What Crying In A Dream Means Spiritually & Psychologically

More often than not, dreams are bizarre and don’t seem to have any relation to reality. Sometimes, though, your dreams can feel incredibly real.

For example, if you’ve ever cried in a dream, you may have even noticed yourself waking up crying real tears.

Though crying isn't necessarily a bad thing, this can be concerning, especially if you don’t think you went to bed feeling particularly sad.

So what does crying in a dream mean?

Psychological Meaning of Crying in a Dream

Humans are the only living beings whose tears can be triggered by emotions, and it’s not just sad emotions that’ll bring tears to your eyes. Many people also cry when they’re happy or you may be someone who cries when you’re angry.

“Crying signals to yourself and other people that there’s some important problem that is at least temporarily beyond your ability to cope,” emotion researcher and professor of psychology at the University of South Florida Jonathan Rottenberg tells TIME.

A recent study found that we actually experience these same emotions in our dreams, and often they’re more pronounced because we can’t consciously avoid them, so it’s no wonder that we sometimes cry in our dreams.

RELATED: The Scientific Trick That Instantly Makes You Stop Crying

Spiritual Meanings of Crying in a Dream

According to Sigmund Freud’s 1899 book “The Interpretation of Dreams,” your unconscious mind uses dreams to resolve emotions and experiences you suppress in your waking life. Therefore, dream interpreters believe crying dreams represent suppressed emotions in your waking life that your subconscious mind is trying to get out.

"Dreams can be thought of as a way that the mind balances itself," explains psychiatrist and student of dreams Greg Mahr, MD. "Crying when it appears in a dream may represent an unrecognized grief."

1. Seeing Yourself Crying in a Dream

If you see yourself crying in a dream, it’s first important to notice how you’re crying.

Crying loudly is often a bad sign. It means you’re going through a particularly painful period in life that you’re having trouble working through.

Silent crying, on the other hand, is a good sign of strength. Though crying is often a signal for others that we need help, silent crying in a dream means you’re working through your emotions to solve whatever problem you’re facing.

2. Seeing Someone Crying in a Dream

If you see someone else crying in your dream, it may be because this person is in need of your help in real life. The person in the dream may have either asked you for help and you weren’t sure how to respond, so the act of leaving them hanging led to them shedding tears in your dream.

Seeing someone else cry in your dream is also thought of as a sign of good luck. It means good news is on the way regarding something you’re stressed about.

If you’re dreaming about someone crying after watching an emotional movie, it is likely your unconscious mind processing the film.

3. Crying in a Dream Because of Death

Grief is a very unique emotion that everyone experiences and expresses differently. If someone in your life has passed, you may have trouble dealing with the grief in your waking life.

You may even experience this person dying again in your dream, which could lead you to cry in a dream as your mind works through the grief.

4. Seeing Your Partner Crying in a Dream

Seeing your partner cry in your dream may indicate an emotional disconnect in your relationship. In real life, your partner may feel like you’re withholding emotions from them or you may feel that they’re holding back emotionally from you.

5. Seeing Your Son or Daughter Crying in a Dream

We never want to see our children cry, so when you see your son or daughter crying in a dream, it can make you feel helpless. Typically, dreaming about your son or daughter crying is a sign that you want to be there for him or her to help them.

RELATED: What Guys Think When They See A Woman Crying

6. Seeing Your Mother or Father Crying in a Dream

It’s disconcerting to see your parents cry, and the same is true if you see it in a dream.

If your father is crying in your dream, it’s thought of as a sign that your emotional foundation is wavering. You may have some emotional needs that aren’t being met.

On the other hand, your mother crying in your dream is thought of as a sign that you are facing challenges in life or will be soon.

7. Seeing Your Ex Crying in a Dream

Dreaming of an ex crying has a few different meanings.

If it’s been a long time since you’ve been with that ex, dreaming of that person crying is a symbol of finally letting go of the relationship. You’re emotionally ready to move on and your subconscious is grieving the relationship for the last time.

If it’s a recent ex, dreaming of them crying is more likely a sign that the relationship was emotionally draining and your unconscious mind is trying to release some of those emotions. You may also feel guilty about some aspect of the breakup or relationship, which is why you see your ex crying instead of yourself.

8. Seeing a Dead Person Crying in a Dream

The meaning behind a dead person crying in your dream is dependent on who that person is to you.

If you had a strong emotional connection to this person that has passed, your grief may lead you to see them cry in your dream.

You may also think of this person as your guardian angel. In that case, they may cry due to the direction your life is taking. If you’ve been facing obstacles or have found yourself going down the wrong path, dreaming of this person crying is a sign that you need to turn your life around.

9. Crying Blood in a Dream

Dreaming about crying blood is terrifying and a bad omen. It’s believed that crying blood in a dream is a sign that someone close to you is going to die.

10. Holding a Crying Baby in a Dream

Babies cry to communicate their needs. Hearing a baby cry in your dream may be your unconscious mind’s way of trying to communicate some needs of your own that you’ve been neglecting.

"Dream figures are often part of ourselves, so the part that is crying in a dream is that part of us that is holding the sadness," says Mahr. "If, for instance, a child is crying, then it may be that our future potentials are holding our sadness."

Biblical Meaning of Crying in a Dream

In the Bible, crying is a way to communicate with God. Biblically, crying in a dream is your unconscious mind’s way of saying that you accept God’s help to overcome struggles.

RELATED: The Honest Truth About What Women Really Think When Men Cry

Micki Spollen is an editor, writer, and traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.