you are subconsciously trying to process the grief and pain of the loss. Or you may be feeling you have unfinished or unresolved business with your late father.
Another explanation: your father’s thirst potentially represents an unsatisfied inner need. Maybe you long for your father’s guidance and support or desire his approval or recognition. But as much as you’re trying to meet these needs, you still fail (you try to feed him water but it spills on the ground).
This, however, should not stop you. Find ways to fulfill these needs, like engaging in the activities your father enjoyed, going for grief counseling, or creating events to honor his memory.
The old friend seated at the back of the car probably represents a feeling or memory associated with your father.