Solar Eclipses: Ancient Beliefs and Supersitions

In this part 2 article on Eclipses I’am going to share with you the old belief systems and mythologies created by cultures and societies from around the world that witnessed the power and awe of eclipses.

Eclipses can be terrifying, invigorating, energizing. They have so many effects on the human being. Because when we look up at an eclipse we realize just how truly small we are. For some it is a humbling experience. They may see it as sign that their life isn’t in their control and they bow down to the grandeur of the universe. For others, they may view it as an omen of something yet to come or of something to past.

Universally eclipses represent times of change or transition. Something is beginning and something is ending. However, to some ancient cultures, eclipses were events that signaled the work of the gods in action.

To some they invoked terror because whatever power can block out the power of the sun, the source of which all of life depends upon here on earth, that power must truly be powerful, and either feared or revered or both. Fear is a natural response to anything that shakes up our normal routine. And what can be more disorienting then the source of all life being blocked out at a random time.

The Inca saw eclipses as a threat. In their mythology they saw that an eclipse was caused by a jaguar eating the sun or moon. They feared that this jaguar of the sky would come down and eat them. So they would gather their troops and shake their spears at the eclipse and beat their dogs to bark and scare the jaguar away.

Traditional cultures linked what happens in the sky happens on earth. As above so below.

The Mesopotamians saw an eclipse as an attack on the king by demons. They had a fairly accurate system as to when an eclipse was to occur so what they did was they would hide the real king and instead place an imposter on the thrown until the eclipse passed. This would insure that if the demons came to kill the king then the true king would be saved.

The Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin of Africa today believe that an eclipse means that the sun and moon are fighting. They take this as a chance to relieve and let go of old arguments and conflicts, a time to come together.

One thing that is interesting is that in a majority of ancient cultures the explanation of an eclipse revolves around eating.

In Vinking lore it was a pair of sky wolves that caused the eclipse when one sky wolf ate the shining orb. In Vietnam a frog or toad eats the sun.

The earliest word for eclipse in Chinese, shih, means "to eat."

People feared an eclipse because they knew that the sun provided them with nearly everything. Without the sun they couldn’t eat. No food meant no life. People would bang pots and pans and make loud noises to scare the creature away. It’s important to note here that people didn’t know about space or how many miles high the sky was. To them it was something that was close. They had very little understanding of depth.

The Navajo people see an eclipse as just being the natural order of things. It’s a time to pause and reflect upon life. In their tradition you are to stay inside with your families, sing songs, and refrain from eating, drinking, and sleeping.

#Science #Nature #Metaphysics #spirituality #mysticism #solareclipse #lunareclipse #eclipse #spiritualawakening #awakening #moonchild #newage #starseed #psychic #spiritualityselfimprovement #hsp #selfhelp #selflove #selfactualization #wakingup #mysticismhighlysensitiveperson #empath #lightworker #higherconsciousness #mysticeye #collectiveconsciousness #raisingvibrations #raisingconsciousness #ancientknowledge #spiritualpath #higherawakening #crystalhealing #paganism #enlightenment #shamanism #collectiveconsciousnesshighlysensitivepeople #psychicoverwhelm #spiritualevolution #soulfamily #rainbowwarriors #ageofaquarius #higherawakeninglightworker #empathsi #familyoflight #lightwarrior #starseedpsychics #wakingupconsciousnessshift