Why Do I Dream I'm Someone Else?

One of my readers recently asked a fascinating question.

"I often dream that I'm someone else. It's never the same person, but I'm living through incredibly traumatic experiences like abuse, kidnapping, or even murder. I always try to help them or take the experience on myself. What is happening?"

First, I need to say something that's incredibly important.

Please don't intentionally take on someone else's pain.

I know it comes from a place of compassion, especially if you're someone who naturally wants to help others. But even healers aren't meant to carry what belongs to someone else. When we take on another person's emotional pain or energetic burden, it can begin affecting us mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Helping someone heal is very different from trying to heal for them.

As for what's actually happening in your dreams, I don't think there's only one possible answer. Dreams are incredibly personal, and I've learned over the years that they can come from many different places. Here are a few possibilities that come to mind.

One possibility is that you're witnessing scenes from your own past lives. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, many people report dreams that feel far too vivid and emotionally charged to be ordinary dreams. Sometimes those experiences may be surfacing because your soul is ready to process, understand, or release something you've carried for a very long time.

Another possibility is soul travel. Many spiritual traditions believe that while our physical body sleeps, our consciousness isn't limited in the same way it is during waking life. If that's true, you may be witnessing or participating in experiences beyond what we currently understand. Since I don't believe time is strictly linear from Spirit's perspective, it's possible these experiences aren't unfolding in the way our human minds naturally interpret them.

It's also worth considering whether these dreams are symbolic expressions of your own healing. If you've experienced trauma in this lifetime, your subconscious has an incredible ability to process pain through stories and imagery. The people in your dreams may not literally be other people at all. They may represent parts of yourself asking for compassion, healing, or understanding.

Another possibility is that you're offering comfort on a soul level during dreamtime. Whether you see that as soul work, spiritual service, or simply a meaningful dream experience, I believe it's important to remember that your role isn't to absorb someone else's suffering. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer another soul is our presence, our compassion, and the reminder that they aren't alone.

One thing in your question stood out to me more than anything else.

You said you try to take the experience on yourself.

Please don't.

I know that instinct probably comes from love, but it isn't your responsibility to carry another person's pain. Whether these dreams are spiritual experiences, symbolic dreams, or something else entirely, healthy energetic boundaries still matter.

If you're aware enough to interact within the dream, I would encourage you to do something different. Rather than taking their pain, visualize surrounding them with light, reminding them they aren't alone, helping them move toward peace, or simply standing beside them. Support doesn't require sacrifice.

When you wake up, I'd also encourage you to clear your own energy. If you feel particularly affected by a dream, spend a few quiet moments grounding yourself before beginning your day. One of my favorite practices is clearing etheric cords, which helps me intentionally release energetic connections that no longer need my attention. I've included a free guided meditation on my website if you'd like to explore that practice.

You can also use a spiritual salt scrub or bath to clear your energy. I have two beneficial products I make: Clean AF Aura Scrub and Spiritual Bath.

Most importantly, don't become afraid of these dreams.

Stay curious.

Whether they're spiritual, psychological, symbolic, or a combination of all three, they're inviting you to pay attention—not to carry the weight of the world.

Have a question you’d like to have answered? Send an email to me, your Auntie Shelley, I’ll be happy to answer for you!

May you always have food on your table, light in your life, and love in your heart.

Your Magical Medium,

Shelley Leggett – Spiritual Badass

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