Dreamcatcher: what are they and their meaning

What would you think if we told you that there is an object that can hunt your dreams while you sleep, filter them, take care of good ideas and positive energies, get rid of the negatives and, ultimately, be the guardian of your dreams.

Well, away from technology, ancient American Indians made dream catchers as instruments of shamanic medicine to protect from our dreams. Some beautiful objects, full of meaning and magic that you are sure to love.

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What are dream catchers?

Dreamcatchers are handmade objects that are part of the spiritual medicine of the ancient North American tribes, or as they call, shamanic medicine. It was the Ojibwa people who created the dream catchers in order to take care of us and our dreams while we sleep, working as if it were a dream filter. However, other indigenous peoples were adopting this amulet and making their own versions.

Each part of the dreamcatcher has its own meaning and reason for being. In the,

positive and pleasant dreams are caught, the good ideas for us to keep; while hunting negative dreams and nightmares, staying in its web and dissipating through its central hole and feathers when the first rays of daylight appear. This is why it is considered an object of protection for people.

The meaning of 'dreamcatcher'

The meaning of dreamcatcher comes directly from the translation of its name in English, ‘dreamcatcher’, which means dreamcatcher or dream catcher. However, if we go back to its origins in the Ojibwa people, the original name of this amulet is "assabikeshiinh", which translates as spider, or also "bawaajige nagwaagan", which means stocks of dreams.

What are dream catchers made of?

As we mentioned, each part that makes up the dreamcatcher has its reason for being, as they represent something important that let this talisman protect from our dreams, so the way in which a dreamcatcher is built is not at all casual.

Dreamcatchers are made from a ring, which represents the wheel of life that contains the cosmos and the four cardinal points. Inside this ring is the net, which can be made with ropes adorned with stones, seeds, beads and beads. This central web represents the protective and weaving spider that the Ojibwa believed in., while the surrounding networks are representations of trapped dreams.

Feathers hang from the ring as a symbol of energy, because for shamans, feathers have the same filaments that our aura has and through them our dreams descend.

These dreams that descend on us during the night are those that the dreamcatcher has filtered and that they are positive energy for us, as well as dreams to realize because they are good influences, honorable actions, good intentions and growth.

But in addition to the elements with which the dreamcatcher is made, there are other symbols and meanings stored within it. In the center of the dreamcatcher is the "void", which is the representation of what the native peoples call "the great mystery." This is the source of creation, which is a void in which everything is possible and which also represents unity, because everything comes from there.

Where to hang the dream catchers and how are they used?

If you have been infected with magic and want to have your own dream catcher, there are many stores where you can buy it, but you can also do it at home. You only need the hoop, the rope to make the net, the decorations you want to put inside the net, feathers and all your creativity and good intentions to make the dreamcatcher perfect for you.

Later, the most important thing is to find the place to hang the dream catchers, as this makes a big difference for his magic to work. The dreamcatcher should be hung in your room and as close to the head of the bed as possible.

However, keep in mind that you should not stick it to the wall, as the dreamcatcher needs to move. It is best if you hang it from the ceiling a couple of centimeters away from the wall. If you can place it where a little sunlight reaches it, much better, because remember that light is what dispels trapped nightmares.

Legend of dream catchers

So that you finish understanding the magic and wisdom that is kept in the dreamcatcher amulet and its creation by the North American Indians, we will tell you its legend according to the Ojibwa and the Lakota.

Ojibwa legend of the dreamcatcher

The legend of the Ojibwa dreamcatcher tells us about the existence of a spider woman, named Asibikaashi. This woman was in charge of taking care of the people of her land, especially the children, on whose cradles she was she would approach at night to weave a fine web that would catch everything bad and make it disappear when the day.

The town of her was dispersed by North of America, reason why she stopped being able to protect the whole world. It was then that the women of the tribes began to create their own networks, so that they could protect their children by catching the bad.

The dreamcatcher according to Lakota legend

Another of the original peoples of North America is the Lakota, who are part of the Sioux. They also have their own legend about the origin of dream catchers.

According to this other legend, the master of wisdom, named Iktomi, appeared in the form of a spider in a vision of the spiritual leader of the Lakota. He showed her a dream catcher and told her about the circle of life and all its stages. He told her that at each stage of life we ​​are presented with many strengthsYes, both good and bad, and that we must pay attention to the good so that they guide us towards the good.

As she spoke, Iktomi was weaving a web inside the dreamcatcher. Once finished, he handed it over to the spiritual leader. She told him to use it to help people to stay with good forces, good ideas and good dreams. He told her that the dreamcatcher would carry the bad forces through the center of the hole and that the nets would catch the good ones. Since then the Sioux began to use this magical object.