Water is the basis of all life — 60% of our bodies are water, and 70% of the surface of our planet is covered with water. Out of all the elements, water is the most deeply connected to the unconscious, and thus quite likely to show up in our dreams.
When water appears in dreams, it is often a symbolism of our emotional life, the feelings we carry deep inside. If the water is sparkling, clear, and still in a dream, then this is considered a positive dream. If the water is murky or turbulent, however, the dream is somewhat negative.
Water can represent both negative and positive aspects in your dream, so it’s important you consider both possibilities and closely examine the other dream symbols in your dream to fully understand its meaning.
What Do Dreams About Water Mean?
It is common to dream about water, and they are associated with deep, primal meanings. When we think of dream symbols, water seems to be a universal symbol of subconscious thoughts and emotions. A fish in the water swallowed Jonah alive. A flood was survived by Noah when he built an ark.
Throughout literature, art, and mythology, water plays a vital role. The fear of drowning is one of the most common fears people have, but consuming water is essential to stay alive. With these facts, it comes as no surprise that we have dreams or nightmares involving water.
Let’s take a look at the different meanings of water dreams.
Dream of Falling Into Water
A dream of falling into the water symbolizes a feeling of momentary helplessness. There is a sudden feeling of not being in control, which can be a frightening experience. It represents that you might be experiencing a certain moment in your life where you feel like there is nothing you can do that can help you get out of a helpless situation.
This dream can also mean that you regret certain mistakes in your life. Perhaps you did something you were not supposed to, or perhaps you wronged someone in the past. Your dream of falling can be interpreted that you regret those awful mistakes, but it’s too late to make up for them.
In real life as well as in dreams, it can be frightening to fall into muddy water. Although this water dream appears to be negative because of falling and of the muddy water, it is actually regarded as a positive symbol of success. The deepest you fall, the greater your chances of success. The more scared you are in your dream, the happier you will be in real life.
Dream of Flooding Water
In real life, when water turns to flood, it happens rather abruptly and there is nothing or very little that we can do to stop it. When we dream of flooding water, it signifies feeling overwhelmed with our emotions. Humans are we are, sometimes, our negative emotions get the best of us and this dream can be interpreted as feeling out of control when it comes to what we feel.
Flooding water in our dream can also symbolize a crisis we are dealing with. It can be someone we care about getting sick. It can be our parents getting divorced. It can be getting fired from a job. The flooding water signifies a major problem in our waking life that we have to deal with.
A dream of flooding water can also represent our desire to start over with a clean slate. Water can be cleansing and after a huge flood of water, we are left with the need to start over in some aspect of our life. If you just got out of a relationship, moving to a different city, or even starting a new job, dreams of flooding water can be common.
Dream of Snakes in Water
Did you find yourself dreaming of having a good time in the water, only for snakes to appear out of nowhere? You might have woken up drenched in sweat, feeling unsettled or confused with this kind of dream. A snake in a dream means your subconscious is trying to tell you something.
It’s common to dream of snakes in water when you are bogged down by stress in your waking life, and finding it difficult to handle them. If you dream of a snake in the water, it can mean that your emotions are out of control and affecting your daily life.
Perhaps you find yourself feeling easily agitated, angry, or frustrated with the things that are happening in your life. Perhaps a certain situation happened that knocked your emotions out of place. If you dream about snakes in water, it is a warning sign, reminding you to handle your strong feelings carefully otherwise, they can become a problem for you.
Dream of Drinking Water
Dreaming about drinking water means that you will be very healthy. Water is vital for health and life. And drinking water in your dream can simply signify that you are working hard to nourish and protect your health.
If you find yourself drinking water nonstop in your water dreams, it can signify that big fortune and blessings are coming your way. There is an overflowing abundance coming your way, and you are drinking every drop of it. Dreaming about drinking cold water means that you will get praise and recognition for your hard work.
Dreaming about drinking water symbolizes the desire to achieve greater knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. This water dream signifies that you will achieve amazing success in your waking life – but you won’t feel complete. You will feel that something’s amiss and you will find yourself wanting more, searching for more, and doing more.
Dream of Diving Into Water
Diving into the water in your dream can signify that you have a desire to look deeper within yourself. You need to delve into your own emotions, needs, and actions. It symbolizes our longing to introspect deeply into who we are, what we feel, and who we want to become.
