Suggested Ritual for Hanging a Dream Catcher

Ritual is important because it triggers your subconscious mind into action. In this way the dream catcher becomes an extension of yourself and does what you want it to do.

Before hanging your dream catcher, go through your house and thoughtfully decide in what room you wish to hang your dream catcher. Think about it.

• Do you want it by a window where it will catch rays of light?
• Do you want it over a television set where it may act as a filtering system catching any negative vibrations that can steal in and rob your family of peace and calm, allowing only what is worthy of being remembered to pass through?
• Do you want it over your baby's crib so that while the innocent one sleeps its mind will be blessed with joy and peace?

The next step is to clear the room of negativity and create a sacred space by smudging. If you are uncomfortable with smudging, do what feels comfortable to you. The idea is to clear out negativity and set an intention that this is a sacred, magical, or special object that you are welcoming into your home.

After you clear the space, hang the dream catcher and then say a thank you or a prayer to the six directions.

1. To the Creator, the Never-Ending force that is all, I thank you. (speak directly to Creator Spirit within you)
2. To Mother Earth, the place of nurturing and hope, I thank you. (speak directly to the earth below your feet).
3. 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. (speak facing the direction of North)
4. Spirit of the East, where the sun rises, the place of new beginnings and the promise of Spring, I think you. (speak facing the direction of East)
5. Spirit of the South, place of Summer and rapid growth, the place of our heart and emotions, and the place where we learn survival, and develop a trust in life, I think you. (speak facing the direction of South)
6. 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. (speak facing the direction of West)

As you do this ritual, allow yourself to become aware of the higher power of the Universe called by many names: Great Spirit, Heavenly Father, God, Wakan-Tanka, Jehovah, Allah, 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 it for the goodness it will perform.

Visiting Dream Catchers

Available at Arizona Indian Jewelry ,
this dream catcher was made by Mae in the Navaho tradition.

These two can be purchased from Buckskin Bunny Designs.



This dreamcatcher was found at Peaceful Mind. (link no longer viable)

This one is certainly interesting. It's a virtual dreamcatcher. The tutorial on how it was created can be found at East of the Sun

Native American Dreamcatchers

Native American dreamcatchers are wonderful mandala forms. It is believed that the origin of the Native American dreamcatcher (or Indian dreamcatchers) is from the Ojibway Chippewa tribe. The Ojibway would tie strands of sinew string around a frame of bent wood that was in a small round or tear drop shape. The patterns of the dreamcatcher would be similar to how these Native Americans tied the webbing for their snowshoes.

Traditionally, Native American dreamcatchers were only a few inches in diameter and would be finished with a feather hanging from the webbing. Wrapping the frame in leather would be pretty common too as another finishing touch.

Originally, Native American Ojibway dreamcatchers were made as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. The legend is that the dreamcatcher will catch one’s dreams in the night. The bad dreams will get caught in the dreamcatcher’s webbing and disappear with the morning sun.

Meanwhile, the good dreams will find their way to the center of the dreamcatcher and float down the feather. The Native American dreamcatcher is therefore considered a filter allowing only good, pleasant dreams to get through. Dreamcatchers are also believed to bless those who are sleeping with good luck and harmony.

Stained Glass Dreamcatcher Project

Here is something fun and interesting. It's a pattern for a dreamcatcher. The pattern was designed for stained glass, but it can be colored, or used as a template to decorate a window.

I can think of all kinds of ways to use this idea. If you make something, I'd love to see it. If you take a picture of it, let me know about it, and I'll post it here.

I found this project at Chantal's Stained Glass. Click on the images to enlarge and print them.