Dreamcatcher is a traditional Indian amulet. It is a circle of willow branches, braided with threads and reindeer veins, decorated with beads and bird feathers. The main task of the catcher is to "catch" bad dreams and let the good ones pass through the holes in his web.
How to make a dream catcher …
According to the legend of the Lakota Indian tribe, the elder had a vision: a wisdom teacher appeared to him in the guise of a spider, weaved a web around willow branches and hung bird feathers on it. Each circle of the web symbolized a milestone in human life - infancy, youth, maturity and old age. In the center, he left a circle. He told the elder that through this hole, wise and kind thoughts will get to the person, and the rest will linger in the web.
To this day, not only among Indian tribes, but also among many peoples, the dream catcher remains an incredibly popular amulet. It is sold in any souvenir shop, but it is believed that the most powerful is a hand-made catcher.
According to the Ojibway legend, Asabikashi, the Spider-Grandmother, taught Indian women to weave catchers, so that through them she could protect all her people who settled in America. The catcher should have eight lines - according to the number of spider legs.
Catchers made from natural materials are also considered the most powerful. Dense willow branches are required for manufacturing. Bending them into a circle is incredibly difficult, which is why they are usually boiled in boiling water for elasticity. Then the circle is braided with a dense thread, sometimes beads are woven into it for purely decorative purposes. Feathers must be attached, symbolizing air and freedom.
… and where to hang it
There are three very important conditions for accommodating a dreamcatcher in a home. The first is the free passage of air through the weaves. Dreams according to Indian philosophy come from outside and go there, so a good place would be a window through which air flows pass and through which the sun's rays enter the catcher. By the way, the sun is the second condition.
The third condition is that the catcher should hang next to the place where you sleep.
The ideal position for the catcher is above the bed next to the window. You can hang the catcher from a chandelier in the center of the room, or in a doorway if you don't have a door.
Catchers are used not only by Indians, but also by shamans in Siberia. They need these amulets for spiritual practices - during the day they accumulate dreams that can be used at night to evoke visions.
Under no circumstances should the catcher be weighed against the wall. More precisely, it is possible, but then you certainly should not expect any magical properties from it - it will be just a decorative element.
By the way, many of the owners of amulets note that the catcher not only delays bad dreams, but also helps to better remember dreams, this is useful for those who like to use a dream book for interpretation.
According to another, Ojibway legend, Asabikashi, the Spider-Grandmother, taught Indian women to weave catchers so that through them she could protect all her people who settled throughout America. The catcher should have nine main lines - according to the number of spider legs.
