How to Bless a Dreamcatcher

The dreamcatcher is an important symbol in many Native American cultures, although others have adopted using it for their own purposes. Traditionally designed with a round wooden frame interlaced with webbing, beads and feathers, the dreamcatcher usually hangs near a window or an open space of a home. The main purposes of the dreamcatcher are to provide spiritual protection and bring you closer harmony with your inner soul. Blessing a dreamcatcher is a customary way to breathe life and strength into the object.

Hammer a hook or nail into a horizontal post approximately 6 feet off of the ground. Select an outdoor space for the blessing. Hang the dreamcatcher from the hook.

Layer the ground below the dream catcher with a thick pile of sage, cedar and/or sweetgrass to prepare for smudging. Smudging is the traditional Native American blessing of dreamcatchers. Use dry plants to induce smoke. Surround the pile with rocks or bricks to contain plants. Carefully light the plants on fire and allow the smoke to waft up and surround the dream catcher.

Chant to Wakontaka, the Native American symbol of life's creator, as the smoke rises over the dreamcatcher and towards the heavens. Repeat the chant with long, monosyllabic tones -- WA-KONNN-TAAANKAAH, for example -- 4 to 8 times to honor the creator and complete the blessing.