Seeing an upside down or inverted rainbow is a rare and wondrous event that has intrigued humankind for millennia. These unique rainbows have sparked many mystical interpretations and beliefs across cultures about what they could signify.
If you’re short on time, here’s the essence of the spiritual meaning behind upside down rainbows: They are considered symbolic of a gateway into the realm of spirit, serving as a bridge between heaven and earth.
Some believe upside down rainbows signal a time of shift, change and spiritual awakening in one’s life.
In this in-depth article, we’ll explore upside down rainbow mythology and symbolism. We’ll uncover the history of how different religions, spiritual traditions and cultures have interpreted the meaning of these extraordinary rainbows over time.
We’ll also look at what modern observers believe an inverted rainbow announces in spiritual terms.
The Rare Sighting of an Upside Down Rainbow
The Optical Illusion of an Inverted Rainbow
An upside down or inverted rainbow is a rare and stunning atmospheric phenomenon that looks like an arc of colorful light situated below the horizon line rather than above it. This optical illusion is created when sunlight is reflected and refracted through rain droplets inside a cloud at a 40-42 degree angle.
The inverted rainbow gives the appearance that the colors are displayed upside down compared to a typical rainbow since red is on top and violet is on the bottom.
Geographic Hotspots and Ideal Conditions
Certain geographic locations see upside down rainbows more frequently due to their climate and landscape. Areas like Hawaii, Florida, and mountainous regions are hotspots. The perfect conditions for an inverted rainbow involve storm clouds, sunlight emerging from nearby along the horizon, and rain showers in front of the sunlight.
The rarity of these ideal circumstances coming together leads to very few sightings, making an upside down rainbow a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for most observers.
| Location | Reported Sightings |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | 12 in past 15 years |
| Florida | 5 in 2019 alone |
| Mountain Ranges | intermittent rare sightings |
Documented Sightings and Reactions
Some of the most famous sightings come from Hawaii, where locals and tourists have documented upside down rainbows with incredible photos and videos. In 2019, an inverted rainbow spotted in Tampa Bay, Florida amazed thousands of onlookers.
People pointed from high rise buildings, pulled cars over on highways, and crowded beaches for a glimpse. Similar reactions of awe and disbelief were seen in mountain towns when upside down rainbows appeared over the towering peaks.
Accounts detail stunned silence turning into excitable chatter as cameras snapped furiously to capture the phenomenon.
The uncommon reversing of the colorful arc provokes delight and wonder. Having gained attention across major media outlets when photographed, reports of inverted rainbow sightings never fail to gain huge popularity online as people share their priceless visual documentation.
Upside Down Rainbows in Religion and Spirituality
Symbolism in Christianity
In Christianity, upside down rainbows are sometimes interpreted as a symbol of the impending apocalypse as referenced in the Bible (Revelations 4:3). The unusual phenomenon is seen by some as a harbinger of the end times and the second coming of Christ.
However, others associate inverted rainbows with God’s promises and covenants in the Bible. Just as God showed Noah the rainbow as a sign of his covenant to never again flood the entire Earth (Genesis 9:13-16), upside down rainbows signify that the Lord’s pledges and plans cannot be upended or reversed.
Meaning in Hinduism and Buddhism
In Hindu mythology, inverted rainbows represent the downward flowing Ganges river from Lord Shiva’s dreadlocks. As the Ganges flows to Earth to purify souls of sin, an upside down rainbow mirrors that downward cascade and is seen as auspicious.
Similarly, in Buddhism an upside down rainbow signals a reversal of negative forces and the overcoming of harmful energy. Just as the rainbow arcs invert, so too can bad karma and difficult situations turn around through noble acts, compassion, and enlightened thinking.
Interpretations in Pagan and Earth-Centered Faiths
Pagan, Wiccan, and earth-centered belief systems associate inverted rainbows with creativity and the Divine Feminine archetype. As rainbows are thought to bridge Earth and sky, an upside down rainbow connects more closely with the ground and nature-based spirits and deities.
