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.

 

Native Commandments

• Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect.

• Remain close to the Great Spirit.

• Show great respect for your fellow beings.

• Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.

• Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.

• Do what you know to be right.

• Look after the well-being of mind and body.

• Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.

• Be truthful and honest at all times.

• Take full responsibility for your actions.

Let us greet the dawn of a new day when all can live as one with nature and peace reigns everywhere. Oh Great Spirit, bring to our brothers the wisdom of Nature and the knowledge that if her laws are obeyed
this land will again flourish and grasses and trees will grow as before.

Guide those that through their council seek to spread the wisdom of their leaders to all people.

Heal the raw wounds of the earth and restore to our soul the richness which strengthens men's bodies and makes them wise in their councils. Bring to all the knowledge that great cities live only through the bounty of the good earth beyond their paved streets and towers of stone and steel.

~Jasper Saunkeah, Cherokee~

 

Dreamcatcher Legends

Lakota Dreamcatcher Legend

Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared to him in the form of a spider.  Iktomi spoke to the old man in a sacred language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand.

As he spoke Iktomi took the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horse hairs, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web. He spoke of the cycles of life....how we begin as infants and move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of once again as infants, thereby completing the life cycle.

Iktomi said, "In each time of life there are many forces and choices made that can affect the harmony of nature, and interfere with the Great Spirit and all of his wonderful teachings."  Iktomi gave the web to the Lakota elder and said, "See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a hole in the center of the circle.  If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good dreams and ideas - - and the bad ones will go through the hole. Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your peoples' ideas, dreams and visions."

The Lakota elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Sioux Indians use the dream catcher as the web of life. It is hung above beds or in homes to sift dreams and visions. The good in their dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them...but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center of the web and are no longer a part of them. They believe the Dream Catcher holds the destiny of their future.

Dreamcatcher Legend  (origin unknown)

Another tale is told of a Shaman who had been very ill and plagued with bad dreams and visions.  He slept with a Medicine Wheel hanging above him attempting to make himself well.  One night a spider found its way down to the wheel and began to spin a web.  In a very short time the web covered the wheel except for a small hole in the center.  As if it were intended, an Owl flying above in the dark of night shed a feather which floated down and became caught in the web where it hung from the center hole. As the sun rose the following morning, the Shaman awoke from a peaceful sleep free of bad dreams and his illness was gone. He looked to the Medicine Wheel feeling that this must be the source of his healing and was amazed to see the web and feather hanging from the hole. From that day, the Dreamcatcher was used to protect and guide the Sleeping Ones.

 

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