Being Chased in Dreams

Recurring dreams of being chased can be annoyingly persistent. They can happen on a regular basis, often with different scenarios and pursuers, until you get the message. So what are these dreams trying to tell you?

Facing Your Fears
Being chased can evoke tremendous fear. Whether you’re fleeing from a person, animal, monster or — perhaps the scariest — something threatening but unseen, there’s a sense of helpless in the face of something you can’t control. So the first thing to ask yourself is, what’s chasing me? What’s going on in my life that I’m afraid of? What am I trying to avoid/hide from? The fear might be connected to a person who makes you feel threatened or victimized. Or perhaps it’s their expectations that are hounding you. The pursuer might be a situation you’re having trouble facing, even if it’s something from your distant past. Even more likely, it’s a persistent emotional issue, such as anger, hatred, inadequacy or powerlessness that needs to be resolved.

Inner Conflict Revealed
Outwitting killers while rescuing cats is the goal of Kim in Chatsworth, California:

Night after night, I dream I’m being chased. Sometimes it’s one person trying to kill me, but usually it’s a group of people. I always outwit them, but it’s close. In one of the dreams, while I’m running, I am surrounded by cats; two of them are my cats, the rest are wild. I am trying to find mine and bring them home while running and trying to escape from being killed. Why am I dreaming I’m being chased night after night?

There’s a sense of multitasking gone awry in this dream. Too many demands (groups of people chasing her), too little time. Kim indicated she’s a Virgo, the sign of the hardworking perfectionist, which suggests she’s taking on too much and then criticizing herself if she does a less than perfect job. It’s her perfectionism that’s chasing her. Kim’s pet cats symbolize her responsible, nurturing side, while the wildcats represent the part of her that wants to be free. If she can reconcile the two opposing aspects of her nature, the dreams of being chased will likely cease.

Chased by the Dead
Bridget in Keithville, Louisiana shares this startling dream:

My grandmother died a week after my birthday in 2003. I was with her while she was in the hospital and took her last breath. I even did her hair and make-up for her funeral. About a month or less afterward, I had a dream about her. She was still at the funeral home and I was there to do her make-up. She got up from the table and chased me around the room. I woke up very scared. I was also depressed because I had loved her so much. Can you explain what the dream was supposed to mean? It left me very confused.

I think Bridget’s grandmother is very much alive in the afterlife, and to emphasize the fact, she got up and chased her astonished granddaughter around the room! The dream is also urging Bridget not to run from her grief; she can’t make it go away by covering it up (make-up).

Dangerous Waters
It’s a scene from ‘Jaws’ for Samantha in Hollywood, California:

I have had dreams of being chased by huge sharks — almost the size of whales. They try snapping at me in smaller wading pools, always chasing and hunting me, and I hide under them. It’s always one beast per dream, but many dreams. I wake up frightened.

These recurring dreams may reveal a fear of emotional expression. Water dreams are excellent gauges of your emotional health. Calm, clear water indicates a harmonious inner life. Dangerous creatures lurking in the water, however, reveal an issue the dreamer needs to face. It’s interesting that Samantha hides under the shark when it comes after her. It’s as if she’s safe under its radar, which may point to her feeling unsafe when revealing her feelings to others. (More likely, it’s one particular feeling, since she’s pursued by a single shark.) What this feeling is, and why she’s fearful of expressing it, are questions Samantha’s dreams can help answer.

Rising Above it All
Meredith in Los Angeles, California attempts to escape by flying:

I dream I’m being chased and trying to get away by flying. Someone I can’t see or name is chasing me — a nefarious sort. I’m flapping and trying to gain momentum and soar, but I start sinking. I flap harder and flap faster and run faster, but I am sinking and there’s nothing I can do about it. I am also afraid of heights at the same time; if I get too high, I freak out. When I’m too tired to fly, I try to hide. But often they find me, so I just keep running and running. I’m exhausted when I wake up from these tiring dreams.

Meredith’s method of dealing with challenging situations is to rise above them. This can be effective in certain circumstances, like staying out of office politics or an argument between two friends. However, it can be exhausting when she attempts to fly too high (repeatedly stuffs her feelings). Finding a balance between silence and self-expression will keep her emotionally grounded, while enabling her to soar above the muck when she needs to.

A Friend in Disguise
What may surprise you about chasing dreams is that your pursuer has a positive intention for you. By hunting you down night after night, it’s actually trying to help you resolve a problem that is hindering your personal growth. Think of your pursuer as a messenger from your higher consciousness, which always has your soul’s best interests in mind.