7 Spiritual Meanings When You Dream of Hugging Someone

Hugging is considered to be one of the most rewarding physical activities. It aids in releasing the neurochemical oxytocin, which decreases stress, helps us bond and connect with other people, and generally makes us feel good. According to experts, humans should hug at least four times a day for well-being.

When you dream of hugging someone, it can mean a lot of positive things from a biblical perspective. Your subconscious may be communicating that you feel supported, grateful, relieved, and ready for new things. Additionally, it can be an expression of your desire to receive affection, feel more accepted, and release negative energy.

However, based on the context of the dream, there could also be negative interpretations when you dream of hugging someone. These dreams can also represent a loss of control over certain situations or events, herald potential health problems, or communicate growing unease and desperation.

Spiritual Meanings of Dream About Hugging Someone

1. Feeling Supported or Wanting to Show Support

In the Bible, two specific references about hugging are associated with receiving support — particularly Divine support. In Song of Solomon 2:6, it was said, “Let his left hand be under my head, and his right hand embrace me.” Similarly, Mark 10:6 says: “And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.”

Dreaming about hugging someone could then signify that you feel like you are on the right path, and God is giving you His blessing. You could be feeling contented with where you currently are in life and hopeful about where you are headed — knowing that you are serving your purpose and fulfilling His will.

Additionally, when you dream about hugging someone, this can communicate that you feel very satisfied with the moral, emotional, and material support that you get from the people around you. This fills you with joy and makes you feel like you can take on anything.

Alternatively, if you were hugging someone, it might also mean that you want to show your support for someone that you love. If there is anyone in your close circle that has started a new project, is going through a difficult phase, or needs a friend, your dream is your subconscious’ way of telling you to be there for that person.

2. Accepting New Changes

In the waking world, when we hug people, we often step into the fullness of the embrace. It does not matter if we haven’t showered yet, the best hugs are those that are given and received without any hesitation.

As such, when you dream of hugging someone, this might signal that you are willing to accept any new changes that are happening — or are yet to come in your life. If you’ve just moved to a new city, changed jobs, or if you are contemplating major changes, a hugging dream is a sign that you are ready.

Another interpretation of this dream is that you have grown to love certain parts of your life or yourself that you previously shunned. You are now more forgiving of what you think are your flaws or shortcomings, as well as more level-headed about dealing with the less-than-perfect aspects of your life.

3. Relief and Gratitude

In Genesis 33:4, Esau chose to run to Jacob “and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him…” instead of succumbing to his murderous rage. In this verse, the power of hugs in rehabilitating broken relationships is on full display, as is Jacob’s relief and gratitude for Esau’s change of heart.

In the same manner, having dreams about hugging someone can also signify that you’re either relieved or grateful or both in your waking life. Hugging is an effective expression of relief or gratitude, especially if we have been particularly anxious about something.

If you hugged someone in your dream, you might be feeling like you finally no longer need to worry about a certain problem, or you are thankful for all the wonderful things that are happening in your life.

4. Longing for Affection

When you have a dream about hugging someone, your subconscious might be similarly communicating that you are in need of some affection from the people around you. In many cultures, hugging is considered an important expression of affection. In fact, it has been found to be instrumental in strengthening social bonds.

This could come from your romantic partner, your close friends, your family members, or even your acquaintances. This will be particularly true if you have been feeling lonely or have recently undergone a major change that you are still coming to terms with. If this is the case, take your dream as your cue to communicate your need for affection from those who are important to you.

5. Need for Acceptance

Hugs are reassuring, specifically in the way that they make us feel like everything is going to be all right. Hugs from people that we love can be healing to our psyche, especially when we’re dealing with tough challenges.      

Similarly, dreams about hugging someone can indicate that you are in need of acceptance. If you have been going through some major transitions that have alienated you from others, your dream is a call for support and acceptance.

If this is true for you, remember that every new day brings a fresh start. It is never too late to reconnect with yourself, rekindle relationships, and know that whatever happens, you are deserving of love.

6. Need to Release Negative Energy

Hugs are known for helping reduce stress levels and making us feel better. According to a paper published in PLOS One  , hugging is associated with a boost in positive psychological markers and a decrease in negative ones. This is true even on days when people are feeling stressed, regardless of their age, gender, and marital status.

When you see yourself hugging somebody in your dream, this could be your subconscious’ way of telling you that you are under extreme stress and need to release negative energy. Consider where this stress might be coming from so that you can assess how you can best alleviate it.

Additionally, when you release negative energy, you make space for better things that will help you feel more grounded, more satisfied, and more fulfilled.

7. Missing Someone

Finally, a dream about hugging someone could be a message from the spiritual world that you are missing someone who has departed this realm. Similarly, you could be expressing your desire to reconnect with someone who is still alive but has walked out of your life.

Your dream is your mind’s desperate attempt to turn back the clock and get them back or remind you of exactly what you lost.

