Why do we need dream catchers? Talisman protecting the sleeper from evil spirits

Many know about the mysterious talisman of round shape, decorated with threads and feathers, invented by the Indians. Why do we need dream catchers? Their main task is to protect a person's sleep from invading unkind spirits.

About the talisman

It is believed that a bad dream will become entangled in the web and will not be able to penetrate the mind. A hole in the center misses pleasant and harmless dreams. What do you need for the catcher of dreams?

The basic material for its manufacture are deer veins, strong threads and a circle from a branch of willow, on which they are stretched. For beauty add feathers. The talisman should be hung at the head of the bed.

You can buy it in many souvenir shops, but it's much more interesting to make it yourself. The most important thing is to follow the instructions and make the right dream catcher, and not just a fake, similar to it.

The Ojibwe Indians asserted that such a product helps to get rid of anxious dreams, to see only kind and favorable dreams. Entangled in a web of evil spirits scatter, illuminated by the dawn rays of the sun.

The Legend of Lakota

For what the dream catchers are needed, you can learn by reading the legend built by the Lakota people. It is believed that their elders climbed to the top of the mountain, where he had a vision.

In the image of a spider, he was visited by a wise teacher of ancient times. Between them a conversation ensued, during which he took the willow branch into his paws and bent it into the ring, then added a bird's feather to it. Then inside it was a web.

In passing, the elder heard about what the dream catcher meant. It is a symbol of the life cycle. Man is born a child, grows, grows up, and then a new generation grows and grows. A closed cycle is formed, embodying the rebirth and death of people.

The value of the symbol

In the course of the story, the sage completed the work, leaving a small hole in the middle. He explained his action. At each moment of life, a new choice appears before a person, and only he decides which way to turn, go after passion or reason.

It suits only light impulses, but avoid greedy and rash. The web represents the circle of the ideal form. It filters out evil thoughts, while the apertures are filtered by favorable ones. Finding out what is needed for the catcher of dreams and what is the effect of using it, it is necessary to equate it with a filter for thoughts.

Not everyone is able to control his thinking activity. Remaining in silence, we can not just stop thinking. In my head constantly scattered fragments of different paintings. Being interested in what the catchers of dreams are for, we learn that they make it easier for a person to "weed out the grain from the chaff", help to leave only light and pacifying pictures in mind. This is a kind of barrier for the negative and depressive moods.

The legend of the spider

Lakota is not the only people whose sages have answered the question of what the dream catcher means. There is also a legend of the Ojibwe who lived on the Turtle Island (the American Indian name).

The main character of this tradition is also a spider, however female. Grandmother Asabikashi took care of people whom she considered her children. However, this was hampered by the resettlement of the Ojibwe to different parts of the north of the present US. It was not so easy for an elderly spider to visit everyone. In order to protect her wards from evil spirits, she told the women what the dream catchers needed and how to make them. Together they wove a magic web and threads of vegetable origin on a curved willow twig and tendon, with the help of which they defended themselves and their children.

What is a mascot?

The round shape of the product embodies the journey of the solar disk through the heavenly expanses. The web touches the hoop eight times, which indicates the amount of spider's legs. Thanks to such an arrangement, bad dreams did not fall into the minds of people, and only through a small hole did the favorable dreams seep. Thanks to her mind filled with bright thoughts.

Many do not know why in everyday life they forbid killing and driving spiders, treat them with respect and reverence. The reason for this is precisely this invaluable gift to mankind. The feather attached in the middle is a symbol of breathing, because without air life is impossible.

Ojibwe made dream catchers for children and adults, they did not use them for long. The fact that the willow sokla, created tension, because of what the hoop burst. This was perceived as a kind of personification of the transience of young years. In different tribes, the appearance of the products and the associated legends differed, but the common features and significance remained unified.

Nowadays

Today talismans of this type are popular on the territory of almost the entire globe. Their distribution occurred within the framework of the Pan-Indian movements of the late 20th century.

Today this souvenir is available in most shops. Often it is bought for beauty, not believing to the end in magical power, in order to decorate the home with a product of a recognizable Indian form. Followers of the New Age direction often prefer this talisman.

Interested in the opinion of modern Indians about the commercialization of this symbol, you can find out that very little remains of the meaning of ancient legends. Such an example of the use of cultural values can not be called favorable.

With your own hands

However, people who do not consider it acceptable to just blindly hang an unknown symbol in their home, still bother finding information about its meaning, and sometimes they make their own dream catcher.

The instruction does not differ by excessive complexity. As a basis, use a hoop of wood. Of course, the best option is the generally accepted, described in the Indian legends willow rod. If you do not want to complicate your life, take the inside of the hoop diameters of 15 centimeters. The cord is used 2 mm thick and 12 m long. Threads need thick different colors. For beauty add beads and beads, feathers.

The fastening agent is colorless glue. Cuttings are carried out with scissors or a breadboard knife. All this is enough to make a dream catcher yourself. Scheme, as well as detailed instructions are available in the sets for self-production of the mascot. With their help, you spend a minimum of time and easily make a charm.

Procedure

The hoop is tightly wrapped with a cord or braid, so that it looks aesthetically pleasing and the wooden base does not open. For the tail is left 15 cm. Next, feathers are attached to it. After winding, the ends are fastened together. You can use threads of different colors. Then the composition will be even more fun. Craftsmen weave ornaments and patterns, but this requires experience.

To begin with, a monotonous catcher of dreams will suffice. The initial thread is attached near the cord assembly. Here, the beginning and beginning of the web are formed. Do a circular weave. Throughout the hoop, the first row is laid, after which, with the aid of the half-nodes through equal intervals, they pass to the next.

At the same time, beads are placed on the string, which will organically supplement the overall composition. Further manipulations are carried out according to a similar scheme. As the work progresses, the radius becomes smaller. It turns out a web. The last of the knots is tied as tightly as possible. The ends of the thread are cut as close to it as possible so that they do not hang. Then, tail feathers are added, and your author catcher dreams are ready!