In navigation bearing refers to : 1. the direction of motion itself; 2. the direction of a distant object relative to the current course 3.the angle away from North of a distant point as observed at the current point.
There is a thing called absolute bearing, and it refers to the angle between the magnetic North/true North and an object. (e.g. an object of 0 degrees would be dead ahead, whereas and object of 180 degrees would be behind you)
