Not quite dead?

I had a strange dream where I was at my mentor's house with a group of people and a young man in the group had died. The backyard was a graveyard and both the house and the graveyard backed up against a mountain. There were two entrances from the graveyard into the mountain. There were all kinds of spirits and zombies moving around the tombs, acting quite alive and normal. The young man was boxed up and moved to the yard in preparation for burial. The remaining members of the group were having a discussion about taking the left entrance and how dangerous it would be. I asked my mentor "What about the right entrance? Doesn't it lead to the same place?" He told me that it did lead to the same place, but the path though safer was barren and I would not be able to find food or water along the way. I would have to carry everything that I needed with me and that the path was still dangerous, just not as dangerous as the left one. At that point, two things happened. First, the man in the box started banging on the lid trying to get out and everyone was assuring me that he was quite dead and not to worry about it. Second, I was being given supplies to take on my journey, most notably water, I was the only one to take the passage on the right. A older male spirit came up to me and embraced me, he said "No one can harm you now. You are protected."

I remember being afraid that someone was going to open the box, and being afraid that no one would open the box.

A really interesting dream to say the least.

I will try to help by taking it in segments.

A young man had died and was in a box of sorts. The lid was shut.
The two entrances from the graveyard led to the mountain.
I would take the fact that the graveyard was right there was the sadness in the house.
The mountain is the unknown and represents many ideas. (Moses came down from a mountain, etc. and other many references to mountains)

Why did you choose the difficult barren path ? You were being supplied with the water you would need. Is this the spiritual path you haven chosen to follow in this reality ? You would have to walk through all sorts of zombies, etc. described and yet you felt capable of following the path you chose.

The Young man (why young) was making a noise from inside the box !
You were afraid they would open the box and you were afraid they would not open the box.

Because of my personal beliefs I think the man in the box was alive and the dream was showing you that there is life after this existence. I do not expect you to think the same if you have other beliefs.

In my opinion I think the dream represented your spiritual walks through the different levels in this life. In addition, I would assume that since you are in this forum you have an interest in Tarot or other things and this in itself is a path different from the paths of many people around you. As a progression of this path you may experience different types of realities as time goes on.

Thank you for your help, memries

The choice of paths did have a spiritual feel to it, and in many ways, I do feel very much alone. I guess even when surrounded by kindred spirits, we all have to choose our own path. I know that I felt that I didn't belong in the graveyard and that I would have to pass through it quickly.
The part about the young man was so strange. I remember he had short dark hair and wore a polo and khakis; he was about 22 or 23. I don't know how he died, only that it was unexpected. He was put into a literal box, a wooden cube almost like a packing crate, rather than a coffin. I felt so worried that he might still be alive, and therefore needed to be let out of the box. But I was afraid that he was actually dead and had become a monster (like a ghoul), and therefore it was better to keep him in the box. I got the feeling that, dead or alive, he was going to follow me... provided that he got out of the box. Because of that, I felt rushed... I had to leave as soon as possible.
Do you think this dream was a summary or a foreshadowing? I'm never quite certain what I am supposed to take from these dreams. Whether it is an indication to act, or just helpful or supporting information.

I see now why you mentioned Valley of the Dead.. referring to the graveyard.

We are all alone really. We each live inside of us and go out into the world to mix. We may be all part of one but it does not feel like it. Each of us is unique.

You chose the more barren less dangerous path. "There would be no food or water on that path" This does sound like your desert dream. But you were not alone in that dream either. You had the Angel.

.traveller. said:

I had a strange dream where I was at my mentor's house with a group of people and a young man in the group had died.

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Is someone leaving a group or the mentor - or recently left ? Perhaps you ?

.traveller. said:

The backyard was a graveyard and both the house and the graveyard backed up against a mountain. There were two entrances from the graveyard into the mountain. There were all kinds of spirits and zombies moving around the tombs, acting quite alive and normal. The young man was boxed up and moved to the yard in preparation for burial.

Click to expand...

This could be a symbolic spiritual death phase coming , or the start of a shamanic path .

.traveller. said:

The remaining members of the group were having a discussion about taking the left entrance and how dangerous it would be. I asked my mentor "What about the right entrance? Doesn't it lead to the same place?" He told me that it did lead to the same place, but the path though safer was barren and I would not be able to find food or water along the way. I would have to carry everything that I needed with me and that the path was still dangerous, just not as dangerous as the left one.

Click to expand...

This could refer to the spiritual choice of the left hand path or the right hand path way . Many people believe they lead to the same place and there is a lot written trying to convince people of that too. The left hand is the way of personal indulgence and selfishness basically , and seen to be dangerous or sinful by the majority of spiritual traditions . Also seen to have the potential to attract dangerous energies . The right hand path would seem more barren by contrast -- less fun in other words . One also has to protect oneself , though it is not seen as dangerous as the left hand way .

.traveller. said:

At that point, two things happened. First, the man in the box started banging on the lid trying to get out and everyone was assuring me that he was quite dead and not to worry about it.

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This could be an old version of yourself rebelling against choosing a spiritual path , seeing it as a death of the self .

.traveller. said:

Second, I was being given supplies to take on my journey, most notably water, I was the only one to take the passage on the right.

Click to expand...

This could be a hint that the people in your group or the mentor are perhaps not on the same path as you .

.traveller. said:

A older male spirit came up to me and embraced me, he said "No one can harm you now. You are protected."

Click to expand...

This seems like a confirmation that you have made the right choice and you will receive support and protection . He might be a guide .

.traveller. said:

I remember being afraid that someone was going to open the box, and being afraid that no one would open the box.

Click to expand...

At the point of spiritual change , we are afraid to go forward and also afraid to be stuck staying the same .

I think you may come to realize something about your mentor and/or a group is not for you and decide to make a change that won't be easy . You also may be offered the choice to be involved in mediumship and spirit contact , if you haven't already .