On coins, a ship ploughing through the seas is emblematic of joy and
happiness (8). But the most profound significance of navigation is that implied
by Pompey the Great in his remark: ‘Living is not necessary, but navigation is.’
By this he meant that existence is split up into two fundamental structures:
living, which he understood as living for or in oneself, and sailing or navigating, by
which he understood living in order to transcend—or what Nietzsche from his
pessimistic angle called ‘living in order to disappear’. The Odyssey is, basically,
nothing but a navigation-myth in the sense of victory over the two essential perils
of all sailing: destruction (or the triumph of the ocean—corresponding to the
unconscious) and withdrawal (regression or stagnation). Yet Homer reserves the
end of the periplus of Odysseus for a triumphant but affectionate ‘return’ to his
wife, his hearth and home. This is a mystic idea analogous to the mystery of the
‘fall’ of the soul into the material plane of existence (by the process of involution)
and to the necessity of its returning to the starting-point (evolution)—a mystery
which has been expounded by Platonic idealism and by Plotinus in particular.
This law of the returning soul corresponds to the belief in the concept of a
‘closed’ universe (like that of the Eternal Return) or the conception of all phenomena as a cyclic organization. Navigation, as envisaged in any philosophy of
the absolute, would deny even the hero his triumphant return to the homeland
and would make of him a perpetual explorer of oceans, under endless skies. But to come back to the symbolism of the ship, every vessel corresponds to a constellation (48). The ship-symbol has been related to the holy island, in so far as both
are differentiated from the amorphous and hostile sea. If the waters of the oceans
are symbolic of the unconscious, they also can allude to the dull roar of the
outside world. The notion that it is essential first to learn to sail the sea of the
passions in order to reach the Mountain of Salvation is the same as the idea
mentioned earlier in connexion with the perils of exploring the oceans. For this
reason Guénon suggests that ‘the attainment of the Great Peace is depicted in the
form of sailing the seas’; hence, in Christian symbolism, the ship represents the
Church (28). Some of the less clearly defined aspects of the symbolism of the
ship—comparable here with the small boat and the carriage—are related to symbols of the human body and of all physical bodies or vehicles; in addition to this,
there is a cosmic implication deriving from the age-old comparison between the
sun and the moon on the one hand, and, on the other, two ships floating upon the
celestial ocean. The solar ship frequently appears on Egyptian monuments. In
Assyrian art, too, ships shaped like cups are clearly solar in character; this cupshape narrows down still further the scope of the meaning (35). Another meaning,
sometimes quite independent of the foregoing, derives not so much from the idea
of the ship as such but rather from the notion of sailing; this is the symbolism of
the Ship-of-Death. Hence, many primitive peoples place ships on the end of a
pole or on the roof of a house. On occasion, it is the roof itself (of the temple or
house) which is made to resemble a ship. Always the implication is the desire to
transcend existence—to travel through space to the other worlds. All these forms,
then, represent the axis valley-mountain, or the symbolism of verticality and the
idea of height. An obvious association here is with all the symbols for the worldaxis. The mast in the centre of the vessel gives expression to the idea of the
Cosmic Tree incorporated within the symbolism of the Ship-of-Death or ‘Ship of
Transcendence’ (50).

If you have a ship of your own sailing on the sea, it indicates advancement in riches. A
ship that is tossed in the ocean and about to sink indicates disaster in life.

To see a ship in your dream, denotes that you are exploring aspects of your emotions and unconscious. The state and condition of the ship is indicative of your emotional state. If you dream of a cruise ship, then it suggests pleasant moods. If you dream of a warship, then it means that you are experiencing feelings of aggression.

To dream that you are sailing the high seas in a ship, denotes that you are still standing tall despite the emotional turmoil occurring in your life.

To dream that a ship has crashed or sunk, suggests that you are feeling emotionally out of control. You are expressing some fear or uncertainly within your emotional state. You are afraid of losing something close to you because of certain difficulties.

To dream that you abandon ship, indicates that you need to move on and let go. Your emotion may be holding you back. Alternatively, consider the phrase "jumping ship", to indicate changing of sides.

