Dream Symbols

Ocean Dream Meaning

ocean wave
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The ocean is a vast body of water which can be peaceful or terrifying. Dreaming about the ocean can give you a lot of valuable insight on what is happening with your life.

Let’s take a look at what it means to dream about the ocean and the dream interpretation for different ways you may experience the ocean in your dream.

ocean dream

What it Means to Dream About the Ocean

We often see the following themes in dreams about the ocean:

Your Spiritual Connection With the World

If you dream of going to the ocean or being at the beach, it represents your connection to the spiritual world. You may feel in touch with great powers or elements which influence your life.

The ocean can also represent your desire to find a deeper meaning in life, and you may want to seek inspiration for this from nature, faith and spiritual beliefs.

Your Dreams for the Future

To dream of the ocean can often mean you are thinking about your future and what the future may hold for you. This is a common dream when you have just recently experienced a major life changing event – starting a new career, starting over after a break-up, or even just starting college or high school.

The ocean may, in your dream represent your goal to find the success you desire for yourself in life. The imagery of the ocean can be peaceful and comforting because it offers a sense of tranquility that can soothe your anxiety and fear.

ocean dream meaning

A Fear of the Unknown

Most of us rarely know what will happen in the future and it’s common to be afraid of the unknown.

The ocean can sometimes be a symbol of our own uncertainties in life surfacing. You may want to achieve great things for yourself but wonder if you have what it takes to do so. You may be worried you will fail at a certain task in life.

This theme is especially present in dreams of a storm on the ocean or seeing choppy ocean waves.

Overwhelming Emotions

Water in dreams almost always symbolize our emotions, and with the ocean being the largest body of water on earth, it’s quite possible you feel overwhelmed by your feelings.

In dreams, the ocean can be viewed as a wide and almost endless force. The ocean is constantly changing and so are our emotions.

If you dream of the ocean, it is likely that you feel emotionally overwhelmed by your feelings. You may have recently experienced a life event which caused you to feel intense sadness or anger.

The imagery of the ocean in your dream may represent an overflowing of emotions in your waking life.

ocean beach

Examples of Ocean Dreams and What They Mean

Now that we know the main themes in dreams about the ocean, let’s look at some specific examples and how they may relate to your daily waking life.

To be looking at ocean waves in your dream represents your desire for a great emotional or spiritual connection with someone. You may be looking for someone who shares the same spiritual beliefs as you or you may be trying to have a better relationship with God.

Swimming in the ocean means that you are very successful in whatever you are working on. You are exuding confidence and your efforts are producing positive results for you.

Struggling to Swim in the Ocean means that you are overwhelmed by emotions. You may have some intense feelings that you don’t know how to cope with.

See what it means to dream about swimming here.

Dreaming of relaxing and enjoying time on the beach is a sign that you have found peace within yourself. The ocean waves are an indicator that you are going with the flow and have a good balance for dealing with the ups and downs of life.

blue sea water

Dreaming about a storm on the ocean can mean that you have been experiencing some unusual and intense emotions – possibly feeling anger or frustration.  

A tsunami in a dream is a sign that you may be experiencing quite the emotional upheaval in your life.  

Sailing on the ocean is often a dream of good luck for travelers, but it can also mean that you are feeling restless and want to travel to new places.

Being on a cruise ship or passenger on a boat in your dreams means that you are ready for change and new experiences in life. You are ready to take on the challenges of life, yet at the same time might feel as though something is holding you back from achieving your goals.

Falling off a boat in the middle of the ocean can symbolize your current fears in life. You may be afraid things won’t go as planned or that you might be caught off guard in some aspect.

If you dreamt about a boat, see dream meaning of boats for more insight into what your dream means. 

Dreaming about fish in the ocean shows that you feel supported in your goals and have faith that you will fulfill your desires. See dream meaning of fish for more.

