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.

Love for adventure, need for more freedom and open spaces are the notions hidden behind a dream of being an adventurer. You might be wanting to look for new horizons but always keep in mind the consequences of your actions.

To dream that you are sailing, represents how your life is going and how you are able to handle life's problems. You are in control of your life. The dream may be metaphor that things are "smooth sailing." If you are sailing through the rough seas, then it means that you will overcome life's difficulties. If you are sailing against the wind, then it indicates that you are experiencing some struggles in your waking life.

To dream of sailing on calm waters, foretells easy access to blissful joys, and immunity from poverty and whatever brings misery.

To sail on a small vessel, denotes that your desires will not excel your power of possessing them.

Dreaming that you are sailing on peaceful waters, suggests that you are living life with ease. You will achieve success without major barriers.