A dream catcher has a fairly small circumference and consists of a wooden ring covered with a canvas or net made of natural fibres. It is also decorated with sacred objects such as feathers and beads. All these elements must be natural.
Authentic dream catchers are made with a wooden hoop, usually made out of willow, and often have sacred objects (beads, feathers) hanging beneath the center of the circle. Some have leather wrapped around the wooden portion which is often an indication of its authenticity.
In many Native American tribes, a dream catcher is a handmade willow hoop woven to a web or literally, a net. They can include feathers and beads, and they're traditionally suspended on cradles as a form of armor and protection.
A dream catcher does not prevent bad dreams, it merely protects the spirit from the long term negative effects of them. Sometimes referred to as "Sacred Hoops," dreamcatchers were traditionally used to protect sleeping people, usually children, from bad dreams and nightmares.
Most believe that the best color to choose for a dream catcher is white and blue symbolic of hope and pureness. The color white also represents freshness, goodness, light, simplicity and coolness which make it the best option. However, the choice of color is subjective as every color has its own meaning.
Bedroom: The primary purpose of these sacred items is to shield sleeping people, especially babies and children, from bad dreams and their negative effects. So, hanging them over or near the bed is the ideal placement of dream catchers.
The main drawback of dreamcatchers is that they should not be sold or given as gifts because the recipient would lose their good luck charm. The legend says that if you receive a dream catcher as a gift, you must give it away willingly so the person giving it will still have good luck.
Hang the dreamcatcher in the centre of the attic or its window to collect any remaining spiritual energy that may be there.
A feather falling off of a dreamcatcher could symbolically represent a nightmare trying to attack the dreamcatcher to invade your dreams. You can replace the feather after performing a smudging ritual to cleanse the room and the dreamcatcher of any bad spiritual energy.
Meaning of the Dream Catcher
Shape: The circle represents the circle of life. symbolize. Web: The web catches and destroys bad dreams at night. Feathers: The good dreams pass through and gently slides down to the feathers as a way to comfort the sleeper. Beads: The beads symbolize the spider, the web weaver itself.
Since dream catchers are traditionally made of willow and sinew, they aren't meant to last forever. They are intended to dry out and break down once the child enters the age of “wonderment”. The legend of the dream catcher: The legend of the dream catcher began long ago, when the child of a Woodland chief fell ill.
A Red Dreamcatcher: Red is the colour of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.
It's not a typo. It's on purpose because you see, dream catchers are supposed to help you give good dreams and a dreamkatcher holds evil inside it. Does a Dreamkatcher look different from a dreamcatcher?
All the different coloured ones are protective in their individual way. However, there are many who prefer the white and blue coloured dream catcher. These colours symbolize purity and hope. The white colour also symbolizes goodness, freshness, and light.
Dream catchers are full of all kinds of dreams, and to avoid the negative and scary ones, hang the dream catcher in the East or South direction. Never face it in the North direction as it will attract terrible vibrations.
Dreamcatchers are not just round hoops decorated with feathers, beads, and other trinkets. Every aspect of a dreamcatcher, from its shape to the various décor accessories, have a specific meaning.
Typically the DreamCatchers will last anywhere between 1-2 years depending on the way they are taken care of, daily wear and also the products that are used on them.
If you are honoring dreamcatchers and their cultural origins, then there's usually nothing wrong with hanging a dreamcatcher above your bed or even your car. However, if you're considering using them in ways that don't respect the culture, you may be appropriating indigenous culture.
You should have 6 - 8 in. of string to tie 2 or 3 feathers which dangle from the center of the dreamcatcher. Tie on 2 or 3 feathers and knot.
The main strings of the dreamcatcher are meant to represent a spider's web which catches the bad dreams, and the centre hole in the middle is where the good dreams pass through down to you.
According to ancient beliefs, Dreamcatchers were employed to overcome nightmares. Dreamcatcher should always be placed in the southwest direction. This not only brings positive energy to the house and it also removes nightmares. It also improves the Vastu of our house.
Dream catchers are always supposed to be gifted to a person and not taken on purpose. Sometimes, even a piece of bone or a tooth... anything that is important to the person making the dreamcatcher was put in to remind them of the aim.”
They serve a protective purpose. Those who believe in dream catchers say that they act as a filter for dreams. They send good dreams to the sleeper and the bad dreams away. Traditional dream catchers are made with eight points where the web attaches to the hoop.
Well buying one for yourself is kind of the same as being gifted one, as you are gifting it to yourself. Generally if you want it to work properly then you should make it yourself. Its not hard, all you really need is some card, scissors and string. I have only ever owned one that i did not make myself but it did help.