Coming face to face with a shark in the ocean represents meeting with a challenging person or event in your life. You may be feeling angry about something or you may feel like someone is manipulating you. (See more about sharks in dreams here)

Dreaming of going on a solo ocean journey is often an indication that you feel like you don’t have anyone to rely on. For some people, this can be a sign they are feeling alone in their lives and wish to change that feeling by traveling alone.

If you dream of walking on the ocean floor, this can symbolize your fears of being stuck in a certain situation or sinking into a bad situation you may be currently experiencing.

To dream of the dark depths underneath the ocean can mean that you are afraid of something new that will occur in your life. You may not know how to deal with these obstacles and you may fear how they will effect your future success.

Clean, clear blue ocean water means that you are at peace and are about to have some clarity in your life.

Dirty, brown, or gray ocean water means you are not sure how you really feel. You may be muddling over something in your life.


Dreams about the ocean are usually a sign that you are thinking about how you will achieve future goals, and how everything in life is changing as time goes on. They can be very valuable dreams in understanding just how we feel emotionally.

Did you have a dream about the ocean? What do you think it means? Share your ocean dream experiences in the comments below!

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12 Comments

  1. I was with a couple friends/family (can’t really remember who) we went down a hill from a house I’ve never been at to the beach. It’s not very light outside, almost dark now. I stare at the ocean and tell them we can’t swim because the waves are way too choppy and big. I was not scared though, I remember staring at it for a while in my dream. It was beautiful. The water was blue. This is actually the SECOND exact dream I had like this in the span of a month. I think it’s because I’m struggling financially but I have finally got the job offer I was hoping for. I know my life is going to change and there’s a lot of emotion there. Usually when I have dreams about water it means that my emotions are very intense in the waking world.

  2. I dreamed I was far from home. while looking for a place to stay..I walked straight to a house that I never expected myself to find around an ocean. My friends was staying in the house also. and they asked me if I have somewhere to stay, but I didn’t replied. later we walked closer to the ocean where we was having fun..the ocean was big and wider..I also saw my ex telling her not to swim in the ocean because it was looking dangerous..I don’t understand the meaning of this dream..

    1. I dreamed I was walking on a very narrow shore with grey buildings on the very edge of the shore giving me little to no room to walk. As I have a real fear of the ocean, I was consciously scared and felt in-between asleep and awake. I started running towards the buildings and into the streets. I can’t recall the rest of the dream…

  3. I had a dream I was in the middle of the ocean floating on a floaty with nobody around just me and some huge slimy creature passed my feet and i felt it and was so scared. I’ve been dreaming of the ocean for 2 nights now.

  4. I had a dream I was walking with my husband (he has cancer) and daughter through a marsh path along the water, it was a weird feeling. I was saying where are we going how do you know where are you going? My daughter was there, but wasn’t talking, I said a couple of times to my husband how do you know where you’re going? in my dream. I vividly remember the path that was all open along the water. I felt like he was trying to find heaven all of the sudden he was holding me from behind really tight, with the sad voice and he said the lifeboat?

  5. Dreamt about turquoise blue clear water and a beautiful kingdom underneath. Was scared to venture. But then walked on the ocean floor (not too deep about 40 to 50 feet) to find an exotic beauty underneath. What does this signify?

  6. I had a dream about an ocean with heavy waves but the water is clear, on the other side of the ocean, i see a body of water that is calm, not sure if its a pool or what- it’s clear but its getting deep then i saw the people rushing around trying to evacuate. What’s that mean?

  7. I’ve have dreamed this dream once before. Iam driving on a road that seems to be in the middle of the ocean, waves are crashing high and violent. The sky is gray, my husband is in the passenger seat and there’s another person in the back seat. All I can remember I just driving and driving and being so frightened. Then I wake up.

  8. I have a dream storm on the ocean the water wave turning into a big brown snake. it’s a huge snake but its water
    Cross between my house pathway and very heavy waves very big sea behind my house it can watch my house off.
    its nightmare scary

  9. I have dream about water wave turning into big brown snake. it’s huge snake but its water
    Cross between my house path way and very heavy waves big sea behind my house it can really watch my house off
    Makes me so scary.

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