To dream of ships, foretells honor and unexpected elevation to ranks above your mode of life.

To hear of a shipwreck is ominous of a disastrous turn in affairs.
Your female friends will betray you.
To lose your life in one, denotes that you will have an exceeding close call on your life or honor.

To see a ship on her way through a tempestuous storm, foretells that you will be unfortunate in business transactions, and you will be perplexed to find means of hiding some intrigue from the public, as your partner in the affair will threaten you with betrayal.

To see others shipwrecked, you will seek in vain to shelter some friend from disgrace and insolvency.

Seeing a ship in your dream indicates that you are exploring aspects of your emotions and unconscious mind. The state and condition of the ship is indicative of your emotional state. If it is a cruise ship, then it suggests pleasant moods. If it is a warship, then you are experiencing feelings of aggression. Dreaming that you are sailing the high seas in a ship indicates that you are standing tall in times emotional turmoil. Dreaming that a ship crashed or is sinking, suggests that some aspect of your life is out of control You are expressing some fear or uncertainly within your emotional state. You are afraid of losing something close to you because of certain difficulties.

Bodies of water represent your unconscious, your emotions, and your accumulated soul experiences. The ship in your dream could represent you and the ways in which you navigate through these parts of yourself. When interpreting this dream, consider the kind of journey and the type of ship. Some dream interpretation books say that if the journey is calm you should go forward with your plans. However, if it is a very stormy journey, get ready for an emotional upset or challenge.

To see people you know in your dream, signifies qualities and feelings of them that you desire for yourself. If these people are from your past, then the dream refers to your shadow and other unacknowledged aspects of yourself. It may represent a waking situation that is bringing out similar feelings from your past relationships.

To see people you don't know in your dream, denotes hidden aspects of yourself that you need to confront or acknowledge.

Seeing people you know in your dream means qualities and feelings of those people that you desire for yourself. Seeing people you don't know in your dream indicates hidden aspects of yourself that you need to confront. Seeing people from your past in your dream, refers to your shadow and other unacknowledged aspects of yourself. It can represent a waking situation that is bringing out similar feelings as your past relationships.

