What are the dos and don'ts of a Lunar Eclipse?

The year of 2022 saw two lunar eclipses, one of the lunar eclipses in November itself. While the year is ending, we decided that our viewers should get appropriate information about this phenomenon. Human history has been closely related to the activities of the solar system. From prehistoric times to modern times, human beings have established relationships with these activities. Native Americans used to be scared of it, whereas explorers like Christopher Columbus took full advantage of it in his favour.

Let us, through this piece, look at lunar eclipse myths and facts. Then, we will try to answer popular questions regarding lunar eclipses like ‘can a pregnant woman sleep during a lunar eclipse?’, “should you eat food during the lunar eclipse?” etc.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse or Chandra Grahan in Hindi is a rare phenomenon of our own solar system where the moon moves into the earth’s shadow. Simply put, it is when our planet comes in between the alignment of the moon and the sun. This leads to the darkening of the moon. One of the first mentions of a lunar eclipse is in the ancient Chinese Zhou Dynasty, that dates back to 29th January 1137 B.C.

The Muhurat of the next Lunar eclipse is the 5th of May, 2023, which is a Friday.

These are certain things not to do during the lunar eclipse in 2022 or the following year-

Avoid The Usage Of Sharp Objects- As per astrology, one should avoid sharp objects, especially pregnant ladies and children, because it is a bad omen. Unless it is an absolute necessity, one should avoid it.

Avoid Pre-prepared Food And Drinks- Lunar eclipse food is a much talked about topic. The scientific reason for not eating during a lunar eclipse is that it is advisable to not eat or drink pre-made food or drinks simply because during any eclipse, harmful radiation surrounds us, and it may affect your food. So to be on the safer side, one should avoid the pre-cut veggies or pre-prepared food.
Avoid Looking At The Moon Directly With Naked Eye- There is no scientific backing to this one, but just because the moon might release some harmful rays which can affect the eyes. If you are still hesitant to look directly, you can surely look at the moon with an optical device like a camera, sunglasses etc.

People Should Try And Stay Inside- In any eclipse, people are advised to stay inside because historically, eclipses are considered bad omens but also because this phenomenon destabilises the solar system, which leads to harmful rays being attracted to the earth. So one should try and stay in their shelter to avoid harm’s way.

Also Read: What Are Dos And Don’ts Of Solar Eclipse?

What to do during a lunar eclipse of 2022 and the following year-

Using Tulsi To Prepare Food – Once the eclipse passes, you should prepare food, and you should sprinkle some leaves of Tulsi on the food. Tulsi is a sacred plant in Hinduism due to its medicinal value. People say that it is immune to contamination and corruption by radiation. So once you add it to your food, it purifies it of any lousy radiation and energy.

Chandra Pooja –One should prepare themselves to worship the moon god or Chandra pooja in Hindi. It is mainly done to purify the vibes around you and cleanse your body and mind of any negative energy and to drive misfortune away from yourself.
Gayatri Mantra- One of the spiritual things to do during a lunar eclipse is to recite the Gayatri Mantra during a lunar eclipse. Historically it has been recommended simply just to avoid mishappenings and misfortunes.

Take A Bath With Fresh Water – One should take a bath with fresh water after the lunar eclipse as it cleanses the body of any bad radiation and harmful energy. If you cannot take a bath, then you should try to sprinkle holy water like Gangajal. Gangajal is holy water in Hinduism. Gangajal has purifying values, and it cleanses things of negative energy and harmful radiation.
Pregnant Women Should Take Ample Rest – can a pregnant woman sleep during a lunar eclipse? It is a major concern and a lot of myths have been floating around it. To clear the air once and for all there is no scientific evidence as to why a pregnant woman should not take rest during a lunar eclipse. Women should take ample amounts of rest for themselves and their baby.

Meditate- It has been recommended that one should meditate from ancient times. Meditation is believed to connect the human body to the sun, the moon, and the earth.