I created Living ROI as a passion, to share my experiences and support others who want to live more authentic, joyful and fulfilling lives.
Dear Friends,
These lyrics from the Elton John song, Spanish Harlem, used to haunt me:
“Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can’t and that is why
They know not if it’s dark outside or light”
I remember listening to the song one night as I drove home from work several years ago, having missed another evening with my family. I never saw the sun that day. Many days in the winter, I’d get into work before the sun rose and would leave after it set.
Those days are long gone for me. I still work hard, and sometimes put in a lot of hours, but I always get outside, and I don’t choose work over my well-being, my family or the rest of my life. I pay particular attention these days to what is happening in the natural world around me, and tonight we’re in for a treat.
If you’re in North or South America, and the sky is clear, you will be able to see a spectacular full moon eclipse starting at 7:30 pm PT (10:30 pm ET) tonight.
With a name like that, who would want to miss it?
- It’s “super” because the moon is at its closest point to Earth.
- It’s “blood” because it will look red during the eclipse.
- And it’s “wolf” because that is the name Native Americans gave the full moon in January as it appeared when wolves howled in hunger in the dead of winter.
Despite the government shutdown that has furloughed most of NASA’s staff, the space agency published a total lunar eclipse guide. Thank you, NASA staff!
If there are poor weather conditions, NASA officials recommend visiting the website TimeandDate.com for a live feed of the event. Space.com will also host eclipse webcasts and has posted guides.
And for the fun of it, here are some of the stories, beliefs, myths and superstitions about lunar eclipses from around the world:
- Pay it forward: Tibetan Buddhists believe that the good (and bad) deeds you do during a lunar eclipse are multiplied tenfold.
- A time for reconciliation: According to one African legend, the lunar eclipse is a period of battle between the sun and the moon, and chants and dances are done to encourage reconciliation in the sky. They use this time as a way of resolving quarrels amongst themselves. (We could use some of that right now!)
- Coming changes: Many Native American tribes say lunar eclipses are a sign of a transformation to come.
- Make some noise! Incan civilizations believed that Blood Moons occurred when a mythological jaguar attacked and ate the Moon. To drive it away and stop its slaughter, the people would shake spears at it and make their dogs bark at the night sky. Today’s sky watchers still give a nod to this ritual by watching lunar eclipses with noisemakers in hand to “scare off” whatever is swallowing the Moon.
- The end of the world: Some believe the Blood Moon is a prophetic sign of the Apocalypse, foretold in the Book of Revelation. (Let’s hope they aren’t right!)
- Dry weather to come: According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, A red-tinted Moon means a dry year.
If you miss the Super Blood Wolf Moon tonight, there will certainly be a replay on space.com.
Wherever you are, I hope you take a moment to go outside, look up, and enjoy this spectacular sky show,
Barbara Fagan-Smith
CEO, ROI Communication
Chief Catalyst, Living ROI
