Legend of the Dreamcatcher

native Americans believe the air is filled both good and bad dreams.Dreamcatchers were hung in the tipi or lodge and on a baby's bed. According to legend, the good dreams pass thru the center hole to the sleeping person. The bad dreams are trapped in the web where they perish in the light of dawn.

I heard once that some hang them outside in the morning to air them out.
What a cool meaningful tradition!

yes i feel Dream catchers have some mystical powers as well as they are beautiful.

We learned about them in school. We had to make some too. My grandmas has abotu adozen of them all around her house. There used to stop any negitive force from enerting your dreams.

You put then above the head of your bed, and at the foot of your bed, as well as any doors .

I made a dreamcatcher
from a kit from the art store
and hung it off my car rear-view mirror
I would put stuff on it as a catch-all
because I kept being confused as to
what is supposed to go through it
and what is supposed to get caught in it....

so if bad stuff gets caught in it
i did a good thing for myself
the artsy craftsy me tied a bow made of
cigarette foil in the web....

I really thought it helped me quit....LOL

whatever works is all good....
I wasn't born with a cigarette in my mouth
so it doesn't belong there.....end of story! ... LOL

Congrats! Thats a good idea.. lol I too need to quit smoking.. and start doing a few thngs as well...... It sounds like you subconciiously wanted to quit.. so when you put the foil on.. i guess you intent casted the right energies toward you......

I'll post a photo of my dream catcher. It's very large. Had it since the 90's.
I plan on getting one for my grand-daughter's cradle/crib.

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Beautiful dreamcatcher Ded, I like the pattern!

Thank you Julie. It's a really tight pattern even after 20 some years.
The feather has seen better days.
I don't like how they attached the turquoise on it. They used really large jump rings. I've tried making a dream catcher but it does not look anything like this one. The artist told me that was a real eagle feather which now are illegal to sell or even have I believe.

I have one made of feathers too. My daughter bought me it for my birthday years ago. Dream catchers? What exactly is the purpose of them regarding the name?

Joan x

Deb it has really held good form after all those years, the eagle feather gives it a nice look. I just can't get over the pattern and how it seems to draw me in, lol. What is the significance of the turquoise and eagle feather?

Deb, that is quite a beautiful one. It looks quite large too. Was it made right there on the reservation? Hopefully you can find a nice one for your granddaughters room. I bought mine last year, it was hand made by a woman who has been making them for 20 years. I had a few choices and I chose one with an Indian Chief and another one for my daughter with a little Indian girl on it. That might be a nice one for your granddaughter too. I will try to post a picture of mine. It's not as big as your's but I was drawn to it so I bought it.
Have to catch up with you later this week on things since I went away.

Joan.............

Sleep well sweet child
Don't worry your head
Your Dream Catcher is humming
Above your bed

Listen so softly
I know you can hear
The tone of beyond
Close to your ear

Love is alive
And living in you
Beyond all your troubles
Where good dreams are true


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The Legend of the Dreamcatcher


"A spider was quietly spinning his web in his own space. It was beside the sleeping space of Nokomis, the grandmother.

Each day, Nokomis watched the spider at work, quietly spinning away. One day as she was watching him, her grandson came in. "Nokomis-iya!" he shouted, glancing at the spider. He stomped over to the spider, picked up a shoe and went to hit it.

"No-keegwa," the old lady whispered, "don't hurt him."

"Nokomis, why do you protect the spider?" asked the little boy. The old lady smiled, but did not answer.

When the boy left, the spider went to the old woman and thanked her for saving his life. He said to her, "For many days you have watched me spin and weave my web. You have admired my work. In return for saving my life, I will give you a gift."

He smiled his special spider smile and moved away, spinning as he went. Soon the moon glistened on a magical silvery web moving gently in the window. "See how I spin?" he said. "See and learn, for each web will snare bad dreams. Only good dreams will go through the small hole. This is my gift to you. Use it so that only good dreams will be remembered. The bad dreams will become hopelessly entangled in the web."

----------------------
An ancient Chippewa tradition
The dream net has been made
For many generations
Where spirit dreams have played

Hung above the cradle board
Or in the lodge up high
The dream net catches bad dreams
While good dreams slip on by

Bad dreams become entangled
Among the sinew thread
Good dreams slip through the center hole
While you dream upon your bed

This is an ancient legend
Since dreams will never cease
Hang this dream net above your bed
Dream on and be at Peace

Taurus.................

Mine is a 27” hoop and from the top of hoop to the bottom of fringe is 50 inches.

Mine was made by a Native but not from here. He was eating at a local restaurant and was trying to sell his goods. I also bought a hand carved flute and two of his painting from him. In my wealthier days before my husband passed.

I don’t think it is traditional to put turquoise in a dream catcher. The Tribe where I live do not traditionally do dream catchers those who have are the Ojibwa. I think the turq. Just a personal preference.
If you are asking specifically about the metaphysical meaning of turquoise.


Julie..............

