dreamcatchers

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goforgoal said:
I do agree with this and I’ve read many forums/threads that state, “Dreamcatchers are superstitious and they are pagan”

I read on wikipedia that some Natives find Dreamcatchers “tacky” and over-commercialized.

However, I don’t keep my Dreamcatcher for luck or anything like that. I simply keep mine because a really good friend of mine made it for me. I hope that makes sense.
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I was once worried about the pretty, sparkly crystal things that one can hang on their rearview mirror or those collectible crystal objects like from Swarovsky (sp). I love the look of those things but was afraid that they were wrong to have since some New Agers meditate with crystals. I talked to my priest and he didn’t think there was anything wrong with having the kind of crystal objects I’m talking about, as long as I’m not using them for spiritual purposes or believe them to have some power.
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I actually read some. It wasn’t as bad though definitely not the best literature out there. Still, they were the first few books that got me into reading so I wouldn’t think of them too badly. :o
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Reading is a great thing! 👍
 
Shin said:
Religious objects of other religions are offensive to God.

Superstitious practices are offensive to God.

Things that are offensive to God, related to other religions, are attractive to the Devil, and have occult influence.

If you want to sleep peacefully, you don’t pick up an object from another religion that is supposed to make you sleep peacefully – on the contrary, being offensive to God and true religion, it will have a bad spiritual effect.
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Well you better tell Father Steve, cause he sends them out with all his donation request letters for the St. Joseph Indian School. I have a whole stack of 'em. They do look like cheap Made in China ones… I don’t think he has the kids make them. I toss his letters, but they usually say something about the “legend of the Dream Catcher” and how it represents the culture of the Native Americans in this Catholic school.

I would imagine if it was against the Catholic Church, his Bishop would have put an end to this way of soliciting donations for his mission?
 
So since Fr. Steve thinks they are fine, and his Bishop thinks they are fine, perhaps you ought to take it up with the Pope?
 
I was just wondering about this today- good post! I’ve always thought dream catchers looked neat 🙂
 
Interesting topic! I am more Native American than any of the half dozen European ethnicities that make up my bloodline, and I am very proud of my heritage. So is my mother, who is also Catholic. One wall of our living room has about eight or ten various Native made objects…including a dream catcher, a mandala, a ritual rattle, bows, shields, etc. And guess who’s sitting on our mantle nex to them? Jesus, St. Francis (we’re into animal rescue, so he’s a very important Saint to our family) and Mother Mary.

To me it comes down to this: When I move the statues of Jesus, Mary and St. Francis, I cross myself afterwards. The Native American objects? Of course not, they’re symbols of my culture, but not holy or sacred.

I was thinking about putting a dreamcatcher over my bed. For my birthday in April I’m redoing my bedroom, and that was one thought I did have. I think I will pass on it, just to be safe, but I don’t think that putting it on a living room wall as a piece of art is dangerous. Especially if Pope John Paul II thought we should keep our culture.
 
I recently had a confessor tell me to get rid of my dreamcatcher. This was in the context of getting rid of a few things I had questions about, two of which were paintings I did.
I gave the (hand crafted and beautiful) dreamcatcher to some of my new age friends. The priest said I should have thrown it away but I couldn’t destroy something lovely that was created by someone.
I missed it for a while but it’s been replaced with a small Virgin and Child ikon over my bed and somehow that feels more comfortable to me. Perhaps if I were Native American, it wouldn’t have come into question. The priest let me keep a little medicine pouch made for me by a friend…after sprinkling it with holy water.
So, that’s my :twocents:
 
I know this is an old thread. I’m Seneca (one of the six nations of the Iroquois,) Bear Clan. We never really attached all that much thought to dreamcatchers, because they were an Ojibwa item.

What cracks me up is when I see them hanging from a rearview mirror. Since according to the dreamcatcher legend, you’re supposed to put them where you sleep, does that mean the driver is asleep behind the wheel?:eek:
 
this is really a coincidence to see this thread because i recently found a dreamcatcher i had packed away, i took it out and hung it above my bed and the question did cross my mind - i wonder if it is okay to have one if i am Catholic? i live in the southwest and have seen dreamcatchers for many years. the state i live in has many indian reservations and i have been exposed to native american culture for many years. i remember when the Pope came to phoenix and spoke to the native americans. so i guess if the Pope says it is okay, i will leave mine hanging where it is. i don’t think of it as superstitious - more of a decoration.
 
odile53 said:
I know this is an old thread. I’m Seneca (one of the six nations of the Iroquois,) Bear Clan. We never really attached all that much thought to dreamcatchers, because they were an Ojibwa item.

What cracks me up is when I see them hanging from a rearview mirror. Since according to the dreamcatcher legend, you’re supposed to put them where you sleep, does that mean the driver is asleep behind the wheel?:eek:
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I have made my own. When I make it, I pray that in the name of Jesus, any demonic influence on my dreams would be stopped. I have thought of using holy water as part of the blessing. To attach a cross to it, or hang it up with a rosary would add a Christian flavor to it.

As for the rear view mirror, I have a rosary now hanging from it. What is wrong with asking Jesus to help you with thoughts that might distract you from driving? Same thing with a dream catcher.

I have very bad dreams at night, part of PTSD, and anything that helps is worth it.
 
odile53 said:
I know this is an old thread. I’m Seneca (one of the six nations of the Iroquois,) Bear Clan. We never really attached all that much thought to dreamcatchers, because they were an Ojibwa item.

What cracks me up is when I see them hanging from a rearview mirror. Since according to the dreamcatcher legend, you’re supposed to put them where you sleep, does that mean the driver is asleep behind the wheel?:eek:
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My dreamcatcher has three long feathers; red, green and blue. It has a magnet on the back so it stays on the bed’s headboard. When I first close my eyes I see images of strange animals. Then the catcher takes me to another world. Such are the dreams I’m having.

Haven’t seen catchers on rearview mirrors. I am not Native American.
 
May not mean that much for a person of non-Native ancestry, or a person whose Native ancestry never had anything to do with dreamcatchers. Dreamcatchers that are not made with prayer and love are just pieces of art.
 
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