Notes on rainbows

On the menu: Rainbow Strawberry Shortcake

A couple of weekends ago I went to a show at the Philip Martin Gallery called The Holographic Principle. That same day, a friend from graduate school opened the first show of her new gallery. The show was called Spectra. Both shows share a common motif in many of the paintings and a few sculptural pieces: an interest in the visible light spectrum, ROY G. BIV, aka rainbows.

It caught my attention that two shows opened on the same day. At the opening I spoke to a couple of people about this idea- it must be connected and relevant, right? Is there something about this that we all need?

I wrote last week about my belief in the artist’s role in channeling the collective unconscious to push our consciousness forward which often results in the synchronicity of many people adopting an idea or motif at any given time. It is, it seems, also the job of the curator to help present these ideas when they need to be given a platform.

I lucked out and found someone at the opening, a therapist, who was willing to bite on my theory. She said that in her line of therapy, trauma recovery, rainbow light is equivalent to heart energy. And right now “everyone is traumatized,” so we are all gravitating towards this healing imagery.

This arresting statement from someone who knows, weirdly made me feel better. If we are all traumatized from the pandemic, climate crisis, late capitalism, war and so on, it makes me feel less pressure to get over it and get it together.

We didn’t get to talk long because it was a busy opening and she was a total stranger who probably wondered why I cared so much about rainbow heart energy. But it was enough validation to give some weight to my theory.

So what is it about rainbows?

In my energy work studies recently, I have been guided to use rainbow light to clear energetic blocks or tension in my body. It’s known as a higher vibration of energy, more powerful and clearing chakras and energy fields. Sometimes I imagine the light going in as white light and then breaking into a prism of colors as it hits the darker, denser energy. It’s as if it hits the bad feelings, the frustrations, the old wounds and gives them a moment to shine at their own vibration before diffusing them into the ether. Other times I imagine a full rainbow running through my body to break up any tired or icky energy at the end of a long day. I don’t know why it works but it feels lightening.

In nature, rainbows are historically seen as magical portals or symbols of the divine. It’s easy to think when you see them it’s a reward from the universe for doing something right, or a little nudge of encouragement.

In the world, rainbows are the symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. A blending of all colors of the visible light spectrum, making space for all people and all kinds of love. Why are people currently fighting against love? Is it fear of changing? Is it because love is winning?

In the face of struggle and darkness, what do we have other than to love ourselves and each other more?

I’m not sure what else to say about rainbows that won’t get too saccharine, so instead I offer you a list:

• Love and the importance of making space for others. And by doing so you inherently make that space for yourself.

• Finding enchantment in the everyday.

• Like a rainbow appearing in the sky, out of nowhere miracles can happen. Especially when the sky is dark and cloud-covered.

• On any given day, we don’t see most of what makes up the world that we live in due to our physical and mental limitations.

• Romantic landscapes with rainbows and bucolic hills.

• If you put food coloring swirls in your whip cream, it is transformative for the soul.