What Are Dream Catchers?

Dream catchers are old, traditional form of art pieces mainly used as sleeping aid. It is widely utilized in western countries and India.

Its construction and design is based on spiritual belief. It is hand-crafted using natural fibres, sacred beads, crystals and feathers.

It has a wooden hoop where, the inner part is woven in a cob web format, leaving a void in the centre. They are attached with some feathers and beads, giving it wings.

Origin

The origin of dream catchers is a debatable topic. Mostly claim it to be Native American in origin which was developed by, Ojibwe tribe. Few refer to it as Shaman, European concept.

It is believed that the cob web of dream catcher catches and absorbs the floating bad dreams, evil spirits, negative thoughts from our environment and filters only positive thoughts, good dreams.

It’s feathers provide protection, healing and good fortune to the one looking at it.

They are believed to trap negativity around the night time and dispose all of it during the time of sunlight. Most of the positive vibrations get refined through the day time.

It gets cleaned itself in the presence of sunlight. But, manually we can add pink salt for its cleansing and removal of stuck energy patterns, dirt, smut etc and reuse it.

It is one of the best illustrations of psychological therapy. Ones psychological health seems to improve after its use.

It has shown to treat various sleep illnesses like insomnia, restlessness and improving the sleep quality through its therapeutic and recreational treatment.

Spiritual Significance

The spiritual symbolism suggests that the sacred hoop ( wooden hoops) is the circle of life which has no beginning and no end to it.They often have three such hoops that indicate the past, present and future times of our life. The outer, middle and inner portion of the hoop represents community, family, oneself respectively and their healing.

The feathers function as wings which assists the dream catchers to fly in the wind and catch dreams and negativity when they are held at nighttime over the place where we sleep.

It’s advance weave and different colours of feathers signify fortune, hope and different areas of life. For example, red and pink reveals about relationships. White and green for personal growth and peace. Blue for faith and protection.

Black and white characterise the yin and yang energy which is an ancient Chinese philosophy. Yang is sun or male and Yin is moon or female. This describes the connection between contrary forces. The presence of beads and crystals enhances optimism, luck and prosperity. Majorly, they denote unity and peace.

Uses

In the native American culture, Dream catchers are hanged on the cradles of the baby which shields them from bad dreams, hoodoo, engages them with the creativity and keeps the child’s senses busy with its attractive features.

One can also adopt them as evil eye for protection and fix them on the main entrance or interior doorway of the house to bring positive energy to those who enter the room.

Sometimes it is employed as a vision board, that is we can add the pictures of our goals and intentions so that they manifest in our lives.

It can be attached as artwork on the wall, deck, attic, large window, above the headboard of bed, bedroom window which improves quality sleep and as an outdoor decor piece which purifies the surrounding area as well. They are commonly used as small accessories as key chain on handbag, purse, backpack. In earing format or jwellery on neck to amplify positive vibes and protection beacuse of their beautiful art work.

Dream catchers and Vastu Placement

According to fengshui and vastu, dream catchers should be placed on the south west direction of the bedroom and house.  It should always be hooked on windows, walls and doors to receive sunlight. This supports to attract wealth and abundance.