Solar Eclipse Superstition Q&A
Solar Eclipse Superstition Questions
Presented by Honey B Wackx
Joseph asks…
What are the superstitions surrounding a solar eclipse?
There are many willing to shell out Rs.70,000 for a window seat to watch the eclipse. Read http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090719/860/ttc-eclipse-chasers-set-for-flight-of-li.html
Others in the country are mouthing prayers to ward off any evil after the solar eclipse tomorrow. How did these superstitions originate? Are these superstitions based on some element of truth?
Suzi Q answers:
According to Indian mythology, when amrita(a heavenly drink that would give immortality to the drinker) was churned out of the ocean, both the gods and the demons claimed their rights on it. Lord Vishnu tricked the demons and gave amrita to the the gods, but two demons named Rahu and Ketu disguised themselves and joined the feast. But the gods Chandra(moon) and Surya(Sun) recognized them and on their alarm, Vishnu beheaded them. Since the amrita had reached their throats, their heads remained immortal. The two demons vowed eternal vengeance against Sun and Moon and therefore devour them – causing eclipses. But since their throats are severed, sun and moon come out of their throats after a little while.
There is no basis in truth for different superstitions, it is ignorance that causes fear. Since eclipses don’t happen everyday, people become afraid when they see what they think is an aberration in the laws of Nature. For instance, in the book ‘King Solomon’s Mines’ – the white Europeans are shown to intimidate the African tribe by the help of their prior knowledge of a lunar eclipse, claiming to be deities who can make the moon disappear, but an old woman of that tribe who had lived long enough to witness other eclipses is not taken in.
However, the fear of eclipses, and the prohibition to see it thereof can be related tot he fact that viewing the solar eclipse through naked eyes is indeed harmful.
All superstitions originate when human beings do not have the knowledge to explain away natural phenomena.
Incidentally, the diamond ring formation in the Varanasi sky was breathtakingly beautiful.
Michael asks…
what are the superstitions when there is solar eclipse?
what do people believe and how do they warn to the other not to do something on the day there is solar eclipse?
Suzi Q answers:
I believe it is a time to reflect in that someone or something higher and more intelligent than us designed the heavens and the earth and thought well enough to distance the sun and the moon so they would line up exactly to provide an eclipse. Or as the big bang happened and everything was flying around at ten million mph the moon just happened to form and the earth just happened to form at the exact location in space to provide an eclipse. The aztecs and egyptians new this and were terrified of the eclipse….perhaps we should be too
Sandra asks…
What are the superstitions related to the solar eclipse in your area?
Suzi Q answers:
When there is a Solar eclipse the angle of death is near or one of the four hoursemen of the apoccolapse has deccended upon earth.
Jenny asks…
Anyone concerned about the total solar eclipse today and the superstitions of doom that go with it?
Suzi Q answers:
Unfortunately, I’m not even going to get to see it, so nope, not concerned. People panicked over Y2K and look what happend. A great big NOTHING. Right? Lol
Lizzie asks…
What superstitions surround total solar eclipses? Like the one happening on 22nd July?
Superstitions or religious beliefs.
I already know about the superstitions in India so anything besides that would be beneficial.
Thanks.
Suzi Q answers:
This isn’t really a superstition but you might be interested to know that there are people who predict that a big earthquake will happen near that date. (maybe 14 days before or after).
Donna asks…
Solar eclipse pits superstition against science?
Have any of you been to a Eclipse?
When the all day gets dark. The sun is covered. I been to one and they told us to stay indoors at all times. Kind of scary huh?
Suzi Q answers:
There is no reason to stay inside. A solar eclipse is a beautiful and natural and safe (with the right sun glasses) event that should be witnessed, because they don’t happen all that often.
Mandy asks…
Solar eclipse and supersitions in India?
Why are temples closed down,food not consumed and cooking stopped during Solar eclipse .Yes superstition could be one or the reasons? What are the myths around these practices
Suzi Q answers:
This remains a fact that Solar eclipses were known since time immemorial and the ancient Indian astrology/astronomy was also rich in its understanding of astronomical events. However, the knowledge in those times was limited only to scholars and not to general public. The astronomy scholars of that time very well knew that looking at the Sun with naked eyes could cause permanent blindness but it was very difficult for them to explain this to general masses, therefore, they evolved something to make people not look at the eclipsed Sun and resultantly the myths because only the religious fears could have been able to restrain masses of that period from doing certain things.. It was also necessary for the reason that no filters or techniques were evolved at that time to look at it safely.
Maria asks…
Where can i find information related to Superstitions and Myths related to Solar Eclipses?
Suzi Q answers:
Here’s a few sites I found that might help you out….
Http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/links_legends.html
http://www.pitara.com/magazine/features/online.asp?story=11
http://www.bibalex.org/eclipse2006/HistoricalObservationsofSolarEclipses.htm
Ruth asks…
Solar Eclipse on July22nd, a bad omen?
I don’t know if anyone heard but, the news media is freaking out about a solar eclipse thats expected to happen this Wednesday on July 22nd. Apparently earths moon will stand between the earth and the sun and as a result, completely blocking the sun out. A lot of people with spiritual and religious backgrounds are saying that its a bad omen that will bring violence and turmoil across the world.
What do you think about this? I think it’s just a natural event and I’m not really worried about the earth in general but, how people will react and sometimes people can get out of control with paranoia and thats what makes something like this dangerous.
Heres some sites I found the news on :
Solar eclipse pits superstition against science – Yahoo! News
Varied Predications Made About Wednesday’s Solar Eclipse – Space News – redOrbit
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Edit/Delete Message
* 37 minutes ago
* – 4 days left to answer.
Additional Details
for the sites:
yahoo.com
redorbit.com
straitstimes.com
26 minutes ago
What I found to be interesting is India’s spiritual point of view on the solar eclipse. In Hindu mythology there are two demons that make food and water toxic during the eclipse. I searched the internet and came upon something that could support this mythology as a fact. “The Great Blob of Alaska” there is a repot of a great black blob of black toxic algae floating from Alaska and closer towards the United States. Right now commercial fishermen are not allowed to fish near the algae because this particular type of algae is very toxic and kills crustaceans and fish. This could be an early sign of what is yet to come or it could just be an effect of global warming.
Heres the site info on the algae found in Alaska: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/…
25 minutes ago
why would this solar eclipse be any different over the other solar eclipses that have happened over billions of years? In the Hindu spiritual point of view, this particular eclipse may cause turmoil and chaos on earth. I am not very familiar with the Hindu spiritual point of view on the solar eclipse but, I have found evidence that some of the mythology could be fact. To support my opinion that the mythology could be fact I bring up the article found on cnn.com about the black toxic algae found in Alaska that i killing fish and crustaceans therefore, making food not edible. This blob of black toxic algae is moving closer to other bordering states and will continue to cause fish and crustaceans to be not edible. Within a matter of 2 days which lands on the exact day of the solar eclipse, this blob of algae will have already spread across the bordering states and if anyone attempted to eat fish or crustaceans from the area that the toxic algae contaminated, those people would become ill
Suzi Q answers:
December 21st 2012. Events will slowly lead up that never happened before and everyone will be shocked!
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
