killing someone in a dream

Dream About Killing Someone Meaning: Subconscious Guidance & Insights

A murder dream is never a positive dream omen, but you can at least learn about your psyche and internal subconscious yearnings. The dream symbolism should not be taken literally- it’s a warning sign to push you to be more mindful in waking life. 

This is the dream interpretation article to consult if you’re looking for therapeutic wisdom on trauma. Healing unresolved trauma is the main dream meaning. 

What does it mean when you dream of killing someone?

To dream about killing someone is a message of unresolved trauma. A traumatic or horrible event has been pushed down and tried to deal with it. Yet you don’t know how.

So, your subconscious mind sends you signs in the dream space. You may have been a victim of smear campaigning, terrible rumors, and gossip. You may have been slandered repetitively online, on social media, or bullied in person.

A killing dream where you are the murderer suggests you have been attacked, either psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, or physically. 

The violence of any kind leads to unresolved trauma, and this causes us to lash out in dreams. Our conscious mind can’t make sense of the situation, therefore we “play out” ways to heal and release stress and discomfort during sleep.

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Anxiety, stress, insecurity, fear, painful wounds, and the inability to let go all manifest through a murder dream. Positively, it’s a sign of healing- you are trying to heal and let go of the traumatic event.

A violent act can scar you for life, leaving a lasting impact on your psyche. You may have been a victim of pure hatred, someone’s rage, personal triggers, and unhealed trauma directed at you.

You may have been abused psychologically, emotionally, or physically- or spiritually through a psychic attack, by someone with sociopathic, psychopathic, or narcissistic tendencies. 

As you can’t process such a serious event, you desire expression through the act of murder in your dreams. Although it may be tricky to come to terms with, seeing a dream about killing someone is a positive step in the right direction.

It’s a sign that your soul and deepest inner self is acknowledging there is a problem. Your subconscious and therefore Higher Self have decided to move on, heal, and release the memory for good. 

The next steps are healing and seeking therapy. You might need to see a trauma therapist or psychologist who specializes in emotional intelligence, holistic approaches to counseling, or dreams. 

Alternatively, a hypnotherapist can greatly assist you in getting to the root of your fears and trauma. 

Dreams about murder: Further meanings

Self-protection

Now your subconscious mind and Higher Self have recognized there is a problem, that there is trauma needing to be released; you act out the need for self-protection and self-defense through killing this person.

You might not dream of the actual person who has given you trauma or victimized you- it might be a random dream character. It doesn’t matter. The dream space ties you to the realms and experiences of real life. 

A murder dream signifies your personal space is under attack. You are likely going through a difficult time and have low self-confidence. Disagreements with a close friend or family member may be creating hostility in your world. 

You desire comfort, protection, and safety with a killing dream. Inner motivations include seeking harmony, peace, unity, and getting rid of any villain in your life.

It’s naive to think there is no such thing as enemies. Even the bible speaks frequently of enemies. Violent dreams such as this show the reality of good Vs evil. 

Evil manifests in several ways. Hatred is real, envy is real, jealousy and slander are real… You may have previously been innocent in a situation, or naive and immature (or simply young). 

You did not have the life experience to realize that we are not all equal. Some people do embody traits of the devil; the negative and destructive manifestations of the ego at a lower vibration. 

You may have been a better person all along, yet were shielded from your beauty and purity through innocence. Your inner strength and self-worth may have been blocked and polluted by the overpowering aggression and psychological violence of others.

So, it’s taken you a while to come to terms with a horrible event in your waking life. Fortunately, you have had this dream now, therefore you are forever aware of what is occurring below the surface. You hold the power to heal and “wake up” from this nightmare. 

Destructive social circles

This dream represents toxic social and friendship circles with addictions, circulating bad karma, anti-social behavior, and negative emotions manifesting as projection- unconsciously projecting one’s own inner demons, triggers, and wounds onto those around them. 

Someone might be embodying the mindset of a serial killer without actually being one! OK, this may sound extreme, so let me explain.