Common Dream of Hugging Someone Scenarios

Dream of hugging your loved ones meaning

Dreaming about hugging your loved ones is often a wonderful sign that everything is going well in your relationships, both romantic and non-romantic. If you’re partnered up, this dream could particularly mean that you are extremely contented and happy.

If that is not quite the case in your relationships, hugging people that you love in your dreams indicates your desire to be closer to them. This is especially necessary if you are going through certain issues or if you feel like things are not like they used to be.

In such a case, it is important to communicate exactly how you feel. If you yearn for more intimate bonds with the people that are important to you, make sure to do your bit of the work and show up.

Dream of hugging your friends meaning

To dream about hugging your friends can signify that your social circle is expanding, and you are set to enjoy all the perks that come with it. You feel secure and contented about those in your inner circle, and you’re confident that the new people you will meet will likewise bring value to your life.

Additionally, this dream could represent new and promising opportunities. Even if challenges may arise, you know that you have good people around you and that you can turn to them for help if necessary.

Dream of hugging a stranger meaning

There are many possible interpretations of a dream about hugging strangers. First, it can mean that you will soon meet someone you never thought you’d ever meet, and it could spell out a lot of great things for the two of you. This can be in the form of a rewarding romantic connection or a fulfilling professional relationship.

Additionally, the dream could be a warning sign that you might find yourself betrayed by strangers. In this case, it would pay to be a little more vigilant about entering into agreements with people you don’t know that well and making sure that all your bases are covered if anything goes wrong.

Dream of hugging your enemy meaning

In a dream where you hug your enemy, the first possible interpretation is that you are yearning for peace. The enemy in this dream does not necessarily have to be a person you have never seen eye to eye with; it could be anyone or anything that has been preventing you from living free from negative thoughts and emotions.

Additionally, the enemy can be parts of yourself that you are struggling to accept. If this is true for your case, this dream is your signal to practice radical acceptance of all that you are, as this is the only way for you to be truly happy and at peace.

Dream of hugging an ex-lover meaning

While you might think that dreaming about hugging an ex-lover could mean that you still have feelings for them, the reality is that, like the enemy, the ex-lover can be anyone or anything that you have lost and seem to be missing.

As such, this dream could indicate that you want to go back to a certain point in your life.

This can be an old job, an old house, or even a former version of you that you wish to return to.

Dream of hugging someone who has passed away meaning

Dreaming about hugging someone who is dead could have various meanings, depending on the context. If the person that you dreamt of is someone who was close to you, the dream represents your continuing grief over their loss. You might be missing them and reminiscing about your time together, which is normal and okay.

If the dead person you were hugging in your dream is a stranger, that could signify your fear of the unknown. If you are on the verge of making monumental decisions that could have a significant impact on your life, the dream is a magnifying glass that reflects your worries.

Dream of hugging your pet meaning

Pets symbolize loyalty and love, and hugging them in your dreams can indicate that you feel these values from those that surround you in your waking life. You are happy and contented with your personal relationships, you’re successful at work, and you’re generally at a good place in your life. 

Dream of hugging your parents meaning

This dream is typically considered a bad omen. Hugging your parents in your dreams could mean that you are anticipating bad news about the health of your mother or father or even other members of your family.

Additionally, a dream about hugging one’s parents carries a warning that you might be exploited by other people. Be careful about whom you deal with, and make sure that any vulnerabilities you might show can be secured and protected.

Dream of hugging your/a child meaning

Like dreaming about hugging your parents, hugging your child or a child in your dream also represents how much you worry about your children in your waking life. You might constantly find yourself thinking about whether you’re being the best parent you can be or getting anxious about their health or happiness.

If you don’t have children, but you dreamt about hugging a child, the dream could be about your younger siblings. Additionally, the child can symbolize any person that you feel responsible for.

Dream about rejecting a hug meaning

If you dream about rejecting a hug, this is a call to examine how you feel around people in your waking life. Rejecting a hug can signify loneliness and a lack of trust, which means that you might be harboring negative thoughts about not only friends and family but also yourself.

If you don’t trust the people around you, or you feel lonely and cut off from them because you don’t think they like you, the dream is asking you to assess why you might be feeling this way, and what you can do to remedy the situation. It might help to look deeper at how you have been behaving and evaluate whether your feelings are true or just representations of your fears.

Dream about getting a tight hug meaning

Getting a tight hug in a dream can be a message from your subconscious that you feel a lot of pressure in your waking life. This could be coming from your romantic partner, your family, friends, or colleagues. Additionally, you might be feeling like whatever is weighing you down is something that you do not deserve and definitely don’t enjoy.

If this is the case, it would help to properly communicate how you feel to the people around you. Additionally, it will help ground you in remembering that you have the power to allow only what you feel is fair, just, and of value to you.

Dream about hugging someone goodbye meaning

Finally, having a dream about hugging someone goodbye is a sign that something is ending in your life. This could be about leaving a relationship, moving to a new country, finding a new job, or even just quitting certain habits.

This does not have to be a bad thing, as endings are instrumental to new beginnings. You can only find yourself in new (and hopefully better) places if you allow yourself to outgrow what no longer serves you.