How eclipses have sparked cultural beliefs for centuries

BROWNSVILLE, TX (ValleyCentral) — With all the excitement surrounding this solar eclipse on April 8, there are also some superstitions.

If you grew up in South Texas there are so many superstitions in our culture. For example, walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror, is believed to bring bad luck.

However, as many prepare to witness this eclipse, there are peculiar beliefs tied to the cosmic event.

“They do have a strong connection with the solar eclipse, but most of it seems to be more like a fear factor," said Jody Blackburn, a Spiritual Expert and Psychic based in Brownsville, Texas

Blackburn has done countless spiritual readings for people across the Valley and the world since 1979. Blackburn said throughout the decades people have come to him to prepare for an eclipse, specifically pregnant women.

“They would usually wear a safety pin, a red ribbon, and, in some cases, people don’t like to expose the mother to the rays and so they close all the windows," Blackburn said. " I read for people in other countries too and they don’t even cook at a certain time when the eclipse is going on."

These practices date back to the Mayans who believed during an eclipse a bite was being taken out of the moon or the sun.

The Mayans continued the belief that if a pregnant woman looked at the eclipse a bite would be taken from her baby’s face.

While Blackburn said he’s never seen a child born after an eclipse with any deformities or disabilities, having people move away from these beliefs is a hard thing to do.

“The mind is very powerful and sometimes when we are raised around those belief systems, it's very hard to disconnect from. But we see it in families where some of them just don’t believe in it and they just disconnect and follow their own field and that’s okay too," Blackburn said. "It all has to do with how much energy you put into it and it’s not just about the solar eclipse it has to do with everything in life.”

Blackburn said these specific practices and beliefs have decreased in the Valley and many beliefs see an eclipse as a positive thing.

“We are having a new moon that also deals with new beginnings, but it is nothing really to look down on," Blackburn said. "But if you feel that you really have to, especially people that are pregnant, if you feel that you have to wear the little safety pin, if that makes you feel good by all means do it because it is really imbedded in the mind.”

But there are other ways to prepare for an eclipse in a positive way. While darkness may fall upon you briefly the light is sure to follow.

“Try to be your refuge yourself to more clear thinking and trying to figure out what is the next step for me and don’t hold on to things too tightly," Blackburn said. "if we hold on to things to tightly we are only going hurt ourselves, learn to let go of those things, it is going to be a time of balance.”

Blackburn adds this eclipse will be powerful because there will be a mercury retrograde that will be happening until April 25.

Any plans you have put in place to improve yourself won’t happen until after then. However, the most important part of doing that is not to bite off more than you can chew.