The material world is essentially an illusion. It’s a manifestation of an energetic-spiritual reality. We can see the material and physical plane as a blueprint of consciousness.

Consciousness flows through all living things, and it has many different vibrations, frequencies, and manifestations. 

Toxicity and deeply buried trauma built over time affect the psychology of a person. It affects, shapes, and creates one’s character and entire identity. 

When we are unwilling to look at our wounds and heal, we play out unconscious triggers and patterns. People who commit to an authentic spiritual path or seek out shamanic routes will tell you just how important healing is.

Shadow work is a possible dream message of a killing dream. Shadow work involves “getting deep” with yourself, being willing to look within and explore your soul, psyche, and Self on a deeper level.

This equally signifies being honest and accountable. You must take accountability and look at your wounds, past belief systems and actions, and recent behaviors, mindsets, actions, and beliefs.

Sometimes we are the toxic ones unconsciously projecting our wounds out into the world. A bad habit can be overcome by getting real with your shadow personality traits and shadow self. 

This bad habit might be attracting toxic and unhealed people… Work on yourself, separate yourself from the drama and illusions of the physical realm and take some time out for private contemplation. 

Dream about someone murdering someone else

Specifically and expanding on from the previous two points of exploration, to dream about murdering someone else portrays your need to eliminate a toxic or unhealthy person from your life.

You might have relatives who have betrayed you, given you guilt for something you haven’t done, or have perpetually instilled fear and feelings of unworthiness in you over time. 

Something could be playing on your conscience that you have not yet figured out, but you sense it subconsciously. Any weapon thrown against you against your will or to your unawareness is shown to you, as we live in a world of subtle energy. 

All is interconnected. You have sensed something is wrong and you are trying to protect and defend yourself or remove yourself from a dangerous or difficult situation. 

Perhaps police action is needed, or you will need to soon seek external help and authority figures to assist you. Alternatively, you may be dealing with more minor issues that require acceptance and surrender. 

With any trivial or less serious scenario, take time for self-reflection to gain insight and wisdom. Recharge your energies and gather inner strength. 

Dream about being murdered

When you dream about being murdered the symbolism is similar to removing toxic people from your life. You’re being shown that a part of you is trying to escape, escaping from toxic, abusive, or drama-loving people.

You could very well be dealing with an energy vampire or narcissist. You might have a sociopathic stalker, a person with mental health issues, or an addict invading your personal space, either online or in person. 

A murder dream represents one of the darkest aspects of the human psyche and consciousness. The themes and possible meaning inherent will show darker aspects of the psyche, therefore.

These are the places or darkest parts of the Self most people are unwilling to explore. Only qualified and professional psychologists, therapists, counselors, and healers get real with these manifestations of evil.

The normal person may know it’s there- we “hear stories.” Yet we don’t delve into the subjects or merge on a feeling, empathic, and wise level in the way a counselor or psychologist would. 

Dreaming about murder brings up these darker subconscious collective aspects. It’s even seen as ‘taboo’ to many people as if speaking about things out loud is wrong, nasty, or weird. But, it’s actually society’s current twisted and distorted mindset that appeases these evil acts.

This dream symbol is very powerful. It shows you that some dark forces and negative energies are showing up in your life, and they must be addressed. Your peace, sanity, and well-being are more important than any illusion or unkind judgment. 

Witness how you give away your power in waking life. Observe, reflect, and contemplate whether all the connections in your life are healthy. Ask for a hint or clue from your Higher Self.

The worst thing you could do with this dream is to ignore the signs or pass them off as insignificant. Do not succumb to fear; this type of dark dream may be difficult to face, but self-denial or running away is not an option.

Call on your angels or guides for direction, insight, and inspiration. Check-in with your soul through introspection and journaling, and make sure you’re on the right path with the right people in your life.

Dream characters meaning

Pay attention to who you were killing or who you were being killed by. 

A boss or colleague in your murder dream implies troubles in your workplace. You have likely overlooked some red flags. It’s ok to respect yourself even within your workplace- no one has the right to abuse or manipulate you!

