Rainbows seem magical. Their scientific explanation is pretty simple – drops of liquid break up rays of light into their component colors. But these facts don’t diminish the joy and awe we feel whenever we spot one. What does it mean when you dream about rainbows? What are your heavenly helpers saying? Let’s look into the spiritual significance of this symbol.
rainbow in dream meaning
1. Good Things Are Heading Your Way
The interpretation of your rainbow dream has a lot to do with your background belief system and your cultural exposure. According to many Irish folks – for example – leprechauns hide their pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. So dreaming about rainbows could mean a large amount of treasure is headed your way. You might find a gold chain in the sea. Or get a raise!
Biblically speaking, the rainbow was God’s promise to Noah and the rest of mankind. But because of its association with rainfall, a rainbow dream in agricultural societies can give you information about climate patterns so you can plan your farming activities accordingly. But whether the message is about wealth or good weather, your rainbow dream is a sign of hope.
2. Something Important is Missing in Your Life
Did you know different animals see different rainbows? Humans see the standard seven colors, but dogs only see two or three while butterflies and mantis shrimps see many more ‘stripes’ than we do. It’s because of rods and cones. Creatures with more cones see more colors. We have red, blue, and green. Butterflies and bees have these three plus ultraviolet.
Mantis shrimps have sixteen so their rainbow must look electric! Now, suppose you have a doggy dream where some of the colors in your rainbow are missing. Think about what that absent color represents. If you dream of a rainbow without yellow, something in your life is secretly stealing your joy. No green? Maybe you feel stuck in life – no progress or growth.
3. The Stronger Colours Might Indicate Health Problems
At the other end of the spectrum, your rainbow might have extra colors, like the ones seen by butterflies, bees, and/or mantis shrimps. In a typical rainbow, the colors appear as pastel shades that bleed into each other. But your dream rainbow might be washed out, or have certain colors appearing thicker, thinner, darker, wider, or more intense than the rest.
This type of dream may have a message connected to the specific shade. A broader, heavier swathe of red may indicate danger. It could be a warning about someone sabotaging you. Or it could be a warning about your body’s vital organs. You may need a medical check-up, because your blood organs (heart, arteries, kidneys, lungs, etc.) may be fighting an infection.
4. Things Are About to Shift Drastically
In nature, a rainbow often appears after the rain. But it can also appear before a storm, and you’ll often see them at geysers and waterfalls. The rainbow signifies a dramatic shift from cold and gloomy to bright and sunny. Or sometimes from hazy and humid to clear and crisp. Rainbow dreams are the same way. They foretell a drastic upheaval in your circumstances.
What were you thinking about just before you fell asleep? Your angels may send you a rainbow dream to answer the question that was on your dozing lips. In this context, the rainbow tells you things will change, a lot. If you’re going through a tough time, it will soon pass. If you’re enjoying yourself, get ready for the hard (but positively fruitful) work to begin.
5. Celebrate the Full Spectrum of Your Personality
The meaning of your rainbow dream depends on what rainbows mean to you. For example, it’s a symbol of identity for many members of the LGBT+ community. So a missing color, an additional one, or an emphasis on any of the shades can be a far more direct message about their gender, their sexuality, or the way they present. That dream meaning is specific.
You might – for example – dream of a rainbow where the yellows, oranges, and reds meld into a thick stripe of peach or lilac. That might be about accepting your feminine traits even if you present in a masculine way. Or vice versa in dreams with stronger blues and indigos. Or it might hint at the right time, place, or situation to ‘come out’ if you were considering it.
6. Your Hopes and Desires Are Soon Coming True
Dreams can be interpreted spiritually or psychologically, but the best option is a mix of both, plus context. For most of us, a rainbow is something that makes us happy and hopeful. It fills us with wonder and positive feelings. And this warmth is sometimes connected to trauma, just like the rainbow and a thunderstorm. After all, rain grows food, but it can be destructive.
In this context, we’re looking at rainbow dreams as the fulfillment of a wish. Lots of songs and poems talk about wishing on a rainbow (or on a shooting star). So if you’re invested in something important and channeling your energy there, the dream could mean your wish is about to come true. Your helpers in the heavens are aligned with your project so it’ll work!
7. You Need to Reach Out to Someone
What’s the first thing you do when you see a rainbow in the sky? Most of us rush to tell someone so they can come see it too. This could mean yelling at your loved ones inside the house to come join you outside. Or taking a photo or video on your smartphone and sharing it on social media. The rainbow made you feel good and you want to spread those good vibes!
What does this have to do with rainbow dreams? Well, do you remember the last person you watched a rainbow with? Your spirit guides might be telling you that person needs to hear from you. They might be having a bad day, facing a crisis, or maybe you crossed their mind for some reason. Call or text them. Your guardian angels are connecting you at this moment.
8. Your Dreams are Valid … or Maybe Not!
Scientifically speaking, rainbows are illusions. You can see them, and they look quite real. You can even take a photo. But that multi-colored arch isn’t tangible. It’s part of their magic – they exist … but they don’t. It’s why so many songs and stories talk of chasing rainbows. That said, your spirit guides can use a rainbow dream to set you straight about your project.
