The rainbow has been a symbol of hope and of creative energy in many cultures for centuries. Rainbow symbolism is deep and powerful. The emotions that the deep colors bring up for us are primal. Throughout history, rainbows have brought us lightness of different types.

What Is the Meaning of Rainbows?

For some cultures, the rainbow is a message from the spirits. The Norse believed it to be the bridge to Valhalla, the paradise reserved for those who had fallen in battle.

Other belief systems think of the rainbow as a sign of immortality. In Jewish lore, it is the promise of the Creator for new beginnings and for mercy in times to come.

The Irish tale of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow shows the same feeling. Rainbows give hope during times of darkness. When the rainbow breaks through the clouds, it shows the power of hope. The colors vibrate in your heart, and life feels new again.

My Personal View

I always look for rainbows, and they occur in surprising ways, lifting my spirits whenever I see them. The bright colors dance across the wall or appear as a magnificent arch in the sky. Whenever I see a rainbow, I feel a joyful sense of being visited by a being from another place.

I have arranged prisms on my windowsill so that at certain times multiple rainbows appear on the walls and across the room. It’s always a special treat to have the “rainbow hour,” and I use it as a way to be sure I am noticing how much beauty there is in life. Rainbows dancing on the walls are a wakeup call to beauty.

What Is a Rainbow?

In technical terms, the rainbow is a spectrum of light that appears when the sun’s rays or other white-hued light is refracted by a prism or through water vapor. The colors range from the lower hue of red, then progress through the pure tones of orange, yellow, green, and blue to finish at the high range of purple.

What We See and What We Don’t

There are many vibrations of light that go beyond this visible spectrum. We have the rainbow to show us both the power of choices, as the colors parade through in glory, and the limits of our perception.

The rainbow stands as a reminder that things can be more than they seem to be. It’s the only range of light that we see. However, the universal patterns of light go far beyond our ability to see with our eyes alone.

Now that humans have scientific means of measuring light, ones that can detect these wavelengths in mathematical terms, we see our own limitations in a new way.

We also see the potential for using what we are able to see. The rainbow shows that a simple thing such as a beam of light contains many possible variations. It invites us to dream of newness, showing us pure colors that delight the eye.

The rainbow is a sure sign of the ability of the mind to create new possible ways of seeing things. It’s not just black and white, it’s full color realization.

A Message in the Rainbow

Next time you see a rainbow, take an extra moment to savor the colors and the hidden message that has come.

For me, the rainbow serves as a reminder that the unseen is with us. It’s a tap on the shoulder from lightness, a message that things are more than they seem to be.

When I see refracted light, I take a moment to pause in my routine, to acknowledge mystery, and hope.

Our world is changing in ways we have yet to comprehend. At this moment of change, rainbows can lift the spirit. Color can change the way we feel. The pure tones of the rainbow have the power to bring newness to our hearts.

When was the last time you saw a rainbow? What does your tradition believe about rainbows? What feeling does a rainbow bring into your life? Please share with our community.