If you are the one killing a boss or colleague, you are protecting yourself. You’re standing up for yourself, so pay attention to how the dream made you feel. 

If you felt good, content, and like a weight had been lifted, making you feel lighter, then this is a sign that you’ve done the right thing. 

If you felt the tension and uneasy, then either your subconscious mind is warning you this is not the right thing to do, and a current situation doesn’t call for your involvement… 

Or, you do need to engage in a conflict for resolution and a fair solution to be found, but you’re still scared or uneasy. Tension, discomfort, and apprehension might be holding you back. 

To dream about killing a stranger signifies unresolved emotional or psychological issues.

You’ve got some triggers you need to work through; it’s manifesting as killing a stranger because you aren’t in control of yourself, therefore your pain or anger is directed outward, at anyone. 

You should be engaging in self-therapy, meditation, gentle yoga or chi kung, shadow work, and healing activities that bring you inner peace and contentment. Work on uncovering your toxic shadow traits and triggers. 

If you’ve been murdered by a stranger? The first meaning is that you have social anxiety and may be an empath. You are likely very sensitive and don’t do well in crowds, therefore your psyche is showing you hidden fears about leaving your home (or engaging in society in general). 

The second meaning is that you have weak boundaries. You need to put up healthier and strong boundaries, shielding yourself from the harmful energies of others. 

If you’re being killed by a group or gang of bullies, this suggests you are receiving threats from multiple forces. Watch out for big groups of people, an organization, or a social or friendship group. 

If you’re the one killing them then you are currently in fight or flight mode. You’ve discovered the danger and are defending yourself. Keep at it. 

Stand your ground, unless the dream message tells you otherwise. Stay mindful of the signs surrounding your fight or confrontation. For instance, did you receive joy and a sense of soul recognition or satisfaction from the exchange?

Or did it have the opposite effect, making you feel mellow, sad, or out of alignment? Your feelings and sensations in the dream will provide you with insight into whether a confrontation is a right thing to do.

Sometimes we are guided to engage and respond, or initiate and go on the offense of defense. Other times, we are guided to walk away. Not all scenarios need your involvement. 

Biblical meaning

To dream about someone killing you or you doing the killing signifies that cord-cutting is needed. Cord cutting is taking an ethereal knife and severing ties with an individual or group. 

Toxicity and evil are part of the religious and spiritual meaning of such dreams. A killing dream can be an abstract metaphor for frustration manifesting in your life. Or it could represent a real-life evil event. 

Be careful of pain, sadness, depression, melancholy, and a lack of motivation and inspiration. Being uninspired to act on your passions and aspirations is part of the spiritual meaning of this dream theme. 

Murder is not very inspiring. On the contrary, it conflicts with the purpose of the human soul and spirit, which is to grow, evolve, and find deeper and more authentic connections with fellow humans. 

Practice a visualization exercise upon waking. Picture the person, relationship, or even trying to cause harm to you or limit you, and, with white light and healing energy surrounding the situation, watch yourself free yourself from it. 

If you don’t yet know what is causing you pain, heartache, or stagnation, take a few moments to hold one hand over your heart and the other over your stomach, in the region of your sacral chakra. 

Visualize a loving, warm, and healing golden or white light emanating from your hands, into your heart and sacral, and creating a spiraling effect. Sit with this feeling and visualization for a little while. 

Also, set the intention to discover what it is that’s keeping you blocked, depressed, living in fear, or whatever else it may be. Be open to receiving glimpses or divine sparks of inspiration and wisdom from the ether. 

There are light and dark forces working in unison on this planet at these times. Good vs evil, light vs darkness… The universe is always sending us subtle messages and signs to wake us up to our true selves.

To conclude

Murder dreams are never pleasant- they can wake you up with dark and disturbing feelings that make your mind, body, and spirit feel uncomfortable. Yet, they provide valuable wisdom and pearls of insight into your subconscious mind, and what could be occurring on a deeper level.

*image by shmeljov/depositphotos

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