3. Harbinger of Change: The Azure Omen
Blue lightning has long been considered as a potent omen, usually heralding approaching and major change. Blue lightning was seen in many Native American customs as a symbol of approaching change—personal and group alike. It was thought to indicate the coming of fresh prospects, difficulties, or perhaps the birth of a great leader.
Blue lightning was occasionally connected in mediaeval European mythology with the arrival of dragons or other legendary animals, therefore signifying a change in the natural order. As communities ready for whatever the blue lightning might be signalling, these ideas sometimes resulted in both exhilaration and anxiety.
Blue lightning, sometimes known as “ao inazuma,” was occasionally connected in Japanese tradition to the idea of “yoake,” or dawn. Considered as a precursor of fresh starts, it marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. This link made blue lightning a potent emblem of political or social unrest.