WHY ARE WE CALLED ALPHA CORVUS?

Loads of people have asked us why we decided to name the #band Alpha Corvus, and there is quite a lot of meaning involved. This blog post sums up the basics, although the meaning runs deeper if you look into it further.

#Alpha brainwaves are dominant during #meditation and times of relaxation. Alpha is the power of being present and aware. These alpha brainwaves are essential for mind/ body integration and mental co-ordination. Once the body is in 'Alpha State', it is possible to explore realms of altered states of consciousness. #Shamans and mystics are adept in embracing dream states and harnessing the potential of the alpha-wave cycle. Since 'α' is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and signifies the beginning of something new, it seemed relevant to include it in our band name. We were originally thinking of calling the band 'Corvus' until we discovered that there is another band out there with that name.

But, why Corvus?

There are many legends surrounding the Corvus constellation. Corvus is Latin for #Raven, however many birds such as crows and magpies are within the genus Corvus. The alpha star in a constellation is usually the brightest, however, Alpha Corvi is the 3rd brightest star in the constellation Corvus. This could be compared to an alpha male or female usually being the strongest or most attractive, however there are times where the opportunity arises for even the most unexpected. Everywhere we go, we see birds from the Corvidae family, and it is a constant reminder to stay on track and #follow our #dreams. The Crow symbolises transformation, which we are hoping to achieve, and Ravens are a totem of the connections we have between the material world and other realms, or 'alpha states'. Many traditions connect Ravens symbolically with #death and the #underworld, which makes the mythology surrounding the constellation even more interesting.

Legends about the Corvus constellation

The constellation Corvus is situated on the back of Hydra (Water Snake) and adjacent to Crater (chalice/ cup).

The crow was considered to be sacred to Apollo, who was said to of transformed into one to flee the monster Typhon. Apollo sent a crow to fetch a cup of water, but the crow was distracted on the way. It had seen a tree full of unripe figs, and decided to wait for the fruit to ripen before eating them all. Since the crow knew that Apollo would wonder why he had taken so long, the crow collected the water in the cup and carried a snake back with him. The crow lied to Apollo, and said that the snake was stopping him from collecting the water. Apollo got so mad at the crow that he flung the bird, the cup and the snake into the night sky. The cup is just out of reach for the crow, meaning that the crow is forever thirsty. Myth tells us that this is why they make a 'CAW' noise.

Legend also says, that the crow was once pure white, like a dove- but the bird brought news to Apollo that his love Coronis been unfaithful, and in a rage, cursed the crow turning its feathers black.

The constellation of Hydra signifies Ningishzida, who is the God of the Underworld. Corvus being a symbol of death and the chalice being a sacrifice symbol of mixing blood and wine; it has been said that the 3 constellations mark the gate to the underworld.