To be continued
For many Buddhists, the seven colors of the rainbow represent the seven planets and the seven regions of the Earth. They also say that the rainbow is the highest region of samsara before the end of the day in nirvana or in heaven. In Arabia, the rainbow is a tapestry laid by the hands of the south wind. It is also called the “arc of clouds” or the “arc of Allah.” In Islam, the rainbow is composed of four colors: red, yellow, green, and blue. Each color represents one of the four elements of the Earth (air, water, earth, and fire).
India
In Indian myths, the goddess Indra does not only carry thunderbolts like the Greek god Zeus; she can also carry a rainbow, known as Indra’s bow or weapon. Part of Indian mythology states that God would have submerged all forms of life in an ocean of milk. Airavata, a sacred white elephant whose name means rainbow, was one of the first creatures to be born from the milk.
Christians
In Christianity, the rainbow represents forgiveness and reconciliation between God and humanity. It is the throne of the Last Judgment. In ancient Christian symbolism, the main colors of the rainbow were red, blue, and green, representing fire, water, and earth. The rainbow was sometimes seen as the Virgin Mary, bringing heaven and earth into harmony.
L'Ancien Testament dit que Dieu a montré à Noé un arc-en-ciel après que le déluge se fut arrêté; c'était un signe que Dieu n'infligerait plus jamais de déluge à la Terre.
Mayas
The Mayan book known as the “Chilam Balam” speaks of the destruction of one of the Mayan worlds by a fiery rain that covered sky and earth with ashes. Those who escaped the violent earthquake and avoided the falling trees and giant rocks saw a rainbow appear as a sign that the destruction was about to end and that a new age was about to begin. The Mayans believed that the goddess of rainbows was Ixchel, the wife of the god Itzamna. She was also the spirit associated with the moon, sexuality, childbirth, and medicine. A similar Mexican story, from the state of Michoacán, tells of Mauina, the goddess of fertility, who lived under a rainbow in the garden of rain and water.
Navajos
The Navajos believe that the gods travel on rainbows because they move quickly. They know that if you run toward the end of the rainbow, it moves farther away before you get there, no matter how fast you move. They have also depicted the rainbow as the bridge between the world of the living and that of the dead. They say that the rainbow carries the heroes between heaven and earth. The Navajos also say that the rainbow is the goddess who appears during the healing ceremony to cure the sick.
Indians
There is a story among the Shasta people that says the Sun uses the colors of the rainbow to paint itself when it comes to Earth as a Shaman or Medicine Man. The Yuki people of California believe that rainbows are the multicolored garments of the Great Spirit, the one who created all existence.
Marylena