If you dream that you’re walking on a rainbow, it means your plan – as crazy as it seems – has merit. And your angels will help you bring it into the physical realm. But if you dream that you’re flying towards the rainbow and it keeps moving further away, then your idea is too high in clouds for it to do any earthly good. You need to ground it before you try it out.
9. Everything Fades Away With Time
This rainbow dream message could focus on a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe you’re having a rough time. Your project may have collapsed, you might be unwell, or maybe you’re in a big fight with your beloved. It feels like this crisis will never end. But rainbows – as gorgeous as they are – don’t stick around for very long. Usually, just a few minutes or hours.
So your rainbow dream is about impermanence. Everything in life is transient, both the good and the bad. The dream reminds you to savor your good moments and use those memories to push you through tough times. And if you’re down in the dumps and/or experiencing a rough patch, the dream gives you hope that this too shall pass eventually. Don’t give up yet!
10. Accept All the Areas of Yourself
Everyone struggles with identity, especially during seasons of transition. Maybe you just finished school. Or got divorced. Or retired. Or got fired. Or the kids left for college. It could even be something like turning 13, 40, 50, or 70. Suddenly you’re unsure of who you are. You might be seeing sides of yourself that feel unfamiliar, incongruent maybe even unpleasant.
Your response to these unwanted sides of yourself might be to pretend. Or to mask. And this self-rejection is making you feel unsettled. A rainbow is made of different colors that form this gorgeous union. They reflect their individuality, pun intended, without losing any part of themselves. A rainbow dream could be a nudge to take yourself as you are and embrace it all.
11. Your Muse is Yelling For Attention
Lots of artists get wisps of inspiration through their dreams. It’s common to hear a writer, painter, or composer talk about dashing out of bed to capture some image or melody that appeared in their dreams. This kind of muse often takes the form of a fire rainbow. Instead of an arch, this rainbow appears as a splash of color in the sky. It resembles like a bright blob.
Regular rainbows are associated with, well, rain. But fire rainbows signify an explosion of creative potential. Your ideas are so all over the place that you haven’t yet coalesced them into a solid concept. So if you dream of a fire rainbow, take a moment to meditate when you wake up. Breathe deep, relax, and ask your angels to clarify this idea and help you express it.
12. Regain Your Childlike Spirit for a While
You might remember drawing rainbows with colored pencils. Or painting them with your fingers in art class. Maybe the little ones in your life have given you pictures of rainbows from daycare or K2. But what does it mean when you dream about a child’s drawing of a rainbow? It’s a little message from your inner child that they want to come out and play.
You may have this dream in various settings. Maybe you’ve been stressed and busy at work so your guardian angels are saying your kids miss you. Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by adult responsibilities. You need to take a moment and do something that brought you joy as a kid, whether that’s baking a mud cake, fetch with your puppy, or splashing in a puddle.
13. Look for the Light in Your Life
According to science, dreams are simply messages from your subconscious mind. They’re not from the angels or other realms. It’s just your brain putting together elements of your knowledge and your experiences, which is why dreams seem to jump through weird scenes that feel unconnected. But even if you see dreams this way, they still communicate with you.
Your mind might be overloaded with negative thoughts and stressful situations. Dreaming of a rainbow is your deeper self trying to pull you out of the dark. Your soul, spirit, or memory is prompting you to sift through that cloudy mess and find something positive despite the weight of living crushing you. It’s your subconscious whispering, “Pause. Breathe. Relax.”
14. Show the World Who You Are
In the movies (and increasingly in real life), people who work in creative fields like to put weird colors in their hair. It’s their way of expressing their quirky personalities. It can also be a visual way to show your queerness. So what does it mean when you dream of rainbow-colored hair? It might mean you feel restricted and that you’re hiding who you really are.
If your job encourages colorful fashion choices, your heavenly hairdresser might be hinting at a fresh coat of color – maybe you haven’t tried that shade before. But if you wear your hair in conservative tones, your angels are inviting you to explore other forms of self-expression, even if they don’t involve dying your hair. Stop squashing your creative side!
15. It’s Time to Embrace the Bigger Picture
Did you know rainbows are complete circles? Pilots can often see the whole thing, but because we’re looking at it from the ground, we only see part of the arch. And this is what your dreams could be saying. You might see the dream as a message from your subconscious or a vision from your higher helpers. In both these cases, the significance remains the same.
Your dream is telling you that while you’re awake, you’re only seeing one side of things. You may be upset about a fight, a breakup, a demotion, or an accident. Your spirit is reminding you that you can’t see all the causes and effects of this event. It may turn out to your benefit in the end, so don’t ruminate on the downside. Be patient and wait for the rest to be revealed.
When was the last time you had a rainbow dream? Tell us about it in the comments section!
Alex
Friday 7th of October 2022
I had a dream that I was walking and it was drizzling then a rainbow appeared very low and close so I walked into it and it touched my head and face , I felt a buzz like a electrifying feeling but with no pain it kind of felt comforting. Then I woke up..