The universe uses symbols to communicate with us. One of the most powerful symbols communicated by the universe is an eclipse. Eclipses echo the unconscious layers of people. Hence, they beckon us to ask if we can reflect, transform, and awaken.
Eclipses as Reflections of the Internal Self
Every eclipse creates a glimpse of temporary darkness. It is similar to how we may feel during moments in the inner world when we are not clear about what we think or feel. Just as the Sun or Moon may cover, so too can what we truly feel cover our reality – hidden like the eclipse. However, in the shadow is where the deeper truth emerges.
Psychologists characterize the subconscious as a hidden storage of memories, fears, and desires. Eclipses also reveal buried truths. So, both require us to take a bow of courage to face the things we may not want to see.
Read more: Star & Planet Archetypes in Your Psyche
Scientific Knowledge about Eclipses
With this understanding, it may be helpful to understand that modern-day astronomy can explain eclipses accurately. Research has shown that eclipses can even alter human behavior. A 2017 psychology study indicated that anxiety increased during solar eclipses. Interestingly, some participants reported dreams that were different and unusual. In these examples, we see that eclipses not only affect the external world but also the internal world.
Shadows within the Human Mind
The unconscious mind is a little bit like an unseen sky. We might have thoughts hovering about, be they brighter thoughts or darker thoughts. Eclipses are similar to moments that are unexpected bursts of repressed emotion.
Eclipses and the Inner World: An Islamic Outlook
In Islam, all things are viewed as signs of Allah’s greatness. The Qur’an states that:
“It is He who made the sun a shining glory and the moon a light; and determined phases for it.” (Yunus 10:5)
When an eclipse took place, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did Salat al-Khusuf (the eclipse prayer). He said: “The sun and the moon are two signs of Allah. They do not eclipse due to the death or life of a person. But Allah seeks to frighten His servants with them.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
The hadith suggests that eclipses serve as reminders. It serves to renew fear and wakefulness, bring reflection and humility. Like how the eclipse blocks light, the sin blocks the heart. So, through daily prayer and remembrance, the veil is lifted.
Did you know?
Did you know that the ancients referred to eclipses as cosmic warnings? They viewed them as calls to self-examine?
Did you know that the Qur’an mentions celestial motions over thirty times? Each time it associates the patterns in the sky with implications for the spirit.
Did you know that some studies have shown that animals behave strangely during eclipses? Birds no longer chirp, and night owls wake up early.
Famed psychologist Carl Jung referred to this in his work with clients as the ‘shadow self’. He believed that humans cover up parts of their personality. Also, eclipses reveal shadows and demand attention. People in every culture have related personal transformations to the eclipsing of the Sun or Moon.
The Psychology of Hidden Shadows
Human activity often is temporal in nature, resembling cosmic rhythms. Traumas simply darken memory just like eclipses temporarily darken the day sky. Psychologists can show that when stress is present, suppressed pain often re-emerges just like the hidden moon during an eclipse.
I found one study that was published in Frontiers in Psychology that shows people are more self-reflective during cosmic events. Also, participants indicated they wrote more in their journals, meditated much deeper, and they dreamed, to use the word lightly, like mad dreamers. Therefore, it appears that our subconscious is an extension of celestial rhythms.
Read more: Mind Meets Cosmos: Neural Constellation Quest
Cosmic Shadows as a Call for Inner Cleansing.
When shadows obscure the sun or moon, we realize that light is never a given. Likewise, the mind hides painful memories in the dark recesses of the subconscious. However, facing painful memories gives way to healing.
All religions encourage self-purification (in Islam, for example, there is a verse in the Qur’an that states: “Indeed successful is the one who purifies his soul, and indeed failure is the one who corrupts it.” (Ash-Shams 91:9 10).
The cosmic shadows offer symbolic wake-up calls. So, cosmic shadows prompt us to purify the ego or inner self of arrogance, fear, and hypocrisy.
Curious Facts on Eclipses and the Mind
Most ancient civilizations chose to fast during an eclipse in the firm belief that this would purify their body and soul.
Astronomers found a repeating cycle of eclipses called the Saros cycle in which an eclipse occurs again every 18 years. Interestingly, psychologists have coined the term Trauma Cycle, which describes how similar unresolved traumas frequently repeat (sometimes even in cycles).
A total solar eclipse in 1919 helped scientists to confirm Einstein’s theory of relativity. Shadows and reflections of shadows revealed a truth about our universe, much the way that the subconscious mind can reveal hidden reality.
Tying Cosmology to the Inner Cosmos
Cosmology describes the cosmic dance of stars, planets, and shadows. The subconscious behaves similarly. Thoughts orbit like planets. Desires wax and wane like the moon. Traumas are sudden eclipses.
Contemporary neuroscience supports this with its research. 90% of human behavior happens unconsciously, with the mind unconsciously governed by hidden forces in the system. This illustrates the core premise of cosmology – the fact that most of the universe exists in the form of dark matter and dark energy and is invisible to observation, yet makes up the majority of the universe and shapes everything.
Closing Thoughts
Eclipses are more than celestial events. They are reflections of the subconscious. Modern science says there are cycles. Psychology describes their shadowy meaning. Islam teaches us that they are reminders of the greatness of Allah.
In this way, every eclipse represents a call. It calls us to stop, reflect, and cleanse. Shadows, both cosmic and embodied, are temporary. Through awareness, prayer, and reflection, light always comes back.
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