Eclipse

    The buzz of the eclipse passing over Texas made me question what connection witches have to the moon. Surely there had to be some significance, as witches are believed to gather at night under the moonlight (witches' sabbath), crystals can be charged or cleansed with the moon, and astrology/astronomy have connections to the moon. All in all, the moon just has witchy vibes, so I was intrigued to investigate it further.

    Traditionally, witches have considered solar eclipses a bad omen, according to NorthJersey.com. It was thought that it was not a good time to perform magic because man didn't understand what was going on. They knew the moon harnessed great power, but were weary of how the eclipse could alter that. Assessing the lunar energy and how the shadow could overlap with the spell would be difficult. Nowadays, modern witches or wiccan people see the eclipse as a time to heal and harness positive energy. 

    Some witches believe that the eclipse can actually make magic work more quickly. John Beckett, a Druid said “These events are powerful. They can, in my experience, speed up magic because the sun goes from bright to dark to bright in minutes, rather than in a whole day. It's an amazing natural occurrence and something we can look at and appreciate". Another witch described the time as an event to surrender to, and that by going with the flow of the energy, one can experience growth and change.

Some suggested witchy activities that can be done during the eclipse, according to NPR.org are:

1. Collecting eclipse water
• Suggested uses include:
• “Use it to water your plants when they're looking down
  
• Put some in your drinking water when you need power, luck, or help for the day
• Use it to bake when you're making something extra special
• Put it in your coffee maker for an extra boost of energy
• Mix it with warm water and Epsom salt for a foot bath to remember
• Put some in with your alcoholic drinks to reduce hangovers
• Add some to your animal's water bowl when they're feeling sick or lonely”
2. Meditation ritual
• The eclipse is a great time to let go of bad habits and negative thinking. One can also use the time to manifest the energy they want to attract in their life.
3. Crystal charging

    On a more scientific note, eclipses disrupt the power grid, causing energy officials to have to take preventative measures to thwart outages. Since the last solar eclipse in 2017, the US now has two and a half times more solar electricity generation capacity. Texas, in particular, has the “second-largest solar capacity in the US”, according to Vox. Since we are also in the path of totality, experts predict we will see a “60-gigawatt drop in solar power production” as the moon covers the sun.