Over the Rainbow

Our center's fifth annual spring fling was held recently, with music, food, dancing, a silent auction and a general good time by all. It’s a great opportunity for us to get together for just plain fun. The theme this year was "Over the Rainbow." That sent me to the Internet to learn a bit about various meanings attributed to the rainbow.

According to the Bible, the rainbow appeared after the great flood that destroyed all life on Earth, except that preserved in the Ark. It was s a sign of promise, from God.  He said to Noah: “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. . . and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

Over the centuries, the beautiful rainbow in the sky, which appears as a play of light upon the raindrops, has had many meanings, including Hope, Divinity, Potential, Connection, Transformation and Spiritual Cohesion.

In the Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, those who have attained the highest meditative state are said to experience the “rainbow body” or body of light when they attain oneness with the Divine. The rainbow is often seen as a bridge, such as a celestial bridge connecting the Earth to Heaven, or a channel to enlightenment.

For the Celts, the rainbow and its cauldron at the end symbolized fertility, the promise of a child and the continuance of the bloodline. This morphed into the familiar story of the pot of gold, guarded by a leprechaun, at the end of the rainbow.

Native Americans have a number of myths and sayings around rainbows. For example, from manataka.org comes a poem about the Rainbow Tribe by an unknown author, which includes the lines:

"The sun rose on a magical new day...
Over the whole earth they came,
The people of every colour,
Sister, Brother, Father, Mother
Traveling over many a land
People of the Rainbow
Children of the Way..."

The Sioux have this prophecy about The Rainbow Warriors: There will come a time when the earth is sick and the animals and plants begin to die, then the Indians will regain their spirit and gather people of all nations, colors and beliefs to join together in the fight to save the Earth.

Rainbow power can remind us to take a fresh look at our opportunities, our options for current challenges, our readiness to cross over from one phase of life to another, or to examine our own connection to the Divine.  The rainbow, that paintbrush of divinity, reminds us to open up to spirit, to let it guide us on our life’s journey.

We can also see it as a gift, and when we encounter its beauty, we can be reminded to be grateful for the gifts and blessings we already experience in our lives.

In the song” Over the Rainbow,” from the film, "The Wizard of Oz," Judy Garland asks plaintively why she can’t fly over the rainbow. Bluebirds do it. Why can’t she? It’s so elusive...we can’t seem to move over it, or reach its end. But it brings a promise -- a promise that our troubles will soon be over, and we’ll experience new beginnings and new prosperity.  We’ll reach our heart’s desire at the end of the rainbow and we’ll  celebrate the fulfillment of our dreams.  

And so it is.