On a recent Friday night at the October Metaphysical Shop in Lakewood, Ohio, astrologer Ana Dolga said, We talked with patrons about how to interpret the effects of the upcoming total solar eclipse.
“The sun and moon are together, so it’s very suitable for starting something new,” says Dolga, who goes by the name Ana Translivana. “Because the moon is just releasing all of the sun’s energy.”
Although solar eclipses occur every 18 months, a total orbit only occurs in one location approximately once every 400 years.
On April 8th, Cleveland will walk that perfect path for the first time in centuries.
For members of Northeast Ohio’s large and active spiritual community, this is a big deal.
Nature is especially important because more than one in five Americans say they are spiritual but not religious. And while Monday’s total solar eclipse is a scientific phenomenon, it can have a truly mystical aspect to some people.
According to research conducted by the Pew Research Center, they, like their religious brethren, believe that humans have souls or spirits. However, they are less likely to believe that they can be reunited with their loved ones after death, and more likely to believe that animals, rivers, mountains, trees, and other parts of nature have spiritual energy.
The term “spirituality” is used by people who are simply interested in being in harmony with the human spirit, as well as by polytheists, witches, and others, such as Stephen Intermill, who runs the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn. An umbrella term that includes ceremonial magicians, or Wiccans. neighborhood.
“We are in the era of the individual, and people want to understand themselves,” Intermir says. “One way to do that is to explore different forms of spirituality.”
The widespread interest in metaphysics can be attributed, at least in part, to social media. TikTok’s #WitchTok has over 6 million posts. Even American consumerism is jumping on trends, like actress Gwenyth Paltrow’s luxury brand Goop, which combines materialism with many traditions.
Deepak Sarma, a professor of philosophy and religious studies at Case Western Reserve University, said this trend is likely due to access to the internet and information about other ways of living.
“It’s really interesting to me to see how people choose from other religious traditions and create their own,” Sarma said. “It gives freedom and certainly freedom from the dogma and control of religious groups.”
Intermill says Northeast Ohio has a very active spiritual community. As you stroll through Lakewood, you might come across a metaphysical shop selling crystals and incense, or get a palm reading or tarot card pull from an astrologer like Durga. Although she is originally from Romania, she specifically chose the Cleveland area because it has a community full of people like her, she said.
Intermill said Northeast Ohio is rich in natural resources, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Erie, and the Cuyahoga River, which is why the region is home to a large spiritual community. I’m guessing.
“When you get outside and spend time in nature, you really understand the call of nature and its pull,” he said. “For many people, nature is their church.”
These natural resources will influence how the Cleveland Witches experience the eclipse, Dolga said. She believes that Lake Erie, whose tides change under the influence of the moon, will absorb the eclipse’s energy and keep it there for months, and that the fast-flowing Cuyahoga River will dispel any negativity. There is.
Although solar eclipses have historically been seen as bringing bad energy and destruction in some cultures, Durga said she plans to embrace them. For example, she’ll be pouring water under the eclipse to make moonwater, which she says will help with cleansing and intention-setting.
“You can do rituals to bring in a whole new life cycle. We’re not talking about, ‘Oh, what am I going to do next month?'” What are you going to do? ’” she said. “It’s like the magic of many wishes.”
Meanwhile, Intermil said he plans to stay indoors to avoid potential negative energy. But he plans to host a lecture on folklore and mythology related to the eclipse at the Buckland Museum on the Sunday before the eclipse.
“I’m actually going to close the museum for two hours so people can enjoy the eclipse and come see me before and after,” he said. “But I’ll go inside, thank you.”
No matter who you are, how you identify, what you believe, or what you celebrate, solar eclipses are inevitable for residents of Northeast Ohio, so just don’t worry. , said Sarma, the CWRU professor.
“It’s a really wonderful moment to feel oneness with all living things,” Salma said. “Every living thing is going to be affected by this in some way, and whether you like it or not, you’re going to be a part of it. And it’s going to be something that people can talk about for the rest of their lives. Sho.”
