Another eclipse like the one we just had yesterday will not occur in the United States for another 20 years. I hope you were able to have a great experience with the one we just had yesterday! Sadly some of us were under cloud cover. But for those of us who could see it, the alignment of the Earth, moon and sun presented a wonderful show! In my location I had fantastic eclipse viewing weather. I was not in the path of totality, but I was close enough to have had a grand experience.
For many people different feelings arose. Excitement, anxiety, the sense of chaotic energies and curiosity were just a few. Some people wanted to experience the wonder of being one with the Universe and traveled great distances to witness the event. Some put out all manner of magickal items to be charged or blessed such as bottles of water, crystals, Tarot decks and jewelry. This presented a chance for a momentary experience to find out exactly how dependent we are on the sun. One could easily understand how the eclipse gave rise to myths and customs surrounding this type of event. I appreciated the one about the dragon swallowing the sun. Other people were interested in the scientific opportunities that could be observed only during an eclipse. This type of event stimulated inspiration.
There were some people who wondered aloud about feeling blasé about it. They said that yes, it was a big deal for many, but they just could not get into the excitement. Was it normal to feel that way? I feel that there are many wonders in the world and indeed the Universe, and our attitudes to them vary from person to person. For me whale watching was filled with moments of awe. A great online resource to follow discussions about impressions of the eclipse is Elderwitches on Reddit. In addition to comments people posted pictures of the eclipsed sun. For more resources try Googling nasa.gov/solar eclipse and the Farmers’ Almanac 2024 eclipse.
There are many ways to observe a solar eclipse. One way of course is to don a pair of eclipse glasses or appropriate welder’s mask to view the sun. Another is through a telescope equipped with appropriate filters and view the sun that way. A pinhole box is yet another method. There is also the indirect route. Observe shadows during an eclipse as in the above photograph. Do not ignore the wildlife, either. The responses of animals to a solar eclipse can add insight to the event. Some animals however were unimpressed like my cat who slept through the experience. Check out my video below of shadows of leaves as you listen to bird calls during this past eclipse.
I hope you had a meaningful experience with yesterday’s solar eclipse!
Auburn Greene
My Inner Wiccan 