Night has always been associated in the minds of people with mysterious rites and events. Many rituals of antiquity were performed only at night. And evil spirits crawl out of their hiding places only at dusk.
Many magical rituals were and are being performed at midnight. It is believed that it is at this time that the veil between the worlds is lifted, and otherworldly forces are especially strong. Another companion of night magic is the moon. Some rituals are performed exclusively on a waning or waxing moon, some - only on a full moon.
It has now been scientifically proven that moonlight has no magical powers. It's just a reflection of the sun's rays. But rituals associated with the moon are still very popular. And not only rituals. Some people cut their hair, transplant plants only by checking the lunar calendar.
Maybe the light of the moon really carries something magical and incomprehensible to us? The moon really affects the life of living organisms and natural phenomena. An example is the sea tide. The position of the satellite relative to the Earth leaves quite explainable from a scientific point of viewnext.
But why can't you look at the moon? This seemingly stupid question is still being asked today. Explanations are varied. Sometimes so ridiculous it makes your hair stand on end.
Some associate this sign with werewolves and vampires. Although this is very stupid. After all, werewolves have only transformation associated with the moon, and it has nothing to do with vampires at all. Unless, you gape, watching the night star, and one of these mythical creatures will attack you.
Speaking about why you can't look at the moon, children will probably remember the scene from the cartoon "Legends of the Night Watchers". There, with the help of the moon, little owls were zombified, forcing them to forget about the past. They will be closer to the truth than adults with werewolf legends. After all, the moon really affects living beings, not only in fairy tales.
It just so happened that all signs and superstitions very often have very interesting origin stories. Man has always been closely connected with nature, but until some time many phenomena were explained only with the help of magic. In those very times lies the answer to the question of why you can not look at the moon.
The fact is that the lunar cycle greatly affects the vital activity of organisms, including the mental state of a person. In the full moon, for example, cases of exacerbation of mental illness become more frequent. However, our ancestors did not know that oddities are caused by one or another position of the moon in orbit. Therefore, it was believed that you should not look at the moon, otherwise you will go crazy.
There are, of course, contraindications in our time. It is not advised to look at the moon through a telescope for a long time (otherwise, you can get a slight burn of the cornea, there may be a slight defocusing). But nothing threatens the mind, only the eyes.
That's how the legend about why you can't look at the moon is simply dispelled. So enjoy the night luminary, it is very interesting and even useful. Within reason, of course.
