I have had this dream virtually yearly since I was about ten, but I stopped having it when I was about 15 or so and sometimes it happened more often then just once a year.

I am in this area that feels like it is a building (I never look up to know if it is or not) and I think it is like an abandoned aquarium or a secluded beach/cave thing. There are tons of deep tanks filled with water, but no animals and the water is so calm it could be glass, even after I start swimming in it. As I said there are all sorts of cavern-type areas but no sand and the rocks are very dark; the area can seem cold but physically it doesn't. Anyway, the only way to get from one cavern to the next is to swim under and between the rock formations (may I also note that the "rocks" are one solid mass, no breaks and no jagged edges). I always feel like I have to get to the "end" or somewhere, but I don't feel like I am in a hurry. The entire area is dark but underwater there are lights like in pools but no actual bulbs, it just sort of radiates. During the entire dream I do not feel like I am in any danger, I am never cold but not warm, and I do not feel like I am in a hurry.

Any ideas what this dream means? I have always wondered, but have not been able to find/figure out. Thanks so much!

Sounds like you are experiencing some situations of which there seems to not be much of a break, and you are working your way through them steadily without much emotion, just calm and collected on your way to another place in life.

Thank you, I will keep that in mind if I have that dream again.

I agree with ohioguy it means basically you are 'swimming' through life steadily and carefree.

Not sure that carefree fits exactly... I think swimfin is very aware of what is around, but is watching it and finding ways through the situations.

I'm not psychic but I do have an interest in dream interpretation. My take on this is that you are working towards something quite important, you are being forewarned that there may be some obstacles but nothing major and you are being encouraged to 'go with the flow'. Right now you may feel a little in the dark about which direction to take but the lights in the water indicate that things will become clearer in time.