“We need to wake up and fall in love with the Earth. Our personal and collective happiness and survival depend on it.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
There is so much abundance in Nature if only we teach ourselves to see and be aware.
Our eyes have become so accustomed to seeing man-made objects that many times we have lost the capability to see the abundance that is right in front of our eyes.
Where one would see nothing of value except pretty views, others find their means of sustainment for survival in everything that Nature gives.
I had a lovely friend that every time we would go for a walk in the countryside, we would come back with bags full of wild herbs, edible flowers, plants to make salads, soups, and teas, or grass to make baskets and bags. Without mentioning lovely stones for necklaces, feathers, pieces of bark, pinecones… I could go on forever.
What you see above is a little olive tree branch that had been cut and was still fresh, for me one of the best wood that one can use to make dreamcatchers, for they are very flexible and do not break.
I was so happy to have found them the other day because I really wanted to make one and so I considered it a real unexpected gift from her. Just in summer I was sitting under an olive tree and started playing with few branches, although not so green, but made me remember when I used to make Dreamcatchers when living in my Van. So I picked up some, together with beautiful feathers that lovely birds had left on my path one day or another.
So I thought to share with you how I made this dreamcatcher. It is another form of Mandala in fact, but this time coming from other types of Indians. A beautiful way to relax and connect with Mother Nature just by using simple elements that you find wherever you are. You can use any type of branches as long as they are green. And for sure, if you are attentive enough, there are always feathers around.
In this case, I also used some beads I recycled from an old necklace. But if you live near the sea there are so many shells you can pick up too.
Dreamcatchers have a very deep meaning according to Native American traditions. It serves to dissolve nightmares during sleep so they are always placed in the bedroom, especially to protect children. It is round because it represents the Circle of Life and within, the web attracting bad dreams which are then dissolved with the sunlight in the morning. And along the feathers, the good dreams visit the person during sleep.
You can read more of its real origins in this article Dreamcatcher History
I would love to know if you ever made one and how did it feel. Thank you for reading!
SunFreeStar 