Alternatively, when you dream about diving into the water in your dreams, it can also mean that you are trying to understand someone else. There is someone in your waking life that is a puzzle waiting to be solved, and you’re trying so hard to make sense of their motives, their goals, their intentions in your life.
Taking a deep dive into the water in our dreams can also be interpreted that there are things in our life, whether at home, school, or work, that we are putting on hold, that we need to face head-on. Perhaps you have a paper for school that you haven’t started working on, a presentation for work you’re not halfway done with, or even a home renovation you need to start, a water dream about diving into water can be a reminder to complete any pending or unfinished projects.
Dream of Drowning in Water
Dreaming about drowning in water or being swallowed by water indicates feelings of dread or being overwhelmed by external forces. This can represent things in our life out of our control. It can be losing a loved one to an illness, losing a job, or even losing our home.
Drowning paints the image of being swallowed by water. It usually leaves you feeling helpless and out of control, and this can symbolize both real life and dreams. This water dream tells you that you are heavily burdened or overwhelmed by things in your life.
This dream can also signify that you are having issues with your health. If you have a recurring disease, a constant dream of drowning in water can be quite normal for you. It’s a reminder that it is highly likely for you to get sick again.
Dream of Walking in Water
A dream about walking in water is regarded as a positive dream. This dream suggests that you are in control of your life. It symbolizes that you are confident that you can handle whatever challenge life throws your way.
Walking on water in your dream represents your unique abilities and your ability to control your unconscious emotions. You are an emotionally intuitive and emotionally balanced person. You can easily tell and understand how others feel. You also have the ability to keep your emotions in check.
Dreaming about walking in water also represents self-growth. It means that you no longer fear being alone as the solitude allows you to look deeper and reflect on your innermost thoughts and feelings. This dream is all about focusing on yourself and finding your unique spark of light.
Dream of Swimming in Water
Swimming in water or a swimming pool in your dream tells you that you have a new goal that you are moving towards. This can be starting over after ending a relationship, starting over in a new city, or starting a new job. This dream tells you that you are coming to terms with a new change in your life.
If you find yourself swimming against the current in your dream, it can be interpreted that you are finding it difficult to move forward. The journey has become challenging for you, and you are feeling unsure if you can make it to your destination.
The dream of swimming in the water can also mean that in order to achieve your goals, you need to work hard. This means to keep moving forward and to keep doing your best, despite how difficult the journey can be. It’s understanding that although the current can be unpredictable and challenging, reaching the shore, and achieving everything you’ve hoped for in the end, will be worth it.
Dream of Crossing the Water
Crossing a body of water in your dream symbolizes your desire for freedom. You want to break free from the chains that are holding you back from truly living your waking life. You want to be independent and to live your own life with no limits.
This water dream can be interpreted as your longing to free yourself from rigid rules. Whether these rules are made by your parents or by society, you want to break free from all restraints that have shackled you all your life, and to start living your life by your own rules.
Dreaming about crossing the water can also signify change. You want to move forward from what you know to be safe and familiar, to something that is absolutely new and exciting. You want to go outside the box and discover what lies ahead.
Dream of Clear Water
The color and transparency of the water are also significant in interpreting a dream. If you dream of crystal clear water, it symbolizes that you have a clear understanding of your situation in life. You have a clear picture of your situation in your life, so you are more likely to feel contented with how or where your life is going.
A dream of clear water can also mean that you have a clear conscience. Perhaps you found yourself in a situation where you needed to make a decision. You are trying to contend with whether or not you made the right call. This dream tells you that you have nothing to worry about for you made the decision with only the best of intentions.
If you find yourself dreaming of clear water, this signifies that cleansing will be an integral part of your life. This dream reminds you to let go of things that no longer serve you. It tells you to get rid of whatever is disturbing your solitude.
Dream of Muddy Water
When you dream of muddy water, it can signify your feelings of loneliness or depression. You may be at a time in your life when you feel like you have no purpose, or that everything you have achieved holds no meaning. You may be feeling lost or feeling all alone. This dream tells you to evaluate these negative feelings in order to resolve them.
If you dream of muddy or polluted water, it can mean that you are feeling unpure. You may have a secret that you don’t want anyone to find out. Or perhaps a situation or experience from your past that left you questioning your self-worth. This dream tells you to confront these dark feelings and contend with them.
A dream about muddy water can also mean that you are feeling uncertain about a situation. This water dream tells you that you are not sure about what action to take. What you need to do is to analyze both scenarios before deciding what you exactly need to do.