Once in a Blue Moon

| by Victor Cherubim

( September 02, 2012, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Last night when for the first time in two years, night sky observers had a treat as they viewed our second full moon (2nd and 31 August, 2012) in one month, the last blue moon until July 2015.

This is a rare celestial quirk that occurs once in a Blue Moon. The sky did not turn colour, but the term blue moon as a phrase, denotes a rare occurrence. This expression has been in use for a long while. No one quite knows why it is called a blue moon. But in 1883, from the eruption in Krakotoa, Indonesia, ash particles from the volcano soared right into the upper reaches of our atmosphere scattering the red glow light while allowing other colours to pass. Moonbeams shining through the clouds emerged blue and sometimes green and were seen around the world for up to two years.

Recently in the soundtrack of the musical, “New York, New York,” the verses speak out about the Blue Moon and mankind’s search for solace:

HE

“Blue Moon

You saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own”

SHE

“Blue Moon

You know just what I was there for

You heard me saying a prayer for

Someone I really could care for”

“And then there suddenly appeared before me

The only one my arms will ever hold

I heard somebody whisper please adore me

And then I looked to the Moon it turned to gold”

“Blue Moon

I ‘m no longer alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own”

There has always been an enchantment for mankind about the Moon. In ancient times when no calendars existed, sages made it a practice on full moon days to cease worldly pursuits and engage themselves in religious activities. In folklore too, it has a long and interesting history involving the measuring of the year.

For most of human history, the moon has been largely a mystery. It spawned awe and fear and the source of myth and legend. Until July 20 1969, the Man on the Moon Mission defined a moment of greatness and helped assert America’s global dominance. With the demise of Neil Armstrong, the first Man on the Moon days ago, the United States happens to be yearning for past glories. Perhaps, the next person to land on the Moon is almost certainly to be Chinese.

In a Buddhist perspective, Full Moon Poya Days are sacred as it is the most auspicious of the four lunar phases for meditation. The Buddha adopted this practice and on every Poya day, “bana”is observed and “Dharma Deshanayak” is preached in temples and monasteries. The foremost of the Poya days is the Full Moon day of Vesak commemorating the birth, Enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha. Sri Lanka tradition holds that it was on Vesak Poya in the Eighth Year after Enlightenment that the Buddha paid his third visit to Lanka. In 247 B.C. when Buddhism was introduced in our country, Arahat Mahinda on Poson Full Moon also introduced the Poya tradition which continues to this day.

We know that Full Moons (Poya days) occur every 29 days but blue moons come along every 36 months. When a month has two Poya days, the name of the second one is preceded by “Adhi.”

It is no longer a Blue Moon for Man to reach out, putting his feet on the ground and his head in the skies. Today, “Curiosity Mars” rover is sending back high resolution pictures of life on Mars.

But the continued practice of meditation on Poya Days can transcend both time and space.