If you had a choice, what would you dream about tonight?

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The other night I woke up in my dreams to find out that I was not actually asleep but wide awake. Although quite baffling, it is not very uncommon and probably many among us have encountered similar moments at some point in our sleep. Dreams are yet another aspect of our life, over which we have little control. We can accomplish many feats in our dreams which would otherwise appear unthinkable. “Dreams come true” is therefore synonymous to accomplishing something truly marvelous.

All ancient culture tried to make sense of their dreams and their interpretation have been carried forward by their descendants. Depending upon happy or sad events that followed a particular dream, cultures created their own almanac of superstitions. We too have grown up drawing various inferences out of elements such as water, food, snakes, elephants etc. and associated action that appeared in our dreams.

Our ancestors connected dreams to our previous birth, forewarning or as a communication medium with the dead. When someone had a bad dream they interpreted it was the handiwork of demons.

A nice happy accomplishing dream makes the day and a fabulous one could keep us dreamy for few days at a time. Who would not like to have a good dream? This craving for soothing dreams created the “dreamcatchers”.

Native American tribes traditionally used “dreamcatchers” as talismans to protect sleeping people, usually children, from bad dreams. The night air, they thought were filled with both good as well as bad dreams. Hanging a “dream catcher” above the bed, they believed would ensure only good dreams came along. 

These are handmade crafts made with a round hoop woven with a loose web of yarn and decorated with beads and feathers hanging below the hoop.