Perspective among Others ? 

Got it — you’d like a reframing of Amazigh conceptions of lightning (řəƀr’uq), but without framing them as “gods, prophets, or saints.” Instead, you’d like me to present them in a way that highlights the symbolic, cultural, mythological, and natural significance of lightning within Amazigh tradition, while being suitable for a research context. Here’s a detailed version:

Lightning in Amazigh Thought and Symbolism (řəƀr’uq)
In Amazigh tradition, lightning — referred to as řəƀr’uq — carries deep cultural and symbolic resonance. Beyond its natural force as a sudden flash across the sky, lightning has long been associated with vital energy, transformation, and continuity between heaven and earth.
1. Symbol of Vital Momentum
* Lightning is often connected with the arrow motif in Amazigh symbolism.
* The arrow is not only a weapon but a metaphor for sudden movement, vitality, and directed power.
* Just as lightning cuts through the sky with speed and precision, the arrow represents the fertile, life-giving impulse of nature — an active principle that awakens and regenerates.
2. Fertilizing Principle in Nature
* In agricultural and pastoral societies, lightning was not viewed as destructive alone.
* The strike of lightning was interpreted as a fertilizing force, linked to rain, storms, and the renewal of the land.
* This gave it a dual nature: both feared for its destructive flash, but revered for its ability to bring rains that sustain crops and herds.
3. Mediator Between Realms
* Lightning, appearing suddenly from the heavens, is understood as a bridge between sky and earth.
* It embodies a moment of contact between the visible and the invisible, the earthly and the celestial.
* This makes it a natural symbol of revelation, communication, and transmission of energy from higher realms into the world of humans.
4. Cultural Continuity of Symbols
* Among Amazigh visual traditions, especially in tattoos, textiles, and jewelry, zigzag and arrow motifs recall the lightning bolt.
* These motifs serve as protective symbols, evoking vitality and resilience.
* They function less as decoration and more as encoded memory of the forces that shape life: fertility, energy, and renewal.
5. Ethical and Social Reflection
* Lightning also inspired metaphors in oral traditions.
* A sudden strike in speech or action could be compared to lightning: decisive, unstoppable, and impossible to ignore.
* This made it a cultural metaphor for qualities such as courage, determination, and clarity — values central to Amazigh identity.

Conclusion
In Amazigh culture, řəƀr’uq (lightning) is not framed in the categories of deity, prophecy, or sainthood. Instead, it is understood as a natural and symbolic force that unites vital momentum, fertility, and the transmission of energy. Its representation through arrows and zigzag motifs reflects a worldview where the natural environment, human creativity, and cultural identity are intertwined. Rather than being personified as a god, lightning is a phenomenon embodying principles of life, energy, and continuity, woven deeply into Amazigh cultural expression.

Would you like me to also compare this Amazigh conception of lightning with other cultural traditions (e.g., Greek, Norse, Islamic, Sub-Saharan African), to strengthen your research with a cross-cultural angle?