If you’re having dreams about boats and you want to know what they’re about and what kind of message they’re trying to convey to you, you’re in the right spot.
When you’re dealing with boats, above the boats would be your conscience, and under the boats would be your subconscious. That’s where everything lies.
This is because in the sea of dreams, boats can be the visual representation of your journey, and the tides underneath represent the things you’re going through that you can’t control.
Let’s travel the reveries of your mind as we explore the meaning behind dreams that feature boats.
Boat Symbolism in Life and General Meanings
What is it that I have to tell you about boat dreams and what kind of messages they could be trying to convey to you? I would like you to know that everything in your dreams is symbolic. Everyone is different, so I’m trying to tell you that certain dreams have a general meaning.
Here are some examples of general meanings assigned to boats:
Transition and Adventure
Boats always signify the process of going from one shore to another. Mostly long and tiring travels. Dreams about boats could mean that there’s about to be a significant change in your life that’s been due for a long time.
The change could be related to your career, relationship, or your place of living.
These dreams might also be related to adventurism. We’ve all heard the pirate stories in our childhood. While going on a voyage is dangerous and scary, you can also experience new and exciting things along the way.
Self Discovery
Boats act as vessels of your entire being that take you to your innermost feelings, which run as deep as the sea itself. If you dream about boats, the most efficient way to understand your emotions is to look at the water underneath.
Ask yourself if the water is muddy, clear, black, full of sea creatures, calm or tidal. Once you answer these questions, you will know exactly what goes on beneath the surface of your mental workings.
Isolation
A long journey on the boat also means being on your own for a long time, with the exception of a few loved ones and the crew. A smaller boat may also mean being entirely alone.
Dreaming about boats could be indicative of you needing some well-deserved time to be away from the usual chaos of your life to reflect on some things. It is the most suitable time to think critically about where you’re headed in life.
Archetypal Boat Dreams
Boats may represent your personal feelings in dreams, but their symbolism goes way beyond this. Humans also have a collective psyche shaped by the culture and material conditions of the world.
Here are a few of these themes that may be related to your dreams about boats:
Naval and Marine Nostalgia
The collective consciousness forms a connection of boats to many traditions related to seafaring.
Whether these are coastal communities, island countries, fisheries, or a calling to the sea, these are profoundly emotional and deep connections to the people who live in coastal areas or their ancestors who once lived there.
Maritime culture is another name for such traditions and nostalgia related to the sea.
Boats in Asian Cultures
Boats in Asian subcontinent countries are often harbingers of hope. If your regional roots are in Asia, boat dreams may indicate a time of growing success and upward mobility for you. This is because, historically, boats can be connected to the discovery of waterways for the purpose of trading and transportation.
Boats significantly improved many economically downtrodden communities in the face of adversity and brought with them an era of wealth and fortune.
Boats in Native American Cultures
For many Native Americans, boats are the vehicles upon which our spirits cross this world over to the spiritual realm. In Native American and Indigenous cultures, dreams about boats can signify the natural passing on of human beings.
On the other hand, such dreams may simply be a reminder to get in touch with your spirituality in the hopes of understanding the natural world or forming a deep connection to your ancestral roots.
Boats, Pirates, and Freedom
In the 1650s, the golden age of piracy, people living on land were going through wars, famines, and oppression under their feudal lords. Pirates are said to be the most free men of the time by virtue of not living on land and essentially being able to go wherever they wanted in their pirate ships.
Unfortunately, persecution and freedom went hand in hand with them as they were banned from most places. Suppose your boat in a dream resembles a pirate ship.
In that case, it may mean that even though there’s pain and punishment in your life, freedom lies out there somewhere if you’re willing to go on a journey to find it.
Mythological Symbolism of Boats in Dreams
The mythological aspect of things is no less important than the cultural influences while interpreting dreams. Mythology can add layers upon layers of symbolism that we may not be intrinsically aware of generally.
Here are some of the meanings about boat dreams that we can derive from a mythological point of view.
Meaning of Dreams about Boats in Biblical Mythology
“Psalm 107:23: They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters.”
This means that you’re going to pass through some challenges, and those challenges require your faith. So, you need to exercise your faith to overcome other challenges. If your faith is weak, it’s nowhere to be found, and those challenges cannot be overcome.
You are the boat, and it should show you how to assess faith so that you will not sink in those stormy waters and challenges in Jesus’ name. When your boat or ship is on current water, it also symbolizes the power of God upon your life.
