4. Cosmic Energy: The Electric Life Force
Blue lightning was seen by several ancient societies as a sign of cosmic energy or life power. Chinese Taoist philosophy holds that the idea of “Qi,” or life energy, is occasionally connected with the colour blue; blue lightning was considered as a particularly strong source of this energy.
Some African customs held that blue lightning represented a concentrated version of the energy sustaining all life. Sometimes in their ceremonies, shamans and healers would call for blue lightning, thinking it would revive the body and spirit.
Early scientific theory also carried the concept of blue lightning as cosmic energy. As scientists started to grasp electricity in the 18th and 19th centuries, some hypothesised that lightning, especially the uncommon blue variant, might be the key to releasing the basic energy of the universe.