In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the symbol for water is a wavy line with
small sharp crests, representing the water’s surface. The same sign, when tripled,
symbolizes a volume of water, that is, the primaeval ocean and prime matter.
According to hermetic tradition, the god Nu was the substance from which the
gods of the first ennead emerged (19). The Chinese consider water as the specific
abode of the dragon, because all life comes from the waters (13). In the Vedas,
water is referred to as mâtritamâh (the most maternal) because, in the beginning,
everything was like a sea without light. In India, this element is generally regarded
as the preserver of life, circulating throughout the whole of nature, in the form of
rain, sap, milk and blood. Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and
the end of all things on earth (60). Although water is, in appearance, formless,
ancient cultures made a distinction between ‘upper waters’ and ‘lower waters’.
The former correspond to the potential or what is still possible, the latter to what
is actual or already created (26). In a general sense, the concept of ‘water’ stands,
of course, for all liquid matter. Moreover, the primaeval waters, the image of
prime matter, also contained all solid bodies before they acquired form and rigidity. For this reason, the alchemists gave the name of ‘water’ to quicksilver in its
first stage of transmutation and, by analogy, also to the ‘fluid body’ of Man (57).
This ‘fluid body’ is interpreted by modern psychology as a symbol of the unconscious, that is, of the non-formal, dynamic, motivating, female side of the personality. The projection of the mother-imago into the waters endows them with
various numinous properties characteristic of the mother (31). A secondary meaning of this symbolism is found in the identification of water with intuitive wisdom. In the cosmogony of the Mesopotamian peoples, the abyss of water was
regarded as a symbol of the unfathomable, impersonal Wisdom. An ancient Irish
god was called Domnu, which means ‘marine depth’. In prehistoric times the
word for abyss seems to have been used exclusively to denote that which was
unfathomable and mysterious (4). The waters, in short, symbolize the universal
congress of potentialities, the fons et origo, which precedes all form and all
creation. Immersion in water signifies a return to the preformal state, with a sense
of death and annihilation on the one hand, but of rebirth and regeneration on the
other, since immersion intensifies the life-force. The symbolism of baptism,
which is closely linked to that of water, has been expounded by St. John
Chrysostom (Homil. in Joh., XXV, 2): ‘It represents death and interment, life and
resurrection. . . . When we plunge our head beneath water, as in a sepulchre, the
old man becomes completely immersed and buried. When we leave the water, the
new man suddenly appears’ (18). The ambiguity of this quotation is only on the
surface: in this particular aspect of the general symbolism of water, death affects
only Man-in-nature while the rebirth is that of spiritual man. On the cosmic level,
the equivalent of immersion is the flood, which causes all forms to dissolve and
return to a fluid state, thus liberating the elements which will later be recombined
in new cosmic patterns. The qualities of transparency and depth, often associated with water, go far towards explaining the veneration of the ancients for this
element which, like earth, was a female principle. The Babylonians called it ‘the
home of wisdom’. Oannes, the mythical being who brings culture to mankind, is
portrayed as half man and half fish (17). Moreover, in dreams, birth is usually
expressed through water-imagery (v. Freud, Introduction to Psycho-Analysis).
The expressions ‘risen from the waves’ and ‘saved from the waters’ symbolize
fertility, and are metaphorical images of childbirth. On the other hand, water is, of
all the elements, the most clearly transitional, between fire and air (the ethereal
elements) and earth (the solid element). By analogy, water stands as a mediator
between life and death, with a two-way positive and negative flow of creation and
destruction. The Charon and Ophelia myths symbolize the last voyage. Death
was the first mariner. ‘Transparent depth’, apart from other meanings, stands in
particular for the communicating link between the surface and the abyss. It can
therefore be said that water conjoins these two images (2). Gaston Bachelard
points to many different characteristics of water, and derives from them many
secondary symbolic meanings which enrich the fundamental meaning we have described. These secondary meanings are not so much a set of strict symbols, as
a kind of language expressing the transmutations of this ever-flowing element.
Bachelard enumerates clear water, spring water, running water, stagnant water,
dead water, fresh and salt water, reflecting water, purifying water, deep water,
stormy water. Whether we take water as a symbol of the collective or of the
personal unconscious, or else as an element of mediation and dissolution, it is
obvious that this symbolism is an expression of the vital potential of the psyche,
of the struggles of the psychic depths to find a way of formulating a clear message
comprehensible to the consciousness. On the other hand, secondary symbolisms
are derived from associated objects such as water-containers, and also from the
ways in which water is used: ablutions, baths, holy water, etc. There is also a
very important spatial symbolism connected with the ‘level’ of the waters, denoting a correlation between actual physical level and absolute moral level. It is
for this reason that the Buddha, in his Assapuram sermon, was able to regard the
mountain-lake—whose transparent waters reveal, at the bottom, sand, shells,
snails and fishes—as the path of redemption. This lake obviously corresponds to
a fundamental aspect of the ‘Upper Waters’. Clouds are another aspect of the
‘Upper Waters’. In Le Transformationi of Ludovico Dolce, we find a mystic
figure looking into the unruffled surface of a pond, in contrast with the accursed
hunter, always in restless pursuit of his prey, implying the symbolic contrast
between contemplative activity—the sattva state of Yoga—and blind outward
activity—the rajas state. Finally, the upper and lower waters communicate reciprocally through the process of rain (involution) and evaporation (evolution).
Here, fire intervenes to modify water: the sun (spirit) causes sea water to evaporate (i.e. it sublimates life). Water is condensed in clouds and returns to earth in
the form of life-giving rain, which is invested with twofold virtues: it is water, and
it comes from heaven (15). Lao-Tse paid considerable attention to this cyclic
process of meteorology, which is at one and the same time physical and spiritual,
observing that: ‘Water never rests, neither by day nor by night. When flowing
above, it causes rain and dew. When flowing below, it forms streams and rivers.
Water is outstanding in doing good. If a dam is raised against it, it stops. If way is
made for it, it flows along that path. Hence it is said that it does not struggle. And
yet it has no equal in destroying that which is strong and hard’ (13). When water
stands revealed in its destructive aspects, in the course of cataclysmic events, its
symbolism does not change, but is merely subordinated to the dominant symbolism of the storm. Similarly, in those contexts where the flowing nature of water is
emphasized, as in the contention of Heraclitus that ‘You cannot step twice into
the same river; for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you.’ Here the reference is not to water-symbolism as such, but to the idea of the irreversible flow along a
given path. To quote Evola, in La tradizione ermetica: ‘Without divine water,
nothing exists, according to Zosimus. On the other hand, among the symbols of
the female principle are included those which figure as origins of the waters
(mother, life), such as: Mother Earth, Mother of the Waters, Stone, Cave, House
of the Mother, Night, House of Depth, House of Force, House of Wisdom,
Forest, etc. One should not be misled by the word “divine”. Water symbolizes
terrestrial and natural life, never metaphysical life.’