Being on calm water means that your faith is doing a lot in your life, and you are overcoming those challenges. Another biblical reference to boats is that of Noah’s ark, which is a symbol of rebirth( in a spiritual sense) and a fresh start to all things. In this regard, if you see a boat in your dream, it may be a message of hope and revival.
Meaning of Dreams about Boats in Norse Mythology
The myths of the Norse are full of stories that feature boats and sea voyages. Some stories indicate that there is an afterlife, as can be seen in the myths about Valhalla. A dream about a boat on a journey may reflect the journey to the afterlife. Also, in Norse mythology, Skidbladnir is a boat that is associated with Norms.
These female creatures hold in their hands the destiny of human beings. Boats in dreams may also be related to your fate and have an intersection of where your destiny lies and what personal decisions you can make to bring about change.
Meaning of Dreams about Boats in Polynesian Mythology
Polynesia is a region that has over a thousand Islands inside its geographical area. Polynesian myths, traditions, and beliefs are closely tied to boats and seafaring. They are believed to have used techniques that were ahead of their time to build boats, ships, and canoes.
Also, they are excellent navigators of the sea. In Polynesian mythology and culture, boats represent wealth, prosperity, exploration, and a spiritual connection to the afterlife.
Dreaming of boats isn’t unusual, especially in Polynesia. Such dreams may suggest that you are coming of age, you are about to go on a long journey, or even getting in touch with your ancestors’ spirits.
Boats in Dreams: Scenarios and Their Meanings
Boats can appear in your dreams in many ways that are indicative of what message your subconscious is trying to send across to your conscious mind. Analyzing dreams cannot be done on a single tangent, and everything needs to be accounted for, including context.
Here are some usual scenarios that may occur in your dream related to boats and their possible meanings:
Dreams About a Boat on Calm Water
In some cases, you may see a boat or a ship on calm water. Dreaming about a ship or boat on calm water signifies that you will have an easy life, especially in your search for prosperity and sources.
Clearwater represents faithfulness. You are in harmony with your emotions and at peace with where you are in life.
Dreams About a Boat Stuck in a Storm
When it comes to being in a boat stuck in a tsunami, these are some of the most powerful dreams that you really need to take heed of, and you need to say, ‘Hey, look, what’s going on in my life? What’s going on? Where am I? What am I thinking? Where am I headed?’
When you dream of being in a tsunami or being in a boat in stormy weather, being in something that is totally uncontrolled, know that you’re headed in the wrong direction.
Dreams About Being on an Abandoned Boat
Suppose you are on an Abandoned ship in your dreams, especially in recurring dreams. In that case, you may be experiencing feelings of severe abandonment and isolation from someone or some significant people in your life.
You are probably holding on to a lost cause, a broken relationship, or feelings of betrayal. Such dreams can serve as invitations to evaluate your life and change your situation despite the scary setting.
Dreams About an Overturned Boat
If you see a boat that has been turned over its head in your dreams, it’s suggestive of disruptions that have made a long-lasting impact in your waking world. The balance isn’t there anymore; everything important to you has been thrown off.
You should feel the need to regain control of your life and trust yourself enough to undo the harm that has been caused thus far.
Dreams About Boats with Passengers
If, in your dream world, your boat has several passengers onboard, it’s wise to recognize who these people are and what they mean to you.
Since it’s your dream, these people may be looking to you to guide them and help them emerge as a leader-figure in their lives.
In short, these people may depend on you for many things, and it’s your responsibility to look after them. Such dreams may strengthen your bond with your community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since dreams are such personal things, you have to look at them in the context of your own life. You can also ask yourself your general feelings throughout such dreams and what specific objects or people you can see that may impact the meaning.
While such dreams can be scary, they don’t necessarily need to be a bad omen. They can serve as warnings or merely reflect your troubled state of mind at the time.
It may not be possible to control your dreams about boats if you’re unfamiliar with lucid dreaming or have not been doing it for a long time. Lucid dreaming allows you to sense when you are in a dream and control what you see.
Some Last Words
Now listen, there’s nothing ever carved in stone. You have total rights to change your direction or the outcome of whatever you are about to approach. Remember, you always have enough time to make changes, and that’s why dreams are important.
If you see you’re in a boat that is enraged or out of control, know that you can actually take control and make a change before you get to that point, or if you’re already at that point, you can actually change your situation by focusing on things that are different and positive.
