Why and how to use a dream catcher

For the Europeans that we are, it is sometimes by chance, when reading Stephen King’s novel, “The Dreamcatcher” that we discover the existence of dream Catcher.

The object having revealed itself to be relatively effective for the sad protagonists of the story, is nonetheless at the origin, a powerful mystical support to which we attribute great virtues.

Protecting the dreamer, he destroys bad dreams and keeps good ones. More precisely, it eliminates the unimportant dreams, resurgences of the everyday life and leaves to the sleeper, the bearing dreams of revelation, on himself and his destiny.

It is also said to keep nightmares away from children.

Whether apprehended as a simple cultural testimony, meditative support or powerful spiritual object, it comes from a shamanic tradition and it is with respect and curiosity that it should be studied and discovered why you should use a dream Catcher. We also explain how to do it at home.

A beautiful story (or rather two)

The dream catcher comes to us from Native American tribes who practice shamanism. You should not be afraid to immerse yourself in this culture to understand the subtlety of these peoples in conceiving the dream world, and their relationship to nature and animals.

To go back to the geographical origins of the dream catcher, you have to make a detour through the Great Lakes and prairies region of Canada. This object, initially intended for children, would come to us from the Ojibwe nation.

The Ojibwa, a great nation, made up of sedentary seedling clans, were fishermen, hunters, and farmers. They form the third Amerindian nation after the Cherokees and the Navajo. They settled in the United States and Canada

more dream catchers are not the prerogative of the Ojibway alone.

Many Native American tales and legends claim the origin of the dream catcher, here are two, or rather, their condensed version:

It is said that in the past, a protective spider named Asibikkashi watched over children’s dreams, pushing away their nightmares, which she captured in her web.

However great her benevolence was, she could not, on her own, weave the protections of all the wigams, especially as the population grew and swarmed in the great plains.

She therefore taught the art of weaving to the women of the tribe, begging them to assist her in this important mission. It would be from this collaboration that the art of the dream catcher was born.

A second legend, more allegorical, but just as poetic, features a chief Lakota and Iktomi, a spider spirit, who is said to be as joker as he is wise.

Iktomi taught this leader the cyclical rhythms, the chains of causalities that preside over the destiny of beings and the duality of souls, while weaving his web.

he unrolled the thread of his knowledge in this way, in a willow hoop, the chief’s ornament, decorated with feathers, pearls and horsehair.

When Iktomi had finished his lesson, he gave the chief a gift of this first dream catcher, whose function would be to sort the good from the bad thoughts, thus guiding its owner by offering to unravel the thread of his destiny.

The idea of ​​this thread of destiny is not without having a distant echo with the Fates of Roman mythology and it is taken up, universally, at many times.

It is said that in the web of the dream catcher is inscribed the destiny of the sleeper. It is in the form of a dream that she is revealed to him every day.

If this summary is likely to put you in the mouth, do not hesitate to discover more in depth the Amerindian tales and legends. These are always charming allegorical stories, beautifully told, to discover at any age.

To read: The Tibetan bracelet: a step towards well-being

The dream catcher, for whom, why and how?

As long as we take our dreams seriously and like to remember them, that we try to decipher what is said there, what is done there and that we live them as an experience, detached from any waking consideration, then here is an object which must be seized.

There are many reasons for the attraction of dreamcatchers. Whether you simply want to create or offer a unique object, the expression of a distant culture or whether you are looking for a cloudless sleep.

This is about an object of shamanic inspiration.

Remember that shamanism is one of the oldest known spiritual practices.

These are the spirits who dispense their teachings in the form of visions, perceptible mainly by the shaman and sometimes, transmitted by the means of big dreams (here we are again!).

Suspended above the bed or near a window, we take care to orient the dream catcher to catch the rays of the rising sun which will destroy bad dreams.

Besides the possibility of educating the dreamer on his destiny by means of visions, its function is to capture the bad dream which will vanish in the light of the dawning dawn. Thus neutralized, it will not be able to torment the sleeper.

Conversely, the harmonious dream, the one that causes this feeling of plenitude and sometimes continues in the waking state, will move towards the central object of the canvas to reach the dreamer.

Or can therefore say that using a dream catcher is nothing other than objectifying the dream by depositing it on a spiritual support.

Incidentally, it is also said to bring good luck.

This object with a high spiritual content is composed of strong symbols:

The hoop

The hoop of which it is mainly made up, represents the circle of life or medicine wheel, a figure which constitutes one of the fundamentals of Amerindian shamanic thought.