This indicates birth (of some person).

To dream of clear water, foretells that you will joyfully realize prosperity and pleasure.

If the water is muddy, you will be in danger and gloom will occupy Pleasure's seat.

If you see it rise up in your house, denotes that you will struggle to resist evil, but unless you see it subside, you will succumb to dangerous influences.

If you find yourself baling it out, but with feet growing wet, foreshadows trouble, sickness, and misery will work you a hard task, but you will forestall them by your watchfulness. The same may be applied to muddy water rising in vessels.

To fall into muddy water, is a sign that you will make many bitter mistakes, and will suffer poignant grief therefrom.

To drink muddy water, portends sickness, but drinking it clear and refreshing brings favorable consummation of fair hopes.

To sport with water, denotes a sudden awakening to love and passion.

To have it sprayed on your head, denotes that your passionate awakening to love will meet reciprocal consummation.

The following dream and its allegorical occurrence in actual life is related by a young woman student of dreams:

``Without knowing how, I was (in my dream) on a boat, I waded through clear blue water to a wharfboat, which I found to be snow white, but rough and splintry. The next evening I had a delightful male caller, but he remained beyond the time prescribed by mothers and I was severely censured for it.'' The blue water and fairy white boat were the disappointing prospects in the symbol.

To see water in your dream, symbolizes your unconscious and your emotional state of mind. Water is the living essence of the psyche and the flow of life energy. It is also symbolic of spirituality, knowledge, healing and refreshment. To dream that water is boiling, suggests that you are expressing some emotional turmoil. Feelings from your unconscious are surfacing and ready to be acknowledged. You need to let out some steam.

To see calm, clear water in your dream, means that you are in tune with your spirituality. It denotes serenity, peace of mind, and rejuvenation.

To see muddy or dirty water in your dream, indicates that you are wallowing in your negative emotions. You may need to take some time to cleanse your mind and find internal peace. Alternatively, the dream suggests that your thinking/judgment is unclear and clouded. If you are immersed in muddy water, then it indicates that you are in over your head in a situation and are overwhelmed by your emotions.

To dream that water is rising up in your house, suggests that you are becoming overwhelmed by your emotions.

To hear running water in your dream, denotes meditation and reflection. You are reflecting on your thoughts and emotions.

To dream that you are walking on water, indicates that you have total control over your emotions. It also suggests that you need to "stay on top" of your emotions and not let them explode out of hand. Alternatively, the dream is symbolic of faith in yourself.

Seeing water in your dream, symbolizes your unconscious and your emotional state of mind. Water is the living essence of the psyche and the flow of life energy. It is also symbolic of spirituality, knowledge, healing and refreshment. Seeing calm, clear water in your dream means that you are in tune with your spirituality. It indicates serenity, peace of mind, and rejuvenation. Seeing muddy or dirty water in your dream indicates that you are wallowing in your negative emotions. You may need to devote some time to clarify your mind and find internal peace. Alternatively, it suggests that your thinking/judgment is unclear and clouded. If you are immersed in muddy water, then it indicates that you are in over your head in a situation and are overwhelmed by your emotions. Dreaming that water is rising up in your house means your struggles and overwhelming emotions. Hearing running water in your dream indicates meditation, reflection and pondering of your thoughts and emotions. Dreaming that you are walking on water, suggests that you have supreme and ultimate control over your emotions. It may also suggest that you need to "stay on top" of your emotions and not let them explode out of hand. Alternatively, it is symbolic of faith in yourself.

