i was going to have nice links and stuff but i was so depressed, however i didn’t just want to leave this!
so alternatives to dream catchers!
witches ladders. they are knot magic with added trinkets, usually feathers! while braiding or knotting just think of the intention of what you want out of it. an added bonus is the fact you can add things you associate with a goods nights sleep, or gems that offer magical properties of sleeping well, good dreams, nightmare reflection ect.
my favorite is satchels that can be made cheaply, filled with herbs and stones of your choice. when completed, put the satchel under a pillow or your bed!
similar to satchels are poppets, or a teddy bear works great for this if you have sewign skills. if you can make a small incision on the bottom of the bear (or stuffed animal/poppet) and while thinking on your intent put charged herbs and gems inside. then just close them right up adn sleep with the bear with you or near you.
if you like the looks of dream catchers to aid in helping you get better dreams i would suggest wreathes, you can add what ever decorations that match your aesthetic and practice, and it won’t be appropriation because its not from a closed religion
and this is a good sight that talks about a few stones that work well
I actually (shamefully) have a dream catcher that I’m only holding onto because I like the look of it (and because it was a gift from my older sister, who I love dearly).
I’ve wanted to take it down, because appropriation is Not Okay, but I wanted to put something in its place and didn’t know what. And now I know what.
I’m going to make myself a nice alternative and retire the dream catcher to storage (because I can’t bear to completely part with it, because treasured gift). So glad I found this post!
Hey ok speaking as someone who has grown up in Cree culture and has spoken to elders about this- dream catchers are 100% ok for non-natives to use. They sell them to non-natives for the very reason they are ok with it and it’s not appropriation. That said you should aim to buy actual native made ones, not mass produced Chinese ones, but according to every elder I have asked, dream catchers are ok. Also re non natives making dream catchers for personal use- I have been told by elders this is fine. I was taught directly by elders myself who showed me how to cut willow and weave the sinew. I was teased by the younger natives for going to the work of doing it the hard traditional way when I could buy a hoop. Things like eagle feathers which are sacred obviously are a huge no, but dream catchers themselves are frequently given to outsiders and not considered by natives themselves to be part of a closed religion. I appreciate what you are trying to do here, but it’s probably better to let actual natives speak instead of talking over them about what is and isn’t appropriation to them. My family is a whole mix of cultures thanks to adoptions and even though I’m not Cree, half my family is, so it kind of bugs me seeing non natives making judgements without actually consulting anyone.
Oh, that’s a neat perspective! I’m glad you replied! Thank you. :3
(I still plan to retire this particular dream catcher to storage because I’m almost positive it’s one of the cheapo Chinese sweatshop ones…)
Hey!! A cree/Mi’kmaq gal here as well, dream catchers are 100% okay!! Again, just get them from native sources, even if that happens to be online- if they’re from a native source no sacred items that could be seen as cultural appropriation in the hands of a non-native will be included usually. The one thing about dream catchers is that you should! Not! Get them tattooed. As dream catchers are supposed to absorb negative energy and nightmares it is basically like cursing yourself, and that is never fun!
You can also make a dream-net/curtain. I’m not sure what the ‘origin’ of it is, but my grandma made them for new babies!
I asked a native neighbor about this a while back and he said the same thing: dream catchers are okay for non-native people to use BUT you should buy them from natives. Not the knockoffs you find from non-natives. Those people who sell the knockoffs are trying to make a profit off of native people’s culture, and that’s extremely uncool. He also said they’re not going to work, anyway…so just don’t buy them off of non-natives.
100% agree. Dream catchers are okay, guys! Again, just get them from those who are actually Native as much as possible, because it helps them make a living and continue on their traditions!
Shoutout to the nonny who suggested this–I’d been reading a lot about it already earlier in the week, so it’s an interesting bit of synchronicity.
Scientific name:Oxalis stricta
Common names: yellow wood sorrel, yellow oxalis, lemon clover
Appearance: Very similar to the common clover you find in any yard: smooth, heart-shaped leaves arranged in threes, medium green sometimes with a slight purple cast to the leaves and/or stems. Yellow flowers blooming all through summer, and somewhat conical, upright seedpods.
Range: Nearly everywhere in North America, and invasive in much of the rest of the world. Prefers sunlight, so look for it in fields and open areas rather than forests. As likely to crop up in your yard or sidewalk cracks as anywhere else.
Historical and medicinal uses: Slightly anodyne, slightly febrifuge, slightly diuretic, the leaves and stems of sorrel have been used to treat fevers and stomach issues, as well as in a poultice on small wounds. A tea of it has been used to stimulate salivation in the treatment of dry mouth, either alone or as a symptom of a larger condition. Can stimulate appetite in a sick person
Warning: never consume more than one cup of sorrel tea in a day. The oxalic acid can irritate your stomach and intestinal lining to cause diarrhea or bloody stools. You’ll be okay… but you don’t really want that. Not for use by anyone with pre-existing stomach lining issues, gout, rheumatic problems, etc.
Associations and Potential Uses: For “souring” love, removing crushes, etc: the heart-shaped leaves are incredibly sour, and I could see it representing unwanted love in a ritual. The flowers are hermaphroditic, too, which holds some poetic value. I’ve seen it associated with faeries and forest spirits, and it could be used in working with those. A worthwhile addition to luck charms too–to call back in thrice the luck you’ve put in.
Neon Tetra Aesthetic 