Turquoise Metaphysical Properties

Turquoise is considered one of the most spiritually powerful stones on the planet. The stone has a huge following all over the world of people who believe in the metaphysical aspects of turquoise.
One of the most widely believed perceptions about turquoise metaphysical properties is the energy surrounding the stone. Both New Age practitioners and cultures throughout the world believe turquoise is a carrier of positive energy that allows the wearer to deflect negativity and ward off depression.
It is also believed to be a stone of good fortune. When offered as a gift, turquoise metaphysical properties will be transferred to the person receiving the stone.
Many cultures and groups look at giving turquoise as a gift with high importance. Offering the stone as a gift is like handing someone positive energy, good fortune and the ability to ward off depression and sadness.

it is also widely used as a treatment stone my modern day crystal healers who believe turquoise metaphysical properties are strong enough to treat physical conditions – even protect against the negative impacts of alcohol, pollution and other toxins.
The spiritual turquoise metaphysical properties span the course of history. Many of the legends that transfer into modern American society were introduced by the Native Americans of the Southwest.
It is believed the stone can enhance psychic receptors in the body and mind, helping the wearer connect with the spiritual realm. Turquoise also protects from supernatural spirits that wish harm on the living realm.

Due to the psychic energy, turquoise can also aid in meditation, helping to clear the mind and opening a channel between the living and spiritual world
There are scores of turquoise myths related to the spiritual powers of this remarkable stone. It has symbolized wealth and good fortune in cultures throughout the world and remains one of the most revered power stones to this day.

DREAM CATCHER MEANING
Originally the Dream Catcher was intended in teaching natural wisdom. Made of a ring willow twigs and woven with a web deer sinew and adorned with personal fetishes of natural feathers and one gemstone which symbolized only one creator in the web of life. The feathers would differ between male and female as the women’s feathers would be from the owl, signifying wisdom. The men’s feather would be from the eagle as a sign of courage. The web would be woven in eight directions from the center representing eight legs of the spider. We have also read of some dreamcatchers having seven directions indicating the seven prophecies.

Dream catchers are a fascinating part of the culture of the Native Americans originating from the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Nation who believed that the dreamcatcher would alter a person’s dreams by protecting the sleeper from negative dreams by catching bad dreams inside its web and allowing good dreams to filter through the center hole and descend down the feathers to the dreamer. The slightest movement of the feathers would indicate the passage of another beautiful dream. Bad dreams however were trapped in the web and would be burned off by the morning sun. The parents or grandparents of newborns would weave the dreamcatcher and hang it over the cradle to give the infant peaceful and beautiful dreams. During the Pan-Indian movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s though, the dream catcher started becoming popular in other Native American tribes like the Cherokee, Lakota, and Navajo.

As a traditional arts and crafts of the Native American people, the dream catcher has been part of ancient Native culture for generations. The dreamcatcher however has become a recognized symbol in Native American Jewelry making and has now even been adopted by non-Native American cultures, such as in New Age traditions.

Contemporary Native American dream catchers are still hand-made and are available in an assortment of colors in natural leather, black, medium and light brown, tan, pink, purple, orange, yellow, red and blue. The natural feathers also come in natural colors or dyed in the same colors which have become increasingly popular. Dream catches crafted today may have four gemstones representing the four directions with no feathers.

All Native American dream catchers sold come with certification of authenticity including the artists name, tribal affiliation and census number.


Here is some excellent eagle feather descriptions I had.
http://www.featherguide.org/authenticity/Imperial_Eagle/index.html





I love this Eagle photo attached.
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Isn't he beautiful......look at his eyes.....

Let's let the experts on Eagle feathers give you a meaning for it.

Gathering of Nations is a great site. Here's an article.
http://www.gatheringofnations.com/educational/articles/feather.htm

Here are some great drums Mia from the Gathering of Nations website.

http://www.tribalspiritmusic.com/

The tribe where I love have huge drums that several sit at and drum.
I've seen five or 6 sitting at that large drum.
I saw some 32 inch on another page.

Another eagle feather link to meaning
http://nappaw.tribe.net/thread/52fd3f78-10cf-4b33-9092-30b5442222e3

Fantastic Deb, thanks for that info. The eagle truly has a deep wisdom in his eyes. Amazing close up of the dream catcher pattern.
Thanks for your time in your reply

You're welcome Julie.

In the book
"American Indian Secrets of Crystal Healing by Luc Bourgault

Turquoise is not a crystal. It represents the sky and its spiritual qualities.

(spirit clouds I see and photograph)

Yes it is a beautiful eye! It actually looks green, I never thought of birds having green eyes, that is amazing.

Have you found the dream catcher for Bailey?

I saw a TV show the other day where a medium spoke to very young babies, who couldn't speak yet and they talked back to them and told him what made them upset and cranky. It was very interesting. He actually helps the parents understand why their children can't adjust to sleeping habits and other things. Maybe you can have a conversation with little Bailey??