To dream that you find something, suggests that you are coming into contact with some aspect of your psyche or unconscious. You are recognizing a part of yourself that was previously repressed or undeveloped. Alternatively, it represents change.

To dream that you find someone, indicates that you are identifying new facets of a relationship. You may be taking the relationship to a new level and/or direction.

Dreaming that you find something, suggests that you are coming into contact with some aspect of your psyche or unconscious. You are recognizing a part of yourself that was previously repressed or undeveloped. Alternatively, it represents change. Dreaming that you find someone indicates that you are identifying new facets of a relationship. You may be taking the relationship to a new level and/or direction.

Like the chain, it is a general symbol for binding and connexion.
Knotted cord, in Egyptian hieroglyphics, signifies a man’s name. Since the knot is
a symbol for the individual’s existence, there are various hieroglyphic signs related to the name of a person in the shape of a knot or a bow or a belt or a crown
and so on. The seal has the same significance (19). The silver cord in Vedic
teaching has a significance which goes still deeper: it expresses the sacred, inner path which binds the outer consciousness of man (his intellect) with his spiritual
essence (the ‘centre’ or ‘silver palace’) (38).

Seeing ropes in your dream, represents some connection or a way to tie/hold things together. Dreaming that you are walking on a rope indicates that you will engage in a doubtful investment but it will prove to be successful. Dreaming that you are climbing up a rope indicates your determination to succeed and overcome adversity. It may also represent your climb to the top. If you are climbing down a rope, then it indicates that you are experiencing disappointments and decline in some business affair. Dreaming that you are tied up in ropes means that you will let your heart guide you contrary to your better judgment.

To dream of swimming, is an augury of success if you find no discomfort in the act. If you feel yourself going down, much dissatisfaction will present itself to you.

For a young woman to dream that she is swimming with a girl friend who is an artist in swimming, foretells that she will be loved for her charming disposition, and her little love affairs will be condoned by her friends.

To swim under water, foretells struggles and anxieties.

To dream that you are swimming, suggests that you are exploring aspects of your unconscious mind and emotions. The dream may be a sign that you are seeking some sort of emotional support. It is a common dream image for people going through therapy.

To dream that you are swimming underwater, suggests that you are completely submerged in your own feelings. You are forcing yourself to deal with your unconscious emotions.

Dreaming that you are swimming, suggests that you are exploring aspects of your unconscious mind and emotions. The dream may be a sign that you are seeking some sort of emotional support. It is a common dream image for people going through therapy. Dreaming that you are swimming underwater, suggests that you are completely submerged in your own feelings. You are forcing yourself to deal with your emotional difficulties.

If you are swimming in your dream you are most likely swimming through the ocean of your unconscious and through the sea of your emotions. The ease with which you are doing this activity will give you clues as to how well you are navigating through those very complex parts of yourself. Are you out of your depth or winning a race?

A symbol of the power of light. The battle-axe has a significance which
is equivalent to that of the sword, the hammer and the cross. But much more
important and complex is the significance of the twin-bladed axe, related to the
sign tau (4). This double-headed axe is to be found in a host of works of art from
India to England, and specially in the Mediterranean countries—in Africa and Crete. Very often it is located over the head of an ox, just between its horns, when
it comes to symbolize on the one hand the mandorla (related to horns because of
its shape), and, on the other, the function of sacrifice in the relationship between
the valley-symbol and the mountain-symbol (that is, between earth and heaven)
(50). According to Luc Benoist, this twin-bladed axe is the same as the Hindu
vajra and Jove’s thunderbolt, becoming, therefore, a symbol of celestial illumination. Nowadays the double-bladed axe (the labrys) is associated with the labyrinth, both being symbols in the Cretan cult. The labyrinth denotes the world of
existence—the pilgrimage in quest of the ‘Centre’ (6). In some paintings in Crete,
such as that on a sarcophagus from Hagia Triada, we see a symbol made up of a
cone, a double-bladed axe and a bird. The cone alludes to the deity; the axe, like all
things dual, is an aspect of the Gemini, that is, of the focal-point of symbolic
Inversion; the bird has been recognized as an image of the human soul ever since
the time of the Egyptians (Waldemar Fenn). The axe is also symbolic of death
ordered by a deity.

