Though many people enjoy the look of dreamcatchers, and they may even have one hanging purely for decoration, the purpose of this apparatus has much history. You have likely seen one before, even if you didn’t know what it was. Coming in an array of sizes, these round contraptions resemble a spider web inside of a circle, and they most often have long hanging tails adorned with feathers.
The legend of dreamcatchers began with Native Americans, though many attribute the start of this legend specifically to the Ojibway tribe. There are many variations to the dreamcatcher legend. One belief is that the dreamcatcher catches bad dreams until they evaporate while letting good dreams flow through. Others postulate the reverse - that bad dreams continue through the webbing and exit through the closest window, while good dreams stick to the web, then flow downwards towards the feathers and ultimately to the person lying below it.
Understandably, there could never be scientific proof regarding how a dreamcatcher works. What’s important to understand, however, is that just having a belief in something can be quite effectual. If you have a child suffering from nightmares, you could try hanging a dream catcher above their bed and tell them how the dream catcher will help get rid of these bad dreams. Because your child admires you, he or she will likely acquiesce this belief, and in turn, might have fewer problems with sleep. You can go even further by making an activity out of this by crafting the dreamcatcher with your child.
Dreamcatcher use isn’t limited to children. Whether you simply like the way that they look, or you want to embrace the dreamcatcher legend, hanging something that brings you tranquility is never a bad thing. To make the most of your bedroom, you can spruce up your pillows, you can replace your sheets, and you can even hang a dreamcatcher. Legend has it, it will better your dreams.