Inverted rainbows are also seen as signals of abundance and gifts from Mother Earth herself. Just as pots of gold await at the end of some legends about rainbows, upside down rainbows indicate prosperity, health, and plentiful returns from the land in some traditions.
| Faith | Upside Down Rainbow Meaning |
|---|---|
| Christianity | Impending apocalypse or God’s enduring covenants |
| Hinduism | Auspicious, like the holy Ganges river |
| Buddhism | Reversal of negative forces and energy |
| Paganism | Creativity, Divine Feminine, Earth’s abundance |
Cultural Folklore and Mythology on Inverted Rainbows
Irish and Celtic Legends
In Irish and Celtic folklore, an upside down rainbow symbolized the union between heaven and earth. It was seen as a bridge allowing direct access to the spirit world, representing a thinning of the veil between the physical and ethereal realms.
According to some tales, pots filled with gold were said to lie at the point where the inverted rainbow meets the ground. However, this treasure was guarded by mischievous fairies and could only be found by those pure of heart and worthy of the gods’ favor.
Beliefs in Asia, Africa and Indigenous Tribes
In parts of Asia and Africa, upside down rainbows were traditionally seen as signs of upcoming conflict, unrest, or momentous change due to the inversion of the natural order. They served as warnings for people to prepare for tumultuous times ahead both physically and spiritually.
Some indigenous tribes in North and South America considered inverted rainbows to be signals from the spirit world that danger or evil was approaching from particular directions. As a result, elders and shamans would guide their tribes to relocate their camps and hunting grounds to areas believed safer.
Reverence in Hawaii and Polynesia
In Hawaii and wider Polynesia, upside down rainbows represented the presence of ancestral spirits and deities. Their appearance would prompt offerings, prayers for guidance, and celebrations honoring family members who had passed away.
Elders spoke of how inverted rainbows demonstrated the temporary return of ‘aumakua – powerful guardian spirits worshipped by Native Hawaiians. People were warned to tread lightly and act with humility whenever such rainbows appeared in the skies above sacred grounds or near volcanoes where Pele, goddess of fire and lightning, was said to dwell.
Modern Spiritual Views on the Meaning of Upside Down Rainbows
A Sign of Spiritual Awakening
Many spiritual teachers believe an upside down or inverted rainbow serves as a sign one is undergoing a spiritual awakening (1). Seeing an inverted rainbow symbolizes a shift in perspective and awareness, almost as if you’re standing both firmly on the ground yet also seeing through the eyes of the divine.
Much like the tower card in Tarot (2), an inverted rainbow has an energy of sudden yet necessary change.
In terms of color symbolism, an upside down rainbow can indicate awakening the lower chakras like the root or sacral before the upper chakras. This grounds someone fully in the body so they can then connect to higher levels of consciousness (3).
Some even believe seeing an upside rainbow signifies chakra work or a “soul shift” already underway.
Symbol of Heaven Connecting to Earth
Manyfaiths recognize the rainbow as a bridge, portal, ray or ladder connecting heaven / the divine realm to earth (4). Yet typically rainbow symbolism focuses on that connection happening through the higher crown chakra down to the root chakra in a grounded person.
However, an upside down or inverted rainbow flips this sequence, suggesting divine energy flows from heaven to earth by moving through the lower chakras first before accessing the higher ones. Symbolically, many view this as a very embodied, balanced and powerful conduit of sacred energy into the physical plane.
Almost like a lightning rod grounding divine light (5).
Omen of Transformation and Change
As an uncommon atmospheric occurrence, seeing an upside down rainbow carries an otherworldly quality, as if witnessing heaven’s magic spilling into the mundane. For this reason, many consider inverted rainbow sightings as omens or portents of personal transformations or coming change (6).
In myth and culture, rainbow symbolism often focuses on liminal spaces, transitions and blending binaries like earth / sky, feminine / masculine or clarity / mystery (7). An inverted rainbow seems to embody these themes of change, blurring boundaries or occupying luminal spaces in a visual reminder change awaits when we see the world anew.
Conclusion
Whether rare upside down rainbows are considered spiritual omens, magical gateways, or simply optical illusions, they continue to evoke wonder and speculation about their deeper meaning.
Their interpretation tends to reflect the beliefs of the culture and era viewing them. But common symbolic threads exist across civilizations, such as upside down rainbows heralding a time of profound change, spiritual ascension or a bridging of the realm between heaven and earth.
If you’re ever blessed to witness an inverted rainbow’s glorious arcs spilling from sky to ground instead of the reverse, you may just feel you’re gazing upon a fleeting glimpse into the true nature of our universe’s mystical beauty in that moment.
