I dreamt that my father passed away, but when I visited his home he was there and helped me make his funeral arrangements.–Jamie, 28, Salt Lake City, UT

Lauri: Unless you are concerned for your father’s health, this dream is not about him at all. Your father is standing in for your own “inner father,” meaning the part of you that knows what is best, that makes decisions and that brings home the bacon. For your father to die in a dream suggests that you feel your ability to make a good firm decision is no longer available to you. So what’s the story? The way he helps you make the funeral arrangements leads me to believe this is about finances. Even though you may feel your financial savvy is “dead,” your dreaming mind is reassuring you—through the form of your dad—that this part of you is alive and well. Your dream is also showing you that financial—rather than funeral—planning and arranging is the key. You can do it.

Jamie replies: I was feeling very “stuck” in my financial situation. I am a full-time student, and I have a full-time job and two little ones at home (thank goodness I do have a very helpful husband). It makes complete sense that I was trying to tell myself that I could find ways to lessen my burden through financial planning and arranging. And sure enough, when I started looking for alternative ways to earn a bit of extra cash I stopped having the dream!