The concept of breathing underwater has captured human interest throughout the years. From ancient myths about sea monsters and mermaids to present-day books and movies, the idea of breathing underwater has always been interesting to us.
Just imagine being able to admire the beauty of coral reefs, swim along with fishes, and explore the deepest points of the ocean without the need to surface for air.
Even though this isn’t a natural ability of humans, the idea of breathing underwater continues to inspire wonder and curiosity in all people.
But, have you ever had a dream where you found yourself trying to breathe underwater? It’s a pretty scary and surreal experience, isn’t it? But do you know that a dream like this can have a lot of symbolism?
A dream like this could mean that we’re suffocated by our emotions and under a lot of stress. But don’t worry, this dream isn’t all that scary. It can also represent a change or transition in your life.
Dreaming of Breathing Underwater Meaning & Symbolism
Dreams about breathing underwater can have a lot of symbolism.
For instance, the most logical interpretation of this dream is that you feel like you’re suffocated or overwhelmed by your current circumstances and emotions. Our current situation might be making us feel like we’re having trouble keeping our heads above water.
On the other hand, it could also mean that we feel ready to dive into ourselves and explore our personalities, emotions, and desires more.
In this section, we will talk about the symbolism of these dreams.
1. Getting Over Our Fears
Dreaming about breathing underwater could mean that you’ve overcome challenges or gotten over a fear that you had in waking life.
For instance, because breathing underwater is not something that comes naturally to humans, having a dream like this could mean that you’ve reached something in life that previously seemed unattainable to you.
This could also mean that you’ve gotten over your phobia of water. Even though for some it might some weird, fear of water is a real thing and many people have it.
People are afraid of water because they want to avoid uncharted territory and uncertain situations, and are fearful of the negative consequences this might bring. Having a dream about breathing underwater might be your subconscious mind telling you that you need to be braver and test the waters.
2. Uncertainty
A lot of experts think that dreams about breathing underwater mean that we’re afraid to drown. For this reason, these dreams are seen as a sign of helplessness and vulnerability.
Water is oftentimes seen as a symbol of emotion, and if you’re breathing underwater in your dreams, you need to take a moment and evaluate your emotional state.
Breathing underwater in your dreams might be your subconscious mind trying to return to the time when you were a baby in the womb and you felt secure.
This dream could be an indicator that you’re experiencing a rough period and going through negative emotions, so you need to evaluate the things that are making you feel this way in life.
Lastly, a dream of breathing underwater could mean that you feel burnout. Listen to your mind and body and take some time off to rest.
3. Self Control
A dream about breathing underwater could mean that you’ve got your emotions under control. Breathing underwater means that you’re able to navigate and handle intense and complex emotions without panicking.
Many people who are unable to cope with negative emotions such as anxiety and stress have dreams like this. If you’re able to breathe underwater, it’s safe to say that you’re going through a breakthrough and you’re becoming better and handling your emotions.
Contrarily, this dream could also mean that you’re too dependent on others. It usually happens a lot to adolescents, because they are known to heavily rely on the people around them, especially on their parents.
However, even if you’re a grown-up, this dream can still happen to you. This dream could mean that you’re drowning in your dependence on other people.
But, there is a bright side to this dream. Your subconscious is telling you that you’re able to handle everything that life is serving you.
If you’re able to breathe underwater, you’ll be able to handle these things in your waking life.
4. Changes
Water is often seen as a sign of changes happening. Dreams about breathing underwater could mean that there is change coming into your life.
The color of the water can tell you more about the changes that are coming. For example, if the water is muddy and dark, it means that you need to be careful. The changes might not be pleasant for you, and you might experience bad luck or stress in the near future.
On the other hand, if the water is clear and blue, it means that good things are ahead. It could be a positive change in your relationship status, a promotion at work, or a great time with your friends.
5. Confrontation
Water is also seen as a symbol of emotions, and entering willingly means that you want to confront the issues you’ve been avoiding for a long time. Maybe you’ve finally decided to confront a situation at work that’s been stressing you out, or someone in your life that been treating you poorly.
This dream is highlighting your effort in standing up for yourself. Being underwater is often associated with panic because so many people fear drowning. For this reason, dreaming about breathing underwater could mean that you feel secure.
You feel like you can now do things that you previously thought you couldn’t do, without feeling like there are any limitations holding you back. This dream is telling you that you’re feeling stable to confront the things that are bothering you, whether that’s in your financial life, social standing, or other areas in your life.
A dream like this is a positive sign of progress and growth.
6. Feeling Respected
One of the ways this dream could be interpreted is how other people see you. Breathing underwater is considered a special power in movies, which is why this dream could mean that you’re finally getting the respect you should.
People around you are giving you recognition for the things you’ve done, which is a great feeling.
7. Need for Alone Time
Dreams about breathing underwater could mean that you need to pay more attention to yourself and focus on doing your own thing, rather than the outside world. People who have been focused on other people or are constantly worrying about what others think might have this dream.
This dream is telling you that you’re focusing on the wrong things. Instead, you should think about your own thoughts, feelings, and interests.
Common Breathing Underwater Dreams
Depending on the context of the dream, dreams about breathing underwater can have various interpretations. Here, we will go through some common breathing underwater dreams.
1. Breathing Underwater In a Pool
Dream breathing underwater in a pool could mean that you need to reach out to your close ones for help because you’re under a lot of stress. You’re longing for relaxation, and this dream is telling you that you need to make time for it.
2. Breathing Underwater During a Flood
One of the most unpleasant scenarios involving breathing underwater is breathing underwater in a flood. Maybe a tsunami swept you away, or you’re trapped in a boat because it’s flooding.
Whatever the case may be, this dream is likely a result of stress, anxiety, or other negative emotions you’re experiencing at the moment.
3. Breathing Underwater at a Lake
Breathing underwater in a lake could be both an unsettling and pleasant feeling. If you’re feeling unsettled, since lakes are more isolated than other bodies of water, you might be struggling because no one is able to hear you.
However, if the dream is pleasant, you might be enjoying the calmness and peace of the situation.
4. Dream of Trying to Breathe Underwater
This dream is the biggest nightmare of them all, and anyone who had it can confirm this. Trying to gasp for air while you’re underwater is a sign of the tension in your life.
In waking life, you feel like you’re emotionally overwhelmed and have a lot of anxiety.
5. Dream of Breathing Underwater with Fish
Dreams about breathing underwater and swimming with fish while you’re there could mean that you’re trying to escape your life. Oftentimes, we choose to ignore our issues when we feel overwhelmed with negative emotions that are a result of a failed relationship, a tragic event, or trauma.
If this sounds familiar to you, then your mind is telling you that you need to take some time to reflect, deal with the situation, and heal from it.
Even though you might think that your mind is the problem and thing that is causing all the issues, in reality, is the only way that you can find a solution to your issues.
6. Dream About Living Underwater
A dream about living and breathing underwater means that you need some time for yourself. It might be that the people around you are annoying you and making you feel bad, which is why you’re looking to isolate yourself.
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Final Thoughts
Dreaming about breathing underwater can be a multi-layered and complex experience. Even though this dream might seem completely random, by trying to understand it we can better navigate through our current experience.
If you find yourself having a dream like this, try to remember the context and the details of the dream in order to figure out the right interpretation.