It is a very old symbol, already used by the first nations, it represents life and health. It is initially composed of willow, also used in the pharmacopoeia of the shaman (and almost everywhere in the world)

The medicine wheel is also a cosmic symbol, representing the cycles of life and the alternation of the seasons.

It is worth noting that the symbolism of the circle is also universal, often used as a support for meditation.

Does this mean that spending harmonious nights would depend on solving the thorny problem of squaring the circle?

Not only, because to this perfect symbol must be added that of the spider’s web, and the feathers.

The spider

If in our homes, the spider is above all indicative of the negligence of the occupants of the premises, it has a rather good reputation in all latitudes, and it does not date from yesterday.

This sympathetic arachnid would be at the origin of dreams, weaving in its web the destiny of all creatures, including human beings.

His canvas, a terribly well-tied fractal object, is made up of an interlacing of cleverly arranged threads to trap innocent creatures.

For Amerindians, the canvas acts as a filter, separating and retaining big dreams in its center, and removing less important manifestations.

It should be noted that in this context, the nightmare does not take on the meaning of terrifying images, but dreams of no interest in the progress of the sleeper.

Feather

Feather is not just an ornament, it is also a sacred symbol, especially when it comes from an eagle.

Of all the birds, it is the most revered and revered. As a totem animal, he is notably credited with instilling bravery, loyalty and wisdom. Considered as one of the messengers of the spirits, his spiritual power is to clearly perceive situations.

To read: The Tibetan bowl, an essential to relax (and meditate well)

How to make a dream catcher?

Equipment

– A circle of wood (traditionally willow but any other soft wood will do)

– simple string, or vegetable fibers, colored threads… (the Amerindians also used nerves of dried animals but good…)

– Feathers

– You can add pearls, or any other object symbolizing the dreamer

– Ropes or ribbons

Method

– To make the dream catcher, first take a flexible wooden rod, make it in a very round circle, bringing the two ends together, glue them together.

Take the string and wrap it tightly around the hoop, ending with a strong knot.

This base being completed, it is advisable to draw inspiration from the Iktomi spider spirit because it is now that the most perilous part intervenes, the composition of the web.

Neophyte spider or experienced weaver, for the realization of the web, what must be remembered is that it is a weaving based on the same gesture that is repeated, from circle to circle

Some tutorials on Youtube will turn out to be excellent teachers.

The tie should not be too thick, but it should be strong. Jute yarn seems to be a suitable material:

– We tie a first knot, then we go under the circle and we enter the loop, we apply to make regular spaces for a harmonious whole, then we redo a knot.

– The first turn thus achieved, we repeat the previous operation, starting from the first woven circle.

– Repeat the operation to the center of the structure.

– When you reach the center, place a pierced stone, or glass bead to capture the light, feather … Introduce it in the center of the last circle and make an ultimate knot.

– Tie the ropes or ribbons to the wire surrounding the hoop, hang on it feathers, stones, beads or any other ornament

It should be noted that there are kits on the market to compose your puzzle-style dream catcher. We can also put a certain touch of inventiveness and revisit the concept in many ways.

Finally, it is worth remembering that a spiritual support will be all the more effective when it is charged with the positive energy of its author. This is why, if we take this approach, it seems little inspired to buy the finalized object.

To read: How to find your animal mascot?

What place for the Amerindians in this renewed interest in their traditions?

Interest in their culture allowed Native Americans to develop a new source of income.

We can always wonder about the parodic resumption of this ancestral tradition but it is no offense to popularize an art when we are part of a process of opening up to another culture.

There are many variations around the dream catcher which has been revisited time and time again. The new agers claiming their plagiarism for the sake of resistance to acculturation and the disappearance of Native American culture.

You can also choose not to invest spiritually and wish to acquire an object that respects the traditions and the work of the craftsman.

How to acquire a certified dreamcatcher?

To meet the demands of consumers aware of fair remuneration for craftsmen, several labels have been created to certify distributors, who must subscribe to a certain number of social and environmental criteria.

These labels are issued by independent bodies which regularly monitor compliance with the set of specifications.

It is also useful to learn about a company’s commitments by browsing the “Who we are” section of commercial platforms. The absence of this tab is in itself a source of questions.

Conclusion

To summarize, whatever the approach taken, we can only note that the interest in these dream catchers confirms that the past is in the art of time!