◇ Depends on the scene Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below
A small tie or chance. Passing someone you know warns of crossed feelings.
Category: Actions & events (how to read this category)
Psychology
Simply passing people reflects overlooked encounters and chances, or feelings that are not meshing with someone. An acquaintance walking by without noticing you shows loneliness at a widening gap. Passing many faces in a crowd and remembering none suggests busyness thinning your connections. Turning back to find no one there hints at regret over a chance you could not reach.
Folklore and history
A Japanese proverb holds that even brushing sleeves with a stranger is a bond from a former life. Dusk was called tasokare, 'who is that?', the hour when faces of approaching people cannot be made out, and this is said to be the root of the word for twilight. The same hour was called oumagatoki, when one meets demons, feared as a time when you cannot tell whether a passerby is human.
Haunted-spot exploration drains a phone fast between filming, recording, checking maps, and using it as a flashlight, and running out of battery in the dark on site is a serious problem. This power bank has a built-in cable so you can't forget one, plus a display that shows the remaining charge at a glance.
Anker Power Bank (10000mAh, 22.5W) with Display, USB-C to USB-C Cable Included
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This site's view
In this site's view, these dreams record bonds that never became words. Meeting eyes means you are noticing a connection you should face; averted eyes mean there is someone you pretend not to see. Passing your own double on a twilight road may show the self who chose another path, and whether that self looked happy or worn may reveal how you truly feel about your choice.
Going deeper: our reading
In a city you pass countless people every day, and almost none of their faces stay with you. Yet in a dream one profile or the colour of one coat can stand out sharply. In this site's reading, that person stands for someone you noticed but never spoke to, or for another life you did not choose. Where you passed matters. A lane barely wide enough for two suggests a relationship you cannot avoid; a busy crossing, a mind hesitating among many choices. Bumping shoulders may mean a misunderstanding is already surfacing. This is our speculation, but if you were the one who looked back, it hints at lingering feelings; if they looked back, they may still be thinking of you. Walking against the flow of a crowd shows a quiet will not to be carried along.
What to do on waking
Give a small nod to someone you pass today who catches your eye. If you are at cross purposes with someone, send one short message to check in.
In this scene
- ◎Good It works out, you escape: you can overcome a real challenge (good)
- ▲Warn It fails, you are caught: feeling cornered — rest or ask for help (warning)
- Doing it again and again: an unsolved problem is still on your mind
- It felt good: the lucky reading gets stronger
- ▲Warn It felt frightening or painful: the warning reading gets stronger — rest first
- The same dream again and again: something your mind has not settled yet
Turning a bad dream
In Japan, people once tried to turn a worrying dream for the better: a baku charm under the pillow, telling the dream to a nandina bush, or reciting an old dream-turning poem. Read the column on dream trading and dream-turning
A survey of Japanese folk beliefs and yokai legends tied to animals such as foxes and tanuki — a reference for our yokai and possession-related articles.
A Folk Record of Japanese Animals (Teisatoshi Nakamura, commentary by Kazuhiko Komatsu / Kodansha Gakujutsu Bunko)
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of passing Someone By a good or bad sign?
A. Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below. A small tie or chance. Passing someone you know warns of crossed feelings.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of passing Someone By?
A. A recurring dream usually points to something your mind has not settled yet. Research suggests such dreams tend to stop once the underlying worry is resolved. Keeping a dream diary helps you notice what triggers it.
Q. What should I do after dreaming of passing Someone By?
A. Give a small nod to someone you pass today who catches your eye. If you are at cross purposes with someone, send one short message to check in.
Related dream essays
- True Dreams and Reverse Dreams: Why We Read Dreams Backwards
- Buying Dreams, Turning Dreams: A Japanese History of Dream Trading and Dream Charms
Read this dream with your own scene in the Dream Dictionary →
More dreams in "Actions & events"
- Crawling
- Skipping
- Helping a Lost Child
- Giving Directions
- Meeting Someone
- Being Stood Up
- Seeing Someone Off
- Welcoming Someone
- Waving
- Shaking Hands
- A Shoulder Ride
- A Piggyback
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
