According to the Native American people, dreams are messages that come from the sacred spirits. There are different stories pertaining to Native American dream catchers and these are variations of the legend as seen by different Native American tribes. One version states that the hole in the middle of Native American dream catchers allows the good dreams to be passed on to the sleeper, while the web traps all of the bad dreams, and then at the first light of morning the bad dreams would disappear.
The dream catcher has been a part of Native American culture for generations. One element of Native American dream catcher relates to the tradition of the hoop. Some Native Americans of North America held the hoop in the highest esteem, because it symbolized strength and unity. For a 12 inch dream catcher, you will need 3 to 5 yards of strips, so you won't have to buy more than a yard of fabric. Now, to get started, take your bottle of leather glue or fabric glue, and hold your hoop between your knees and put a little glue on the metal hoop and start to wrap the strip of fabric around the hoop. Normally Native American dream catchers are fairly small and are made by bending wood (originally birch) and sinew string tied together. A feather was usually seen hanging from the webbing. Today it is very common to see Native American dream catchers in many places. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about dream catcher native made? Well you're in luck, because here they come. There are 984 dream catcher native made for sale on Etsy, and they cost $25.36 on average. The most common dream catcher native made material is metal. The most popular color? You guessed it: blue.
Another version of the story about Native American dream catchers says that the web will capture all of the good dreams and let the bad dreams go out through the hole. Dream catchers were thought to have originated with the Ojibwe tribe, also known to many as the Chippewa Indians. And there are many stories about how the dream catcher came to be. The Ojibwe tribes used to tie strands of sinew in webs around a tear-shaped frame and then they would hang the dream catcher above a sleeping Native American child’s bed to help protect them from nightmares.
Normally Native American dream catchers are fairly small and are made by bending wood (originally birch) and sinew string tied together. A feather was usually seen hanging from the webbing. Today it is very common to see Native American dream catchers in many places. You can see them hanging from car mirrors, on people’s walls as decorations, and even in many modern day tattoo designs. Many are mass produced and sold as decoration but it is still possible to find real authentic hand made Native American dream catchers. There are thousand of Native Americans that live on reservations and others that live on their own that are still Native American traditionalists, and among these Native people you can find these authentic dreamcatchers. Over time the dreamcatcher was also adopted by many other Native American tribes’ throughout the land and they gained a lot of popularity as beautiful decorations in the 1960’s and 70’s. When you find somewhere to obtain an authentic dream catcher nowadays it will usually come with a certificate of authenticity with the name of the Native American artist who made the dreamcatcher on it, this will help ensure you it is a real Native American dreamcatcher.
THE ANCIENT CEREMONY OF SMUDGING
Smudging is a form of cleansing a room, an object, a physical body or place, of negative energy. You will need some sage to smudge your house, which you can gather from the hills or purchase in a metaphysical store.
When you get ready to hang your dream catcher, follow this procedure:
Lift the smoke upward, saying:
Stand in the center of the room and light the sage. When it has ignited and burned for a few moments, gently shake it over a shell or fireproof container like an ashtray to extinguish the flame so it will only smoke. Begin by purifying yourself with the smoke. Move the smoking sage around the perimeter of your body, paying particular attention to any area of your body which is not in balance, or which is manifesting any sign of ill health or pain. Then offer the smoke to the six directions.
1. To the Creator, the Never-ending Force that is all, I thank you.
2. Extend the smoke downward, saying: 'To Mother Earth, the place of nurturing and hope, I thank you.
3. Facing the north, lift the smoke upward, saying: To the Spirit of the North, the place of winter and intuitive understanding, of healing, and the place of beginnings and endings, I thank you.
4. Facing the East, lift the smoke in that direction, saying: To the Spirit of the East, where the sun rises, the place of new beginnings and the promise of Spring, I thank you.
5. Facing the South, extend the smoke in that direction, saying:
To the Spirit of the South, the place of summer and rapid growth, the place of our heart and emotions, and the place where we learn survival and endurance and develop a trust in life, I thank you.
6. Facing the West, lift the smoke, saying: To the Spirit of the West, where the sun sets and we find healing and self knowledge that gives us the power to use our head and our hearts to serve and to teach, I thank you.
Next, smudge the dream catcher.
When you smudge the dream catcher, slowly move the sage around the perimeter of the object, beginning at the front and covering the dream catcher thoroughly with smoke.
Then walk slowly around the edge of the room in a clockwise direction, allowing the smoke to be drawn thoroughly around the edge of the room.
As you do this ritual, allow yourself to experience the cleansing, healing power of the smoke.
Become aware of the higher power of the Universe called by many names:
Great Spirit, Heavenly Father, God, Wakan-Tanka, the Ascendant, All That Is, and allow yourself to feel the presence of the Power within you.
At this point, face the dream catcher, and speak out loud to it and tell the dream catcher what you want it to do. Speak to the object as a friend, for it is your friend, an aspect of yourself.
Close by thanking it for the goodness it will perform.
You can use this ceremony for cleansing your house, your car, your Self, or any thing or place you feel has collected negative energy. Simply remove the phrases pertaining to the dream catcher.
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