The Real Life Patronus Charm

Since my childhood, my favourite time of the day has been the dusky evening. Watching through my wide-opened windows while sipping the evening tea with some fine snacks is the most peaceful thing. One main thing which bound me to this scenario since my younger days is the evening sky. It looks so charming with all the bright pastel shades. Isn’t this such a fascinating scenario? Then, a tiny breeze enters my room and secretly whispers to the most eye-catching object that hangs on my wall; The Dream Catcher.

At first glance, it is just a decorated modern handcraft. A knitted hoop, much like a cobweb, decorated with beads and feathers. But for me, it is more than just a handcraft. It’s something that’s alive and is a blessing, which always makes me feel confident and comfortable. But what is meant by a dream catcher? Something beautiful, of course. However, apart from its beauty, there is something wondrous to dig and find. If I pen down something like this with regards to the dream catcher, “A dream catcher absorbs all the evil feelings”, would you agree with me? It is a fascinating ancient story woven around the concept of the dream catcher.

Old Nepalians believed in the concept of the dream catcher from a religious viewpoint. So, they had a habit of making dream catchers, referring to the spider’s cobwebs, to get rid of bad dreams. Specially they used this method to heal kids from bad dreams. When we talk about dream catchers, we cannot forget the Ojibwe culture. The indigenous Canadian civilization called Ojibwe had many fascinating myths regarding dream catchers. But, like what Old Nepalians believed, they too admitted this concept as a pious and pure theory. These Ojibwe people speak about a Spider-Woman known as Asibikaashi. It is said that she helped these Ojibwe people with every difficulty they faced. She especially looked after mothers and the female community. So, the Spider-Woman began inspiring mothers and other female family members to make dream catchers. Thus, they started this beautiful weaving concept to commemorate the Spider-Woman.

This myth which has been woven around the dream catchers, is dedicated to kids. It carries the idea of protection. A safe sleep throughout the night without horrible dreams. According to the imagination of the Ojibwe people, they believed that good dreams pass through this web and flow downwards through the beads and the feathers into children who are in a deep sleep. Like how a spider catches its prey, the dream catcher too catches our bad dreams. And those bad dreams disappear with the first rays of the sunlight.

This is quite enchanting because the idea of the dream catcher itself draws a magical feeling in my mind. I felt the same emotion when watching a pivotal scene in the Harry Potter movies. The scene where Harry successfully performs his Patronus charm for the first time. Your most cherished feelings, comes out with the charm. It is the Patronus charm where you recall one of your favourite memories, and through that memory, you create your Patronus. Dreams are always dealt with memory. The most dreadful nightmare you see is one of your inner feelings. Here, the dream catcher acts as a Patronus charm by giving you some consolation through a beautiful dream. And also, it is the same as the rays created through the wand to dispel the dementors vs the sun rays, which falls into the dream catcher to dispel the bad dreams. The theory behind the dream catcher is somewhat advanced, but it carries some interesting things to examine. The traditional dream catcher is made with eight points where the web is attached to the hoop. This concept illustrates the eight legs of a spider. The eight points represent energy, wisdom, and learning. Anyhow the deeper meaning hidden inside the dream catcher is always a ‘positive energy.

My addiction to the dream catchers will never end, because there is a strong sense of peace inside it. Whenever I feel bored or dull, I look at my beautiful dream catcher with sea blue feathers and white beads. There is no greater consolation than watching how those little feathers swing so slowly to the rhythm of the breeze. But, of course, someone can argue that this is something artificial and how could one possibly relax by observing a dream catcher. My idea is, it’s a culture. Dream Catchers represent an extremely creative culture. Though it has turned into a business at present, this particular beauty recalls a tradition. They believed in this tradition. They had faith in it. Just collect some feathers, wool, and beads, pour your soul into it, and see the magical beauty of your final output. Then, hang it in your favourite place. You will realize how peaceful it is to watch that simplicity. It will help to heal the stressed mind by scattering positive energy around you.

Try to be like a dream catcher. It is human nature to take in the stimuli surrounding us daily, but make sure to filter those and grab only the positive energy. Then, of course, it will work as a Patronus to dispel your evil thoughts from your mind. And then, you will finally have a comfortable night of slumber beneath the dream catcher.

– Rtr Sarasi Adhikari