Every few weeks, Lina had the same dream.
She was running barefoot down an endless corridor, chased by something unseen. Her feet were heavy, her breath ragged.
She never looked back. She never reached the door. She just kept running—heart pounding, chest tightening—until she woke up sweating, clutching her pillow like a lifeline.
She’d laugh about it the next morning, calling it her “stress dream.” But it didn’t feel funny. It felt like a message. One she couldn’t quite read.
Why the Mind Runs at Night
Dream researchers at the University of Montreal found that being chased is one of the top three most common dream themes globally, across all cultures and age groups.
It’s especially prevalent in people experiencing chronic stress, unresolved conflict, or suppressed emotions.
But why does the brain choose chase as the metaphor?
Because it’s visceral. It mirrors real life avoidance—not facing the conversation you’re dreading, the decision you’re delaying, the version of yourself you’re not ready to confront.
Lina hadn’t spoken to her sister in over a year. That wasn’t a coincidence.
What Are You Running From?
The object doing the chasing in dreams is often symbolic:
- A stranger may represent generalized anxiety.
- A known person may reflect conflict or guilt.
- A monster or shadowy figure may be a disowned part of yourself—something you’d rather not face.
In Jungian psychology, these figures are “shadow selves”—emotions we repress until they show up, uninvited, at 2 a.m. with heavy footsteps and no face.
Spiritual Wisdom: The Chase Is the Call
In spiritual traditions, dreams are more than brain static. They’re invitations to wake up—not from sleep, but from suppression.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna resists the battlefield—not because he’s weak, but because he’s afraid of what he must confront in himself. Only when he stops running inwardly does he gain clarity.
Likewise, when we meet the pursuer in the dream—not with fear, but with curiosity—we reclaim something we’ve lost: power.
Lina’s Shift
After the fourth recurring dream in a month, Lina did something radical. She wrote a letter to her sister. She didn’t send it.
She didn’t have to. She just let herself feel the grief, the love, and the anger she’d been storing behind locked emotional doors.
That night, she had the same dream—but this time, she turned around.
She still didn’t see the face. But she stopped running. And woke up with a calm she hadn’t known in years.
If You Keep Getting Chased in Dreams
- Don’t dismiss it. Recurring dreams carry meaning.
- Ask yourself what you’re avoiding. Start with the small things.
- Journal immediately after waking. The details matter.
- Work with a therapist if the emotions are layered or unresolved.
- Instead of asking “what’s chasing me?”, ask “why am I running?”
Because sometimes, the fear isn’t the thing behind you—it’s the part of you you’re afraid to face.