Seeing an axe in a dream, foretells that what enjoyment you may have will depend on your struggles and energy. To see others using an axe, foretells, your friends will be energetic and lively, making existence a pleasure when near them.

For a young woman to see one, portends her lover will be worthy, but not possessed with much wealth. A broken or rusty axe, indicates illness and loss of money and property.

If you are chopping wood in your dream with a sharp axe you will meet a new companion but if the axe is dull, you will not be able to depend on this person. It is also a sign to go slow in any business dealings you may be involved in as you could get a nasty cut from an adverse turn of events.

To notice your flesh in your dream, represents a heightened sense of feeling and vitality. It symbolizes your sexual urges and physical desires.

To dream of flesh being eaten, suggests that you are under tremendous stress and feel drained.

All things that flow and grow were regarded in early religions as a symbol
of life: fire represented the vital craving for nourishment, water was chosen for its
fertilizing powers, plants because of their verdure in spring-time. Now, all—or
very nearly all—symbols of life are also symbolic of death. Media vita in morte
sumus, observed the mediaeval monk, to which modern science has replied La vie
c’est la mort (Claude Bernard). Thus, fire is the destroyer, while water in its
various forms signifies dissolution, as suggested in the Psalms. In legend and
folklore, the Origin of life—or the source of the renewal of the life forces—takes
the form of caves and caverns where wondrous torrents and springs well up (38).

To see or dream that you are a zombie, suggests that you are physically and/or emotionally detached from people and situations that are currently surrounding you. You are feeling out of touch. Alternatively, a zombie means that you are feeling dead inside. You are just going through the motions of daily living.

To dream that you are attacked by zombies, indicate that you are feeling overwhelmed by forces beyond your control. You are under tremendous stress in your waking life. Alternatively, the dream represents your fears of being helpless and overpowered.

Dreaming that you are a zombie indicates that you are physically and/or emotionally detached from people and situations that are currently surrounding you. You are out of touch. Alternatively, it may indicate that you are feeling dead inside and are simply going through the motions of daily living.

Dreaming about the living dead may carry a powerful message. If you are walking around like a zombie, it usually means that you are emotionally disconnected from things going on around you. You may be experiencing unhealthy detachment and are unable to appropriately feel positive or negative emotions. Currently, you may be out of touch and outside of the main flow of life. This dream could positively sever you and help you to become aware of emotional issues and circumstances in daily life that are difficult to face.

To dream of passing up a stairs, foretells good fortune and much happiness.

If you fall down stairs, you will be the object of hatred and envy.

To walk down, you will be unlucky in your affairs, and your lovemaking will be unfavorable.

To see broad, handsome stairs, foretells approaching riches and honors.

To see others going down stairs, denotes that unpleasant conditions will take the place of pleasure.

To sit on stair steps, denotes a gradual rise in fortune and delight.

Dreaming that you are walking up a flight of stairs indicates that you are achieving a higher level of understanding. You are making progress into your spiritual/emotional/material journey. It also represents material and thoughts that are coming to the surface. Dreaming that you are walking down a flight of stairs, represents your repressed thoughts. It suggests that you are going into your unconscious. It also refers to setbacks that you will experience in your life. If you are afraid of going down the stairs, then it suggests that you are afraid to confront your repressed emotions and thoughts. Is there something from your past that you are not acknowledging. Seeing spiral or winding stairs, signify growth and/or rebirth.

Going up and down the stairs could mean several different things. It could represent changes in consciousness, movement from one inner plane to another, or a change in understanding. In a more material sense, it could represent a rise or fall in economic or social status and the general efforts that are required to accomplish life's small and large goals. Climbing may represent an achievement of your ambitions and a movement in a positive direction. Descending may symbolise your doubts or a period following hard work and achievement of a significant goal. Generally, dreaming of ascending a stairway signifies movement in a positive direction while descending is indicative of a negative flow of ideas or actions.